Father Knows Best- Good News! - Page 2

John Carr · 09-20-2007, 12:24 PM

Great news about Father Knows Best! This, along with Leave it to Beaver, are my 2 favorite 50's sitcoms. What a wonderful show, too!

John

Elena S · 09-20-2007, 04:14 PM

While it would be unfortunate if they couldn't locate the original masters -- and that's a possibility, given the time that has elapsed since they were edited -- I would still be happy to get even an edited season of FKB, and would buy it to show my support for releasing the older shows. This is not the same thing as condoning edits like were made in WKRP (that show is too new to excuse such edits).

Gary OS · 09-20-2007, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elena S

While it would be unfortunate if they couldn't locate the original masters -- and that's a possibility, given the time that has elapsed since they were edited -- I would still be happy to get even an edited season of FKB, and would buy it to show my support for releasing the older shows. This is not the same thing as condoning edits like were made in WKRP (that show is too new to excuse such edits).

I feel the same way, Elena. Even if, God forbid, we get syndicated prints for the FKB release I'll still purchase it just to support vintage TV on DVD. And no, it will be nothing like the music edits made with shows such as WKRP.

Gary "I'm just happy we will be getting the first season in the near future - it's just wonderful news from Shout! Factory" O.

Hank Dearborn · 09-20-2007, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elena S

While it would be unfortunate if they couldn't locate the original masters -- and that's a possibility, given the time that has elapsed since they were edited -- I would still be happy to get even an edited season of FKB, and would buy it to show my support for releasing the older shows. This is not the same thing as condoning edits like were made in WKRP (that show is too new to excuse such edits).

Masters on shows like this that are in the hands of major studios don't go missing. That's just one of the BS excuses that are used when a company is too cheap or lazy to go back to the original elements to master something. The only time it's possible for masters to go missing is with companies like Guild Films or Hal Roach Studios that went out of business 50 years ago. It doesn't happen with shows owned by the majors, no matter what they might claim.

Tony Zannikos · 09-20-2007, 05:30 PM

Hank, while that may be true there are exceptions, like mamas family where WB owns the edited versions, and another studio owns the uncut versions.

MatthewA · 09-20-2007, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Zannikos

Hank, while that may be true there are exceptions, like mamas family where WB owns the edited versions, and another studio owns the uncut versions.

They could have called the owner of the uncut versions, the producer's son, and gotten DigiBeta dubs of the 1" uncut master tapes at any time. They just didn't.

But back on topic, the only way I would worry about this is if:

1) Sony decided not to go to the expense of restoration or remastering of the negatives or fine-grains and handed out whatever was available.

2) The negatives have rotted away due to vinegar syndrome.

3) The Robert Young estate holds the film elements (we have not yet determined what rights they hold) and cannot afford to foot the bill for restoration.

Joe Lugoff · 09-20-2007, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatthewA

... the only way I would worry about this is if:

1) Sony decided not to go to the expense of restoration or remastering of the negatives or fine-grains and handed out whatever was available.

2) The negatives have rotted away due to vinegar syndrome.

3) The Robert Young estate holds the film elements (we have not yet determined what rights they hold) and cannot afford to foot the bill for restoration.

I have a sinking feeling it's going to somehow be a combination of all three of the above.

Based on past experience ("Ozzie and Harriet" being a good example), the odds are greater than not that we're going to get the syndication prints. I'm going to be happy to be proved wrong!

Steve...O · 09-20-2007, 11:34 PM

Rather than speculate about what might or might not be wrong with these releases why not contact Shout! directly and ask them what they're working with? They are a very responsive company and pretty honest with their replies. Their Ironside episodes were all uncut including the episode with the song DOWNTOWN prominently featured and I've not heard of any cuts with MCHALES NAVY so there's no reason why FKB should be cut unless the material provided to them is.

Gary OS · 09-21-2007, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve...O

Rather than speculate about what might or might not be wrong with these releases why not contact Shout! directly and ask them what they're working with? They are a very responsive company and pretty honest with their replies. Their Ironside episodes were all uncut including the episode with the song DOWNTOWN prominently featured and I've not heard of any cuts with MCHALES NAVY so there's no reason why FKB should be cut unless the material provided to them is.

Ughhh. Our own Bob Hug took Steve up on his suggestion (and it was a good one) and now Brian is telling us NOT to take his comments as any type of "official" announcement that Shout! is releasing FATHER KNOWS BEST in early 2008, and has even gone so far as to say he is NOT working on a FATHER KNOWS BEST collection.

I'm guessing that this might still be in the planning stages and not a 100% done deal as of yet. Or perhaps the show has been leased but Shout! isn't sure what it's plans are yet. Kinda a "cover the bases" statement I guess. Still, it seems like the initial comments were favorable to a release.

Gary "I still like our chances of seeing FKB on dvd from Shout! sometime next year - but I felt like I should communicate what Brian has recently said" O.

Bob Hug · 09-21-2007, 01:24 PM

Well, at least we now know that Brian reads the HTF!

Rodney · 09-23-2007, 09:17 AM

Father Knows Best! Let's hope this pans out! Great to see some classic television coming down the pipe!

I hope that if this was all a rumour that this thread makes them strongly consider releasing an unedited set of the show.

Mitchum22 · 09-25-2007, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PianoPlayer

By the way: There's an urban myth that the next-to-last episode of FKB ("Not His Type") is "lost" and no one has it. Anyone know why this rumor persists? I have a (complete) VHS recording of this episode, from when my local UHF station in Dallas showed it regularly in the early '80s -- the episode is NOT lost.

No, indeed it is not lost. It exists for viewing (and not copying) at the UCLA TV archive. But of the 200+ eps, it remains the only one not part of the FKB collector world. So in that sense. . .