Season 2 of MR NOVAK? (1 Viewer)

[disctrip]

Hoping for the 2nd season to get a release from Warner Archive, but not holding my breath. Why release the first season if you have no intention of releasing the 2nd?

 

[Flashgear]

Jim, all your questions are answered thoroughly in author Chuck Harter's brilliant book on the show, Mr. Novak--An Acclaimed Television Series. It's available in hardcover, paperback and a very affordable Kindle edition for your E-reader. I don't know if you're aware, but I started an HTF thread on the book and the series itself here in 2017, Mr. Novak, NBC TV Series 1963-65, just as Chuck's book was being published by BearManor Media, and long before the Warner Archive DVD release of Mr. Novak season one was announced. My thread is up over 25 pages now with a wealth of details and episode reviews...If you love the series, you really should get the book, which is packed with production details, cast and crew interviews, and a detailed history loaded with hundreds of rarely seen or never seen before photos.

A brief overview of Dean Jagger's departure with detailed sources as shown in Chuck's book...

Dean Jagger had previously and periodically suffered from painful bleeding ulcers during season one of Mr. Novak, a condition that probably pre-dates the series itself. He had to take time off during season one for that reason.

Dean Jagger had completed at least 6 episodes for season two when he had another debilitating ulcer attack, again taking time off from filming...but he appears in 16 of the 30 second season episodes in total...however, there were other issues also involved with Dean Jagger's ultimate departure from the show...from what is disclosed in Chuck's book, there was no feud between Jagger and co-star Franciscus, nor any feud with executive producer and series co-creator's E. Jack Neuman and Boris Sagal...but there was friction with MGM's newly designated producer, Leonard Freeman over what Jagger deemed to be "message" stories, with some resulting writer chaos, during which Neuman's own script for a two part crossover episode with Dr. Kildare was rejected by NBC...and Jagger was not pleased with the forced departure of his good friend Jeanne Bal, nor the under utilization of her replacement, Phyllis Avery. But his health problems were genuine and the ultimate determining factor...Dean Jagger's departure was formally announced in a Variety article on December 4, 1964...Burgess Meredith's first Novak outing, the two parter musical episode, Faculty Follies started filming on December 1, 1964...it appears that the episode was hurriedly re-written to enable Meredith to be the ongoing replacement and not just the guest star for that two part episode. Meredith's replacement casting was announced in Variety on December 8, 1964.

Another clue as to the authentic severity of Dean Jagger's health problem is the fact that he took over a year off from acting...his next credits are for two QM shows in the fall of 1966...The F.B.I. and The Fugitive...there's plenty of references in Chuck Harter's book that highlights articles and notices from Variety and the Los Angeles Times in the summer and fall of 1964 about this affair, and interviews with cast member Marian Collier and MGM propmaster Bob Schultz...Schultz detested Freeman and blamed him and the MGM and NBC "suits" for making all the wrong decisions...Leonard Freeman went on to great success with Hawaii 5-0...E. Jack Neuman likewise with A Man Called Shenandoah, Police Story and Petrocelli...Boris Sagal with Travels of Jamie McPheeters, T.H.E. Cat, Name of the Game and hundreds of writing and directing credits... despite the discord, Mr. Novak has, at least, the same high proportion of truly great episodes in season two as in season one...this show retained it's high quality, with a few rare exceptions, throughout it's entire run...but another truly great show, ABC's Combat! consistently beat Mr. Novak in the Nielsen ratings...NBC should have tried to move the show before finally cancelling it.

 

[Flashgear]

The episode "Let's Dig A Little Grammar" has music clearance issues.

Well, It looks we will never see the release of Season 2. I don't think Warner is going to pay all the rights issues
on the music. I don't know how well Season 1 sold.

I discussed all of this at length with a detailed analysis, as best that I could, in the original thread that I started, which you guys have delighted in sniping at for no good reason...I'm the guy who specifically cited my own personal concerns about Possible music rights complications, which you guys are repeating here...but It's my own informed speculation about Let's Dig a Little Grammar, and not based on anything I've heard through the grapevine...Chuck Harter also hasn't heard anything definitively...I don't know if all music has been cleared or not for a prospective season two release...and then there's more Columbia, Capitol and Verve/Sony music in another episode, And Then I Wrote, which I also detailed in my thread...I believe two other episodes, Visions of Sugar Plums and the infamous two parter, Faculty Follies have traditional folk in the public domain for the former, and the Dolinsky/Belfer original music composed for the latter, I believe that those song rights are securely held by Warner now...you guys should know that any worthwhile and informative post and discussion actually takes some effort. By the way, if you don't care for my thread, you shouldn't look into it, eh?

