Elfego Baca - 3 Episodes - 1958/1959

Inspired by true life heroes, these are two of Walt's most exciting television shows, ELFEGO BACA and THE SWAMP FOX. Elfego Baca is a gunfighter (Robert Loggia) in the old west who changes his ways to become sheriff and then a lawyer. Elfego deals with rampaging cowboys, outlaws and more in this exciting series about law and order on the frontier. The Swamp Fox stars Leslie Nielsen (who starred in the classic film "Forbidden Planet," and would later become famous for the "Airplane" and "Naked Gun" movies) as Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion. This patriot fought the British using unusual methods, and became known as "The Swamp Fox." In this superb series, Marion matches wits with the Tories in a story of adventure and action. 

After Davy Crockett scored a huge hit on TV and in theaters, Walt Disney looked for stories about other American heroes for Disneyland; among the ones he chose were Elfego Baca and Marion Francis, the Swamp Fox. Of the two, Elfego Baca, which ran for 10 installments from October 1958 through March 1960, is the more entertaining. Robert Loggia cuts a properly dashing figure as Baca, the New Mexico gunman who became a lawyer. In both capacities, he fought for justice and the spirit of the law, rather than its letter: If he found a law unjust--or inconvenient--he bent or ignored it to achieve his always honorable ends. Baca also stood out as a rare example of a Latino hero at time when Hispanics were rarely seen on American TV. Elfego Baca proved popular enough to be recut and released theatrically outside the United States.

During the Revolutionary War, Colonel Francis Marion led a string of unconventional campaigns against the British in the Carolinas. His skill at staging raids, then vanishing into the trackless marshes earned him the title "The Swamp Fox." As Marion, Leslie Nielsen lacks Loggia's panache. He's also required to make rather heavy-handed speeches about the rightness of the American cause and its inevitable victory that bring the story to screeching halt. And he always seems to pick the most obtuse members of the British army as targets. Although The Swamp Fox ran for six installments, from October 1959 through January 1961, it was eclipsed by more exciting Disney Americana, notably Texas John Slaughter (1958-1961). (Unrated, suitable for ages 8 and older: violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Episode 1 - The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca - 1958

Director: Norman Foster

Wherever this man went--there was trouble. Death stalked him at every turn. Elfego Baca is "The man who couldn't be killed!" Incredible...but every astounding incident actually happened.

Episode 2 -  Four Down and Five Lives to Go - 1958

Director: Norman Foster

Elfego is so feared by the bad guys that as sheriff and asks them all to turn themselves in, they almost all do so. Later he is badly injured trying to catch a murderer, and he realizes that being sheriff is not what he is cut out to do.