Ozzie & Harriet Shout Factory DVD Set - Episodes CUT!

Troy EB · 04-23-2007, 04:43 PM

I just received the new Shout Factory Best Of The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet DVD Set. I won it from eBay and received it before release date. Being a huge Ozzie & Harriet / Rick Nelson fan, I couldn't wait to watch it. I was shocked to find that ALL of 24 episodes included are the cut syndicated 22 minute versions! Each episode ends with the "1985 - Copyright By Harriet Nelson" piece. These were the same copies that ran on The Disney Channel back in the 1980s.

I can't believe that David Nelson would put out a release like this. I have enjoyed listening to some of the commentaries with David and Sam Nelson, but I am very disappointed with this set. I was expecting beautiful new DVD prints from the Nelson archives, but these were just unrestored old syndicated prints.

"Ozzie And Harriet" is my favorite classic show of all time, and I am very upset about this release.

MatthewA · 04-23-2007, 04:57 PM

Cross this one off my list.

Jeff*H · 04-23-2007, 08:32 PM

Since these appear to be the Disney Channel versions, does this set include the introduction from Harriet Nelson that ran before each episode?

Steve...O · 04-23-2007, 08:45 PM

Very disappointing. Thanks for the heads up Troy.

I had this on my radar but will now pass on this. It's a shame that one of the landmark series in TV history is getting such poor treatment on DVD. I don't blame SHOUT! for this. It seems clear that the Nelson family didn't do a good job at asset preservation (maintaining copyrights, keeping complete prints archived properly, etc.)

Steve

george kaplan · 04-23-2007, 10:00 PM

Another dvd set bites the dust.

**HTF Ads**

Bob Hug · 04-24-2007, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troy EB

I was shocked to find that ALL of 24 episodes included are the cut syndicated 22 minute versions! Each episode ends with the "1985 - Copyright By Harriet Nelson" piece. These were the same copies that ran on The Disney Channel back in the 1980s.

I can't believe that David Nelson would put out a release like this. I have enjoyed listening to some of the commentaries with David and Sam Nelson, but I am very disappointed with this set. I was expecting beautiful new DVD prints from the Nelson archives, but these were just unrestored old syndicated prints.

This is very disappointing to hear. If these are unrestored syndication prints, you may just as well get the new set from Mill Creek. The episodes are also unrestored prints, but many are full length versions, a number with original commercials. You can currently get 38 pre-1960 episodes at DeepDiscount for six and a half bucks.

http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewprod...uctId=11531679

It's ironic that some of the companies specializing in public domain material have more complete versions of episodes than the offical release.

Gary OS · 04-24-2007, 09:06 AM

This is horrible and very unexpected news. I'll follow through with my order from Amazon.com only because at the time of the order I was able to apply a $5.00 off coupon (which is now useless and can't be re-applied if I cancel this set). That brought my total down to $18.99, so I guess I'll keep this collection for that price. But make no mistake, I'm very displeased and will not be picking up future volumes if this continues to be the norm.

Gary "what a shame, I really wanted to see this series restored and uncut" O.

Troy EB · 04-24-2007, 12:14 PM

None of the OZZIE AND HARRIET episodes had the Harriet Nelson 1980s opening that aired on The Disney Channel. I am still surprised about this release, because everything else from Shout Factory has been restored, complete and uncut.

They should have included some some original Kodak, Listerine, Hotpoint, or Coke commercials in the Shout Factory set. David and Sam were talking about the Kodak commercials during one of the commentaries, so they should have added a few original commercials as DVD extras.

I ordered the Mill Creek Ozzie & Harriet box last week from Deep Discount. I am hoping for the 100 episode set, but it looks like everyone is receiving the 38 episode box set now.

Bob Hug · 04-24-2007, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troy EB

Each episode ends with the "1985 - Copyright By Harriet Nelson" piece. These were the same copies that ran on The Disney Channel back in the 1980s.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve...O

I don't blame SHOUT! for this. It seems clear that the Nelson family didn't do a good job at asset preservation (maintaining copyrights, keeping complete prints archived properly, etc.).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troy EB

I am still surprised about this release, because everything else from Shout Factory has been restored, complete and uncut.

Not that it lets Shout! Factory off the hook (they should let purchasers know about unrestored, syndicated episodes), but I think I'm beginning to get the picture here. It's supposition on my part, but it looks like the editing was done on the episodes (for syndication purposes) at a time (1985) when no one was really thinking about home entertainment sales of the series. Also, by 1985, the show was almost 20 years old (it ended in 1966) and the surviving Nelsons may have felt, at that time, that the show might not have had much future marketable value . . . so they cut the episodes for, presumably, one last major run via The Disney Channel. "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" was very much a family business and, as Steve...O suggests, the family probably did not do a good job of preserving the series over the years, particularly if they felt that the The Disney Channel run was the series' last great "hurrah." As is the case with some independent producers, the surviving film elements may have not been stored under ideal conditions and the cost to restore the films may not have been justified by the expected sales of the series on DVD, particularly given the number of unauthorized (but legal) public domain releases of the show already on the market. It's just really unfortunate that this American television classic is not getting better treatment. I'll still buy this set because it has episodes that I can't get elsewhere and for the extras, but I don't think that it bodes well for future authorized releases. And Troy, don't worry too much about the original commercials . . . there are plenty of them on the Mill Creek set, regardless of whether you receive the 38 or 100 episode set . . . to me, it's a greater shame that you have to buy a set from a company selling public domain material in order to get, at least, some complete episodes.