Best of Route 66

Re: Best of Route 66

Also the great thing about it is that with it coming from an independent the chances are about 100 times greater that we'll get the entire series as opposed to the majors which give up series left and right.

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Question for those who picked up the 11 episode Best Of R66: were original commercials included in every episode (as indicated in a prior post)? Since Roxbury is apparently still involved in the production of season sets, it seems like they would include commercials in these 11 episodes when they are released as part of season sets. Otherwise, it might be worth picking up the Best Of for the commercials.

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Hopefully not. I don't want my DVD's broken up with commercials.If you really feel the need to look at a lot of old adverts there are several DVD's which cater for classic commercials.

Start inserting adverts,vintage or not, will only lead to companies actually to start including current advertising.

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With reference to the inclusion of commercials, the best approach that I've seen is the "Studio One" releases from the Canadian releasing company VSC (Video Service Corp.). They give you the option of watching the shows with or without commercials. But I also liked Image Entertainment's approach to "Naked City." The commercials were there, but as an added bonus and not included as part of the shows.

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Commericials give it the You Are There viewing experience. Some people like it, some don't. I think there should be a feature on the DVD that allows you the option to play it with or without. To me, it all depends on the era the spots are from. My cutoff is around 1975 or so. Pre-1975, I want it intact. Post, to me the commercials are just annoying and have no value. That's why all of the tens of thousands of shows I recorded have the commercials edited out. But to each his own.

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I've watched side one of disc one, and two of the three episodes have several commercials and bumpers. The run time is around 55:00-57:00, so there are a few ads missing. We do get to see William Frawley and the My Three Sons boys with a Chevy Biscayne, and one ep shows the personality, wardrobe, and hair-style transformation that a swig of Milk of Magnesia brings. Bayer ads abound as well.

The third ep, "First Class Mouliak," has only a next-week's-episode tag narrated by Milner before the end credits. That next episode, BTW, is "Once to Every Man," with a swimsuit-clad Janice Rule and is not on this set. :-(

I've bounced through later eps on the set, and at least one runs 49:40 or so, but I think overall most eps have commercials. The combination of "extras" in an ep--ads, bumpers, next-week promos--seems to vary throughout the set. Also, Screen Gems logo fans might find the last ep on the set interesting.

Thanks to Bob Hug for starting this thread, which led to my purchase of the set.

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Thanks Dan! I guess we'll just have to wait till season 1 volume 1 is released to see if this format is replicated to any extent (via options, etc.). But since most of the episodes on the Best Of will not be on volume 1, we may not know then either.

As for preferences about inclusion of commercials, I agree with Hank: pre 1975 interests me, post-1975 generally do not. For me, the bumpers and commercials make the experience more of a complete immersion into the time tunnel. I like Image's approach though, with the possible addition of viewing the program with the original content intact. When Nick at Nite ran R66, they created their own bumpers, but several episodes had next week previews narrrated by Tod or Buzz.

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Here's yet another confirmation of the "Route 66" release on October 23rd, this time from CD Universe. This one is along the lines of Amazon's in that it lists Infinity Resources, Inc. as the studio and does not show a "season 1, volume 1" reference. But it appears that "Route 66" will get fairly wide distribution, at least in terms of online stores.

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinf...le=movie&BAB=M

Not to be an alarmist, but the description says 1 disc; I can't imagine this to be the case and am guessing (and hoping) that this is simply a lack of information on the part of CD Universe, i.e., they need to "fill in the blank" with some number and probably since little information is available at this point in time from Infinity, they simply used the minimum number.

*** UPDATE ***

Add Buy.com to the list of retailers: http://www.buy.com/prod/route-66/q/l...205001820.html

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You've done it again, Bob "I'll get my kicks on Route 66" Thanks for the reminder. That makes 19 on my order list. Sometimes it seems that the 50's/60's DVD releases are going away but then along comes another classic from those decades.