 

[Neil Brock]

Well, It looks we will never see the release of Season 2. I don't think Warner is going to pay all the rights issues
on the music. I don't know how well Season 1 sold.

Such definitive words such as always and never are patently false and inaccurate.

 

[DeWilson]

There's significant music issues in the second season I believe. I would ask Warner about but they blocked me from their Facebook page when I spilled the beans on how they stopped remastering shows and that Mr. Novak used the 30-year old Turner one-inch tapes for their source elements.

Hey, someone had to call Warners on the carpet for this. They didn't like it, we'll that is too bad - they should just be honest.

Too bad about music clearance issues on Season 2 - would be nice to see those shows - it's a good series.

 

[Ian K McLachlan]

I liked Mr. Novak and hoped that season 2 might have been released. in the same way that I hoped that The Defenders seasons 2 - 4 would be released too. It seems that music clearances prove to be a problem when it comes to DVD releases unfortunately. But I would rather some episodes of a series were released rather than no episodes.

 

[disctrip]

Where Oh Where is season 2 of Mr. Novak? If you have no intention of releasing season 2, don't bother releasing season 1.
You listening Warner's?

 

[smithbrad]

Where Oh Where is season 2 of Mr. Novak? If you have no intention of releasing season 2, don't bother releasing season 1.
You listening Warner's?

I hope not...I'd rather have season 1 and no season 2 then nothing at all. I've never understood the all or nothing logic, but then again, I'm sure that those that do don't understand the take what we can get logic.

 

[disctrip]

It just makes it harder because you really get into season 1 and season 2 never shows.

 

[smithbrad]

It just makes it harder because you really get into season 1 and season 2 never shows.

While I understand the basis for your logic, for me at least, I would have never experienced the show at all if not for the first season release. I have several incomplete series where the releases stopped for a variety of potential reasons. I couldn't imagine the void in my collection and experiences if none of these shows had ever had even a partial release due to not being able to complete the entire run.

 

[borisfw]

It's too bad that the music is putting a halt to the second season getting released,if that is the case. The first season was excellent and hopefully the second season does get a release. But I won't hold my breath.

 

[Neil Brock]

Thankfully TNT ran just about the whole of season 2 so we have those tapes to fall back on. Besides the 2-part Faculty Follies, which is dreadful by the way, I believe they ran the rest of the episodes.

 

[disctrip]

Thankfully TNT ran just about the whole of season 2 so we have those tapes to fall back on. Besides the 2-part Faculty Follies, which is dreadful by the way, I believe they ran the rest of the episodes.

Do you make copies?.....LOL

 

[bmasters9]

Besides the 2-part Faculty Follies, which is dreadful by the way

Why is it dreadful?

 

[Neil Brock]

Why is it dreadful?

Its just a padded, typical "lets put on a show to show off how our actors are all around entertainers and can sing and dance a million times better than the normal civilian they are supposed to be portraying". I detest that genre as its just so self-serving. Anyway, its not my cup of tea. Its like I went to a serious high school drama and a musical variety show broke out.

 

[LouA]

Sc

In my opinion, Room 222 did this type of show a little bit better. Room 222 is a balanced blend of comedy and drama, whereas Mr. Novak has little comedy and tends to go over the top with the drama.

Actually both good shows with slightly different focus and setting.
By the way I’d love to see both shows completed on DVD!

 

[JamesSmith]

Didn't Laverne and Shirley do this type of show as well?

--jthree

 

[Neil Brock]

Didn't Laverne and Shirley do this type of show as well?

--jthree

A lot of them did. Gomer Pyle, Dick Van Dyke Show, etc.

 

[Jack P]

The "let's put on a show" conceit also held up the Season 4 release of "Dr. Kildare" for over two years but they finally did clear that one out and the series made it to completion.

"Mr. Novak" isn't the only two season show with its second year in limbo from Warner. They also never gave us Season 2 of "The Eleventh Hour" which means I've never been able to see the finish of a crossover episode that started on a Kildare episode! I can't imagine there was a music episode to tie up that title.

And of course the greatest example of a show that never got its second of two seasons out (though not Warner) was "Burke's Law" which infuriates me still.

 

[disctrip]

and where is the next season of Ben Casey?