Walt Disney Anthology Television Series - Theme Music

Theme Music

• For its first six years, the series used the song "When You Wish upon a Star" as its theme. The recording was taken directly from the soundtrack of the movie Pinocchio.
• From 1961 to 1969, an original song was used, "The Wonderful World of Color," written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman & composed by Buddy Baker. This song helped to emphasize the use of color with its lyrics.
• From 1969 to 1979, The Wonderful World of Disney used an orchestral medley of various Disney songs from movies and theme parks.
• From 1979 to 1981, Disney's Wonderful World used a disco-styled theme written by John Debney and John Klawitter.
• From 1981 to 1983, a short disco arrangement of "When You Wish upon a Star," arranged by Frank Gari, served as theme against elaborate, then-state-of-the-art computer graphics. During the show's three-year hiatus from American television, CBC Television in Canada continued to use this title sequence and theme music for their own versions of the show.
• For the entire run of The Disney Sunday Movie, from 1986 until 1988, a synthesized, pop-rock arrangement of "When You Wish Upon a Star" with some clapping was the theme. After using an orchestral medley of "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" and "When You Wish upon a Star" for the first season of The Magical World of Disney on NBC, The Disney Sunday Movie theme was brought back and continued to be used when the series moved to The Disney Channel in 1990. The use of this theme ended when Disney elected to move the series back to ABC as The Wonderful World of Disney. The first theme used for Magical World was also used for the French version until approximately 1994.
• From 1990 to 1997, an orchestral medley of "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Part of Your World" (the latter from Disney's at the time recent hit The Little Mermaid) was used for network specials (known as The Wonderful World of Disney on CBS and A Disney Special on other networks). This theme has also been used internationally.
• From 1997 to 2002, The Wonderful World of Disney used an orchestral medley of "When You Wish upon a Star" and "A Whole New World" (the latter was used in the movie Aladdin) were used; also used occasionally was the Louis Armstrong hit "What a Wonderful World". It is still used on Telemundo.
• From 2002 to 2008, The Wonderful World of Disney used a newer orchestral arrangement of "When You Wish upon a Star" with a wordless choir.
• In 2007, a new orchestral arrangement of "When You Wish Upon a Star" and a brand-new opening title sequence were used on ABC telecasts in the United States.
• In 2008, another new orchestral arrangement of "When You Wish Upon a Star" (the theme from the current Walt Disney Pictures logo, orchestrated by Mark Mancina) and a brand-new opening title sequence (depicting a montage of the company's work) were shown.