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Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour DVD (1 Viewer)

Hollywoodaholic

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From what I understand, it's not going to be entire episodes from the Third season, but highlights and extended sequences. Also, it's only the third season and those musical performances from that same season. The Who and possibly that Donovan performance are from the first. But in talking to a rep from the Smothers Brothers official website, the second and first season are in the works, in that order.

I'll be anxious to hear from anyone receiving this set from Time Life how it looks and what exactly is on it (it was scheduled for August 25th). I will pick up the non-exclusive version next month that doesn't also include the documentary (I already have that).

Awaiting reviews.
 

Matt.Koz

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Time Life is now listing a 8/28 shipping date for this. I hope that's true as I'm jonesin' for a Smothers fix!
 

Hollywoodaholic

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Here's a review from Billy Ingram's Classic TV Blog ....

DVD REVIEW
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour: Season 3

This superb DVD release is a Paul Brownstein production so you know going in it will be the best possible product; this one's is no exception. You get 11 third season Smothers Brothers Comedy Hours including the one that CBS ever aired, the episode that got them fired in 1969, supposedly because David Steinberg's sermonette routine was deemed offensive.

That episode also contains some interracial romance between Tommy and Nancy Wilson and a shout out to Martin Luther King's dream at the end of the show that surely would have been considered edgy in and of themselves.

While CBS cancelled other highly-rated series (like the Jackie Gleason & Red Skelton shows) at the time, that was an attempt to drop programs that attracted a primarily older audience. Demographics was the hot advertising buzzword in 1969 and the Smothers, with a top 20 show, had the coveted 18-34 age bracket locked in. Renewal from a business point of view was a no brainer, the contracts signed when CBS abruptly dropped the show.

(How serious CBS was that Steinberg's bit had crossed the line is undercut somewhat when you consider the network gave Steinberg his own summer variety show 3 years later where he did more sermonettes.)

If you're expecting to be shocked at how controversial the series was you may be slightly disappointed, by today's standards they never got really far out, the network muzzle was very tight. That the Smothers were poking fun of the establishment at all is what was amazing and the firing undoubtedly sent a chill and a strong message to other television producers to avoid anything that smacked of political satire.

And, indeed, with minor exceptions, it wasn't until The Daily Show debuted in 1996 that political satire returned to television. Even Saturday Nite Live, which owes a huge dept to the Smothers, rarely ventured into any real biting political satire outside of the Weekend Update segments.

The Smothers sued CBS for breach of contract and won but their career was irreparably damaged.

These episodes come with the wonderful intros and outros filmed for the E! Network in the early-1990s and there are extended interviews with the show's personnel, folks like David Steinberg, Bob Newhart, Allan Blye, Bob Einstein, and others included.

I can't recommend this amazing collection more highly, it's a fabulous trip back to a time that seems so far away, so long ago, yet so fresh as reflected in this series.

Sadly, the episodes aren't all complete. On one show, musician John Hartman is listed as a guest but there's no Hartman, which is odd since he was a Smothers regular and it couldn't have been that expensive to get the rights to the tune he performed.

Tom Smothers has stated that he doubts these shows will appeal to the modern audiences. I found the experience a rich and highly enjoyable one and can't wait for the best of season 2 collection which is reportedly in production.

You get 11 episodes of the Comedy Hour on 3 discs while the fourth disc is devoted to Pat Paulsen with the very funny (and trippy) Pat Paulsen For President special along with the comic's standup act, public appearances as he was running for office at various times, some hilarious outakes from the special, and more cool stuff.

There are tons of other extras - new audio intros by Tom Smothers, 2 show promos, excerpts from the Smothers' 1969 press conference after their firing, hundreds of network & government memos, and more. This one's a treasure]

TVparty TV Blog / Classic Television Blog / TV Blog
 

Hollywoodaholic

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I'm thoroughly enjoying this set. The Smothers themselves can often slow the proceedings down, but the stuff in between is often priceless:

Three performances from the musical "Hair." Notice a very young with glasses Jennifer Warnes in the cast.

The two minute edited clip of the history of the United States matched to the drum beat.

Bob Newhart peforming in a musical sketch to the song "I Wonder What Would Happen If?" that poses ideological wish lists ... and one of the skit punchlines is that the black man driving ... is the President.

The Doors singing "Wild Child" and "Touch Me" along with brass and strings. Notice during "Touch Me" that Robby Krieger has taken off his sunglasses and he has a huge black eye. Wonder what the story is behind that.

George Carlin with hair on top of his head instead of his face.

Harry Belafonte singing a song "Don't Stop the Carnival" over flim clips of riots at the '68 Democratic Convention. (A piece that was actually cut from the broadcast version of the show).

Great stuff.
 

Brent S

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Yes, that 3rd season classic is the first episode on disc 2... George Harrison, Dion, Jennifer Warren, and Donovan.
 

Mark Zimmer

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I got an email from smothersbrothersdvd.com or whatever it is saying that they lost my cc information in a computer crash and asking me to resubmit. Screw that. I don't trust these people.
 

Ockeghem

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Hollywoodaholic,

Did you happen to note which works from that musical were performed? I would assume at least the title track, and maybe The Flesh Failures. By chance, was Frank Mills one of the three? Thanks.
 

Hollywoodaholic

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No Frank Mills. Trying to remember the titles of the actual songs is tough, but Hair was in there, Manchester, England, I believe, and the finale leading to Let the Sun Shine. It was almost 10 minutes worth.
 

luvyesmusic

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Anyone know how I can get a copy or footage of Olivia Newton John performing Have You Never Been Mellow? from season 1 episode 3 that aired 1/29/1975. I have looked everywhere and would love to see this again. Thanks
 

Hollywoodaholic

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Season's Three and Two Best-ofs have been released in descending order, so perhaps Season 1 is coming soon. But it hasn't been released yet, if that's what you were hoping.


Also, are you thinking of a different series? The original Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour only ran (almost) three seasons and ended in 1969, and I don't think ONJ was on the radar yet.
 

Jack P

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The person is referring to their separate 1975 NBC variety series which is another program.
 

Elena S

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Originally Posted by Jack P

The person is referring to their separate 1975 NBC variety series which is another program.

Yep, and I'd rather have that series. Barry Manilow was on it too. Would love to have that episode. Their 1975 series was superior to the one that ran in the late 60s. The only thing to commend that one was their political controversies.
 

borisfw

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I would have to go with the 60s show. Much more iconic . Let's face it , both The Doors and the Who were on that show .
 

Hollywoodaholic

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Not to mention George Carlin, Jonathan Winters, Pat Paulson, David Steinberg, David Frye, and the A-list of rock acts from the late 60s (this was the show where Keith Moon loaded his drumkit with dynamite and blew out Pete Townsend's right ear as he was sliding by.)

 

In the canon of TV history, the original show will be remembered, written about (in two books already), and kept alive forever. Not so much the Smothers Brothers lite from the mid-seventies. Remember, this is a show that was never canceled for slipping ratings, it was KILLED for perceived sacrilege (see David Steinberg discussing God) by the fearful and ignorant.

 

And yes, Olivia Newton John and Barry Manilow were a helluva lot safer.


 
 

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