Hazel on DVD (1 Viewer)

[mark stevenson]

I emailed Sony TV this past week, asking if they planned to release Shirley Booth's classic "Hazel" on DVD any time soon. The very next day, they replied "no cuurent plans". I was encouragegd to register for their on-line newsletter,however, to keep abreast of upcoming releases. The newsletter ends with the opportunity to offer feedback/suggestions. Of course I urged them to release Hazel in season sets, with extras. Maybe if others did likewise, we could help this great classic see the release it deserves.

Is anyone else interested in Hazel?

 

[Jeff Willis]

That's one that I'd almost forgotton about...I'd probably get this one but it wouldn't be high on my list...I'm waiting for too many others

 

[Jeff#]

Never cared for Hazel or Shirley Booth. I just don't see any demand for that sitcom, even though it did last 5 years.

The only sitcom from the 1960s that I want to collect is Get Smart!

 

[Ron Lee Green]

I'd also love to see Hazel released on dvd, along with another Sony property, The Farmer's Daughter.

It probably won't happen until Sony totally releases all their other more popular "mainstream" titles from that era such as Bewitched (coming in June), Jeannie, and Partridge Family.

Then, maybe we'll see more early 1960s Sony titles, such as Donna Reed, Dennis the Menace, Gidget, Flying Nun, Hazel, and Farmer's Daughter--unless some private company like Image can secure the rights to release them.

 

[AnnaMaria]

I'm a fan of 60's shows. I vaguely remember them and would love to see them again.

Hazel is on that list along with My Three Sons, Leave it to Beaver, Family Affair, Ozzie and Harriet, To Rome With Love, The Lucy Show, and Here's Lucy.

And I would love to see more 50's shows out too just so I can have the chance to watch them.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

Also Screen Gems' most popular show of the '50s, Father Knows Best.

What the reluctant companies like Sony should do is what the record companies are doing -- lease out the rights to older material to other companies who might be happy to put out bare-bones season sets. (Actually, I think that's the only hope for the old series mentioned in this thread.)

Mark To first presented that idea on this forum -- and it's a shame he got his feelings hurt and quit posting, for I think he was one of the most knowledgable contributors here.

 

[MatthewA]

I've been advocating licensing of shows for years and years, but only Fox does it now (maybe the only way WKRP in Cincinnati can come unaltered is if Shout! Factory tries it).

But with licensing, the licensor (the third-party) is at the mercy of whatever elements the licensee (the owner of the show) has lying around. If they could get clean, UNCUT copies (with original logos) it would be a blessing. Sony's completely arbitrary release patterns are a perfect case for them licensing out stuff.

And Mark, where does one sign up for this letter to send suggestions? I've got some suggestions for Sony (constructive ones, believe it or not).

 

[JeffWld]

Mark's departure from this board was not elective on his part.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

I suspected that. The guy knew a lot about television history, but the word "tact" wasn't in his vocabulary.

 

[Steve...O]

I also enjoyed Mark's participation. I didn't always agree with everything he said, but he was well informed and a strong advocate for his cause. A little blunt, but not over the top like Chris:L was. Hopefully things can be worked out for Mark to come back.

 

[CherylWI]

I hope Mark comes back too. I always looked forward to reading his posts about retro tv shows that I could never find anywhere else on the internet. He is an invaluable source of knowledge for us lovers of the old shows.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Continuing the "OT" Mark thing

I have to go along with the majority opinion here. Although I didn't agree with that "infamous" thread a while back that got a couple of members banned, I do agree that I've also appreciated the guy's posts in the past. All I'll say about that past thread is that "it takes two to tango" if you all know what I mean...sometimes it's best to let something "die out" on its own instead of keeping a controversy going.



Ditto, AnnaMaria I'd get Hazel eventually if it was available for the same reason. It's just not high on my list at present. Forgot about "My Three Sons"...another good one. "Leave It To Beaver" is coming soon.

Hazel....remember Whitney Blake as the "Mom"? Times have sure changed in the last 35-40 yrs....

 

[Gary OS]

And add me to the list of those that is very sorry to see Mark gone. I must have missed the post/thread where he crossed a line. That's really too bad.

Gary "he really was a passionate and knowledgeable advocate for classic tv on dvd, in my opinion" O.

 

[george kaplan]

I didn't realize Mark To was gone, but considering that he was one of only two people I had on my ignore list, it doesn't surprise me.

 

[Jeff#]

The late Whitney Blake was Meredith Baxter Birney's mother. While she was seen in color on Hazel, Whitney was in black & white guest starring in a first season episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in 1964 -- the same one with Carroll O' Connor as the guest villain. By 1975 she was working more behind the scenes than on camera, when Ms. Blake co-created the hit sitcom One Day at a Time. She died in 2002.

 

[mark stevenson]

MatthewA:

The address for sony is sonypictures.com. The link I used to provide my intial question re plans for Hazel was [email protected]. It was from that email that they repsonded with opportunity to sign up for their on-line newsletter - Spotlight. My welcome email asked for comments, etc. There is also a direct link for the newsletter at the bottom of Sony's homepage. Hope this helps.

 

[DaveyM]

I remember Hazel as being a pretty good show but my most wanted tv show on dvd is The Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet. I talked to someone at TvLand about airing Ozzie and Harriet but i was told the show is under contract to someone else :frowning:

 

[Gregory V]

I would buy at least the black and white episodes. I found the color ones a little annoying at times. But the first couple of seasons were quite funny.

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

My most wanted retro shows in complete season sets on properly-mastered-from-the-finest-elements-in-existence DVD:

The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis
The Bob Cummings Show/Love That Bob!
The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show
The Jack Benny Show
I Married Joan
Ozzie & Harriet
Leave It To Beaver (on the way!)
One Step Beyond

 

[mark stevenson]

Matthew A:

Just curious - Did you contact Sony yet? At the risk of harping on this, I encourage members who expressed wanting the release of the classics mentioned in this thread, to contact Sony TV (address in my last post),and let your voices be heard. I'd like to think our united pleas influenced Fox to release MTMS Season 2, with all the intended extras. In fact, how about posting that you responded to my Sony challenge, as encouragement to the fence sitters?