Is the b&w era of TV on DVD slowly coming to an end? (2 Viewers)

[Randy Korstick]

Just to clarify the 30 minute episodes are Gunsmoke Season 1-6 and were called Gunsmoke when originally aired and on the DVD's as they should be. When Gunsmoke went to an hour long show they rebranded the half hour episodes as "Marshall Dillion" to release them in Syndication and apparently those versions are what still show up in reruns on tv. They are most likely edited by a few minutes as well.

I'm going to shock Gary I know but I've been watching the b/w episodes of Gunsmoke lately on Encore. Hour long versions and the 30 minute "Marshall Dillon" versions both. I think I'm liking the b/w episodes better than the color ones, though I do miss Festus!

 

[Ron1973]

Just to clarify the 30 minute episodes are Gunsmoke Season 1-6 and were called Gunsmoke when originally aired and on the DVD's as they should be. When Gunsmoke went to an hour long show they rebranded the half hour episodes as "Marshall Dillion" to release them in Syndication and apparently those versions are what still show up in reruns on tv. They are most likely edited by a few minutes as well.

That's why I quotation marked it, Randy. I didn't realize it for a long time that they were actual Gunsmoke episodes and not named "Marshall Dillon." I don't know if Encore's are trimmed or not....guess I'll have to time it!

 

[Joe Lugoff]

No matter what it says on Wikipedia or elsewhere on the Internet, "Gunsmoke" wasn't actually renamed "Marshal Dillon" for syndication. I'm old enough to remember and I still have the old TV Guides from that era to verify my memory.

When "Gunsmoke" went to an hour for the 1961-62 season, CBS showed reruns of the half hours in prime time for three seasons (1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64) Tuesdays at 7:30 EST. That's when they were renamed "Marshal Dillon" so they wouldn't be confused with the hour "Gunsmoke" on Saturday nights at 10.

The half hour "Gunsmoke" had been the Number 1 show on TV for the previous four seasons, so it was understandable that CBS wanted to keep it on. The same thing had happened with "I Love Lucy," which went off at Number 1, but had reruns shown in network prime time for two seasons. The only other show I know of, from that era, that accomplished this feat was "Father Knows Best," with prime time reruns for three seasons after they stopped making first run episodes in 1960.

 

[Ron1973]

Full 25 minutes on the Encore prints being used. No Viacom logo but they're sporting a CBS Distribution logo.

 

[Jack P]

Sugarfoot was reported to have music issues as well but it was obviously cleared since season 1 just came out. Cheyenne also had music issue and all the seasons of this show are coming out now. WA does work to clear music issues if possible it just takes time. So I believe that of the Warner detective shows at least 77 Sunset strip and Hawaiin Eye will eventually come out.

I was reading the book "TV Classics" by Jon Burlingame and reading between the lines clears up the matter of why there have been clearance issues with these Warner shows. When Warner started doing TV shows in 1955 they did commission original scores for some of the episodes of their series but starting in 1957 and through 1963 they went *exclusively* to tracked music from their movies and other outside libraries for all of their shows. This explains why "Cheyenne" got its first season released early on and then its second season came next before all other Warner titles and then the Facebook rep said clearance issues started with S3, the first year of exclusively tracked music. So this is obviously a big minefield that applies to all Warner titles from 57-63 and obviously it just comes down to which shows don't require tracking down as many libraries as others.

 

[LouA]

Just to clarify the 30 minute episodes are Gunsmoke Season 1-6 and were called Gunsmoke when originally aired and on the DVD's as they should be. When Gunsmoke went to an hour long show they rebranded the half hour episodes as "Marshall Dillion" to release them in Syndication and apparently those versions are what still show up in reruns on tv. They are most likely edited by a few minutes as well.

I like Gunsmoke period, but I like the early ones the best. I really enjoy Dennis Weaver's performance as Chester. And what great chemistry between the 4 main characters .

 

[Ron1973]

I like Gunsmoke period, but I like the early ones the best. I really enjoy Dennis Weaver's performance as Chester. And what great chemistry between the 4 main characters .

I still like Festus better

 

[Richard V]

I still like Festus better

I'd have to count myself on Team Chester.

 

[Dan McW]

Just to clarify the 30 minute episodes are Gunsmoke Season 1-6 and were called Gunsmoke when originally aired and on the DVD's as they should be. When Gunsmoke went to an hour long show they rebranded the half hour episodes as "Marshall Dillion" to release them in Syndication and apparently those versions are what still show up in reruns on tv. They are most likely edited by a few minutes as well.

Encore Westerns shows the half-hour episodes under the Gunsmoke title, but their season-six episodes have a different closing theme song and a different font for the end credits. Did the Marshall Dillon episodes have their own theme song, and is that what is being heard on Encore? On DVD, all of the season-six episodes were presented under the Gunsmoke title and had the original Gunsmoke end-credit theme and font, with the exception of the episode "Love Thy Neighbor," which had the alternate theme song and font.

 

[Gary OS]

Love reading that Harbor Command is finally official and coming in September. It would be a blind buy for me, but I'm game for any of these 50's ZIV shows.


