D-TV is an old series of music videos created by The Walt Disney Company and produced by Charles Braverman and edited by Ted Herrmann which premiered on May 5, 1984, by taking hit songs of the past and putting them together with various footage of vintage Disney animation, created out of the trend of music videos on cable channel MTV, which inspired the name of this series.
Content
Most songs used were contemporary hits (e.g., Hall and Oates' "Private Eyes"), though older songs like Sheb Wooley's '50s hit "The Purple People Eater" were also featured. The videos were shown as filler material on Disney Channel (as the network did not air commercials at this time), as well as being the focus of television specials. Home video collections were also released on VHS, Beta, CED Videodisc, and Laserdisc formats. After the first run of D-TV, in 1989 a second series was produced known as DTV².
Theme music
The main title music, known as "RPM", was created in 1981 by a recording company called Network Music. When the segments were shown individually on television, the title music used was from "Sunset Boulevard", also by Network Music. In the opening of D-TV, a cheese-like Moon zooms out to reveal a black background with blue musical notes. A silhouette of Mickey Mouse's head rises from the Moon, and the Moon exits below the screen. The letter D (in the corporate Disney font) and the letters TV appear and zoom out to attach Mickey Mouse's head. Finally, after a few seconds, we zoom into Mickey Mouse's head and revealing several vintage Disney cartoon clips.
Home media
Many of the songs listed above were released on VHS, in five separate volumes. The first three volumes "Pop & Rock", "Rock, Rhythm & Blues", and "Golden Oldies" were released in late 1984, as part of Walt Disney Home Video's "Wrapped and Ready to Give" promotion. Following that, two more videos, "Love Songs" and "Groovin' For a '60s Afternoon", were released during the summer of 1985.
Television specials
Disney aired three DTV television specials on NBC in 1986 and 1987: DTV Valentine (Feb 14, 1986, re-titled DTV Romancin in later airings), DTV Doggone Valentine (Feb 13, 1987), and DTV Monster Hits (Oct 30, 1987).
DTV Valentine
DTV Valentine focused on love and romance music.
Songs
Betty Everett: The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss) Stevie Wonder: I Just Called to Say I Love You Madonna: Dress You Up Stray Cats: Rock This Town Lionel Richie: Hello Desiree Goyette: Hey Mickey Elton John & Kiki Dee: Don't Go Breaking My Heart Bella Notte (from Lady and the Tramp) (song lyrics on-screen) Elvis Presley: (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear Eurythmics: There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart) Once Upon a Dream (from Sleeping Beauty) (song lyrics on-screen) Huey Lewis and the News: The Heart of Rock & Roll The Contours: Do You Love Me Someday My Prince Will Come (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) (song lyrics on-screen) Whitney Houston: You Give Good Love
Voice Characterizations
Tony Anselmo - Donald Duck
Corey Burton - Gruffi Gummi
Eddie Carroll - Jiminy Cricket
Mary Costa - Aurora (archive footage) Paul Frees - Ludwig Von Drake, Announcer Les Perkins - Mickey Mouse Will Ryan - Goofy, Pongo Judith Searle - Chip and Dale Bill Shirley - Prince Phillip (archive footage) Lisa St. James - Dalmatian puppies
DTV Doggone Valentine
DTV Doggone Valentine focused on love songs with a tribute to Disney's dog and cat characters.
Songs
Wham!: Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John: You're The One That I Want
The Flamingos: I Only Have Eyes For You
Huey Lewis and The News: Working For A Livin'
Bee Gees: Stayin' Alive
Kenny Rogers: Lady
Patti Page: How Much Is That Doggie In The Window? "Weird Al" Yankovic: Eat It George Thorogood and The Destroyers: Bad to the Bone Paul Anka: Puppy Love The Siamese Cat Song (from Lady and the Tramp) (song lyrics on-screen) The Soul Survivors: Expressway to Your Heart Stray Cats: Stray Cat Strut Marvin Gaye: I'll Be Doggone Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs: Stay