What's new

Warner Bros famous TV detective series (1 Viewer)

maskedmala

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Oct 5, 2009
Messages
199
Real Name
Maurice
This past Friday (May 22) I wrote in the Warner Archive Facebook about an article dated 2009:

In a 2009 article in the magazine VARIETY under the title "Studio opens vault to home viewers" it's being written: ...Likely upcoming TV additions to the MOD service, said Feltenstein, include “Maverick,” “77 Sunset Strip,” “Bourbon Street Beat,” “Bronco,” “Lawman” and “Hawaiian Eye.”

Well where are “77 Sunset Strip,” “Bourbon Street Beat,” and “Hawaiian Eye"?

As can be expected, there was no reply from Warner
 

John Hermes

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 1, 2007
Messages
1,832
Location
La Mesa (San Diego) CA
Real Name
John Hermes
maskedmala said:
This past Friday (May 22) I wrote in the Warner Archive Facebook about an article dated 2009:

In a 2009 article in the magazine VARIETY under the title "Studio opens vault to home viewers" it's being written: ...Likely upcoming TV additions to the MOD service, said Feltenstein, include “Maverick,” “77 Sunset Strip,” “Bourbon Street Beat,” “Bronco,” “Lawman” and “Hawaiian Eye.”

Well where are “77 Sunset Strip,” “Bourbon Street Beat,” and “Hawaiian Eye"?

As can be expected, there was no reply from Warner
WB always comes up with the same "music rights" answer when they do reply. I understand that streaming and DVD music rights are different, but it just seems weird that these shows are on their streaming service and there is so much difficulty with putting out the DVDs.
 

smithbrad

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2013
Messages
2,052
Real Name
Brad
John Hermes said:
WB always comes up with the same "music rights" answer when they do reply. I understand that streaming and DVD music rights are different, but it just seems weird that these shows are on their streaming service and there is so much difficulty with putting out the DVDs.

Only select episodes are being streamed, not the complete series. Quite possibly the one's that are streamed either have minimal rights issues or have already been cleared, while the remaining episodes are still being cleared or having difficulties.
 

John Hermes

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 1, 2007
Messages
1,832
Location
La Mesa (San Diego) CA
Real Name
John Hermes
smithbrad said:
Only select episodes are being streamed, not the complete series. Quite possibly the one's that are streamed either have minimal rights issues or have already been cleared, while the remaining episodes are still being cleared or having difficulties.
I know in Hawaiian Eye, at least, there is a musical number in about every streamed show. Perhaps these rights have already been cleared? It is a shame that these series are held up by this and the target audience for these shows is shrinking by the day.
 

Gary16

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
1,421
Real Name
Gary
John Hermes said:
I know in Hawaiian Eye, at least, there is a musical number in about every streamed show. Perhaps these rights have already been cleared? It is a shame that these series are held up by this and the target audience for these shows is shrinking by the day.
But it's odd that no season one episodes of 77 Sunset Strip are being streamed. I thought maybe it was to hold them for a season one DVD release but too much time has passed.
 

Neil Brock

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2009
Messages
4,325
Randy Korstick said:
If Batman, Wonder Years and WKRP can be released so can these. Those took a long time to clear and get released and so will these. I am confident about the 77 and Hawaiian at least. Just a little patience is needed and a little less of the sky is falling, which I know is tough for some daily posters.

The 3 shows you mention are all high-profile, high-demand series which have never been out of syndication. Other than Good Life TV, which was in few homes and a local Seattle station in the 80s, none of the Warner detective shows have been seen in over 40 years. The sales potential for any of these shows is a fraction of what it is for those 3 series and I wouldn't think they would merit the same expense for music clearances.
 

Gary16

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
1,421
Real Name
Gary
Just for the record "77 Sunset Strip" also had a brief run on TVLand.
 

Randy Korstick

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2000
Messages
5,837
While I agree the detective shows would not sell anywhere near as well as the 3 shows I mentioned their unavailability is also part of their appeal. I wouldn't buy the 3 shows I mentioned because they are not priorities for me and they are always on TV as you mentioned. I haven't seen the detective shows but have heard about them for years from older family members and friends so I would blind buy them because or their reputation and the fact that they are rare. I think there are a lot of people in the same boat and they would sell fairly well. Its getting reasonable music clearance that is the issue right now.

Neil Brock said:
The 3 shows you mention are all high-profile, high-demand series which have never been out of syndication. Other than Good Life TV, which was in few homes and a local Seattle station in the 80s, none of the Warner detective shows have been seen in over 40 years. The sales potential for any of these shows is a fraction of what it is for those 3 series and I wouldn't think they would merit the same expense for music clearances.
 

Tony Bensley

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2013
Messages
7,288
Location
Somewhere in Canada
Real Name
Anthony
Rick Thompson said:
How about a "Fan Favorites" set of the ones that have been cleared?


It's a crazy idea, but it just might work!
Hi Rick!


This could be a great way to test the demand for these and help Warner determine whether the costs of clearance for the remaining episodes could be a worthwhile venture. It's better than no release at all!


I for one, have always been curious about 77 SUNSET STRIP, which my late Step Brother used to rave about, and would likely be in for a Fan Favorites set of that series.