Gary "keep it coming, Timeless" O.

 

[Regulus]

Love reading that Harbor Command is finally official and coming in September. It would be a blind buy for me, but I'm game for any of these 50's ZIV shows.


Gary "keep it coming, Timeless" O.

From what I've seen It's kind of like Highway Patrol on Boats.

 

[BobO'Link]

I just discovered there are 2 volumes of My Little Margie that were released by VCI. The only others I've seen are from Alpha, whose quality is typically lacking on these older TV series (actually almost all their PD releases).

I know I like the show, or at least I did when I last saw it back in the late 50s/early 60s and am leaning towards the VCI sets due to the quality of the old serials they've released.

Do any of you have the VCI sets? What are your impressions of the quality? If you own both the VCI and Alpha how would you compare the two?

 

[LouA]

I just discovered there are 2 volumes of My Little Margie that were released by VCI. The only others I've seen are from Alpha, whose quality is typically lacking on these older TV series (actually almost all their PD releases).

I know I like the show, or at least I did when I last saw it back in the late 50s/early 60s and am leaning towards the VCI sets due to the quality of the old serials they've released.

Do any of you have the VCI sets? What are your impressions of the quality? If you own both the VCI and Alpha how would you compare the two?

I have the VCI versions and they're not bad. The seem to be mastered from 16mm. But they are very watchable. (I wasn't aware that Alpha released My Little Margie. Apha is now releasing DVD-R's) The only problem with the VCI sets is that it makes you wish more episodes were available.

 

[Professor Echo]

Love reading that Harbor Command is finally official and coming in September. It would be a blind buy for me, but I'm game for any of these 50's ZIV shows.


Gary "keep it coming, Timeless" O.

Gary, what happened to the sample episodes I sent you of HARBOR COMMAND? I think there were about 6-8 shows and they will give you an idea on just how good of a series it is, so you won't be flying blind.

 

[Gary OS]

Gary, what happened to the sample episodes I sent you of HARBOR COMMAND? I think there were about 6-8 shows and they will give you an idea on just how good of a series it is, so you won't be flying blind.

Ugh! I completely forgot about those! You are so right, and I'm going to pull those out so I can get an idea of the series. My bad [insert embarrassed face here].


Gary "I knew there was something nagging me about this series - thanks for reminding me about those, Glen" O.

 

[jdee28]

Encore Westerns shows the half-hour episodes under the Gunsmoke title, but their season-six episodes have a different closing theme song and a different font for the end credits. Did the Marshall Dillon episodes have their own theme song, and is that what is being heard on Encore? On DVD, all of the season-six episodes were presented under the Gunsmoke title and had the original Gunsmoke end-credit theme and font, with the exception of the episode "Love Thy Neighbor," which had the alternate theme song and font.

I think that's because when Encore Westerns acquired them, newly remastered prints of the complete sixth season weren't finished yet. Some of their season six copies are beat up and have the old Marshall Dillon titles. The syndicated Marshall Dillon episodes did have their own opening, just a drawing of Matt, and their own theme song.

Here's some more Gunsmoke trivia: the first season openings with Matt on Boot Hill were the idea of producer Charles Marquis Warren. He'd do something similar for Rawhide, his creation, by having many early episodes open with a Gil Favor voice over, which were quotes from Favor's diary. I think it fit Rawhide better; I never thought the Boot Hill segments on Gunsmoke were that necessary.

The first episode where Kitty wears a beauty mark is "Cooter," production episode 27, the first episode Charles Warren didn't direct and the first where Norman MacDonnell, one of Gunsmoke's creators on radio, is credited as associate producer. MacDonnell and Warren did not get along; perhaps this was a subtle way for MacDonnell to start to put his stamp on things.

 

[jdee28]

Has anyone found a good deal yet on the new Rawhide season? Feel free to chime in

 

[Gary OS]

Has anyone found a good deal yet on the new Rawhide season? Feel free to chime in

A very good friend just told me that the half-season sets can be had for $19.99 a piece at Sam's Club. That's only $40 (plus a little for tax) for the season and the best price I'm aware of.


Gary "the same goes for the latest Gunsmoke releases" O.

 

[Professor Echo]

Gary, let me know if you ever see any Timeless releases back at Sam's. They apparently lost the contract they used to have with them, maybe related to Shout, I don't know. But they always had the best deals on Timeless and I miss them.

 

[Steve...O]

A very good friend just told me that the half-season sets can be had for $19.99 a piece at Sam's Club. That's only $40 (plus a little for tax) for the season and the best price I'm aware of.


Gary "the same goes for the latest Gunsmoke releases" O.

I can confirm that I also saw Rawhide at Sam's for the same price. Sometimes Walmart will have CBS/P new releases at the $19.99 price point also. I purchased the last Matlock release at that price and have seen Gunsmoke and some others as well.

Glen, I was just at Sam's this evening and they had the latest Gene Autry TV show release for $9.99 (same as Walmart). But I haven't seen nearly as many Timeless releases in the past year or so as I used to. Ditto to CBS/P...they used to have all the major new releases but now it is hit and miss.