Our Friend the Atom explained

Series:	Disneyland
Season:	3
Episode:	14
Director:	Hamilton Luske
Teleplay:	Milt Banta
Producer:	Ward Kimball
Music:	Oliver Wallace
Editor:	Lloyd Richardson
Length:	53 minutes

"Our Friend the Atom" is a 1957 episode of the television series Disneyland describing the benefits of nuclear power and hosted by Heinz Haber. It was part of the publicity campaign for peaceful uses of atomic energy, following Dwight D. Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" speech at the UN General Assembly in December 1953.^[1] The episode was broadcast on January 23, 1957, and repeated on April 24 of the same year.^[2]

In 1956, Golden Press published a children's book, The Walt Disney Story of Our Friend the Atom, using artwork from the show.^[2]

Educational film

In 1980, an updated version called The Atom: A Closer Look was released by Disney's educational media division.

Production team

Animation

• Jack Boyd
• Cliff Nordberg
• John Lounsbery
• Jack Campbell
• Jack Buckley
• Ed Parks

Animation Art Styling

• Claude Coats
• John Hench

Layout

• Al Zinnen
• Thor Putnam

Backgrounds

• Jimi Trout
• Irv Wyner

Special Processes

• Ub Iwerks
• Eustace Lycett

Home media

The episode was released on May 18, 2004 on Walt Disney Treasures: Tomorrow Land.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Book: Jean-Claude Favez, Ladislas Mysyrowicz. Le nucléaire en Suisse. L'Age d'Homme. 1987. Lausanne. 79.
2. Book: Cotter . Bill . The Wonderful World of Disney Television . 1997 . Hyperion Books . 0-7868-6359-5 . 144–145, 540.
3. Web site: Tomorrowland DVD Review . DVD Dizzy . 14 February 2021.