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61-451: El Zorro may refer to: Zorro , a fictional character El Zorro (wrestler) (Jesús Cristóbal Martínez Rodriguez, born 1975), Mexican professional wrestler El Zorro (railway) , Australian railway operator See also [ edit ] Zorro (disambiguation) Zorro (name) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

122-423: A sombrero cordobés , and a mask covering the upper half of his face. In the stories, Zorro has a high bounty on his head but is too skilled and cunning for the bumbling authorities to catch, and he also delights in publicly humiliating them. Because of this, the townspeople started calling him "El Zorro" because of his foxlike cunning and charm. Zorro is an acrobat and an expert in various weapons. Still,

183-424: A band of men helping Zorro is often absent from other character versions. An exception is Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939), starring Reed Hadley as Diego. In Douglas Fairbanks' version, he also has a band of masked men helping him. In McCulley's stories, Zorro was aided by a deaf-mute named Bernardo. In Disney's Zorro television series, Bernardo is not deaf but pretends to be and serves as Zorro's secret agent. He

244-450: A black flat-brimmed hat known as sombrero cordobés , and a black sackcloth mask that covers the top half of his head. Sometimes the mask is a two-piece, the main item being a blindfold-type fabric with slits for the eyes, and the other item is a bandana over the head so that it is covered even if the hat is removed: this is the mask worn in the movie The Mark of Zorro (1920) and in the television series Zorro (1957–1959). Other times,

305-528: A commercial featuring a Zorro-like costume. The case was settled ("each party shall bear its own costs incurred in connection with this action, including its attorney's fees and costs") on August 13, 2010. In March 2013, Robert W. Cabell, author of Z – the Musical of Zorro (1998), filed another lawsuit against Zorro Productions, Inc. The lawsuit asserted that the Zorro character is in the public domain and that

366-445: A coward and a fop . Zorro debuted in the 1919 novel The Curse of Capistrano , originally meant as a stand-alone story. However, the success of the 1920 film adaptation The Mark of Zorro starring Douglas Fairbanks and Noah Beery , which introduced the popular Zorro costume, convinced McCulley to write more Zorro stories for about four decades; the character was featured in a total of five serialized stories and 57 short stories,

427-446: A day." Though proud as befitting his class (and seemingly uncaring about the lower classes), he shuns action, rarely wearing his sword except for fashion, and is indifferent to romance with women. This is, of course, a sham. At the end of the novel, Diego explains that he has planned his double identity since he was fifteen: "It began ten years ago, when I was but a lad of fifteen," he said. "I heard tales of persecution. I saw my friends,

488-417: A former Native warrior who is converted, christianized and married to Don Alejandro. Their dual pregnancies result in them giving birth the same night. Due to complications from birth, Regina cannot breastfeed her child, Diego, so Ana breastfeeds both boys, making them milk brothers. The two are shown to be inseparable, which helps Bernardo receive a more formal education and accompanies Diego to Barcelona. After

549-460: A group of pirates invades the de la Vega home, Bernardo witnesses the rape and murder of his mother, and a result, stops speaking. Diego's grandmother, White Owl, concludes Bernardo refuses to speak as a form of mourning. He is shown to speak to Tornado in a spirit quest and later to a fellow native girl, Light-in-the-Night, whom he marries. In The Curse of Capistrano , Diego is described as "a fair youth of excellent blood and twenty-four years, noted

610-518: A master of escape and camouflage. He is also good at deciphering numerous spoken and written languages, facilitating communication with locals regardless of ethnicity or language. Zorro is incredibly acrobatic, using his bullwhip as a gymnastic accouterment to swing through gaps between city roofs, and can land from great heights and take a fall. Although he is a master swordsman and marksman, he has repeatedly demonstrated his prowess in unarmed combat against multiple opponents. In some versions, Zorro keeps

671-419: A medium-sized dagger tucked in his left boot for emergencies. He has used his cape in creative ways as a blind, a trip-mat, and a disarming tool. Zorro's boots are also sometimes weighted, as is his hat, which he has thrown, Frisbee-style, as an efficiently substantial warning to enemies. He is also a skilled tactician, using mockery to goad his opponents into traps or to irritate them into fighting poorly. Zorro

