DVD Review All in the Family: The Complete Series DVD Review (1 Viewer)

[MatthewA]

Well, here's how the pros do it. Coke and Sony can't have mishandled them that badly if they still exist uncut.

And adding in Mike Evans as Lionel helped, too. The original Lionel just didn't have the same "E-lectrical engineer" to him.

That was D'Urville Martin who was also in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner along with Isabel Sanford.

 

[PMF]

Well, here's how the pros do it. Coke and Sony can't have mishandled them that badly if they still exist uncut.[...]

In regards to my question concerning the restoration of video tape, I would like to thank MatthewA for this excellent link.

 

[MatthewA]

You're welcome. It was the best I could do considering the company itself no longer exists. This article I found talks about what current media preservationists face (relevant to Sony more than to All in the Family), and there a bunch of links to citation.

 

[B-ROLL]

According to someone who retired from CBS and worked in production:

AiTF was shot at Television City (in Hollywood ... ) was shot on 2 inch tape throughout most of it's run (as well as Archie Bunker's place). The original Master (comparable to a negative) were probably re-used once the show was edited for air.

They would shoot the show twice and edit a show master based upon the best material from whichever show looked best. (camera out of place/or ca camera in the shot use the alternate show take).

Originally the show would be recorded with a master tape with no back up for alternate camera angles etc.

Eventually there was a Show Master and as well as each individual camera feeding to another tape recorder for each camera which the director/editor could insert into the show master if there was an issue with either of the Show Masters shots that was not handled during production.

Most of the time those separate camera recordings would be re-used (recorded over) once they were done with them.

Having said that, there are some things that can been done (ie using a Time-Base Corrector to attempt to improve the quality of the output of the final product ...

Three's Company was originally shot at TV City but production was later moved elsewhere

 

[MartinP.]

Norman Lear moved the production of his series to Metromedia Square in 1975. I saw episodes of All in the Family, Apple Pie and The Jeffersons taped there. Three's Company used three different locations during it's run: CBS Television City, ABC Television Center and Metromedia Square. I saw an episode taped at both CBS and Metromedia. (It's odd to think of the series we watch with their familiar locations being taped in different places.)

APPLE PIE: This show seemed cancelled before it even aired. The critics hated it and it had a terrible time slot. The only two episodes that aired were up against MLB playoff games and did very badly in the ratings. But, you know what? I liked it. It was something different. The plot was unique and it was set in Kansas City during the 1930's. It had wonderful actors in it: Rue McClanahan, Dabney Coleman and Jack Gilford. It was based on a play by Steve Tesich who won an Oscar for his Breaking Away screenplay not too long after the series aired. I saw a taping of it before the show ever aired and liked it. Because it seemed like it wasn't going to last very long I saw three tapings in total. So I saw three unaired episodes (one had Mae Questal in it, the voice of Betty Boop!) and the two broadcast episodes, five of the listed eight.

A few years later in a service job I had, I met Dabney Coleman briefly and mentioned that I'd seen a taping of Apple PIe that he was in. He made a gutteral nose and said... "Yeah...that turkey." I laughed and said there's always going to be some of us that like things others consider a turkey." Lol!

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Norman Lear moved the production of his series to Metromedia Square in 1975. I saw episodes of All in the Family, Apple Pie and The Jeffersons taped there. Three's Company used three different locations during it's run: CBS Television City, ABC Television Center and Metromedia Square. I saw an episode taped at both CBS and Metromedia. (It's odd to think of the series we watch with their familiar locations being taped in different places.)

Oddly enough, they were back at Television City for season 1 of Archie Bunker's Place.

 

[Vahan_Nisanain]

None of the Embassy shows from 1985 to 1988 ever set foot inside ABC (now Prospect Studios) on Prospect/Talmadge. I know, cause I looked at various tickets from those years (i.e. Who's the Boss? and Married... with Children) and they all said "Sunset Gower". And Embassy shows were taping at Universal Studios Hollywood from 1982 to 1985.

 

[MatthewA]

MartinP, that's a great story about Apple Pie.

Of course, now Television City faces rumors of a possible sale, Metromedia Square, later renamed Fox Television Center (a name Fox now uses for the facility that replaced it, coincidentally located on Bundy Drive, once they needed high-definition), is long gone and replaced by a public school. When they moved to Universal they hired a company called Compact Video to do the production and post-production, and they went out of business under suspicious circumstances.

 

[MartinP.]

Of course, now Television City faces rumors of a possible sale,

That shocks me.

 

[MartinP.]

Has anyone else seen these snapshots that someone took of the All in the Family cast in the parking lot of CBS Television CIty, presumably on their way to work? Looks like a date of 1973 on the photos.

