New Carson Collection?!? (1 Viewer)

[Mike Frezon]

[Moderators: Sorry. This should be in the Software/TV forum.]

It looks as if the trustees of the Carson estate have decided to issue a new (?) collection of Tonight Show material from the Carson years.

Retailers are showing a release date of 11-7-2006. I checked the official Carson site and the 3-disc set IS listed there for purchase $39.99. Amazon's pre-order is $27.99. Costco: $24.99

The only question which remains: what is the material that will be included? I would fork over $30 for new Carson material in a flash...but how much will be different from what was already included in the original Ultimate Collection?

Here is the description (as vague as it is) posted at the official site:


So, if they comprise 2 of the 3 discs, it is tough to say, at this point, if the 3rd disc is also going to be re-hashed material and if this is just a re-packaging of material we've already seen.

With all the wealth of material in the Carson vaults, it sure would be nice if they developed some kind of regular release program of material...even if it was just some of the anniversary specials.

You've got to figure that the audience for such material is huge...and more than ready to spend good $$$ on quality product (maybe even not-so-quality product...but it's gotta be new).

 

[EricSchulz]

I cannot WAIT to see this!!! The Ultimate Collection is one of my (AND my parents!!!) favorite DVDs!

 

[AndyMcKinney]

I just wish the Carson estate would try to work out some deal to get the complete shows back on TV on one of the cable channels. You'd think this would be a great on, say, TV Land at 11:30pm?!

Heck, I'd even settle for them re-syndicating the old "sketches-only" half-hour Carson's Comedy Classics.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Not me. I avoided those shows like the plague. While I enjoyed Johnny's skits as part of the 90-minute and 60-minute shows....I didn't think they held up well by themselves. For me, the whole point of the Tonight Show was the monologue, the desk segment with Ed, and the spontaneous banter with the guests.

Those are the segments that make the compilation discs valuable for me.

The skits were funniest when they got screwed up (much like how sometimes the monologues actually got better when they bombed!). When Art Fern's moustache fell off, or Johnny and Fred Holliday would start cracking up...

 

[Steve...O]

I'm with Mike. I never cared much for the "comedy classics" shows for the reasons he articulated. Ed's announcement that the "Mighty Carson Art Players" were in the line-up were usually a cause for a groan during the last few years. Even Art Fern suffered after the death of Carol Wayne.

Carson was at his best when interacting with others and he was genius at letting his guests shine. Perhaps Carson Productions could fashion themed collections (Legendary Comedians, Actors, etc.) I don't know what kind of music rights issues there would be surrounding getting Buddy Rich, Pete Barbutti, etc. included but a music themed collection would be wonderful.

Count me in for putting the show on the air again. The drivel that passes for late night entertainment these days almost makes me want to cry.

Steve

 

[Mike Frezon]

Time for a gratuitous Carol Wayne shot:



There was just something about her...

 

[Scott_F_S]

Or some things about her ...

 

[Michael Alden]

I don't know when that shot is from but by the 80s she really began to look bad. All of the cocaine had taken it's toll. She also met a horrible ending, drowning in Mexico while with the same guy who was with Art Linkletter's daughter when she mysteriously went out a window.

 

[David Rain]

I understand that releasing the musical performances would be a licensing nightmare but why hasn't the Carson estate been assembling classic interviews on disc ? I have the previous huge box set that came out and it didn't add up to nearly as much as you might think. Each disc only had a small amount of material compared to what they could have held. Good stuff, but only the tip of the tip of the iceberg where the Tonight Show is concerned.

Why oh why aren't they releasing more of this stuff ? How about more comedians compilations ? Or "best of" discs organized by year ? I know the early years of Johnny's reign apparantly don't exist anymore but what about the 20 or so years of material that still does ?

 

[Jeff#]

Someone mentioned Fred Holliday. Who exactly is Fred Holliday?

 

[Mike Frezon]

He is this guy: Sorry, but its the best picture I can find.