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732-487: A new series of over 60 serialized stories in Argosy All-Story Weekly . Many of these stories were later collected and published as The Further Adventures of Zorro , Zorro Rides Again , and The Sign of Zorro . Taking advantage of the character's rising popularity in film and prose, and not wishing to confuse interested buyers by using the original title, the five-part prose story was then republished as

793-433: A novel entitled The Mark of Zorro by Grosset & Dunlap in 1924. Since then, each new edition of the book has been published under the same title. Twenty years after the first film adaptation and sixteen years after the book's publication, 20th Century Fox released a new "talkie" version of The Mark of Zorro in 1940 starring Tyrone Power as Don Diego Vega. The film met with high popularity and critical success and

854-473: A well-equipped laboratory in his hidden cave. In Isabel Allende's novel, Diego is a mestizo, the son of a Spanish aristocrat and a Shoshone warrior woman. Thus, as a child, Diego is caught between the divine right of nobility and the ways of his Native mother, grandmother, and ancestors. The historical figure most often associated with the Zorro character is Joaquin Murrieta , whose life was fictionalized in

915-422: Is a capable and invaluable helper for Zorro, sometimes wearing the mask to reinforce his master's charade. The Family Channel 's Zorro television series replaces Bernardo with a teenager named Felipe, played by Juan Diego Botto , with a similar disability and pretense. In Isabel Allende's Zorro: A Novel , Bernardo is the child of the de la Vega's Native housemaid, Ana, who forms a bond with Regina de la Vega,

976-529: Is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley , appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California . He is typically portrayed as a dashing masked vigilante who defends the commoners and Indigenous peoples of California against corrupt, tyrannical officials and other villains. His signature all-black costume includes a cape, a hat known as

1037-559: Is a precursor of the superheroes of American comic books, with Batman and the Lone Ranger drawing particularly close parallels to the character. Zorro debuted in Johnston McCulley 's novel The Curse of Capistrano , serialized in five parts between August 9 and September 6, 1919, in the pulp magazine All-Story Weekly . The story was initially meant as a standalone tale; at the denouement , Zorro's true identity

1098-412: Is a skilled horseman. The name of his jet-black horse has varied through the years. In The Curse of Capistrano , it was unnamed. In Disney's Zorro television series, the horse gets the name Tornado , which has been kept in many later adaptations. In most versions, Zorro keeps Tornado in a secret cave, connected to his hacienda with a system of secret passages and tunnels. McCulley's concept of

1159-624: Is dead. In most versions, Diego learned his swordsmanship while at university in Spain and created his masked alter ego after he was unexpectedly summoned home by his father because California had fallen into the hands of an oppressive dictator. Diego is usually shown living with his father in a vast hacienda , which contains many secret passages and tunnels leading to a secret cave that serves as headquarters for Zorro's operations and as Tornado's hiding place. To divert suspicion about his identity, Diego hides his fighting abilities while pretending to be

1220-407: Is followed in most Zorro media. A notable exception to this portrayal is Disney's Zorro (1957–1959), where Diego, despite using the original façade early in the series, instead becomes a passionate and compassionate crusader for justice and masquerades as "the most inept swordsman in all of California". In this show, everyone knows Diego would love to do what Zorro does but thinks he does not have

1281-466: Is revealed to all. Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford , on their honeymoon , selected the story as the inaugural picture for their new studio, United Artists , beginning the character's cinematic tradition. The novel was adapted as the film The Mark of Zorro (1920), which Fairbanks produced, co-wrote, and starred in as Diego/Zorro. The movie was a commercial success, and the 1924 reprint of McCulley's story by publisher Grosset & Dunlap used

