Is the b&w era of TV on DVD slowly coming to an end? (3 Viewers)

[Jack P]

I agree that John Ellis needs to stop being concerned with finding more scraps of bonus material and should just get the last of these episodes out. I sympathize with the obstacles he's operating under and to pull off this ability to release a series as obscure as this from the original 35mm masters no less is to be commended, but he should think more of getting it finished and maybe someday we'll take a final bonus disc for more supplements perhaps even if that were to take four years but yes, just get the last of the episodes out. I have to fill up that box he provided for all 3 volumes with a third case of something else just to maintain its structural integrity!

 

[BobO'Link]

So... you guys have my interest piqued about Steve Canyon. Did you all purchase from a site run by John Ellis or via the "Estate" on Amazon?

 

[John Hermes]

So... you guys have my interest piqued about Steve Canyon. Did you all purchase from a site run by John Ellis or via the "Estate" on Amazon?

I got mine from Ellis' website.

 

[Gary OS]

I got mine from Ellis' website.

Ditto.

 

[BobO'Link]

^ & ^^ Thanks! I looked it up and found they are actually *less* expensive diretly from him because he offers free shipping when ordering direct! That's a very unusual occurance! I'm just about tapped out because of the 2 Maverick sets this month and The Bob Newhart Show next month but I've put them on my wish list as it looks like a real interesting program and something that would be right at home in my library.

 

[John Hermes]

^ & ^^ Thanks! I looked it up and found they are actually *less* expensive diretly from him because he offers free shipping when ordering direct! That's a very unusual occurance! I'm just about tapped out because of the 2 Maverick sets this month and The Bob Newhart Show next month but I've put them on my wish list as it looks like a real interesting program and something that would be right at home in my library.

One neat thing about the Steve Canyon shows are the network promos for other shows with striking 35mm clips. Very cool.

 

[Neil Brock]

- My Living Doll (second (of 2) volume of this one season sitcom)

Pretty hard to release something that doesn't exist. What came out was all that remains of the series, much like the Barbara Stanwyck Show. There are no other episodes, the rest were destroyed.

 

[phenri]

One neat thing about the Steve Canyon shows are the network promos for other shows with striking 35mm clips. Very cool.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm not aware of this show, but I'm giving it a blind buy by ordering Volume 1.

 

[Tooncy]

That is not true about "My Living Doll". Other episodes exist, albeit on 16mm, in private collections. It is true that the 35mm negatives were destroyed.

 

[LouA]

That is not true about "My Living Doll". Other episodes exist, albeit on 16mm, in private collections. It is true that the 35mm negatives were destroyed.

Do all of the episodes that were not included on the released set exist in 16MM form? And does VCI have access to them? I'd love to see the rest of the series get released. I understand that Julie Newmar is actually looking for the lost episodes so that a second box set can be compiled .

 

[Neil Brock]

That is not true about "My Living Doll". Other episodes exist, albeit on 16mm, in private collections. It is true that the 35mm negatives were destroyed.

According to who? I've been dealing with film collectors for over 3 decades and I know of no such thing to be true.

 

[Tooncy]

I assume that they do, since about half have already turned up. There's no way only a single 16mm print of each episode would have been struck, so copies must be out there. I am surprised that Julie Newmar doesn't have copies herself.

 

[ChrisALM]

Pretty hard to release something that doesn't exist. What came out was all that remains of the series, much like the Barbara Stanwyck Show. There are no other episodes, the rest were destroyed.

Someone named Chertok Television (IIRC) used to post here and said he was looking for more episodes of My Living Doll and had not found any.
I did not know that the remaining episodes from The Barbara Stanwyck Show are considered lost. Too bad.

 

[Richard V]

Someone named Chertok Television (IIRC) used to post here and said he was looking for more episodes of My Living Doll and had not found any.
I did not know that the remaining episodes from The Barbara Stanwyck Show are considered lost. Too bad.

I remember that guy. Was searching in all kinds of exotic places, all accross the world, couldnt' find anything.

 

[Jack P]

Yeah, he ended up finding the unsold "Man In The Square Suit" pilot instead (the last ever Chertok production) and that was included on the S3 "My Favorite Martian" release. It's amazing how half the run of a filmed series could just disappear like that but its a reminder of how these series aren't necessarily as well-preserved as we think they are.

 

[Tooncy]

Just because something can't be located doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

 

[ChrisALM]

Yeah, he ended up finding the unsold "Man In The Square Suit" pilot instead (the last ever Chertok production) and that was included on the S3 "My Favorite Martian" release. It's amazing how half the run of a filmed series could just disappear like that but its a reminder of how these series aren't necessarily as well-preserved as we think they are.

I am always amazed that after all the time and expense and effort that goes into the filming of a TV series, there would be no one that had the level of interest to at least archive a complete copy of the work. (And not just TV series, but shorts like Laurel and Hardy or movies like Charlie Chan, for example).
I guess we are fortunate to have what we have.

 

[Gary OS]

Well, things have gotten so bad in terms of new b/w releases that this thread fell to the 4th page. I'm still hoping for some good news from Timeless, but to be honest it's pretty grim right now. Not being a big WB westerns guy, the news of Bronco coming next isn't exactly what I was hoping for. Happy for those that want it, but to be honest that series encapsulates everything I don't care for: soundstage filming galore, few on location scenes, tons of stock footage use, and scripts that weren't as good as some of their more well-known westerns like Cheyenne or Maverick. I'd personally like to see them release The Dakotas, Colt .45 or even The Alaskans next.

With that said, I looked back at my purchases since the start of the new year and the only b/w sets I've bought are The Adventures of Champion, a couple of Troughton Doctor Whos, and Rawhide S7. That's pretty bad.

On the plus side this has given me a chance to dive into what I do have more now than ever. So I'm enjoying catching up more on past purchases. If I get nothing else this year as it concerns b/w TV on DVD (and I hope the future isn't that bleak) then it's still okay. I have enough in my collection to last me the rest of my life. At this point I just have to be thankful we've gotten as many 50's and early 60's releases as we have.


Gary "take care, fellow HTF'ers" O.

 

[Ron1973]

I saw this on Facebook just now and thought you'd enjoy it, Gary:

(Ricky Nelson doing a couple of country songs on Ozzie and Harriet)

FYI: His two country LP's are well worth picking up if you don't have them

 

[Gary OS]

Great stuff, Ron. Thanks!


Gary "gosh I wish the entire series would somehow find it's way onto DVD" O.