You guys need to get some kind of a sales commision from the studios. I have a lot of sets because the HTF'ers

- Jeff "Welcome back, Gary O....how was the trip up north?" W.

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TV Shows on DVD.com has the official press release:

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7713

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Thanks, Ivan . . . . . this really makes it official and answers the question, somewhat, as to who Roxbury Entertainment is. It appears as if Roxbury has the rights to the series and Infinity is doing the distribution. The "Best of" set issued by Roxbury several months ago via Amazon appears to be a quasi-"home made" effort and it looks like they needed a company (in this case, Infinity) with good distribution channels to really get the season sets out to a wider audience. The press release does indicate that classic commercials will be included but does not answer the question as to whether they are embedded in the shows or included as an extra feature ala "Naked City" from Image. Based on Roxbury's initial release, they'll probably be embedded.

I still wonder, though, about the fate of "Naked City." The brief information at Billy Ingram's "TV Party!" blog suggested that Sony relinquished rights to this other great Herbert B. Leonard/Stirling Silliphant series. I wonder whether Roxbury picked up the rights to this series as well.

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If I could track down a site for Roxbury on the net I would forward a note of "thanks" for releasing R66 and also to please move the commercials to the special features section (as Image did with "Naked City"). It's odd that still nothing turns up for "Roxbury Entertainment" in a Google search.

And Bob, I'd say your supposition that the "best of" set was a "home made" effort by RE, sans distributer is quite sound. To me that pretty much closes the book on what was a mind boggling mystery for so long.

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I found this listing at Oddpath.com but can't swear that it's the same Roxbury Entertainment that's releasing "Route 66." My computer is also blocking access to the company's web site. For what it's worth, here it is:

http://www.oddpath.com/view/californ...ertainment-Inc

Re: Best of Route 66

Wow, the TVShowsonDVD.com article must have given this set a real shot in the arm sales wise, at least at Amazon. As of this writing, it ranked 2,260 among DVD sales at Amazon. If my memory serves me correct, it was something like 21,000 or so yesterday . . . . . not bad for a release that's three months away and has no available cover art yet . . . . . not quite "Fugitive" numbers, but not bad nonetheless.

Re: Best of Route 66

Thanks for that welcome, Jeff. I had a nice trip up north, but it's great to be home, especially when I read more solid confirmation about ROUTE 66 coming soon!

I'm fully convinced that the only way we are going to see more of these classic black & white shows is through the same process ROUTE 66 has gone. I will give my money to studios like Image, Shout Factory, BCI, MPI, Infinity, etc all day long.


I noticed the same thing, Bob. And while THE FUGITIVE is seeing it's numbers rising as we move closer to the release date, I'm going to use PERRY MASON's numbers as the gage for the Janssen series. I'm amazed at how well this show has done on dvd. For at least 2 weeks before it was released, and another 2 or 3 after it's release, it was in the top 100 at Amazon. I'd love to see THE FUGITIVE and ROUTE 66 garner such numbers, but I'm not sure that is realistic. If those shows can get into the top 100 a week before release and stay there for a week or two after their release, I'd think that's a success for older fare on dvd. Just my two cents.

Gary "PERRY MASON is still in the top 500 and it's been over a month since it's release - that's pretty good for an older classic" O.

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Gary, I think "The Fugitive" sales are going to surprise the folks at Paramount, perhaps not in the way that season 1 of "Hawaii Five-0" did, but still well enough that they might reconsider the split season sets for this series. I don't think that "Route 66" will do quite as well due to the fact that it's being released by a smaller studio and likely won't get shelf space at brick & mortars. In fact, I've yet to see anything from Critics Choice/Infinity Entertainment show up at a B&M; I think they're pretty much limited to online stores. By contrast, "The Fugitive" is sure to get space at Best Buy, Wal-Mart and, probably, Circuit City. Incidentally, the Amazon sales ranking for "Route 66" jumped to 897 this morning, so the online "Buz" is starting to take off.