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1342-462: The frailes , annoyed and robbed. I saw soldiers beat an old native who was my friend. And then I determined to play this game." "It would be a difficult game to play, I knew. So I pretended to have small interest in life, so that men never would connect my name with that of the highwayman I expected to become. In secret, I practiced horsemanship and learned how to handle a blade—" "By the saints, he did," Sergeant Gonzales growled. "One half of me

1403-608: The Queen of Swords television series infringed upon the copyrights and trademarks of Zorro and associated characters. Queen of Swords is a 2000–2001 television series set in Spanish California during the early 19th century and featuring a hero who wore a black costume with a red sash and demonstrated similarities to the character of Zorro, including the sword-fighting skills, use of a whip and bolas , and horse-riding skills. Zorro Productions, Inc. argued that it owned

1464-735: The Community Trade Mark for "Zorro" being declared invalid by the European Union's Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market for goods of classes 16 and 41. This follows the 'Winnetou' ruling of the Office's First Board of Appeal in which the Board of Appeal ruled that the name of famous characters cannot be protected as a trademark in these classes. Zorro Productions appealed the decision, and on December 19, 2017,

1525-626: The Spring-heeled Jack character as a masked avenger may have inspired some aspects of Zorro's heroic persona. Spring Heeled Jack was portrayed as a nobleman who created a flamboyant, masked alter ego to fight injustice, frequently demonstrated exceptional athletic and combative skills, maintained a hidden lair and was known to carve the letter "S" into walls with his rapier as a calling card. Like Sir Percy in The Scarlet Pimpernel , Don Diego avoids suspicion by playing

1586-404: The pulp magazine All-Story Weekly . In 1920, the story was adapted as the silent film The Mark of Zorro starring Douglas Fairbanks as the hero Don Diego Vega. The title was a reference to the hero's habit of marking enemies or surfaces with three sword cuts, forming a letter "Z." The film met with enormous success, leading to public demand for more Zorro stories. In 1922, McCulley began

1647-458: The 1920 film The Mark of Zorro , the 1922 novel The Further Adventures of Zorro , the 1925 film Don Q, Son of Zorro , and the 1926 film In the Way of Zorro . Still, many later Zorro stories are still protected by copyright, and many of those copyrights are owned or controlled by Zorro Productions, Inc., which asserts it "controls the worldwide trademarks and copyrights in the name, visual likeness and

1708-530: The 1998 film The Mask of Zorro . In an August 1999 order, the court ruled that it would not invalidate Zorro Productions' trademarks because the defendant argued that certain copyrights in Zorro were in the public domain or owned by third parties. A dispute took place in the 2001 case of Sony Pictures Entertainment v. Fireworks Ent. Group. On January 24, 2001, Sony Pictures, TriStar Pictures and Zorro Productions, Inc., sued Fireworks Entertainment , Paramount Pictures , and Mercury Entertainment , claiming that

1769-674: The 21st century. Bold Venture Press collected all of McCulley's Zorro stories Zorro: The Complete Pulp Adventures , in six volumes. Over 40 Zorro-titled films were made over the years, including The Mark of Zorro , the 1940 classic starring Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone . The character was also featured in ten TV series, the most famous being the Disney-produced Zorro series of 1957–59, starring Guy Williams . Zorro appears in several stories written by other authors, comics books and strips, stage productions, video games, and other media. McCulley died in 1958, just as Zorro

1830-663: The EUIPO Fourth Board of Appeal nullified the lower court's ruling, declaring the contested trademarks as valid, and required Cabell to pay the costs of the legal action, the appeal and Zorro Productions' legal fees and costs. Zorro Productions, Inc. owns approximately 1,300 other Zorro-related trademarks worldwide. In May 2018, Judge Edward Davila processed a complaint by Cabell to find Zorro Productions infringed copyright on his musical. The Curse of Capistrano Before being published in book form, The Curse of Capistrano appeared as five serialized installments in

1891-648: The Fox , Salomon Pico , Manuel Rodríguez Erdoíza , and Tiburcio Vasquez . Another possible historical inspiration is William Lamport , an Irish soldier who lived in Mexico in the seventeenth century. His life was the subject of a fictive book by Vicente Riva Palacio ; The Irish Zorro (2004) is a recent biography. Another is Estanislao , a Yokuts man who led a revolt against the Mission San Jose in 1827. The 1860s, 1880s, and 1900s penny dreadful treatment of

