What's next for BCI?

Re: What's next for BCI?

Definitely a 2nd Match Game. Password, Tattletales, What's My Line and To Tell the Truth are all titles Cliff has mentioned over on the GSN forums so I think it's safe to include those. There are potentially a few more that I can't discuss yet.

Not sure about Price is Right. At the moment we're limited in what we can use, but it's possible.

Re: What's next for BCI?

bring on more of the Match Game.

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That is great news, David! Some of the show's episodes were only "aired" on NBC's website. I felt like an idiot (but a happy one!) sitting in front of my computer screen and laughing out loud. I'll anxiously await an offical announcement on this one!

Re: What's next for BCI?

About Price is Right, there are rumors that say Holly Holstrom is banned from DVD by order of Bob Barker. Is that true?

Re: What's next for BCI?

I would think Bob would have a strong negative about Dian Parkinson...

Didn't know he had problems with Holly.

[EDIT** A quick google search explained all. ]

Re: What's next for BCI?

Holly appeared on Match Game in 1980, if Bob is blocking her appearances on Price is Right, could you try to include an episode with Holly on Match Game?

Re: What's next for BCI?

Hi all, this is my first post here. David I apologize if this has been asked before, but does BCI plan to continue releasing the britcom "Man About The House"? Also, would you guys consider releasing the Three's Company spin offs "The Ropers" & "Three's A Crowd"? Thanks.

Re: What's next for BCI?

Afraid not. The first set did not do well at all.


Probably not. The licensing fees on shows that that would likely be more than we could make back in sales. Either studios are going to come down on pricing or else release stuff like that themselves.

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I am thinking most people that were interested in Man About the House imported already and those others that might be if they were told about it never knew it existed in general or on DVD, which is a shame.

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That's too bad, I would have liked to see more "Man About The House".

I heard "Three's Company" did really well for Anchor Bay, but they refuse to release the spin offs. It's a shame because I think these are cult shows and would sell decently enough if given a chance.

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I wonder if the studios are pricing themselves out of revenue by overvaluing the library product along with over-inflated fees they charge (Both inhouse and to their licencers) to make new masters.

I'm still amazed what NBC/UNIVERSAL is letting TIMELESS do with the MCA titles.

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I imported series 1 and 2 from Australia years ago, which also had the advantage of having commentaries (on series 2). Pity they weren't able to keep things going when their licence came up for renewal (the UK releases, though they made it all the way to the end, have no extras at all).


I guess you can blame retailers for this. This is very much a "cult" title over here, so the larger retailers (who would have carried Three's Company) wouldn't have had this on store shelves, and the retailers who did have it probably had it filed in the "M's", when it would've probably made most sense to display it next to the existing Three's Company releases.

Although I do almost all of my DVD shopping online, I guess the majority of people still buy things off the shelf. Apart from better prices, the other big reason I buy online is I know most of the stuff I buy is considered "niche" product and probably won't be available (or hard to find) in a B&M store around here, anyway, plus I import quite a few things.

Re: What's next for BCI?

Sorry hearing that MAN ABOUT THE HOUSE didn't sell well. I would have loved to have the rest. I got the R2 of the first season but bought the R1 set as well.

And GEORGE AND MILDRED (THE ROPERS spin off) was an even better show.

I also think it was more of a case that many didn't even know about the show, or were even aware of its existence.

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That's the problem with a lot of British shows. If they never air over here (BBC America, Comedy Central, etc) they don't develop enough of a following.

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I think I read somewhere that Man About the House aired on some PBS stations but I am not certain. Fans of it should try importing Robin's Nest as well, though I kind of liked Three's a Crowd, this series was much superior and my favorite of the the family. Man About the House and George and Mildred had films too.


Of the British series that aired here in the 80s and 90s that I think have some fanbase and are not on DVD in the US, I would say the best sellers would be Blake's 7, Tripods, On the Buses and Goodnight Sweetheart but diehard fans have probably imported those as well, On the Buses has a Canadian release. Blake's 7 and Tripods apparently have legal issues to work through but I can not understand why Goodnight Sweetheart has not been released here.

Are You Being Served has a big fanbase and there was a spinoff series in Australia where John Inman interacts with Australian counterparts to the orignal cast. It could get some sales riding on the popularity of the original and some series starring major players from it could do well too. John Inman starred in two other series, Odd Man Out and Take a Letter Mr Jones. Mollie Sugden who played Mrs Slocombe had a series by the same creators of Are You Being Served called Come Back Mrs Noah. To my knowledge none of these series have made it to DVD anywhere but I guess you are out of the UK backlog of series from now on. If ever you went after an Are You Being Served related release, look into Beanes of Boston, the US pilot version of it with Charlotte Rae, John Hillerman and Alan Seuss.

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On my local CBS station, at 1 am Sunday night / Monday mornings in the late 80's, they would show all three series, MAN, MILDRED, and then NEST. They also aired THREE'S COMPANY weekdays, so I don't know if it was part of the package. That is the only time I ever saw the show.

It was always very strange, as they normally didn't have such obscure syndicated programs.

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I would say probably music licencing? Didn't Paramount have to fork over money to use the small snippet of the original music for "Goodnight Sweetheart" for that Star Trek episode (where they had previously used music substitution: and that music sub went back to the '80s, before music licencing became the nightmare it is today!)


