MGM and WB "One Reel Wonders" - (TCM) on DVD? (1 Viewer)

Eric Huffstutler · Jun 13, 2006

Those who watch TCM will be well familiar with their "One Reel Wonders" segment which are literally a 10 minute one reel movie short, often comedy. One I found absolutely hilarious was "I Love My Wife...BUT"

Has any of them made their way to DVD or any plans?

John Whittle · Jun 13, 2006

The various shorts (Pete Smith, TravelTalks,Vitaphone PepperPots, etc) do show up as extras on some Warners Discs.

I recall a question in one of the WB chats and they said there were no plans to issue any compliation discs. There are hundreds if not thousands of titles produced by MGM and Warners in their libaries including a couple of Technicolor Leon Errol shorts (3-strip) and some early two color Technicolor MGM musical shorts.

There is a documentary that TCM produced on subjects and is included with the lastest WB collection of Laurel & Hardy features.

John

Mike*HTF · Jun 13, 2006

The other thing you'll want to watch for are the TCM giveaway dvds distributed each March to tie in with the Academy Awards. So far there have been three, each with a separate theme:

Academy Award-Winning Short Films
- How to Sleep (1935)
- Penny Wisdom (1937)
- Quicker'n a Wink (1940)
- Sons of Liberty (1939)
- Star in the Night (1945)

Academy Award-Winning Classic Cartoons
- Knighty Knight Bugs (1958)
- Cat Concerto, The (1946)
- Johann Mouse (1952)
- Tweetie Pie (1947)
- Birds Anonymous (1957)
- Quiet Please! (1945)
- Milky Way, The (1940)

Hollywood Goes Inside Hollywood
- Trip Through a Hollywood Studio, A (1935)
- Hollywood Newsreel (1934)
- New Romance of Celluloid: We Must Have Music, A (1943)
- Hollywood: Style Center of the World (1940)

**Thanks Darren, this is now correct

Darren Gross · Jun 13, 2006

Mike, the top two headings should be reversed- the list of cartoons is of the live action shorts and vice versa...

John Kilduff · Jun 13, 2006

Speaking for myself, I would really like to see a DVD compilation of the "Word Of Mouth" interstitials that air on TCM. It's always interesting to hear behind-the-scenes stories of classic Hollywood, and this might be a good supplement to the bigger documentaries that are featured in box sets and/or the discs themselves.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

Just a thought.

John Kilduff · Jun 13, 2006

EDIT: Double post...Sorry.

Doug Bull · Jun 13, 2006

There is a wealth of MGM and Warner Bros Short Subjects available on 4 Magnificent Laserdisc Box Sets.

"The Fabulous MGM Shorts"
"Cavalcade of MGM Shorts" Vol 2
"Swing, Swing, Swing"
"Vitaphone Shorts - a 70th Anniversary Celebration"

There are also many other old sound shorts on 'The Dawn of Sound" series.

I suggest that those interested should buy a second hand Laserdisc player and search E-Bay for these one in a million box sets.

cpoorbaugh1 · Feb 13, 2011

The short you refer to I believe was one of the Joe McDoaks series starring George O'Hanlon, i.e. George Jetson.This was a series done by Warner's in the 40's into the 50's. These started out with George appearing from behind a giant 8 ball, and at the end receeding back behind. Many of which were directed by Dick Bare and many of which had really great people in them like Phylllis Coats and other great character actors. One could only wish that Warner's?MGM would release these in a DVD collection like the 2 or 3 DVD recently released musical shorts collections from Vitaphone. These of course follow on the heels of the laser disks-2 volumes from MGM and 2 other Vitaphone volumes, plus a smattering of others like the Paramount musical shorts. However, don't look for the Universal musicals any time soon. Did you know Universal made a Nat King Cole musical 2 reel short in the 50's in wide screen like Cinmascope???

Yes, the shorts often were the best part of a show in the 40's and 50's---this is a testament to our own "short attention span theater" as we were growing up.

Brent S · Feb 13, 2011

Originally Posted by cpoorbaugh1
The short you refer to I believe was one of the Joe McDoaks series starring George O'Hanlon, i.e. George Jetson.This was a series done by Warner's in the 40's into the 50's. These started out with George appearing from behind a giant 8 ball, and at the end receeding back behind. Many of which were directed by Dick Bare and many of which had really great people in them like Phylllis Coats and other great character actors. One could only wish that Warner's?MGM would release these in a DVD collection like the 2 or 3 DVD recently released musical shorts collections from Vitaphone. These of course follow on the heels of the laser disks-2 volumes from MGM and 2 other Vitaphone volumes, plus a smattering of others like the Paramount musical shorts. However, don't look for the Universal musicals any time soon. Did you know Universal made a Nat King Cole musical 2 reel short in the 50's in wide screen like Cinmascope???

Yes, the shorts often were the best part of a show in the 40's and 50's---this is a testament to our own "short attention span theater" as we were growing up.

WB released a box set of the entire "Joe McDoakes" series in late 2009. It's available thru the Warner Archive.

Other WB short subject collections from the Archive include the "Robert Benchley" (MGM) series, "Dogville," "Our Gang" (MGM era), "Believe It or Not," 2 sets of Vitaphone shorts, and MGM musical shorts.

cpoorbaugh1 · Mar 26, 2011

HEY, guess what!! I have returned from a film festival in Virginia with a complete set of The Joe McDoaks Collection!!!! I just finished the second of 6 disks and have been treated to Cleo Moore, Willard Waterman, and Fred Clark, not to mention Clifton Young who plays the ever nagging Homer.

I also snagged what appears to be a 35mm transfer to DVD of HELLZAPOPPIN, a film which in 60+ years I have never seen. To put that in perspective, I once held a 35mm NITRATE print of Bowery to Broadway in my hot little hands. Now on to bigger and better Vitaphone musical collection disks.

cpoorbaugh1 · Mar 26, 2011

I would imagine that these titles could be remastered (re-authored) onto DVD without another transfer. Just that they couldn't make it to blue ray. But then, who wants a blue-ray of titles this old that would show up EVEN MORE imperfections of the emulsion which can take away from the enjoyment of watching them.

cpoorbaugh1 · Mar 26, 2011

I have become very fond of the MGM series, "Crime does Not Pay". I have a16mm print of one with "HORACE McNally" and Van Johnson called "For the Common Defense". I really enjoy watching those nice little morality plays. Also the longer feature length morality plays!! That ol' Louie B, what a card he was!!!

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