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1952-492: The character of Zorro." It further states "[t]he unauthorized, unlicensed use of the name, character and/or likeness of 'Zorro' is an infringement and a violation of state and federal laws." In 1999, TriStar Pictures , a division of Sony Pictures , sued Del Taco, Inc., due to a fast-food restaurant advertising campaign that allegedly infringed Zorro Productions' claims to a trademark on the character of Zorro. Sony and TriStar had paid licensing fees to Zorro Productions, Inc. for

2013-404: The company Zorro Productions, Inc. uses an image of Zorro rearing on his horse, sword raised high. Douglas Fairbanks, Tyrone Power, and Guy Williams used an epee dueling blade with a saber hilt. Antonio Banderas used a transitional rapier. Zorro specializes in infiltrating heavily guarded enemy structures or territories, espionage, and improvised explosive devices. He is also a weapons expert and

2074-437: The copyright to the original character because Johnston McCulley assigned his Zorro rights to Mitchell Gertz in 1949. Gertz died in 1961, and his estate was transferred to his children, who created Zorro Productions, Inc. Fireworks Entertainment argued that the original rights had already been transferred to Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. in 1920 and provided documents showing this was legally affirmed in 1929, and also questioned whether

2135-799: The copyright was still valid. The court ruled that "since the copyrights in The Curse of Capistrano and The Mark of Zorro lapsed in 1995 or before, the character Zorro has been in the public domain". Judge Collins also stated, "Plaintiffs' argument that they have a trademark in Zorro because they licensed others to use Zorro, however, is specious. It assumes that ZPI had the right to demand licenses to use Zorro at all." Judge Collins subsequently vacated her ruling following an unopposed motion filed by Sony Pictures, TriStar Pictures, and Zorro Productions, Inc. In another legal action in 2010, Zorro Productions, Inc., sued Mars, Incorporated , makers of M&M's chocolate candies, and ad agency BBDO Worldwide over

2196-623: The costume may vary. His favored weapon is a rapier , which he also uses to often leave his distinctive mark, a Z cut with three quick strokes, on his defeated foes and other objects to "sign his work". He also uses other weapons, including a bullwhip and a pistol . The fox is never depicted as Zorro's emblem. It is used as a metaphor for the character's wiliness, such as in the lyrics "Zorro, 'the Fox', so cunning and free   ..." from Disney's television series theme. His heroic pose consists of rearing on his horse, Tornado , often saluting with his hand or raising his sword high. The logo of

2257-487: The eldest son of each new generation returns to Spain for a period of travel and study." The 1940 film The Mark of Zorro keeps the idea of Diego learning his swordsmanship in Spain and adds the idea of him being unexpectedly summoned home by his father, Don Alejandro, when California fell into the hand of an oppressing dictator. Both ideas would then be included in most retellings of the character's backstory. With minor variations, McCulley's portrayal of Diego's personality

2318-473: The era of Spanish California (1769–1821) and, although exact years are often vague, the presence of the Pueblo of Los Angeles means the stories cannot happen before 1781, the year it was founded. Some media adaptations of Zorro's story have placed him during the later era of Mexican California (1821–1848). The character's visual motif is typically a black costume with a black flowing Spanish cloak or cloak,

2379-645: The following year, resembled that of the Rider with only slight differences in the mask and hat. In 1860 , Mór Jókai published his novel " Szegény Gazdagok " (Poor Richmen), where the main character is the Hungarian Baron Lénárd Hátszegi, who is supposed to have the alterego of the "Fatia Negra" (The one with the Black face), an outlaw who robs local people during the night, and during the day lives an aristocratic life. The novel's character

2440-414: The last one appearing in print posthumously in 1959, the year after his death. The Curse of Capistrano eventually sold more than 50 million copies, becoming one of the best-selling books of all time. While the rest of McCulley's Zorro stories did not enjoy the same popularity, as most of them were never reprinted until the 21st century, the character also appears in over 40 films and in ten TV series,

