Ozzie & Harriet (2 Viewers)

[DaveHof3]

Just watched the wonderful episode "Rick Gets Even," with Tuesday Weld, in my Mill Creek set, and thought I'd check back for any updates. The last contributor post on Sam's Kickstarter page reads:

"So this project is officially dead, I guess. That's a real shame, Sam. Obviously we were really looking forward to see the results of all the effort you have put in."

Can anyone confirm this is the case? All this time and not even a single season set finished?

 

[Steve...O]

A shame if this is truly dead but hardly a surprise. Sam was in over his head from day 1. Had the last 5 years been spent releasing these via a partnership with a major distributor a chunk of the series could have been released by now.

 

[Radioman970]

If this is true perhaps it will be more a consideration in the future to help get it released.

 

[John Hermes]

Just watched the wonderful episode "Rick Gets Even," with Tuesday Weld, in my Mill Creek set, and thought I'd check back for any updates. The last contributor post on Sam's Kickstarter page reads:

"So this project is officially dead, I guess. That's a real shame, Sam. Obviously we were really looking forward to see the results of all the effort you have put in."

Can anyone confirm this is the case? All this time and not even a single season set finished?

Sam had an update the day after the aforementioned post, (March 28 2016). He said he was in the process of setting up a "viewing portal" where Kickstarter donors could view some of the restored episodes through the O&H website. Approximately a year ago an update included:

"The actual restoration, after the hurdles it took to acquire the content, has gone relatively smoothly. There is now enough content for an official release, which is the next priority. The issues, without going into too much detail, concern several inter-family developments since the passing of David Nelson, as well as broader changes to national and international legal aspects (just in the last few years), that have complicated things in very real ways."

"Best efforts towards attempting to secure a physical product distribution deal are underway."

He went on to express his concerns over piracy and bootlegging. Perhaps, another update (hopefully soon) will provide the current state of affairs.

 

[Steve...O]

Thanks, John! "Inter-family developments" don't sound promising and hint at squabbles over estate issues. Hopefully those will get resolved if not already.

 

[Neil Brock]

He went on to express his concerns over piracy and bootlegging. Perhaps, another update (hopefully soon) will provide the current state of affairs.

Someone copying his restored versions of Public Domain shows I don't think could be construed as piracy and bootlegging. The shows are all PD and he can do whatever he wants but whatever he does, it will be copied and put out by Mill Creek and Alpha a day later.

 

[MatthewA]

broader changes to national and international legal aspects (just in the last few years), that have complicated things in very real ways."

Let me guess: Music licensing laws/availability of royalty money for Ricky's songs?

 

[Tony Bensley]

Let me guess: Music licensing laws/availability of royalty money for Ricky's songs?

You actually bring up a very good point, Matthew! While THE ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET might be Public Domain as a series, what of the episodes that feature Ricky Nelson's performances? Doesn't the Nelson estate have some claim to those (Though Rick didn't actually write any of them!), and could Sam Nelson not potentially litigate in cases of the PD releases of those particular episodes?

CHEERS!

 

[MatthewA]

Whoever owns the publishing rights to the songs is who would get paid in this case.

 

[Neil Brock]

Whoever owns the publishing rights to the songs is who would get paid in this case.

Yet another thing which Sam no doubt didn't take into account when he was making all of his grandiose plans. All of the songs have to be cleared and that means just about every episode from the late 50s on.

 

[Neil Brock]

So, 5+ years later, how's that complete 435 episode box set along with the 24 Ozzie's Girls episodes coming? Don't mean to pile on but everyone was so rah rah when this pipe dream was announced that no one wanted to be realistic. One guy with no money editing the longest running sitcom in TV history on his laptop. One with copyrighted music in 2/3 of the episodes and every episode in the public domain no less. Gee, how could an idea like that possibly fail?

 

[Ron Lee Green]

I would think one person trying to restore the show frame-by-frame would find it tedious after a while. Should've got a studio deal.

It's too bad. I watch my Millcreek set and Shout sets all the time. It's a well-written, well-acted, well-produced show. What baffles me is how Ozzie didn't properly copyright it. Surely, someone in the industry must have alerted him about it all those years the show was on. It would be perfect fit for Me-TV or Antenna-TV, etc. if it was restored.

 

[Tony Bensley]

I would think one person trying to restore the show frame-by-frame would find it tedious after a while. Should've got a studio deal.

