Walt Disney unveils his plans for Disneyland in 1954.

A four-hour TV movie is slated to air later this year exploring the life and legacy of Walt Disney, still one of America’s most significant storytellers and a long-lasting figure in American popular culture decades after his death.

The film, titled “Walt Disney,” will span two nights on PBS this fall and touch on his work as a film producer and business mogul. It will showcase rare archival footage and interviews with those who worked side-by-side Mr. Disney on films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (the first feature for Walt Disney Productions in the 1930s) and Imagineers who assisted with the design of Disneyland, which would become the world’s first theme park.

In 1966, the year Walt Disney died, 240 million people saw a Disney movie, 100 million tuned in weekly to a Disney television program, and nearly seven million visited Disneyland. Almost 50 years later, his legacy continues to reach new generations. 

“For many Americans — and for me — the twinkle and swish of the Sunday night Disney logo was pure magic. It was an invitation to a special event,” said Beth Hoppe, chief programming officer and general manager, general audience programming for PBS. “For my kids, introducing them to animated Disney movies from Beauty and the Beast to The Lion King brought us great joy and taught them life lessons. Now viewers of all ages can learn about the life and legacy of the man behind the magic and his continuing impact on our lives and culture.”