Over its 100 year history, Disney have made a large contribution to the world of entertainment. If this list had included animated features, it is fair to suggest the majority of the list would have been populated by them.
By limiting it to live action films prior to 1980, we get to explore a forgotten side of Disney. The company who made Mary Poppins also made a long line of gimmick comedies for decades, usually starring the same actors. They encompassed many subjects and styles, but usually kept within a familiar framework, suitable for all the family to enjoy.
This list also includes features made by companies Disney have acquired, and which now consequently appear on Disney Plus, which adds another element of variety.
50: The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975)
49: Herbie Goes Bananas (1981)
48: The Shaggy D.A (1976) – Gimmicky concept but a great cast.
47: Babes in Toyland (1961) – The film hasn’t aged well, but Ray Bolger is a timeless villain.
46: The Ugly Dachshund (1966)
45: Treasure Island (1950) – An absolute gem from Disney’s British film period.
44: Million Dollar Duck (1971)
43: Herbie Rides Again (1974)
42: Gus (1976)
41: The Incredible Journey (1965)
40: Hacksaw (1971)
39: The Black Hole (1979) – Even if just for the little robots.
38: Candleshoe (1977)
37: The Prince and the Pauper (1962)
36: Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)
35: The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967) – Outlandishly silly but fun movie.
34: Justin Morgan had a Horse (1972) – A TV movie, but a good one!
33: The Shaggy Dog (1959)
32: The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)
31: Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1959) – If only for the scene involving Pat Boone and a sheep.
30: Those Calloways (1965)
29: The Absent-Minded Professor (1961)
28: The Island at the Top of the World (1974)
27: That Darn Cat (1965) – Hayley Mills AND Dean Jones in the SAME MOVIE?!
26: Greyfriars Bobby (1961) – Heartfelt telling of the famous story, with added Laurence Naismith.
25: The Moon-Spinners (1964)
24: The Story of Robin Hood (1952)
23: Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
22: Third Man On The Mountain (1959)
21: Old Yeller (1959) – One time that Disney broke their formula, and it worked.
20: Hello Dolly! (1969)
19: Blackbeard’s Ghost (1968) – Utter nonsense but fun film starring Peter Ustinov & Dean Jones
18: Unidentified Flying Oddball – It made it this high in our list purely for the nostalgic British cast!
17: The Bears and I (1974)
16: Snowball Express (1972) – Fun, heartfelt and one of Dean Jones’ best.
14: The Love Bug (1969) – Silly but fun Dean Jones movie that set the Disney standard for the next two decades.
15: Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
13: 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)
12: Rocky Horror Picture Show (1976)
11: Freaky Friday (1977)
10: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) – Raindrops keep falling etc etc
09: Pollyanna (1960)
08: The French Connection (1971)
07: Planet of the Apes (1968)
06: The Muppet Movie (1979) – The original and the best, filled with a galaxy of stars.
05: Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
04: 9 to 5 (1980)
03: Star Wars (1977) – We’d be trolled if we didn’t
02: The Parent Trap (1961)
01: Mary Poppins (1964) – Hybrid musical that still looks and sounds great today!
This list could be populated with even more big-name, heavy weight movies if Disney were to fully embrace the libraries they have acquired along with some of their own hidden and perhaps forgotten gems from down through the years. All of these movies are available to stream on Disney+ in the UK.
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