Fred Astaire TV Specials Will they ever be available on DVD (1 Viewer)

[Garysb]

The late 50's early 60's Fred Astaire specials ( An Evening With Fred Astaire, Another Evening with Fred Astaire, and Astaire Time(?)) are some of the best musical specials ever done on TV. I believe they were restored and shown on the Disney Channel some years ago but have never been on DVD. The Paley Center for Media ( the Museum of Radio and Television) has copies but the first 2 are black and white copies of shows originally broadcast in color. I know these are owned by his wife and/or daughter . It is a shame these are not available for future generations to enjoy.

Also 2 documentaries that were on PBS and done when he was still alive
Fred Astaire Putting on his Top Hat ( about the Fred and Ginger years) and
Fred Astaire Change Partners and Dance ( After Ginger films includes clips from above mentioned TV shows) would be great to see on DVD.

 

[Jeff#]

Well, if you like musicals you might want to rent "That's Entertainment" -- a mid 1970s feature documentary co-hosted by Astaire himself along with a number of other old-time performers. He was in the sequel too.

Fred's best work as a dramatic actor was as Alistar Mundy, Al's father (who is also a thief) in about 6 episodes of It Takes a Thief.

 

[Kevin Segura]

For the record, I very much agree with your assessment of the specials, but unless someone is willing to write a bigger check than has previously been offered, don't hold your breath for these anytime soon. And this in spite of some pretty big-name behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

And not to be a wet blanket, but even after you get past the Astaire estate, the coordination and sheer expense of the music rights will be horrendous...

In any event, the 2nd show, "Another Evening With Fred Astaire", has a couple of holes that needed to be patched with kinescope material, so they'd have to have some LiveFeed processing done to them, in order to be optimally presented... and Mrs. Astaire hasn't called **me** yet.

-Kevin

 

[Charles Ellis]

True- I do remember seeing the second special on the Disney Channel years ago and was dismayed that there were obviously damaged sections of the original color video tape which were replaced by B/W kinescope footage. Perhaps by now a better color source tape for Another Evening with Fred Astaire has been found or some repair can be done to the tape already found. Mr. Astaire did four specials from 1958-68 with the beautiful Barrie Chase. The first three were shown on cable in the late 80s, but not the 1968 one- why?

Regarding the rights issues, I've still haven't forgiven Robyn Astaire for the lousy way she treated Ginger Rogers! When Ms. Rogers was presented with a Kennedy Center Honor, Fred's widow refused to have any clips of Astaire & Rogers from their films be used in the TV tribute, even though even Fred's daughter Ava begged her much-younger stepmother to be nice to Fred's former dance partner. Kevin, it seems to me that this woman is a witch with a capital 'b', and heaven help anyone who tangles with her!

 

[Garysb]

I believe the problem in this case was that Mrs. Astaire has required a license fee to be paid for the use of Fred Astaire's image. The Kennedy Center had never paid for this type of thing before, so they refused. When the show was taped Astaire clips were included. They were edited out for the broadcast.
I do remember reading that Ginger Rogers was hurt saying she couldn't understand why Mrs. Astaire was doing this.

 

[Charles Ellis]

Greed- plain and simple. Fred must be turning in his grave over that one, considering he did ten films with Miss Rogers!

 

[billyboops]

Gary, I ran across the specials you mention on eBay. For $1.99 I purchased three of the specials, in color. They're in good shape, considering they were probably copied from a broadcast. The only time I ever saw them was in the 80s when PBS ran them during a pledge drive. You may be able to find them on eBay yourself. Or I'd be happy to dub them for you.

 

[billyboops]

I should add that I've only watch part of the first one so far. So there may be damage in the second, as you mentioned. I'm not that far yet. I just got them in today's mail and am pretty rapturous to be seeing them again.

 

[Charles Ellis]

Well, I'd still like to see an official release of the variety specials and the two-part PBS retropective hosted by Joanne Woodward!

 

[MattPeriolat]

Originally Posted by Charles Ellis

Well, I'd still like to see an official release of the variety specials and the two-part PBS retropective hosted by Joanne Woodward!

Not bloody likely given the issues with rights with the Astaire estate. When the MGM When The Lion Roared doc was released on DVD, a lot of Astaire stuff had to be cut out because of the rights issues, much like what was discussed with the Ginger Rogers tribute.


Sad how greed can ruin everything for the fans.

 

[shoeshineboy]

Well, plastic surgery isn't free you know!

 

[PaulPony]

Hello Bill Walker, aka billyboops.


You have no idea what it means to me to read what you wrote. My father worked on the specials, brought his in-laws from the East Coast to watch a rehearsal--quite a way to impress the in-laws, no?


I've NEVER seen any of these specials and am assuming that if they are in their entirety, my father's name is in the credits. He died many years ago and I'd love to have a copy of all three specials, if possible.


Please write to me at [email protected].


Thanks so much for posting to this site!!!!!


Paul

 

[marcco00]

i got my dvd-r copies of the shows from ebay and ioffer.


i doubt if we will ever see an official dvd release any time soon, so i'll have to make do.


actually the quality is not too bad (they were taped off of the disney channel back in the day), and i have the first 3 of the 4 shows.