 

[FanCollector]

What a great find! They look so different as themselves there. Seems as though the photographer caught Ms. Stapleton by surprise. Thanks for posting these.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Has anyone else seen these snapshots that someone took of the All in the Family cast in the parking lot of CBS Television CIty, presumably on their way to work? Looks like a date of 1973 on the photos.

I noticed that Rob Reiner's the only one not wearing shades in the California Sun, and his hair was also noticeably thinning. Thanks for sharing these!

CHEERS!

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I noticed that Rob Reiner's the only one not wearing shades in the California Sun, and his hair was also noticeably thinning. Thanks for sharing these!

CHEERS!

By the time of the 200th episode special in '79, he appeared clean shaven and without his hairpiece and was full-on Carl Reiner bald at age 32.

Genetics. What a bitch.

 

[Tony Bensley]

By the time of the 200th episode special in '79, he appeared clean shaven and without his hairpiece and was full-on Carl Reiner bald at age 32.

Genetics. What a bitch.

True, and I relate to the early baldness all too well!

On the other hand, Carl Reiner's still going strong in his 90s, and son Rob still enjoys very good health in his 70s, far as I know. I'd consider that a pretty fair trade off!

As for myself, I also suffer from insulin dependant diabetes, am on the autistic spectrum, and live on a fixed income. Sometimes, you just have to deal with the hand you are dealt.

CHEERS!

 

[nobajoba]

I love the discussion that's been going on regarding the original source. No one has addressed my one question I raised originally; If AITF and Maude were both Lear shows, TAPED in the same manner how come Shout's release of Maude The Complete Series looks SO MUCH better than AITF?

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I love the discussion that's been going on regarding the original source. No one has addressed my one question I raised originally; If AITF and Maude were both Lear shows, TAPED in the same manner how come Shout's release of Maude The Complete Series looks SO MUCH better than AITF?

Well, there's no way to no for certain, but the usual list of excuses could be Maude was a couple years newer than AITF, different videotape and cameras could've been used in taping the two shows, the shows could've been handled and stored differently over the years, Sony could've used different methods when remastering the shows for what Shout used or AITF and Maude could've been remastered at different times since AITF has been a syndication mainstay while Maude hasn't... there's no sure way of knowing.

 

[bmasters9]

That shocks me.

I can see why it would-- it wasn't just AITF that was done there, but many other CBS classic comedies, not to leave out many of CBS' classic game shows. "From Television City in Hollywood..." was a very ubiquitous phrase in the 70s and 80s.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I can see why it would-- it wasn't just AITF that was done there, but many other CBS classic comedies, not to leave out many of CBS' classic game shows. "From Television City in Hollywood..." was a very ubiquitous phrase in the 70s and 80s.

IIRC, The Price is Right is still filmed in good ol' Studio 33, now The Bob Barker Studio at CBS Television City.

 

[bmasters9]

IIRC, The Price is Right is still filmed in good ol' Studio 33, now The Bob Barker Studio at CBS Television City.

And George Gray still says that at the top of each show!

 

[MartinP.]

I can see why it would-- it wasn't just AITF that was done there, but many other CBS classic comedies, not to leave out many of CBS' classic game shows. "From Television City in Hollywood..." was a very ubiquitous phrase in the 70s and 80s.

I saw several things taped there in the late 70's and early 80's and a couple beyond that era.
Also, I did get to see one episode of All in the Family taped, but it had moved to the Metromedia
location by then, which is also gone now. It's now a high-school football field.

The episode I saw taped of ALL IN THE FAMILY was Season 8, Episode 23 titled "The Dinner Guest" and it aired March 12, 1978. It was the 181st episode of the series.

If you recall, this was the middle episode of the three episode arc when Mike & Gloria prepare to move to California. In the previous episode (Mike's New Job) we learn Mike's job offer will entail the Stivics leaving and moving to California. They sell their house, but at the end of the episode we find out they'll have to move back in with Archie & Edith for a bit before they can move.

The episode I saw was when they're back in the Bunker house. At the taping I attended there's a scene right in the beginning with everyone interrupting Archie trying to get into the bathroom. Gloria really needs to get in there, she finally does and she sits down on the "terlet" and there's a close-up on her face of complete and utter relief.

After that scene was shot, Norman Lear came out and had a short discussion with the audience. He informed us that the CBS censors were having concerns about this; that, in general, audiences might be offended by this in some way. He wanted to know everyone's opinion of what they saw. To a tee, the audience members offering opinions were that it was such a personal human experience that everyone could identify with that look of relief on Gloria's face and that it was hilarious and should be aired as it was shot. He thanked us and the taping continued.

The basic plotline of the episode is that Edith has planned a going away dinner for Mike & Gloria, but they have other plans and won't be able to be there.

I was very curious when I sat down to watch the episode the evening of March 12, 1978, to see how that opening scene would air. It did not air the way it was intended. It seems so quaint 40 years hence that this was an issue of concern for network television.

The following episode in the arc was "The Stivics Go West."