The Walt Disney Company, which was founded as Disney Brothers Studio in October 1923, has planned a year-long 100th-anniversary celebration that begins this fall.

At the D23 Expo in Anaheim, media and fans will surely hear many current executives praise the Disney Legacy and library as valued creative assets. 

Yet the track record of actually releasing past Disney films and series on Disney Plus, their flagship streaming service, is dismal. WODP has published a list of hundreds of missing library titles, and it’s only grown longer. There’s also missing Muppets, franchises, musicals, and documentaries.

Some subscribers assume “everything will eventually release,” but that’s not what trends indicate. Stats from Deja View News reveal one has to go back a year (June 2021) for when the last Walt-era film, The Happiest Millionaire, was added. Not since Disney+ U.S. launched has any Walt-era TV series rolled out on the streamer. At least 400 Disney titles are being offered for sale as digital downloads on iTunes and Prime Video, but remain missing on Disney Plus.

All the speeches, Disney Legends awards, and sharply edited montage videos mean little to fans who want to enjoy significant Disney productions from past years. It’s understandable that some titles–those not listed below–would be barred from wide release due to some insensitive cultural depictions. Perhaps a few below need to have the “Stories Matter” disclaimer included. 

These 40 films and TV series, including shorts and TV specials, produced during Walt Disney’s lifetime (1901-1966) should be celebrated as part of the studio’s 100th anniversary. If the company wants to retain core-fan subscribers as they increase the price of Disney+ U.S., making these 40 films and series a priority for streaming release would be a great start. 

13 Theatrical Films

Still from Make Mine Music (Walt Disney Animation Studios).
  1. Make Mine Music (1946)

Recently marking 74 years since release, Make Mine Music is the only fully animated Disney classic currently not available on Disney+.

  1. So Dear to My Heart (1948) 

Starring Burl Ives, Luana Patten, and Bobby Driscoll, a boy raises a lamb its mother has rejected. Similar to Enchanted and Mary Poppins, this classic has several animated sequences.

  1. The Sword and the Rose (1953) 

Knighthood and romance in the 16th century come alive as stars Richard Todd (The Longest Day) and Glynis Johns (Mary Poppins) inhabit this historical fiction tale filmed in Great Britain.

  1. Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue (1954)

During the reign of King George I in the 18th century, the wartime adventures of Scottish highland leader Rob Roy MacGregor (Richard Todd) come to life in this historic drama.

  1. The Great Locomotive Chase (1956) 

A group of 22 Union Army spies goes behind Confederate lines in Atlanta to break up their supply lines and hasten the end of the Civil War. Fess Parker (Davy Crockett) leads the ensemble cast. This film meant so much to Walt Disney, he held the film’s Midwest premiere in his hometown of Marceline, Missouri.

Promotional image for The Great Locomotive Chase.
  1. Johnny Tremain (1957)

This historical fiction flick portrays the Boston Tea Party and Revolutionary War events. While it lacks the historicity of HBO’s John Adams miniseries, with violence and other elements also shown more tamely, it’s a mid-century portrait of patriotism.

  1. Kidnapped (1960) 

Following up from Disney’s first-ever live-action film, Treasure Island released in 1950 (which is on Disney+), Walt and team chose to adapt another swashbuckling Robert Louis Stevenson novel. Starring James MacArthur, Kidnapped is widely available on digital but not streaming. 

  1. Ten Who Dared (1960)

An Old West adventure based on Major John Wesley Powell’s journal, this classic features stunning cinematography of the Grand Canyon as American explorers first chart its contours. 

  1. Big Red (1962)

A hard-working orphan boy helps to care for an Irish settler show dog, and the wealthy owner realizes he has as much to learn as he does to teach. 

  1. Savage Sam (1963) 

Six years after Old Yeller, Disney’s classic about a beloved hound dog, debuted in theaters, sequel Savage Sam reunited the cast for another frontier tale of bravery and rescue.