It's too bad. I watch my Millcreek set and Shout sets all the time. It's a well-written, well-acted, well-produced show. What baffles me is how Ozzie didn't properly copyright it. Surely, someone in the industry must have alerted him about it all those years the show was on. It would be perfect fit for Me-TV or Antenna-TV, etc. if it was restored.

That baffles me too, Ron! It's not like Ozzie Nelson was a dolt when it came business matters, either! Quite the opposite, in fact! It was at his urging that his son Rick signed a 20 year recording contract one year before the British Invasion hit. Ozzie obviously knew that Rick wouldn't remain at the same level of popularity forever. And yet, the Television show copyright was allowed to lapse into the Public Domain? It makes no sense to me, except I suppose Ozzie Nelson's focus was on the music copyrights (He was a musician, first and foremost!), thinking that would cover the show - Who knows?

It sure doesn't appear promising that a complete series set will ever see light of day, but I've seen stranger things happen, so I won't lose hope entirely, either!

CHEERS!

 

[Gary OS]

So, 5+ years later, how's that complete 435 episode box set along with the 24 Ozzie's Girls episodes coming? Don't mean to pile on but everyone was so rah rah when this pipe dream was announced that no one wanted to be realistic.

Not quite everyone, Neil. I had serious misgivings from the moment it was announced and for that reason I never jumped on the bandwagon. I wanted it to happen, to be sure. I was hoping it would happen. But I was one of the folks that was completely realistic about it.

Thanks for making my season brighter by reminding me of what I already know and think about all the time - I have no cleaned up Ozzie & Harriet season sets.

 

[Tony Bensley]

On a somewhat brighter note, I happened to catch a bit of news that Matthew and Gunnar Nelson either are, or did some recent recording with Wilson-Phillips.

CHEERS!

 

[Neil Brock]

Thanks for making my season brighter by reminding me of what I already know and think about all the time - I have no cleaned up Ozzie & Harriet season sets.

And I have no cleaned up Love on a Rooftop set either!

 

[Neil Brock]

And yet, the Television show copyright was allowed to lapse into the Public Domain?

The copyrights didn't "lapse". The show was never properly copyrighted to begin with. There wasn't even a proper copyright notice placed on the films, which you can see by looking at the end of any episode. No copyright symbol, which is mandatory.

As a matter of fact, I believe it was David who used to sell 16mm prints of the series to collectors all of the time in the 60s and 70s. That is why there are thousands of film prints of the show circulating among collectors and that is where the PD companies were able to get their hands on episodes.

 

[Tony Bensley]

The copyrights didn't "lapse". The show was never properly copyrighted to begin with. There wasn't even a proper copyright notice placed on the films, which you can see by looking at the end of any episode. No copyright symbol, which is mandatory.

As a matter of fact, I believe it was David who used to sell 16mm prints of the series to collectors all of the time in the 60s and 70s. That is why there are thousands of film prints of the show circulating among collectors and that is where the PD companies were able to get their hands on episodes.

OK, I do now remember reading that a ways back in this thread. I do think a number of early Television shows fall into this category of never having been copyrighted. Perhaps a "Who will even want to see these shows in 20 years?" mentality came into play?

CHEERS!

 

[Gary16]

As a matter of fact, I believe it was David who used to sell 16mm prints of the series to collectors all of the time in the 60s and 70s. That is why there are thousands of film prints of the show circulating among collectors and that is where the PD companies were able to get their hands on episodes.

Actually David didn't sell directly to collectors but sold the 16mm delay prints to Gaines Films (Gaines was a big 16mm dealer back in the day of mostly TV shows and film shorts). Gaines sold them to collectors. Blackhawk Films was really the first dealer to sell prints of the show but only for a short time.

 

[John Hermes]

In Sam's latest Kickstarter update (December 6, 2016), he states that he will be adding his first batch of restored O&H shows to a viewing area on the website for persons who were donors to the cause. I asked him about DVDs and his reply was:

"I would say eventually, yes, John. It is most certainly my hope. First things first is streamlining the restorations, so I can put this initial batch behind me. I am in discussions with broadcast as well, who have expressed interest in DVD series as a compliment. I will definitely let everyone know as things develop".

He assured us that the project is still alive. If this viewing area becomes active by New Years, as is his goal, I will let you know my thoughts.
Hey guys, don't you feel too bad, I put $130 into the cause those years ago!