The Jack Benny Program Right Holders (1 Viewer)

Who owns the rights, Is it Paramount or Universal?

Universal would own the rights for the *filmed* shows that have aired in syndication over the years.

I read somewhere that what is on Antenna in regards to Benny and Burns and Allen are PD.

Jack P said:

Universal would own the rights for the *filmed* shows that have aired in syndication over the years.

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The show is very complicated. I believe that you are right as to Universal owning the filmed episodes, but they may only have syndication rights. I do know that a company is trying to do a release of live episodes which have not been out there already and they have run into a snag with CBS claiming some ownership. Then there were some episodes which were shown on videotape, which we assume any of those from the NBC season would only exist as kinescopes since NBC erased most everything. So, between the Benny estate, CBS and Universal, ownership issues may prevent anything from coming out other than the PD releases already on the market.

They were originally filmed as "Revue" productions which I believe makes them wholly owned outright by Universal.

Then there were some episodes which were shown on videotape, which we assume any of those from the NBC season would only exist as kinescopes since NBC erased most everything

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NBC season? as in the first couple of seasons or NBC season as the last season?
Where do the PD episodes go up to?

The NBC season is just the last season, 1964-65.

Jack P said:

The NBC season is just the last season, 1964-65.

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I thought the first 3 seasons where NBC, since those seasons were more specials, than episodes.

darkrock17 said:

I thought the first 3 seasons where NBC, since those seasons were more specials, than episodes.

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The show was on CBS for the full run until the last season. As to the "PD" episodes, that is in dispute as CBS is claiming ownership. Do they have a leg to stand on? I don't know. What I do know is they probably have an entire floor full of lawyers who have nothing better to do with their time than to make trouble and even if they are wrong, who would have the money to fight them in court to prove it?

Neil Brock said:

The show was on CBS for the full run until the last season. As to the "PD" episodes, that is in dispute as CBS is claiming ownership. Do they have a leg to stand on? I don't know. What I do know is they probably have an entire floor full of lawyers who have nothing better to do with their time than to make trouble and even if they are wrong, who would have the money to fight them in court to prove it?

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This is the reason why shows never get released, if certain companies had it there way many series that have been released already, would more likely never see the light of day.

Jack moved to CBS from NBC while on radio in 1949 which predated his first TV special by a year. Everything he did on TV would have been CBS until he came "home" to NBC for 64-65 and then all his specials afterwards up to his death were on NBC as well.

Jack P said:

Jack moved to CBS from NBC while on radio in 1949 which predated his first TV special by a year. Everything he did on TV would have been CBS until he came "home" to NBC for 64-65 and then all his specials afterwards up to his death were on NBC as well.

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That makes sense now as to why he was on The Dean Martin Variety Show and Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In quiet a few times.

Jack P said:

Jack moved to CBS from NBC while on radio in 1949 which predated his first TV special by a year. Everything he did on TV would have been CBS until he came "home" to NBC for 64-65 and then all his specials afterwards up to his death were on NBC as well.

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Is it true that the head of programming at CBS told Jack in 1964 that he was being cancelled by saying, "Jack, you're THROUGH!" and that Jack later publicly decried with his inimitable delivery, "I've been replaced by GOmer PYLE!"

Rob_Ray said:

Is it true that the head of programming at CBS told Jack in 1964 that he was being cancelled by saying, "Jack, you're THROUGH!" and that Jack later publicly decried with his inimitable delivery, "I've been replaced by GOmer PYLE!"

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I've heard it two ways, the one you said and the other was, "You're through, old man".

Is it true that the head of programming at CBS told Jack in 1964 that he was being cancelled by saying, "Jack, you're THROUGH!" and that Jack later publicly decried with his inimitable delivery, "I've been replaced by GOmer PYLE!"

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I never heard about that before, just that CBS decided that Jack didn't appeal to the younger audience anymore. When you hear about these kinds of stories its hard to know what was actually said, that's why Hollywood stories from the Golden Age are always fun to hear about.

Might have been James Aubrey who also delighted in giving Judy Garland the gate in 1964.

What you see on Antenna TV concerning both Benny and Burns & Allen shows, Benny's filmed episodes are owned by Universal, Burns and Allen are owned by Sony. The bulk of Antenna TV's programming come from both studios.

oldtvshowbuff said:

What you see on Antenna TV concerning both Benny and Burns & Allen shows, Benny's filmed episodes are owned by Universal, Burns and Allen are owned by Sony. The bulk of Antenna TV's programming come from both studios.

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That makes sense about the up coming "The Jack Benny Program: The Lost Episodes" from Shout Factory, seeing as they've acquired a lot of Universal's catalog.

Here is something that I find interesting about this set... it will contain 24 episodes according to Movies Unlimited and has the title "The Lost Episodes." Now, there was this story a few years ago about CBS uncovering "about 25" lost episodes (http://boingboing.net/2010/01/18/cbs-uncovers-rare-ja.html).
Does anybody know if there is potentially some sort of connection here? It just seems very interesting that the story would mention "about 25" (which 24 is "about 25") and that this set would contain 24 episodes... it is also important to consider that a studio like Shout! probably wouldn't release something similar to what is already out there and call them "lost" episodes.

oldtvshowbuff said:

What you see on Antenna TV concerning both Benny and Burns & Allen shows, Benny's filmed episodes are owned by Universal, Burns and Allen are owned by Sony. The bulk of Antenna TV's programming come from both studios.

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I read that Antenna was actually showing pd episodes of both of those programs and there are plans to release the Benny episodes they air on DVD.