DTV

DTV was a series of music videos created by Walt Disney Productions in 1984 using popular music and footage of vintage Disney animation, created out of the trend of music videos on cable channel MTV, which inspired the name of this series. The videos were shown as filler material on The Disney Channel and/or the Family Channel (as the network did not air commercials, sometimes in Canada its commercial break for the Family Channel at this time), as well as being the focus of television specials. Home video collections were also released on the VHS, Beta, CED Videodisc, and Laserdisc formats. After the first run of DTV, in 1989 a second series was produced known as DTV².

The main title music, known as "RPM", was created in 1981 by a recording company called Killer Tracks.

In the opening of DTV, a cheese-like moon zooms out to reveal a black background with musical notes. A silhoutette of the Mickey Mouse 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 the head. Finally, after a few seconds, we zoom into the head and revealing several cartoon clips.

DTV ceased airing in 1999. A handful of the music videos can currently be viewed on YouTube.

From 2009 to 2014, Disney revived the DTV idea in the form of Re-Micks, a similar series of short music videos syncing clips from the classic shorts to pop songs.

Television Specials

Disney had aired three DTV television specials on NBC in 1986 and 1987: DTV Valentine, DTV Doggone Valentine, and DTV Monster Hits. All three specials had its own theme of music: DTV Valentine focused on love and romance music; DTV Doggone Valentine focused on love songs with a tribute to Disney's dog and cat characters; and DTV Monster Hits was focused on Halloween themed music and footage.

Note: Mickey's Happy Valentine Special, produced in 1989 as part of The Magical World of Disney, follows a similar theme to these programs.

DTV Valentine

Disney's_DTV_Romancin'_(Promo_1991) — Disney's DTV Romancin' (Promo 1991)

Original Airdate: February 14, 1986, NBC

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
The Stray Cats: Rock This Town
Lionel Richie: Hello
Desirée Goyette: Hey, Mickey
Elton John & Kiki Dee: Don't Go Breaking My Heart
From Lady and the Tramp: Bella Notte
Elvis Presley: (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear
The Eurythmics: There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)
From Sleeping Beauty: Once Upon a Dream
Huey Lewis and the News: The Heart of Rock & Roll
The Contours: Do You Love Me
From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Some Day My Prince Will Come
Whitney Houston: You Give Good Love

Note:

Rebranded as DTV Romancin' in subsequent airings.
This special notably marked Tony Anselmo's first performance as Donald Duck.
This was one of Paul Frees' last performances at Disney before he passed away in November of 1986, voicing the announcer, as well as Ludwig Von Drake.