Jack Speirs, 86; Wrote Scripts, Introductions for Disney TV Shows

Jack Speirs, who in his 25-year association with Walt Disney Studios wrote lead-ins that were used to introduce television shows, including “Disneyland” and “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color,” has died.

Speirs, who was 86, died of natural causes Nov. 29 at his home in Lake Sherwood.

Speirs also wrote dozens of animal-oriented scripts for Disney television and feature films, including “Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar” and “King of the Grizzlies,” and the narration for “The Bears and I.”

He was writer and producer for “A Tale of Two Crit- ters.”

Speirs, who was born in Coxs Mills, W.Va., and had an eighth-grade education, began writing in radio as a staff writer for “I Fly Anything,” “Defense Attorney” and other shows.

He found his way to Disney during the 1950s, and in 1954 approached Walt Disney with an idea to split the format of a proposed TV series into segments spotlighting the four primary realms of the soon-to-open Disneyland: Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Disney liked the idea, and Speirs went on to write the show’s introductions for the next 12 years.

“The secret in writing for [Disney] was to keep the dialogue simple and in character,” Speirs once said.

“He seldom used fancy or uncommon words but wouldn’t talk down to his viewers either.”

Speirs also wrote lyrics for many Disney films and for “The Nashville Coyote” television show.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Hazel.