Peter M Fitzgerald
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 1999
- Messages
- 2,314
- Real Name
- Peter Fitzgerald
I don't know if I could actually buy a series from a studio --I'm not sure how that would work, really (plus, would I really want to pay to store original film/video elements myself, in perpetuity?)-- but what I would do, if I suddenly had a billion dollars to play with (after arranging for some sound investments) is to look into partnering with a studio and personally funding restoration that they can't (or won't) fund themselves, then licensing the digital transfers for DVD/Blu release under my own boutique label, if that would work.
My first project would be restoring all 26 episodes of T.H.E. Cat (1966-67) to their original full-color glory (in HD), and seeing to it that all the music is cleared (not a huge problem, but there's a little bit of performed pop music in a few episodes).
Next would be the forgotten anthology series, Panic! (1957-58), followed by the filmed episodes of Suspicion (1957). I'd also try to free up the full run of Roald Dahl's Way Out (1961) and (if possible) Great Ghost Tales (1961). The abandoned second half of I'm Dickens, He's Fenster (1962-63) would also get attention, as would James Coburn's series, Klondike (1960-61) and the half-season series it morphed into, Alcapulco (1961)... I'd also try to work on Fox's The Man Who Never Was (1966-67) and Bus Stop (1961-62), too.
If these short-form series restorations were successful, and didn't eat into too much of the money pile (especially the legal fees), I'd get more ambitious and try to restore and get transfers made of the three-season run of M Squad (1957-60) all of the original version of Dragnet (1951-59) and "definitive editions" of the second and third seasons of One Step Beyond. All five seasons of The Lineup (1954-60) would also be on the agenda.
Again, if these efforts were successful and didn't simply burn through all the money, perhaps I could eventually pry loose The Westerner (1960), Blue Light (1966), seasons 4 & 5 of Zane Grey Theater, The Rogues (1964-65) and Terriers (2010) from Fox, Coronet Blue (1965/67) from CBS/Paramount and Wichita Town (1959-60) from its owners.
My first project would be restoring all 26 episodes of T.H.E. Cat (1966-67) to their original full-color glory (in HD), and seeing to it that all the music is cleared (not a huge problem, but there's a little bit of performed pop music in a few episodes).
Next would be the forgotten anthology series, Panic! (1957-58), followed by the filmed episodes of Suspicion (1957). I'd also try to free up the full run of Roald Dahl's Way Out (1961) and (if possible) Great Ghost Tales (1961). The abandoned second half of I'm Dickens, He's Fenster (1962-63) would also get attention, as would James Coburn's series, Klondike (1960-61) and the half-season series it morphed into, Alcapulco (1961)... I'd also try to work on Fox's The Man Who Never Was (1966-67) and Bus Stop (1961-62), too.
If these short-form series restorations were successful, and didn't eat into too much of the money pile (especially the legal fees), I'd get more ambitious and try to restore and get transfers made of the three-season run of M Squad (1957-60) all of the original version of Dragnet (1951-59) and "definitive editions" of the second and third seasons of One Step Beyond. All five seasons of The Lineup (1954-60) would also be on the agenda.
Again, if these efforts were successful and didn't simply burn through all the money, perhaps I could eventually pry loose The Westerner (1960), Blue Light (1966), seasons 4 & 5 of Zane Grey Theater, The Rogues (1964-65) and Terriers (2010) from Fox, Coronet Blue (1965/67) from CBS/Paramount and Wichita Town (1959-60) from its owners.