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That R66 has reached this level with 3 months until release speaks volumes, in light of the fact that Amazon's listing still appears "generic" in the sense that there's still no image and no details/description which would lead one to believe that this even refers to a tv series!

Re: Best of Route 66

And, in case you fellas haven't dropped by TVShowsonDVD.com, season 2 volume 2 of PM has a firm date:

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7715

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I hope you are correct, Bob. I guess I'm kinda jaded and cynical at this point (what with LITB getting the shaft, HGWT being canceled, etc). Believing that the greatest show of all time - The Fugitive - will do great numbers for Paramount should be a no-brainer for me. But the fickle buying public concern me slightly, and I'm not ready to declare that this series will hit a home run. I realize you aren't saying that either, I'm just being extra cautious about my expectations for the sales on this series.

I of course agree 100% with you when it comes to Route 66. Infinity doesn't have the distribution that Paramount does, so of course the sales shouldn't be expected to mirror those of The Fugitive. I'm thrilled they are what they are at this point. Being inside the 1000 mark is incredible for a show that is three months away from release.

Getting back to The Fugitive for a second, I'd like to see the sales hit the top 100 within the next week and stay there for a couple of weeks after it's release. That would send a strong message, and it would mirror what Perry Mason has done for CBS/Paramount. Even if we can't get full season sets, I'm hoping the numbers are good enough to get the show on the same type of release schedule as Mason, which looks now like it's going to get something a little better than bi-yearly releases (every 5 months or so). I'd be very happy to see that for the Janssen series. Of course, the best would be a quarterly release but that may be asking too much.

Gary "quarterly half-season releases equal out to 2 season sets per year - and that's something I can definitely live with" O.

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Gunsmoke has a pretty high sales number on Amazon as well. On another front, The Untouchables Season 1, Vol. 1 has a really bad number, yet we're still seeing Vol. 2. I hope the same will hold for Rawhide, which has a better number than the Untouchables, but still down there.


With Route 66 and Roxbury Entertainment -- Route 66 seems to be their only release, unlike CBS/Paramount which is juggling tons of different series at once. What exactly is stopping Roxbury from releasing Route 66 as complete season sets instead of going the half-season approach?

Re: Best of Route 66

There's nothing really stopping Roxbury Entertainment (and its distributor Infinity Entertainment) from releasing the show on a season by season basis. But I'd guess that they have some concerns about releasing a 47 year old black & white drama (which Sony passed on releasing when they owned the rights), in a manner that's similar to Paramount's handling of "The Untouchables," "Perry Mason," "Rawhide," and the upcoming release of "The Fugitive." There just appears to be a bit more of angst on the part of the studios when it comes to releasing black & white dramatic series. But, they may also feel that with a list price of $29.99 (and discounted selling price of around $20 to $25) that they can sell more sets than a full season set that lists at $60 (discounted to $40 to $50), particularly to impulse buyers.

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Yes, Gunsmoke is doing very well (which I expected). The only reason I use Mason as the measuring stick is that Gunsmoke is a half-hour show and CBS/Paramount seems to only be going the split season route with hour long, black & white drama/action shows. So PM seems to be the best measuring stick, IMHO.

Gary "and I agree, once more, with Bob as it concerns Roxbury/Infinity - they are using the larger Paramount as their template for this type of release" O.

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Now starting to see some of the web sites dedicated to Route 66 (the road, not the series) mentioned by Michael KS in a previous post, pick up the information on the season 1, volume 1 release.

http://www.route66guide.com/ (scroll down a little)

As these sites begin to pick up on this information, this should really help stimulate interest in this release.

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Cool cover art posted at TSoD: http://tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7781

Re: Best of Route 66

Found this article at the web site "Route 66 News" . . . . .


The upcoming DVD release of the critically acclaimed “Route 66″ television series will be a four-disc set of the show’s first 15 episodes in 1960.