  1. Miracle of the White Stallions (1963)

At the height of World War II, the world-renowned Lipizzaner Stallions are trapped at a riding school in Vienna. Austrian forces work alongside U.S. General George S. Patton to evacuate and protect them from coming into enemy hands, in a film starring Robert Taylor (Quo Vadis).

  1. A Tiger Walks (1964) 

Disney go-to actor Brian Keith (The Parent Trap) stars in this family drama about a tiger who escapes from a traveling circus – causing panic in a small town. 

  1. Follow Me, Boys! (1966) 

Disney mainstay Fred MacMurray becomes scoutmaster in a small town, with Kurt Russell part of his troop (first of his dozens of Disney film roles). This celebration of mid-century Boy Scouts as an institution was the final film Walt produced; he died two weeks after its theatrical debut. 

10 Beloved Episodes of Walt Disney Anthology Series

Starting in 1954, producer and innovator Walt Disney personally hosted an hour-long family anthology series broadcast on Sunday nights. Some episodes were simple introductions of films already released, but often the productions were new films, behind-the-scenes footage, or Disney Parks features–which are notably also celebrating anniversaries this year. 

Walt Disney Mickey Mouse

  1. Disneyland: Operation Undersea (1954)

Behind-the-scenes of adventure film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

  1. Disneyland: Man and the Moon (1955)
  2. Disneyland: Where Do the Stories Come From (1956)
  3. Disneyland: Tricks of our Trade (1957)
  4. Walt Disney Presents: Donald in Mathmagic Land (1959)
  5. Walt Disney Presents: Perilous Assignment (1959)

Behind-the-scenes of adventure film Third Man on the Mountain

Original poster for Third Man on the Mountain.
  1. Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color: Disneyland After Dark (1962)
  2. Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color: The Golden Horseshoe Revue (1962)
  3. Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color: The Waltz King (1963)
  4. Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color: Disneyland Goes to the World’s Fair (1964)

Eight Classic TV Series 

All of these TV series should be self-explanatory, with most originally aired as part of Walt Disney’s Sunday night anthology series (re-titled multiple times). One is worth calling out. The entire run of classic Zorro, starring Guy Williams, released in November 2021 on Disney+ only in Brazil and Latin America–but it remains missing in all other territories worldwide. 

zorro guy williams
Guy Williams starred in Disney’s Zorro
  1. Disneyland, USA: People & Places (miniseries, 1953-1960, 17 episodes)
  2. The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure (miniseries, 1956, 19 episodes)
  3. Zorro (1957-1961, 78 episodes plus 4 specials) 
  4. Annette (miniseries, 1957-1958) Starring Annette Funicello
  5. The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca (miniseries, 1958)
  6. Texas John Slaughter (miniseries, 1958-1961)
  7. The Swamp Fox (miniseries, 1959-1961)
  8. Dr. Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh (miniseries, 1964)

Nine Landmark Cartoon Shorts

To explore the history of animation, Disney Plus remains a necessity. However, hundreds of cartoon shorts from the studio’s history remain missing, from Silly Symphonies like “Music Land” to popular comic features with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. 

Still from “Goofy Gymnastics” cartoon short.
  1. The Skeleton Dance (1929)
  2. Mickey’s Fire Brigade (1935)
  3. Music Land (1935)
  4. Moving Day (1936)
  5. Alpine Climbers (1936)
  6. Donald’s Snow Fight (1942)
  7. Goofy Gymnastics (1949)
  8. Toy Tinkers (1949)
  9. Motor Mania (1950)

What do you think of these 40 films and series? Are there other classic Disney titles you hope will release soon on Disney Plus? Join the discussion below. 

For the latest Disney+ news, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram.



Josh Shepherd

Freelance journalist Josh M. Shepherd covers culture and family entertainment for several media outlets. A graduate of the University of Colorado, he lives in the Washington, D.C. area.

