''Escapade in Florence'' is a two-part episode of the ''Disneyland'' television show which was released theatrically in some countries. Walt Disney described it as a "two-part teenage comedy adventure" which was "international in flavor". The show first aired on September 30 and October 7, 1962, and was repeated in June 1963 and June 1969.
Tommy Kirk
Thomas Lee Kirk (December 10, 1941 – September 28, 2021) was an American actor, best known for his performances in films made by Walt Disney Studios such as '' Old Yeller'', '' The Shaggy Dog'', ''Swiss Family Robinson'', '' The Absent-Minded ...
as they play students studying in the enchanting city of Florence, Italy. As the two find romance among the city's magnificent art and architecture, they discover that her paintings are at the center of an elaborate art forgery ring involving Florence's most treasured masterpieces. Danger soon finds them when they uncover the mastermind behind the plot and they're thrown into an ancient dungeon. It's now up to Annette to save the day, but will help arrive in time?
Cast
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Tommy Kirk
Thomas Lee Kirk (December 10, 1941 – September 28, 2021) was an American actor, best known for his performances in films made by Walt Disney Studios such as '' Old Yeller'', '' The Shaggy Dog'', ''Swiss Family Robinson'', '' The Absent-Minded ...
Clelia Matania
Clelia Matania (28 March 1918 – 14 October 1981) was an Italian film and voice actress.
Life and career
Born in London, the daughter of the Capri-born naturalized Briton painter Fortunino Matania (best known as Saturnino), Matania attended th ...
Carlo Rizzo
Carlo Rizzo (April 30, 1907 – July 26, 1979) was an Italian stage and film actor.Chiti & Poppi p.333 He was the brother of the actor Alfredo Rizzo.
A regular in post-war Italian cinema he also featured in several American films produced in I ...
as Uncle Mario
*
Renzo Palmer
Renzo Palmer (20 December 1929 – 4 June 1988) was an Italian film, television and stage actor. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1957 and 1988.
Life and career
Born in Milan as Lorenzo Bigatti, Palmer was the adopted son of the ...
as Carabiniere
*Richard Watson as Butler
*Helen Stirling as Miss Brooks
*
Ivan Triesault
Ivan Triesault (born Johann Constantin Treisalt; in Reval (now Tallinn) – January 3, 1980 in Los Angeles) was an Estonian-American actor. His parents were from the island of Hiiumaa.
Life
His first stage appearance was at the German Theat ...
as Professor Levenson
Production
The film was based on a book by Edward Fenton called ''The Golden Doors'' which was published in July 1957. Disney bought the rights in December 1957.
In May 1959 Winston Miller was writing a script for producer William Anderson.
It was shot on location in
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilan ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. Shooting finished in May 1962. Funicello wrote that Italy was her favourite location ever .
Release
The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' called it "an almost perfect example of its genre - straightforward story, likeable young protagonists, some good rough and tumble with the hero's skill in jiu jitsu coming in useful, pleasant songs, a general happy atmosphere, and a strong location background."
''Diabolique'' said it "very much puts Kirk front and center, and he is charming as an American abroad getting into hijinks with art thieves."
The film was released in September 2013 on DVD via the Disney Movie Club Exclusives.
Comic book adaption
* Gold Key: ''Escapade in Florence'' (January 1963)