Among the special features will be descriptions of the Chevrolet Corvettes used during the series’ run, plus biographies and filmographies of impressive list of actors who appeared on the show.

Also, new DVD sets of additional episodes of “Route 66″ will be rolled out about every six months, until all 116 episodes about Buzz and Tod’s road adventures across America are back in the market.

These additional details about the long-awaited DVD release of “Route 66″ episodes were revealed by Kirk Hallam, president of Roxbury Entertainment, during a telephone interview. Roxbury, along with distributor Infinity Entertainment Group, are releasing the first “Route 66″ set on Oct. 23.

Amazon.com is taking pre-orders for the set, with a list price of $29.98. That’s less than eight bucks per disc. “Route 66″ fans have waited for years for a proper DVD release, and shoddy bootlegs have made the rounds in the interim.

The episodes will be digitally remastered for the best sound and picture possible. Roxbury appears to have good record in this regard. It released a “Best of Route 66″ two-DVD set of 11 favorite episodes, which was widely praised for its picture quality.

Hallam said he hopes future DVD releases will contain interviews with “Route 66’s” directors and supporting actors. Unfortunately, that probably won’t include co-stars Martin Milner and George Maharis, both are in fragile health. Glenn Corbett, who replaced Maharis when he left the show, died in 1993. “Route 66″ producer Herbert B. Leonard died in October.

Hallam said he acquired the rights to “Route 66″ from Leonard about seven years ago and the distribution rights from Sony two years ago so he could produce a “Route 66″ feature film.

Hallam also acquired rights to Leonard’s “Rin Tin Tin” shows so he could produce a “Finding Rin Tin Tin” movie, slated to be released later this year.

Hallam said he always was a fan of the original “Route 66.” He found out he wasn’t alone.

“Along the way, we met so many people who asked, ‘Whatever happened to the old TV show? Why can’t we see it?’” Hallam said. “I realized there was a pretty big fan base who wanted to see it again.”

That convinced him to release “Route 66″ on DVD.
Hallam says the “Route 66″ feature film is in pre-production, with a release date of 2009 at the earliest. He says it already has secured a “major” director and screenwriter. Filming is tentatively scheduled for 2008.

Hallam says he and the main screenwriter soon will take a road trip down Route 66. He said all of the film’s exterior shots will be on the Mother Road, including in Joliet, Tulsa and San Bernardino.

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"...all 116 episodes." Yippee!!!!

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Any update on the possibility of acquiring the remaining NAKED CITYs from the Powers-That-Be or the Powers-That-Were?

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Thanks for posting that, Bob--it sure made my morning! Four years to release the entire series though? I hope Infiinity/Roxbury decides to step up the half season releases should sales exceed expectations. But I must admit, the commitment they appear to have for issuing a complete series release is very reassuring as the number of B&W series I have all seasons for is practically nil. And if Sony were to release this you can just about bet that 15 episodes is all you'll ever see...

The cover art looks nice enough (this publicity shot appears in the opening pages to a recently published companion book). The color is a bit off as the "powder blue" Corvette appears to lean more toward an azure blue--but that's a minor quibble.

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Bob, thanks for the info! I selected this quote from Roxbury since it has been a wish of mine that studios would be more informative with the TV/DVD releases. For me, the toughest part of this hobby is the unknown factor (is the series "one and done"...is it even being considered, etc).

R66 is yet another one that I haven't seen so it'll be a real treat watching them in the "first-class" section with remastered xfrs

Bob H, you need to be working on a commision . My 50's/early 60's section is growing more and more (Naked City Set 1's in the mail and that Untouchables set's unbelievable!). Ditto for Gary & Mike Thanks, guys....I was "lost in the swirling maze" of a few beloved 50's/60's series until you guys showed me the light

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I have never seen this show, but i am tempted. Very sad to hear Martin Milner is in bad health. I grew up watching that man in Adam-12 then Swiss Family Robinson.