2501-419: The length of El Camino Real for his small interest in the really important things of life." It is also said that "Don Diego was unlike the other full-blooded youths of the times. It appeared that he disliked action. He seldom wore his blade, except as a matter of style and apparel. He was damnably polite to all women and paid court to none. ... Those who knew Don Diego best declared he yawned ten score times

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2562-525: The mask is a one-piece that unites both items described above: this mask was introduced in The Mark of Zorro (1940) and appeared in many modern versions. Zorro's mask has also occasionally been shown as a rounded domino mask , which he wore without wearing a bandana. In his first appearance, Zorro's cloak is purple, his hat is generically referred to as a "wide sombrero," and his black cloth veil mask with slits for eyes covers his whole face. Other features of

2623-480: The most famous being the Disney production, Zorro , of 1957–1959 starring Guy Williams . Other media featuring Zorro include stories by different authors, audio/radio dramas, comic books and strips, stage productions, and video games. Being one of the earliest examples of a fictional masked avenger with a double identity, Zorro inspired the creation of several similar characters in pulp magazines and other media and

2684-713: The novel The Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta (1854) by John Rollin Ridge . In the 1998 film The Mask of Zorro Murrieta's (fictitious) brother Alejandro succeeds Diego as Zorro. As a hero with a secret identity who taunts his foes by signing his deeds, Zorro finds a direct literary predecessor in Sir Percival Blakeney, hero of the Scarlet Pimpernel pulp series by Emma Orczy . The character recalls other figures, such as Robin Hood , Reynard

2745-515: The one he employs most frequently is his rapier , which he often uses to carve the initial "Z" on his defeated foes and other objects to "sign his work". He is also an accomplished rider, his trusty steed being a black horse called Tornado . Zorro is the secret identity of Don Diego de la Vega (originally Don Diego Vega ), a young man who is the only son of Don Alejandro de la Vega, the wealthiest landowner in California, while Diego's mother

2806-535: The reader until the end of the book. In the story, Diego and Zorro romance Lolita Pulido, an impoverished noblewoman. While Lolita is unimpressed with Diego, who pretends to be a passionless fop , she is attracted to the dashing Zorro. The main villain is Captain Ramon, who also focuses on Lolita. Other characters include Sgt. Pedro Gonzales, Zorro's enemy but Diego's friend; Diego's deaf and mute servant Bernardo; his ally, Fray (Friar) Felipe; his father, Don Alejandro Vega,

2867-548: The role of an effete dandy who wears lace, writes poetry, and shuns violence. The all-black Fairbanks film costume, which with variations has remained the standard costume for the character, was likely adapted from the Arrow serial film character The Masked Rider (1919). This character was the first Mexican black-clad masked rider on a black horse to appear on the silver screen. Fairbanks's costume in The Mark of Zorro , released

2928-439: The same title, capitalizing on the movie's popularity. The novel has since been reprinted using both titles. In response to public demand fueled by the film, McCulley wrote more than sixty more Zorro stories, beginning in 1922 with The Further Adventures of Zorro , also serialized in Argosy All-Story Weekly . Fairbanks picked up the movie rights for the sequel that year. However, Fairbanks's sequel, Don Q, Son of Zorro (1925),

2989-583: The second one. Then, between 1932 and 1941, McCulley wrote four short stories and two serialized novels. Zorro stories were published much more frequently between 1944 and 1951 when McCulley published 52 short stories with the character for the West Magazine . "Zorro Rides the Trail!", which appeared in Max Brand's Western Magazine in 1954, is the last story to be published during the author's lifetime and

3050-520: The second-to-last story overall. The last, "The Mask of Zorro" (not to be confused with the 1998 film), was published posthumously in Short Stories for Men in 1959. These stories ignore Zorro's public revelation of his identity. The Curse of Capistrano eventually sold more than 50 million copies, becoming one of the best-selling books of all time . For the most part, McCulley's other Zorro stories remained overlooked and out-of-print until

