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Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

#1
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8/19/08 at 11:15pm
  • Joined: August 2008
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Um, Hi, I'm new here. Well...I'm looking for rare and unusual public domain TV programming on DVD, perhaps from very small DVD companies. This is because I'm part of the 'Internet Archive' website, who are currently trying to expand their "Classic TV" section, and also because I enjoy watching rare and ususual TV programming. So far, thanks to Alpha Video and Shokus Video, I've been able to find some rare programs like "Rocky King, Detective" and "Coke Time". However, I need help finding more. In particular, I'm looking for DVDs of the following:
DuMont Network Programming
Metropolitan Broadcasting programming
Pre-1963 daytime children's programming
Pre-1963 episodes of the "Bozo" series
Pre-1963 failed TV pilots
Pre-1963 soap operas
Any 40's-era programming

If anybody knows any places to get this sort of rare and unusual public domain TV programming on DVD, please help.
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#2
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8/20/08 at 3:55am
  • Joined: May 2005
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Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

Quote:
Originally Posted by DuMont_Network_Saiyan
In particular, I'm looking for DVDs of the following:
DuMont Network Programming
Metropolitan Broadcasting programming
Pre-1963 daytime children's programming
Pre-1963 episodes of the "Bozo" series
Pre-1963 failed TV pilots
Pre-1963 soap operas
Any 40's-era programming

If anybody knows any places to get this sort of rare and unusual public domain TV programming on DVD, please help.

DuMont programming on DVD is scattered, but one set from Mill Creek, Best of TV Detectives has a few episodes from shows like "Adventures of Ellery Queen," "Cases of Eddie Drake," "Front Page Detective," and "Man Against Crime a/k/a "Follow that Man" (filmed version only).

Mill Creek Details Page

Alpha Video is probably your best bet for failed pilots with their series of "Lost" shows, though you can also get "Tales of Frankenstein" from them.

I haven't found a huge amount of late 1940s programming, but the easiest to find are the season 1, Fall 1949 episodes (16) from "The Lone Ranger" that are PD. There are some "Howdy Doody" episodes from 1948 floating around on some dollar DVDs from Digiview, and a Vincent Price hosted telling of "A Christmas Carol" that I've seen dates back to either 1948 or 1949 (Alpha has this). Frankly, in terms of commercial sources, Shokus is about as good as it gets for 1940s era programming, but you may also want to check Moviecraft.

http://www.moviecraft.com/


TV4U.com also has some PD Dumont programs that you can view for free:

http://tv4u.com/Dumont.asp

I'm also assuming that you are aware of Shout! Factory's "Hiya Kids" a sampler of 1950s children's programming (not sure if it's all PD, but certainly some of it is):

http://www.shoutfactorystore.com/pro...64EABC7C8E7426
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#3
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8/20/08 at 5:22am
  • Joined: July 2006
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Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

Nice. I'm interested in this too.

Real Name: Arthur Belling of "St. Looney Up-The-Cream-Bun-and-Jam"

BEAR: 1992?-2007.
GOLDIE: 1997-2008.
Still mourning my girls.

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#4
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8/20/08 at 6:56am
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Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

Thanks, I'll check out the "Best of TV Detectives" DVD set. It's such a shame so little DuMont Network programming still exists.
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#5
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8/20/08 at 9:50am
  • Joined: May 2005
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Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

Quote:
Originally Posted by DuMont_Network_Saiyan
Thanks, I'll check out the "Best of TV Detectives" DVD set. It's such a shame so little DuMont Network programming still exists.

Indeed, much of the network's programming is gone. I'm guessing, by your screen name, that you're probably familiar with Clark Ingram's excellent site on the DuMont Network, and he has a page that shows the DuMont programming that the UCLA Film & Television Archive has in its holdings.

The DuMont Television Network: Appendix Five

As far as DVDs are concerned, I'd guess that "Man Against Crime" a/k/a "Follow that Man" probably has the most episodes out on DVD of any DuMont show, at least those of the public domain variety.
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#6
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8/20/08 at 10:01am
  • Joined: September 2006
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Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

Quote:
Originally Posted by DuMont_Network_Saiyan
Thanks, I'll check out the "Best of TV Detectives" DVD set. It's such a shame so little DuMont Network programming still exists.


