Great jumping horses! Disney shows how ‘Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken’

Atlantic City may now be famous for its glittery gambling spots, but from the turn of the century to the 1930s, the Steel Pier was the city’s showpiece. The pier was famous for its unconventional--often ridiculous--stunt and novelty acts, which included marathon flagpole sitting, boxing cats and dance-a-thons (one couple danced from May 26 to Oct. 19, 1932).

But perhaps the most reknowned act of all was W.F. Carver’s Famous Diving Horses.

Climbing to the top of a 40-foot tower, via a graded wooden ramp, a brave horse and pretty rider would jump from a platform high above spectators--and leap into a tank of water on the pier below.

One of the best-known riders was Sonora Webster, who left her colorless life in rural Georgia to seek fame and fortune in a traveling stunt show.

Disney presents Webster’s engaging, uplifting story in Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken (Sunday 7-9 p.m.), starring Gabrielle Anwar as Webster, who overcomes a personal tragedy and continues riding, Cliff Robertson as Carver and Michael Schoeffling as his son Al, Webster’s love interest.

(Animal lovers should note that the horses in the movie never actually jumped from more than 10 feet and Disney assures that all animal filming was monitored by the American Humane Assn.)

“Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken,” Sunday 7-9 p.m. the Disney Channel. For ages 6 and up.

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Nickelodeon asks viewers to Welcome Freshmen in the Morning (Monday-Friday 7-7:30 a.m.), in which five freshmen show, through conversation and comedy sketches, what it’s like to be the underdog. For ages 10-14.

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A 6-year-old and a 9-year-old are among the Cowgirls (Tuesday 5:30-6 p.m. the Learning Channel) in the episode of “American Originals.” The segment profiles four ranch women, age6 to 60, who live a practical, nonideological brand of feminism, as they rope and ride. For ages 6 and up.

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Nickelodeon Arcade (Tuesday 5-5:30 p.m. Nickelodeon) begins its second season of 42 episodes for video-game enthusiasts, in which two teams vie for control of an animated game board. For ages 6 and up.

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Holly and her three puppet roommates go to “the place to go find out what you want to know” during Under the Umbrella Tree’s Back-to-School Special (Tuesday 7:30 p.m. the Disney Channel). For ages 3-7.

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Winnie the Pooh and friends show children how to handle a variety of situations with strangers in Too Smart For Strangers (Tuesday 8 p.m.). For ages 3-10.

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The Adventures of Pete and Pete’s “What We Did On Our Summer Vacation” (Thursday 7-7:30 p.m. Nickelodeon) takes a bizarre and bittersweet look at how Pete and Pete save the summer. Singer-songwriters Michael Stipe of R.E.M. and Kate Pierson of the B-52s guest. For ages 7-13.

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The Family Channel presents Auggie Doggie Back to School Special (Friday 6-7 p.m.) featuring eight episodes, where Auggie Doggie gets out of homework by going to Mars, catching a burglar and going camping. For ages 3-7.

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The Mad Hatter’s cousin Hedda Hatter, who is physically disabled, visits in the “On a Roll” episode of Adventures in Wonderland (Thursday 7:30 p.m. the Disney Channel) special. When she says that the only drawback to her visit is stairs, the Wonderland gang think she means “stares” and no one will look at poor Hedda. For ages 3-12.

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Robby Benson (who was the voice of the Beast in “Beauty and the Beast”) is featured as the voice of Prince Valiant: Knight of the Round Table (Friday 7-9 p.m. the Family Channel). The animated feature follows Valiant and his friends through campaigns for law and order. For ages 5 - 12.