3111-413: The skill. The Family Channel's Zorro (1990–1993) takes this concept further. While Diego pretends to be inept with a sword, the rest of his facade exaggerates his real interests. Diego is well-versed and interested in art, poetry, literature, and science. His facade is pretending to be interested in only these things and not interested in swordplay or action. In this version of the story, Zorro also has

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3172-528: The title El Zorro . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=El_Zorro&oldid=1225723241 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Zorro Zorro ( Spanish: [ˈsoro] or [ˈθoro] , Spanish for "fox")

3233-613: The trademark registrations by Zorro Productions, Inc., are therefore fraudulent. In October 2014, Cabell's lawsuit was dismissed, with the judge ruling that the state of Washington (where the case was filed) did not have jurisdiction over the matter. However the judge later reversed his decision and had the case transferred to California. In May 2017, U.S. District Judge Davila granted Zorro Productions, Inc.'s motion to dismiss Cabell's claim to cancel its federal trademark registrations. Cabell did not appeal. In June 2015, Robert W. Cabell's legal dispute with Zorro Productions, Inc. resulted in

3294-424: The wealthiest landowner in California and a widower; Don Carlos Pulido and his wife, Doña Catalina, Lolita's parents; and a group of noblemen ( caballeros ) who, at first, hunt Zorro but are then won over to his cause. In later stories, McCulley introduces characters such as pirates and Native Americans, some of whom know Zorro's identity. In McCulley's later stories, Diego's surname became de la Vega. The writer

3355-468: Was at the height of his popularity thanks to the Disney series. In The Curse of Capistrano , Señor Zorro became an outlaw in the pueblo of Los Angeles in California "to avenge the helpless, to punish cruel politicians, to aid the oppressed" and is dubbed the "Curse of Capistrano". The novel features Don Diego Vega and Zorro extensively, but the fact that they are the same person is not revealed to

3416-405: Was based more on the 1919 novel Don Q's Love Story by the mother–son duo Kate Prichard and Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard than on The Further Adventures . Thus, McCulley received no credit for the film. At first, the production of new Zorro stories proceeded irregularly: the third novel, Zorro Rides Again (not to be confused with the 1937 theatrical serial), was published in 1931, nine years after

3477-478: Was inspired by the real-life Hungarian Baron László Nopcsa (1794–1884), who, according to the local legends, had a similar type of alterego. The copyright and trademark status of the Zorro character and stories have been disputed. At least five works are in the public domain in the United States because at least 95 years have passed after their first release: the 1919 novel The Curse of Capistrano ,

3538-535: Was named to the National Film Registry in 2009 by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant," and to be preserved for all time. The 1940 film has been referenced in numerous Batman comics as the film that hero Bruce Wayne sees on the night his parents are murdered. The book tells of the story of Californio Don Diego Vega, alias 'Señor Zorro', in

3599-468: Was the languid Don Diego again. Is it not a peculiar thing?" This part of the backstory was changed in the 1920 film The Mark of Zorro . Diego recently returned from Spain at the movie's start. Zorro later tells Lolita that he learned swordsmanship in Spain. The 1925 sequel Don Q, Son of Zorro expands on this concept by saying that: "Though the home of the De Vegas has long been on California soil,

3660-544: Was the languid Don Diego you all knew, and the other half was the Curse of Capistrano I hoped one day to be. And then the time came, and my work began." "It is a peculiar thing to explain, señores . The moment I donned cloak and mask, the Don Diego part of me fell away. My body straightened, new blood seemed to course through my veins, my voice grew strong and firm, fire came to me! And the moment I removed cloak and mask I

3721-404: Was wildly inconsistent. The first magazine serial ended with the villain dead, and Diego was publicly exposed as Zorro. But in the sequel, the villain was alive, and the next entry had the double identity still secret. Several Zorro productions have expanded on the character's exploits. Many continuations feature a younger character taking up the mantle of Zorro. McCulley's stories are set during

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