Editing ABC Signature (section)

== Background ==
=== Walt Disney Productions (television unit) ===
{{Main|Walt Disney Television}}

In the 1930s, Walt Disney had no interest in television, but that changed by 1950 when he did an hour-long special on [[NBC]], followed up a year after by a special on [[CBS]]. Both of these programs received excellent ratings. Disney eventually got into full series production when ''[[Disney anthology television series|Disneyland]]'' debuted on ABC in 1954.<ref name="eotv">{{cite web|last=Griffin|first=Sean|title=Walt Disney Programs|url=http://www.museum.tv/eotv/waltdisneyp.htm|website=Encyclopedia of Television|publisher=The Museum of Broadcast Communications|accessdate=March 17, 2017|archive-date=August 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817202754/http://www.museum.tv/eotv/waltdisneyp.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Following the success of ''Disneyland'', in 1957, Disney was producing another primetime series for ABC, the western show ''[[Zorro (1957 TV series)|Zorro]]''. It did not last long in the ratings and was cancelled in 1959.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1957-03-11|title=ABC Promotes Smith, Cummings in Tv Posts|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/57-OCR/1957-03-11-BC-OCR-Page-0056.pdf|access-date=2021-08-06}}</ref>

In 1961, Disney severed its terms with ABC and moved its weekly program to NBC, where it stayed for nearly 20 years until 1981. For years, Disney's lone television show on primetime was the eponymous anthology series.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1961-02-06|title=Program Lineup for Fall Forms|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/61-OCR/1961-02-06-BC-OCR-Page-0028.pdf|access-date=2021-08-06}}</ref>

After NBC axed the program, in 1981, it struck an agreement with CBS to take the anthology program there.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1981-03-02|title=Disney to CBS|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/81-OCR/1981-03-02-BC-OCR-Page-0084.pdf|access-date=2021-08-06}}</ref> In 1982, Disney produced the first prime-time show since the cancellation of ''[[Zorro (1957 TV series)|Zorro]]'' in 1959, ''[[Herbie, the Love Bug (TV series)|Herbie the Love Bug]]''. It was cancelled after only one season.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1982-02-22|title=CBS realignment|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/82-OCR/1982-02-22-BC-OCR-Page-0067.pdf|access-date=2021-08-06}}</ref> It was followed by three more programs as part of an agreement with CBS, ''[[Gun Shy (TV series)|Gun Shy]]'', ''[[Small & Frye]]'' and ''[[Zorro and Son]]''. These were sitcoms, and were cancelled after one season.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1983-01-17|title=CBS announces spring tryouts for fall schedule|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1983/BC-1983-01-17.pdf|access-date=2021-08-06}}</ref>