He dabbled as a talk show host in the 70s and was one of Johnny's regular foils in the various skits he did. I suppose most often you'd see him as a member of the press when Johnny was doing his Reagan impersonation. He was also the counterpoint in Johnny's riff on the Who's On First routine when he, again, was playing Reagan (Fred was advising him on an upcoming meeting with foreign dignitaries) and the punch line was "Yasser" (as in Arafat) and he thought Fred was saying "Yes, sir". That skit is on the Ultimate Collection discs.

 

[Mike Frezon]

It's kinda sad that Dick Cavett has been completely outshining Carson in the DVD market.

 

[RickER]

I loved when Don Rickels broke Carson's cigarette box. Then like a few days later it falls apart in Carson's hands. He was like who the hell broke my box? When they told him Rickels did it Carson went right next door to the set of CPO Sharkey and let him have it. Funny stuff to this 12 year old. But i always loved Rickels humor.

 

[Jeff#]

That's because Cavett's shows are complete and he is still around to personally oversee the release of his own program on DVD.

Carson was the better entertainer of the two, however, and had the superior show. Johnny was funny and Dick....well, Dick is an intellect. He's at his best writing funny material for other performers.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Yeah...but when Johnny was around, he showed no interest in releasing the vast amounts of stuff in the vault. On his show, he constantly mourned the decision to diestroy all his early stuff...including his premiere show with Groucho, Joan Crawford, Tony bennett, etc. But, he also never did much with his older material himself except for his annual anniversary shows when he would pretty much trot out the same "highlight clip" material year-after-year.

I'm hoping that his estate will, with his passing, decide to mine the vault and allow his sizeable fan base the chance to continue to appreciate his talents.

 

[Jeff#]

I remember the 2 hour The Tonight Show anniversary specials that Johnny and Ed did wearing tuxes. For the most part they didn't show the same clips every year.

It's a shame that so many of the 1960s shows that Carson did were erased. What the hell was NBC thinking? Even The Tonight Show with Jack Paar was shot on color videotape beginning around 1958 or 59, and those too now exist only as grainy black & white filmed (kinescope) copies. It's really a shame. Meanwhile, quite a few transcription discs of much older radio shows have been well preserved and some of those series sound as good as new even without remastering!

 

[Mike Frezon]

I recently watched an old VHS tape of my own on which I had recorded an old Letterman "Late Night" anniversary show (done in Radio City Music Hall). He had Bill Murray on as a guest and set up a clip of Murray's first appearance on Late Night Show #1. However, he showed the infamous clip of Ed Ames throwing the tomahawk from the Carson show. It must have taken me at least 10 minutes to explain what it was AND why it was funny to my 16-year-old son.

 

[Steve...O]

I may be mistaken, but doesn't the audio from Johnny's debut show still exist? If so, it could be added as a bonus? I do know that several years ago, a major push to locate any video copies in the hands of private collectors was launched. Unfortunately it wasn't successful.

Ed McMahon's health is reportedly not good. It would be nice if he and Doc Severinson could be tapped to do intros, etc. for Carson compilations before it is too late.

One of my favorite Carson memories was when he assembled all the then living "Tarzans" on a show (probably mid 70s). I can still remember the thrill of seeing Johnny Weismuller,looking older and heavier, coming out and doing his yell. Another favorite memory was from the mid 80s when Bob Hope, who was still on the top of his game, did a devastating funny monolouge and followed it up with a wonderful rendition of "I Can't Get Started". Hope's singing talents occasionally get overlooked.

Steve

 

[Mike Frezon]

Okay...LOTS of NEW information courtesty of homemediaretailing.com.



Best news is that the new set is NOT supposed to duplicate material from the original "Ultimate" 3-disc set!

 

[Jeff#]

Who wants to see Ellen DeGeneres?? Enough of these clip shows.
I want complete Tonight Show episodes. Who agrees?