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Originally Posted by DeWilson
Do uncut copies of the edited episode of SANFORD & SON or SOAP even still exist?
They may have HAD to use the edited copies of the original masters had been lost,damaged or wiped by mistake. We are talking shows shot on video 30+ years old.
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They do still exist. The episodes of Soap were available uncut on Columbia House VHS, as was one of the edited Sanford and Son episodes, with another episode of the latter having different scenes on TV Land. The idea that any studio would have only one copy of these or lose all of them is unlikely. And they were deposited in presumably uncut versions on 3/4" umatic tape for copyright at the Library of Congress.
Sony spent much of the 1990s transferring their outdated 2" and 1" tape material to non-obsolete media. I assume they kept the originals and could go back and re-transfer them if necessary. A company called Vidipax, which specializes in videotape restoration, lists them as one of their clients on their website. Without knowing first hand the storage situation I would guess that Sony Pictures Television sent an edited version to DVD, didn't check the running time, and didn't care. Remember we're talking about a company with non-existent customer service. Norman Lear wasn't storing the originals of his shows in his basement, and I assume neither was Susan Harris.
