Timeless Media Group - New Releases - Page 2

Bert Greene · 11-14-2007, 09:41 PM

Right now, I'm juggling "Checkmate," "Cimarron City" and "Arrest and Trial," and enjoying them all immensely. Can't wait to get the others! And, I certainly hope this little arrangement between Timeless and Universal continues.

Bob Hug · 11-15-2007, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bert Greene

Right now, I'm juggling "Checkmate," "Cimarron City" and "Arrest and Trial," and enjoying them all immensely. Can't wait to get the others! And, I certainly hope this little arrangement between Timeless and Universal continues.

Bert, care to share your thoughts on "Cimarron City?" I've never seen this series and don't know much about it.

Bert Greene · 11-15-2007, 09:38 AM

This was my first encounter with "Cimarron City." I'd say it comes across very much like its fellow Revue western, "Wagon Train," although the latter was obviously far more successful. In other words, some pretty traditional, middle-of-the-road western fare... more character-study than found in the WB shows, but not as edgy/downbeat as the CBS shows.

The plots trapse very familiar territory. I've viewed the first seven episodes on the set, and pretty much every storyline rang a bell. But, the adept guest-casts seem to give it enough of a sparkle. For example, in "Hired Hand," you have the old one about a nefarious foreman who covets a young widow and her ranch... yet guests Mike Connors and Elizabeth Montgomery manage to make it an entirely satisfying effort.

Interestingly, a bearded Dan Blocker portrays a particularly menacing villain in the first episode in the set, "Terror Town." But a few episodes later, sans beard but with a big brushy mustache, he's an altogether different character, a semi-regular, as one of the Cimarron townsfolk.

Bob Hug · 11-15-2007, 10:02 AM

Thanks for your thoughts, Bert. Looks like something I'll pick up down the line.

Dan McW · 11-15-2007, 05:09 PM

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Originally Posted by michael_ks

Whenever I get ahold of a dvd set that features Royal Dano, I always bring that particular episode in to work and play it for a co-worker. We've practically started a fan club.

I'd join that club--he's one of my favorite character actors. I've seen Dano in the past year in episodes of Twin Peaks (one of his final roles), The Rifleman (as a preacher harassed by Warren Oates and L.Q. Jones), and Cimarron Strip, among other series. Encore Westerns showed a 1-hour b/w Gunsmoke a couple of years ago in which Dano played a character who spoke in a monotone and who was basically the Haggen family hatchet man.

Speaking of Timeless releases, Dano is apparently in the "Home Town" episode of Tate. Anyone seen that one yet?

DeWilson · 11-15-2007, 11:27 PM

So,are the TATE episodes from video tape masters or kinescopes.

michael_ks · 11-16-2007, 09:30 AM

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I've seen Dano in the past year in episodes of Twin Peaks (one of his final roles), The Rifleman (as a preacher harassed by Warren Oates and L.Q. Jones), and Cimarron Strip, among other series.

"Day of Reckoning" I gather? http://www.riflemanconnors.com/cactor-royal_dano.htm This one and "Honest Abe" remain unreleased unfortunately. I've yet to purchase Timeless Media's release for "Tate" myself--has anyone purchased this set? Impressions?

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So,are the TATE episodes from video tape masters or kinescopes.

I'm no expert on the matter but I'm nearly certain the episodes were made on video tape and should bear a similar appearance to the 5 episodes of "The Twilight Zone" that were done in like fashion. Kinescope has to do with videotaping from a tv monitor for live performance type shows (a practice that ended sometime around the mide to late 50s).

Bob Hug · 11-16-2007, 09:46 AM

I don't own "Tate" but found these comments from Charles H in an October 24th post in the "Route 66" thread:

"I just received ARREST & TRIAL and TATE from Timeless Media. TATE is an interesting western loaded with unusual guest stars like Louise Fletcher, Robert Redford, Leonard Nemoy, James Coburn, and it is in impeccable condition."

I do have a single episode of "Tate" that was released on a TV Westerns compilation from the Falcon Picture Group (1950s TV's Greatest Westerns) and I recall the episode to be fairly clean looking.

docdoowop · 11-16-2007, 10:09 AM

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Originally Posted by Dan McW

I'd join that club--he's one of my favorite character actors. I've seen Dano in the past year in episodes of Twin Peaks (one of his final roles), The Rifleman (as a preacher harassed by Warren Oates and L.Q. Jones), and Cimarron Strip, among other series. Encore Westerns showed a 1-hour b/w Gunsmoke a couple of years ago in which Dano played a character who spoke in a monotone and who was basically the Haggen family hatchet man.

From a Disneyland trivia web page:

Dano was "....the original voice of Abe in 'Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.' A very talented character actor named Royal Dano gave voice to Mr. Lincoln well before he appeared at the New York 1964 world's Fair."

Doug^Ch · 11-16-2007, 10:29 AM

I've always called Royal Dano the poor man's Gregory Peck, because I think there is a definite resemblance to Peck both in voice and appearance. There is no doubt that he is one of the best character actors around. I wonder what his personality was like in real life? He so often played such an oppressed sad sack of a human being; it is hard to imagine him ever being happy. It seems like he was around forever. He was also in one of the episodes of Suspense that I just watched from around 1950.

michael_ks · 11-16-2007, 10:52 AM

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I've always called Royal Dano the poor man's Gregory Peck, because I think there is a definite resemblance to Peck both in voice and appearance. There is no doubt that he is one of the best character actors around. I wonder what his personality was like in real life? He so often played such an oppressed sad sack of a human being; it is hard to imagine him ever being happy.

Of the 10 or so episodes I have featuring Dano in my DVD collection, about the only one where he appears as a normal person is in "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" S2 (The episode with Harry Townes and Vera Miles). In practically everything else from "Daniel Boone" to "Big Valley" and "Rifleman" he comes across as you say, a 'sad sack' and very often a demented one at that. I love the scene in "The Big Valley" where he blasts Nick Barkley for his power and wealth, complaining about how he had to work the land on his hands and knees. I would love to see his performance in "The Rebel" where he attempts to explain to Nick Adams that he's only yelling like a crazy man to keep Indians away from his gold...! He did run away from home at age 12 and that may very well have contributed to his acting style and the roles he was offered.

Dan McW · 11-16-2007, 07:11 PM

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Originally Posted by michael_ks

"Day of Reckoning" I gather?

That was the one. I recorded it off Encore Westerns a few months ago.