The Wonderful World of Disney(1954 - 2012)

While currently shown in the U.S. as a time slot for family films on the weekends, this program originally started as a prime-time feature, hosted by Walt Disney himself, that showcased original programming from the Disney Studios. Cartoons, documentaries, educational shorts, all were shown to a captive worldwide audience. Variety was the key to its success, as it kept most of what it did fresh, multi-cultural and constantly changing its entertainment. The only criticism would be that the early programs functioned as an extended commercial for the Disneyland theme park, but as these shows existed long before the Disney entity became a commercial juggernaut, it was more a way for Walt to extend his dream of a timeless place of fun and imagination than shallow consumerism.