Least Likely to Ever See the Light of Day Again (1 Viewer)

[Lecagr]

There's a big difference between doesn't exist and what's traded among collectors. I've had the pilot episode for 30+ years. CBS produced the series so I'm sure the 35mm prints and negatives are safely stored away in their vaults. After seeing the one episode, its not something I ever pursued any more episodes of. I know there are some collectors pages where they list the shows they have as "known to exist", translated to mean, prints circulate among the public.

Oh Those Bells probably isn't the greatest show but I'd still be curious to see all the episodes, some are probably funnier than others. If CBS possesses 35mm prints and negatives of the episodes, the question is if they will eventually do something with them before the ravages of time take over and the prints become unusable.

 

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

I feel the same way about a whole lot of stuff I'd watched on TV long ago.

However, I still hope that at least these will be released on DVD before the gauntlet eventually falls.

Paramount Television:
Out of the Blue (1979)
Working Stiffs (1979)
Goodtime Girls (1980)
Madame's Place (1982-83)
Duet (1987-89)/Open House (1989-90)

Hanna-Barbera:
The Flintstone Comedy Hour (CBS, 1972-73) (1-hour version)
C.B. Bears (1977) (1 hour version)
Skatebirds (1977) (1 hour version)
Yogi's Space Race (1978) (1 hour version)
Jana of the Jungle (1978)
The Flintstone Comedy Show (NBC, 1980-81) (90-minute/1-hour version)

~Ben

 

[Purple Wig]

I was thinking about this and I believe that black and white sitcoms that only ran for one season are the least likely to ever show up again, either on DVD or broadcast. Of course there are some rare exceptions (New Loretta Young Show, Hey Mulligan, half of I'm Dickens, He's Fenster, Stanley) but I believe there is just not enough interest to warrant anyone doing anything with these types of shows.

My Hero, Pride of the Family, Colonel Humphrey Flack, My Favorite Husband (3 seasons but only 1 filmed), Halls of Ivy, Mayor of the Town, Willy, Dear Phoebe, Professional Father, So This Is Hollywood, His Honor Homer Bell, The Great Gildersleeve, It's Always Jan, Charlie Farrell Show, Those Whiting Girls, Joe and Mabel, The Brothers, Adventures of Hiram Holliday, Hey Jeannie, Blondie, Sally, Date With The Angels, Eve Arden Show, Love That Jill, This is Alice, The Ed Wynn Show, Peck's Bad Girl, Fibber McGee and Molly, The Dennis O'Keefe Show, Love and Marriage, The Betty Hutton Show, The Tab Hunter Show, The Jim Backus Show, My Sister Eileen, The Tom Ewell Show, Peter Loves Mary, Harrigan and Son, Guestward Ho, Bringing Up Buddy, Angel, Fair Exchange, The Nanette Fabray Show, Happy, Holiday Lodge, Mrs. G Goes To College, The New Bob Cummings Show, Father of the Bride, Room for One More, Margie, Ichabod and Me, The Hathaways, Oh Those Bells, It's A Man's World, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Our Man Higgins, Ensign O'Toole, One Happy Family, Don't Call Me Charlie, McKeever and the Colonel, Glynnis, Grindl, Harry's Girls, The New Phil Silvers Show, The Tycoon, Wendy and Me, No Time For Sergeants, Karen, Harris Against The World, Tom, Dick and Mary, Many Happy Returns, Mickey, The Bing Crosby Show, Valentine's Day, Broadside, The Baileys of Balboa, The Cara Williams Show, The Smothers Brothers Show.

Perhaps the only possibility might be if Warner Archive decides to do a few of the ones that they own but I wouldn't think it would be high on their list.

5+ years later, I'm curious which 5 of these (if any) have even a sliver of hope of being released. I've enjoyed the few episodes I've seen of "Hiram Holiday", "Ichabod & Me", and especially "the Jim Backus Show" & "Karen". Also, as a new member but longtime reader, have always appreciated Neil Brock's posts and wonder which of these he would rate the highest, quality-wise?

 

[Neil Brock]

5+ years later, I'm curious which 5 of these (if any) have even a sliver of hope of being released. I've enjoyed the few episodes I've seen of "Hiram Holiday", "Ichabod & Me", and especially "the Jim Backus Show" & "Karen". Also, as a new member but longtime reader, have always appreciated Neil Brock's posts and wonder which of these he would rate the highest, quality-wise?

Of the four you mention, I would say the only one I would give a chance of a release would be The Jim Backus Show. Republic remastered it to tape in the early 90s and its now owned by CBS. If they continue with their MOD program, this is a possibility. As for highest quality, the only one I've seen a lot of out of the four is Karen, but that was when I was 7 years old. Typical 60s sitcom but Debbie Watson was adorable. I prefer it to Tammy, the show she did a year later, which did come out on DVD in Germany (but in English).