I hope that fool who tossed all of that Dumont stuff into the river lived long enough to see the TV on DVD phenomenon happen-he'd be kicking himself for throwing away a potential goldmine!

Death to double sided DVDs!

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#7
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8/20/08 at 10:38am
  • Joined: January 2002
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Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

Go to any local dollar store, and you'll find PD shows on DVD- many from the 1950s and early 60s. Also, search Amazon and eBay.
Bring "The continuing story of PEYTON PLACE" home on DVD: the one that started it all- from Dallas and Dynasty to Desperate Housewives and Gossip Girl!!! Starting this May, see the legendary saga starring Mia Farrow, Ryan O'Neal, Barbara Parkins, and Oscar-winner Dorothy Malone on DVD thru Shout!...
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#8
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8/20/08 at 3:33pm
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Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

Quote:
Go to any local dollar store, and you'll find PD shows on DVD- many from the 1950s and early 60s. Also, search Amazon and eBay.

The Internet Archive already has the common programs like "The Andy Griffith Show" and "The Lucy Show" that are found on dollar stores.

Quote:
Indeed, much of the network's programming is gone. I'm guessing, by your screen name, that you're probably familiar with Clark Ingram's excellent site on the DuMont Network, and he has a page that shows the DuMont programming that the UCLA Film & Television Archive has in its holdings.

Yep, I've seen that page, and I've also done my own research. For example, Clark says that the UCLA has 2 episodes of "Marge and Jeff", they actually have over 15.

Quote:
I hope that fool who tossed all of that Dumont stuff into the river lived long enough to see the TV on DVD phenomenon happen-he'd be kicking himself for throwing away a potential goldmine

Agreed. Even if nobody wants to see "The Family Genius" again, shows like "Down You Go" could of been big hits on GSN before they went sour along with TVLand.
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#9
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8/20/08 at 3:36pm
  • Joined: June 2004
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Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

I always wonder, when I see such a statement, did someone actually dump these in a river? and if so, who?
Please sign our petition to get Warner to release DVDs of all films that they can featuring Bert Wheeler, Robert Woolsey and/or Dorothy Lee.
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#10
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8/20/08 at 5:28pm
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Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

Quote:
I always wonder, when I see such a statement, did someone actually dump these in a river? and if so, who?

They were dumped into a Bay, not a river. According to Edie Adams, "One of the lawyers doing the bargaining said that he could "take care of it" in a "fair manner," and he did take care of it. At 2 a.m. the next morning, he had three huge semis back up to the loading dock at ABC, filled them all with stored kinescopes and 2" videotapes, drove them to a waiting barge in New Jersey, took them out on the water, made a right at the Statue of
Liberty and dumped them in the Upper New York Bay"

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#11
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8/21/08 at 10:32am
  • Joined: January 2002
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Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

For heaven's sake, why didn't they donate them to a museum as a tax write-off or auction the tapes and kinies to the general public a la MGM's legendary 1970 auction of its costumes and props?
Bring "The continuing story of PEYTON PLACE" home on DVD: the one that started it all- from Dallas and Dynasty to Desperate Housewives and Gossip Girl!!! Starting this May, see the legendary saga starring Mia Farrow, Ryan O'Neal, Barbara Parkins, and Oscar-winner Dorothy Malone on DVD thru Shout!...
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#12
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8/21/08 at 5:58pm
  • Joined: August 2008
  • Post Count: 17

Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

Quote:
For heaven's sake, why didn't they donate them to a museum as a tax write-off or auction the tapes and kinies to the general public a la MGM's legendary 1970 auction of its costumes and props?

I agree. To my knowledge the lawyers didn't even ask the Producers or Cast whether they wanted the Kinescopes.
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#13
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8/21/08 at 6:11pm
  • Joined: June 2006
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Re: Looking for rare public domain programming on DVD

Sad fact is these were destroyed About TWO YEARS before Bill Paley set up his Museum of Television and Radio.

Also, ABC "inherited" these prints from DuMont when they purchased the broadcasting equipment from DuMont when they when under. They had no value to the network who was stuck storing them for about 20 years.
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