I agree, but I wonder if anyone really knows whether the episodes still exits in the Australian TV archives or not? I know I've never heard a definite yes or no. Also, several people who saw those episodes claim they were vastly inferior to the UK originals, and all but one of them are remakes of British episodes anyway. Still, I'd like the chance to do my own comparison (I wish they would have/could have included Beane's of Boston on the R1 AYBS? set as an extra!).


Take a Letter did, at least, get a VHS release back in the '90s on Questar Video. A fairly routine sitcom, but glad I've got it nonetheless. One of Mollie Sudgen's other shows, That's My Boy is out on R1 DVD from Canada.

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I have read the reviews of the Australian one but I still want to see them and I think fans would be curious enough to try. Some reviews are harsh on the later episodes of the original and Grace & Favour and I still love them. Likewise Come Back Mrs Noah seems to be reviewed as the worst sitcom ever but every description I read of plots make me certain I would not share that view. I have seen That's My Boy, I checked out the series on VHS from my library about 8 years ago.

Re: What's next for BCI?

In some respects, I prefer Grace and Favour to the original (certainly, to the latter seasons).



I know it's not particularly well-though of, but I would think that particular "honour" should probably belong to Heil, Honey, I'm Home.

Re: What's next for BCI?

Grace & Favour seems more enjoyable to me, at times I found it much funnier but I do not think it would have worked without the original series before it.


Heil, Honey I'm Home sounds like something I would buy and after seeing clips, I need it.

Oh, I think You Rang M'Lord might do well here.

Re: What's next for BCI?

Hi David,

I noticed that Password has been announced for a DVD release in December. Do you know if all of the episodes are from the 60's era? Were any 70's ABC episodes included? Any type of commentaries or involvement with Betty White on this set? Thank you!

Re: What's next for BCI?

I'm not sure where all the episodes are from yet, but Betty is going to be quite involved. She's a very close friend of one of our main consultants. I'm not sure if she'll do any episode commentaries, but we'll definitely interview her for the set.

Re: What's next for BCI?

Hi David:
When do you start work on "Andy Barker P.I."?

Re: What's next for BCI?

Soon, I hope. I'd guess it'll be out early in 2009.

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Hopefully, the use of the ABC logo on the package art would be a subtle hint/clue?

I think at least two or three ABC episodes exist officially (meaning, on broadcast-quality tapes in color. I'm not counting the B/W reel-to-reel tapes in the UCLA archives or any other off-air stuff). There's a Jack Klugman/Brett Sommers one that aired on GSN (from the first civilian format). If I remember correctly, there's also supposed to be one episode from the All-Stars format existing, and the series finale (when the show returned to using civilian contestants).

It would be nice if all three of those were included (particularly the latter two, as I don't think they've been on GSN, or at least, not in a long time).

Re: What's next for BCI?

Naw, the artwork isn't final yet - in fact it's already changed a bit since what was posted (but it still isn't approved yet).

I used the "fancy" logo because it's

1. Much more recognizable to the average consumer
   
2. The old one isn't much of a logo.

Re: What's next for BCI?

That's great news, knowing that Betty will be involved in the set in some way or another. Besides, she was married to Mr. Password! Hopefully the few existing ABC episodes will be sought after. Regardless, I'll definitely be picking this one up.

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I'm thrilled to see a PASSWORD release - consitering GSN hasn't run alot of PASSWORD episodes the last 3 or so years.

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True, true. Maybe you could put a bug in someone's ear about the existing ABC shows, David? I know having at least some of them on there (particularly the "final" one) would make a huge incentive for GS nuts to buy, since the few remaining ABC shows--apart from the Klugman/Sommers one--haven't been seen on GSN at all (or at least within the last half dozen years!).

Re: What's next for BCI?

That's certainly disheartening to hear, especially when you consider that, by all accounts, the first set sold very well. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Bob Barker*, but it's frustrating that so many Price Is Right episodes are hanging in limbo because of various things that have happened over the years. Fortunately, I have a few hundred Barker episodes on VHS that I taped off of CBS and GSN over the years. I even have quite a few Tom Kennedy and Doug Davidson episodes and even one CBS episode from December 1974 featuring Dennis James subbing for Bob. But it's not the same as having them on DVD. CBS won't air reruns of Barker's Price and probably never will because (apparently) they don't want it competing with the new episodes with Drew. GSN can't air them anymore because CBS/Fremantle won't allow it and now it appears that a majority of the episodes are being blocked from appearing on DVD. What a shame.

David, I do want to commend you and the folks at BCI for delivering a great product. I own the Match Game (looking forward to volume 2) and The Price Is Right sets and am very pleased with them. The episodes look and sound wonderful and the interviews with Brett on the Match Game set are a special treat and very poignant now that she has since died. The Price Is Right set would have been a homerun had it included a bigger variety of episodes from the '80s, '90s, and '00s as well as the '70s (not your fault) and some interviews with Bob, Roger Dobkowitz, and Kathy "Fingers" Greco (probably not your fault either)

* Me and my mom were lucky enough to attend a taping of Price on April 5, 2007 (the last taping before the Easter Holiday and just two months before Bob retired) and it was a wonderful and exciting experience. We were numbers 22 and 23 in line (we got in line around 5:00 pm the day before for the 2:30 pm taping) and were seated in the third row behind contestants' row. Bob's sister-in-law, Beth Valandra, was seated directly in front of us and we got to speak with her for a moment. The episode aired on May 7, 2007 and I've got it saved on VHS and DVD.