Ichabod and Karen are both Universal owned and have no transferred elements. Zero chance. Hiram had its prints scattered to the four winds and it would be unlikely that anyone could even put together a complete set of episodes in one place, let alone try to release it. I have 2 DVDs with 4 episodes each that was put out a number of years ago and I'm afraid that's about the best we'll ever see.

 

[Lecagr]

I was thinking about this and I believe that black and white sitcoms that only ran for one season are the least likely to ever show up again, either on DVD or broadcast. Of course there are some rare exceptions (New Loretta Young Show, Hey Mulligan, half of I'm Dickens, He's Fenster, Stanley) but I believe there is just not enough interest to warrant anyone doing anything with these types of shows.

My Hero, Pride of the Family, Colonel Humphrey Flack, My Favorite Husband (3 seasons but only 1 filmed), Halls of Ivy, Mayor of the Town, Willy, Dear Phoebe, Professional Father, So This Is Hollywood, His Honor Homer Bell, The Great Gildersleeve, It's Always Jan, Charlie Farrell Show, Those Whiting Girls, Joe and Mabel, The Brothers, Adventures of Hiram Holliday, Hey Jeannie, Blondie, Sally, Date With The Angels, Eve Arden Show, Love That Jill, This is Alice, The Ed Wynn Show, Peck's Bad Girl, Fibber McGee and Molly, The Dennis O'Keefe Show, Love and Marriage, The Betty Hutton Show, The Tab Hunter Show, The Jim Backus Show, My Sister Eileen, The Tom Ewell Show, Peter Loves Mary, Harrigan and Son, Guestward Ho, Bringing Up Buddy, Angel, Fair Exchange, The Nanette Fabray Show, Happy, Holiday Lodge, Mrs. G Goes To College, The New Bob Cummings Show, Father of the Bride, Room for One More, Margie, Ichabod and Me, The Hathaways, Oh Those Bells, It's A Man's World, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Our Man Higgins, Ensign O'Toole, One Happy Family, Don't Call Me Charlie, McKeever and the Colonel, Glynnis, Grindl, Harry's Girls, The New Phil Silvers Show, The Tycoon, Wendy and Me, No Time For Sergeants, Karen, Harris Against The World, Tom, Dick and Mary, Many Happy Returns, Mickey, The Bing Crosby Show, Valentine's Day, Broadside, The Baileys of Balboa, The Cara Williams Show, The Smothers Brothers Show.

Mostly for nostalgia reasons, it would be very interesting to see all of these short lived, black and white sitcoms that Neil listed here, but I try not to dwell on it too much because the chances of seeing most of these are likely slim to none, aside from what can be obtained from collectors or found on You Tube.

One exception, I'm glad I recorded the episodes of Peter Loves Mary when GetTV ran those, that was an unusual series to air and I imagine it's unlikely to be released on DVD. The airings of Peter Loves Mary from GetTV were in fullscreen format, but since then GetTV has switched to widescreen format, which is not good so I don't record shows from that channel anymore.

 

[Neil Brock]

GetTV has switched to widescreen format, which is not good so I don't record shows from that channel anymore.

Didn't know that as I haven't recorded anything off the station in a couple of years. Brilliant idea, running 4x3 shows in 16x9. I'm sure that looks great with the tops and bottoms of the picture cut off.

 

[Lecagr]

Didn't know that as I haven't recorded anything off the station in a couple of years. Brilliant idea, running 4x3 shows in 16x9. I'm sure that looks great with the tops and bottoms of the picture cut off.

Yes Neil, GetTV looks terrible now since they run shows in widescreen 16x9.

In 2017 when I recorded the Peter Loves Mary shows, they were fullscreen 4x3. There was one episode that I missed, "The Movie Star" which they ran again last year in 2018 and that's when I discovered they switched from fullscreen to widescreen. All my Peter Loves Mary recordings are 4x3 except for that one episode The Movie Star which is 16x9.

 

[Purple Wig]

Of the four you mention, I would say the only one I would give a chance of a release would be The Jim Backus Show. Republic remastered it to tape in the early 90s and its now owned by CBS. If they continue with their MOD program, this is a possibility. As for highest quality, the only one I've seen a lot of out of the four is Karen, but that was when I was 7 years old. Typical 60s sitcom but Debbie Watson was adorable. I prefer it to Tammy, the show she did a year later, which did come out on DVD in Germany (but in English).

Ichabod and Karen are both Universal owned and have no transferred elements. Zero chance. Hiram had its prints scattered to the four winds and it would be unlikely that anyone could even put together a complete set of episodes in one place, let alone try to release it. I have 2 DVDs with 4 episodes each that was put out a number of years ago and I'm afraid that's about the best we'll ever see.

Would be nice to see Backus, enjoyed the episodes I've seen from collector sources, and Nita Talbot is a favorite. Picked up probably the same Hiram DVD's about 15 years ago, when a grocery store had a rack of $1 dvd's including a number of series I'd been curious about. Appreciate the info!