"Dateline Disneyland" (Disneyland Opening Day ABC Broadcast)

Opening day live-TV special for Disneyland; aired on ABC at 4:30pm Pacific time on Sunday afternoon, July 17, 1955, hosted by Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings, and Ronald Reagan. Directed by Stuart Phelps and John Rich. Because of the nationwide anticipation of the opening of Disneyland, fostered by Walt himself on his pre-opening reports on TV, this special had a huge audience, estimated at 90 million viewers. The show was the largest live production ever attempted, utilizing 24 cameras and a staff of hundreds, and it went off with relatively few miscues. - Disney A to Z

Links to pre-opening reports:
   • Walt Disney's "A Progress Report and ...  

   • Walt Disney's "The Pre Opening Report...