CHEERS! :)


Tony
 

Frank Soyke

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
1,240
Location
PA
Real Name
Frank
Randy Korstick said:
While I agree the detective shows would not sell anywhere near as well as the 3 shows I mentioned their unavailability is also part of their appeal. I wouldn't buy the 3 shows I mentioned because they are not priorities for me and they are always on TV as you mentioned. I haven't seen the detective shows but have heard about them for years from older family members and friends so I would blind buy them because or their reputation and the fact that they are rare. I think there are a lot of people in the same boat and they would sell fairly well. Its getting reasonable music clearance that is the issue right now.
A couple thousand blind buys for these shows versus the mass audience that was waiting for Batman and Wonder Years is not even in the same ballbark. Whatever the rights costs for Batman/Wonder years, there was clearly deman enough for the company to take a chance. Not so with the detective shows. While I'm not thrilled about that since Hawaiian Eye is a grail show for me, it is reality none the less. It's really not a good comparison IMO.
 

Randy Korstick

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2000
Messages
5,837
A couple thousand blind buys would make it a top seller for WA because of the MOD model. They would be very pleased with that considering there are probably another thousand or more non-blind buys. They just need lower music fees to make it a more viable release at that level. These type of company business politics can take a very long time.

Those 3 shows had to have a bigger demand because they were retail releases and included lots of newly produced extras so the cost is considerably higher than what a bare bones, Mod detective series would cost so the comparison is still valid just on two different levels.

It takes Twilight time years to sell just 3,000 copies of many old movie blu rays in a similar sell through model in which they have to pay the studio high licensing fees.

Frank Soyke said:
A couple thousand blind buys for these shows versus the mass audience that was waiting for Batman and Wonder Years is not even in the same ballbark. Whatever the rights costs for Batman/Wonder years, there was clearly deman enough for the company to take a chance. Not so with the detective shows. While I'm not thrilled about that since Hawaiian Eye is a grail show for me, it is reality none the less. It's really not a good comparison IMO.
 

Neil Brock

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2009
Messages
4,325
Since you say you haven't seen these shows, I will clue you in. There are song performances in just about every episode, especially Hawaiian Eye with Connie Stevens and the 2 Dorothy Provine series, Roaring 20's and The Alaskans. In addition, the detective shows have a lot of scenes taking place in nightclubs and bars and there is going to be music in there as well. I just think that these shows would just be a nightmare for them. Also, we aren't talking 22 episodes like nowadays but a full season back then was 35-39 episodes.
 

Randy Korstick

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2000
Messages
5,837
Even though I haven't seen the shows I am well aware of the use of music in the shows and the number of episodes.
 

Vic Pardo

Screenwriter
Joined
Feb 7, 2013
Messages
1,520
Real Name
Brian Camp
Neil Brock said:
Since you say you haven't seen these shows, I will clue you in. There are song performances in just about every episode, especially Hawaiian Eye with Connie Stevens and the 2 Dorothy Provine series, Roaring 20's and The Alaskans. In addition, the detective shows have a lot of scenes taking place in nightclubs and bars and there is going to be music in there as well. I just think that these shows would just be a nightmare for them. Also, we aren't talking 22 episodes like nowadays but a full season back then was 35-39 episodes.

Wow, this just makes me want to see them all the more. Did Connie Stevens and Dorothy Provine do their own singing?
 

Pathfiner

Second Unit
Joined
Feb 18, 2015
Messages
296
Location
Cornwall, England
Real Name
Jeff
I recall that infuriatingly catchy show title song '77 Sunset Strip' (click click !) - two 'finger clicks' followed the title !


Efrem Zimbalist jnr (later of 'The FBI') & Roger Smith normally alternated lead or appeared as co-leads occasionally others guested while Edd Byrnes as 'Kookie' the cool car park dude (think like Fonzie in 'Happy Days') became more and more popular as a 'figurehead' James Dean inspred character the younger generation loved - I recall Richard Long (later in 'The Big Valley') also was a later featured member of the private eye team for a time


some years back here in Britain they screened a couple of episodes as a 'TV Heaven' thing - one featured Efrem as lead and another had Roger Smith featured


I hope Warners put out '77 Sunset Strip' and those others 'Hawaiian Eye' & 'Bourbon Street Beat' & the Surfers one ('Surfside Six' was it?) which I believe were spinoff shows (yes ?) as I've never seen any of them but know and like the actors featured.
 

JMas

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
146
Real Name
John Mason
Richard Long was Rex Randolph on Bourbon Street Beat during its only season (1959-1960). After it was canceled, Rex Randolph was moved to 77 Sunset Strip and Kenny Madison (played by Van Williams) was moved to SurfSide 6.


Being a one-season show, I hoped Bourbon Street Beat would be the easiest of the WB detectives to clear for release on DVD, but most episodes had scenes in a night club with a band playing in the background.
 

Gary16

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
1,421
Real Name
Gary
Connie and Dorothy did their own singing. Connie had several hit records.
Also on 77 Sunset Strip in addition to the Frankie Ortega Trio in many episodes, Joanie Sommers sang in a couple episodes as did the Mary Kaye Trio.
Edd Byrnes had his big hit "Kookie Kookie Lend Me Your Comb" with Connie Stevens during the early run of the series. Roger Smith also sang in a couple episodes.
 

radio6

Auditioning
Joined
May 28, 2015
Messages
1
Real Name
Richard Harts
I agree that these DVD's of The Detective Series should be

released very soon. What is the hold up ? Getting the

music rights can not be that hard. I am willing to pay

anything to own the entire series of 6 years of "77 Sunset

Strip" and "Hawaiian Eye" which are good. "Surfside6"

was another great TV Series also. Come on Warner Broths

and let's get these released on DVD or even VHS. Just do it.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,712
Messages
5,121,147
Members
144,147
Latest member
cennetkaralowa
Recent bookmarks
0
Top