Related Article

18 Comments

  1. Tega June 19, 2022

    The Moon Cussers

  2. Mark Colville June 20, 2022

    Here, here! How can we get Disney to release them to Disney+? I suggested a couple of them, but they are not on Disney+ yet.

  3. Aaron June 20, 2022

    I've been a huge Scrooge McDuck and DuckTales fan. Would love to see Scrooge McDuck and Money and Soccermania

  4. Merlin Jones June 20, 2022

    You forgot classic features The Three Lives of Thomasina (1964), In Search of the Castaways (1962), Summer Magic (1963), The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (1963), The Monkey's Uncle (1965) and many others.

  5. Michael Hale June 20, 2022

    Island at the Top of the World Third Man on the Mountain

  6. Me June 20, 2022

    Glaring omission: the first African American male academy award and academy award best song movie Song of the South.

    1. Roger Palmer July 1, 2022

      It's never going to be on Disney+

    2. Phillip July 17, 2022

      As someone who since childhood has loved this film about a kind elderly gentleman helping a poor isolated, neglected and bullied young boy out of the sincere goodness of his heart, I second the noting of its absence and make clearly my stand that it can and should be put on Disney+.

  7. Jane E Fuller June 20, 2022

    If they get The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh (starring the very talented Patrick McGoohan), I will take out a subscription JUST to see that one film! Would also love to see some of the other classics that are listed - Hardy Boys, White Stallions, Big Red, Great Locomotive Chase, Zorro, etc!

  8. Mark June 21, 2022

    Bon Voyage.

  9. Kevin Rutherford June 22, 2022

    The more of these classics the better we will all become. From Walt Disney himself to this generation ,what could be better?

  10. Joseph Mantineo June 22, 2022

    I have often thought and said Disney should do a retro Weekend and play original content from the original Disney Channel on Disney +. They had wonderful games shows and series like Danger Bay and other weekly shows that were on the original Disney channel that are forgotten about. It is to bad that the content that is on the Disney+ platform is hidden. or not really worth watching home alone movies come to mind. I would Love to see Lots of Luck on Disney + in the US. Also why are classics like Treasure island or old Yeller buried in the content that is on the platform So Sad how Walt’s dream and now his work has been treated

  11. Joseph Mantineo June 22, 2022

    There is SO MUCH content that should be put on the Disney+ streaming service. it is heartbreaking that it is overlooked for titles that are Not what Walt or his family would have deemed satisfied satisfactory for their platform. Why doesn’t Disney + have a retro weekend and show all the original programs from the original Disney Channel that was aired from 1983 to 1987. There was SO MUCH OF WALT ERA PROGRAMS THAT WERE AIRED THEN.

  12. Bonzo June 27, 2022

    Plane Crazy. The first ever Mickey Mouse cartoon (I know it wasn't the first generally released, but it was produced and tested before Steamboat Willie). Should be there, shouldn't it?

  13. Kathryn Merkel July 15, 2022

    The educational series I'm No Fool.

  14. Vicki Hancock July 16, 2022

    I am sure there are a great deal of people who joined Disney plus to watch the Disney series that they watched as children in the 50s and 60s. I would love to see Swamp Fox and Han Brinker and the silver skates. Over the years I have purchased as many of the Videos and DVDs that I could. Unfortunately in Australia we don’t have access to the same ones that they do inAmerica, Hopefully we will be able to watch more from the vault sooner rather than later

  15. Phillip July 17, 2022

    Putting on the entirety of Mickey Mouse Club rather than just the first week sounds like it would be a very well-accepted idea.

  16. Phillip July 18, 2022

    There was a time when the Zorro TV series was going to be put on Disney+ around the world, as it was originally scheduled to be uploaded to all available regions in February 2020, but when the day came, it didn't arrive. I contacted Disney+ Help by phone to find out why and they told me they were having issues getting every episode through the cleanup restoration and HD process. I accepted the answer given the fact of course I wanted to see the show in a pristine quality. Now that the show has been in released in the South American regions, I'm wondering what the holdup is now for the rest of the world.