TimeLife announces "The Lost Episodes" of The Carol Burnett Show (1 Viewer)

[David Rain]

Yes, two of the three episodes are edited. Show 014 and Show 414. Show 014 is missing the Barbara Eden and Carol duet about magic with them performing a few magic tricks and Show 414 is missing the finale featuring clips and songs from Scrooge.

Unsatisfied purists will proceed to lose their minds in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

 

[cityscope]

I have to apologize - I almost started a new thread titled something like "Carol Burnett Confusion" - so forgive me if the answer to this question is buried somewhere in this, or one of the other many Carol Burnett show threads - BUT:

I just want to make sure that I have all the commercially available DVDs of her (cut episodes or not)
If I have 1) the Time-Life "Carol Burnett Show" box set collection (the one with her as the charwoman and the curtain),
2) the Time-Life "The Lost Episodes" box set
(with 3) the new bonus "Carol's Lost Christmas" DVD),
4) "Carol's Crack-Ups",
and 5) the "Christmas with Carol" stand-alone holiday disc from a few years ago...
is that <everything>?
Or am I still missing some other bonus exclusive,
or some other stand-alone not included in the above collections?

What a mess they seem to have made of these - I'm grateful for all they've put out, but even apart from the issue of cuts, they seem to have made it needlessly difficult for even the most devoted fans and collectors to make sure they have all the available material.
Thanks so much for any answers or advice you can provide.

 

[Paintbeanie]

I have to apologize - I almost started a new thread titled something like "Carol Burnett Confusion" - so forgive me if the answer to this question is buried somewhere in this, or one of the other many Carol Burnett show threads - BUT:

I just want to make sure that I have all the commercially available DVDs of her (cut episodes or not)
If I have 1) the Time-Life "Carol Burnett Show" box set collection (the one with her as the charwoman and the curtain),
2) the Time-Life "The Lost Episodes" box set
(with 3) the new bonus "Carol's Lost Christmas" DVD),
4) "Carol's Crack-Ups",
and 5) the "Christmas with Carol" stand-alone holiday disc from a few years ago...
is that <everything>?
Or am I still missing some other bonus exclusive,
or some other stand-alone not included in the above collections?

What a mess they seem to have made of these - I'm grateful for all they've put out, but even apart from the issue of cuts, they seem to have made it needlessly difficult for even the most devoted fans and collectors to make sure they have all the available material.
Thanks so much for any answers or advice you can provide.

It can get confusing. There are various single disc editions from various stores (like wal mart) that have episodes that were included in the Columbia house series that were not included in the ultimate edition. There is also a Costco edition 8 disc carols crack ups DVD set and 7 disc this time together DVD set (from the ultimate collection). Also, if this wasn't enough, there are some episodes that are edited in the Ultimate Collection that are unedited in the Columbia house series discs, so if you pay close attention to the edited episodes, there is also these DVDs to look at. I hope this helps. I just wish they had kept everything simple. I can't complain too much though because I get to see episodes that I probably never would have if it weren't for these DVDs.

 

[JamesSmith]

Yes, two of the three episodes are edited. Show 014 and Show 414. Show 014 is missing the Barbara Eden and Carol duet about magic with them performing a few magic tricks and Show 414 is missing the finale featuring clips and songs from Scrooge.

Could you explain a bit more about the songs from Scrooge? Is it from the seventies musical? What songs did they sing? Any way to see that segment? Or the Barbara Eden one?

 

[Brian Himes]

Sorry, I don't know anything more than what is described in the Carol Burnett Show guide. The Barbara Eden duet is not given much more of a description than what I stated.

The Scrooge finale from show 414 uses clips from the movie Scrooge. The book doesn't say when the film was released. Yes, it is a musical and it stars Albert Finney as Scrooge. The songs that the book lists as being sung are I Hate People, I Like Life and December 25th. In between songs there are clips from the movie.

As for a way to see the segment, as it's not on the DVD I don't have any idea where it could be found. This episode has been sitting unseen in the CBS vault since it originally aired over 40 years ago. Same with show 014 with the missing Barbara Eden segment.

 

[JamesSmith]

I really wish there was a way to get what's locked and forgotten in these vaults out to the people who appreciate them.

James

 

[Bobster]

And it looks like they're going to keep leading us along with three more episodes coming out...aargh.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Carol-Burnett-Best-of-Tim-Conway/23037

 

[Brian Himes]

Actually there are 4 episodes on the disc and all 4 have never been released before. It has been discussed here:

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/new-carol-burnett-show-dvd-on-the-way.351405/

Beware, the running time on the disc seems to suggest that the episodes might be edited. We won't know for sure until the disc is actually released.

 

[Bobster]

Tim as Harvey's dentist has already been out. Did that happen a second time?

 

[Brian Himes]

I believe that the sketch does appear on the large Lost Episodes set as well as the original large Ultimate Collection set. It looks to me like this is the first time that the episode that the sketch is from is being released. I would have to check my Ultimate Collection set to get the air date or show number for the Dentist sketch to be 100% sure.

 

[Brian Himes]

Ok, I've checked and both The Lost Episodes and the original Ultimate Collection did have The Dentist Sketch. Those sets each list the episode as airing March 3, 1969. I checked the Carol Burnett Show Companion and they also list the sketch as airing on the March 3, 1969 episode. So, the Time Life press release has some of the dates or show numbers incorrect.

Here is what they should be according to The Carol Burnett Show Companion and the episode list that I have.

December 8, 1969 (show #312)
March 1, 1971 (show #423) is incorrectly listed as April 19, 1971
March 3, 1969 (show #120) incorrectly listed as December 1, 1971 (show #513) This is the episode with The Dentist sketch
February 26, 1978 (show #1120) incorrectly listed as show #120

Time Life needs to correct their press release.

Upon further research in the Carol Burnett Show Companion, Show #513 did indeed air on December 1, 1971 and it did indeed contain a Tim and Harvey dentist sketch. However, I don't think that this the classic Dentist Sketch unless Tim and Harvey did it again on this show or the sketch from show #120 was re-aired. The Carol Burnett Show Companion lists a Dentist sketch for both shows (120 and 513). So, I'm confused as to which episode is actually going to be on the disc. The Dentist sketch released on both of the large Time Life sets says the air date is March 3, 1969 and is from show #120.

 

[Mark Y]

I know I'm late to the party, but I just recently "pushed the button" and picked up the Lost Episodes box set. The version I have has 7 DVDs. Somewhat annoyingly, the seventh disc says "Classic Carol" with a blue background, and looking into this further I found the "big box" was split into three smaller sets so when I eventually get the other two, I will have at least one duplicate disc. Well, better to have it twice than not at all.

(Am I correct that besides the three "sub-sets" from the big box, all the "lost episodes" era shows that have been released are either on the Christmas DVD or the recent 50th anniversary "best of" set?)

Anyway...I have read through this thread and I'm not sure if this has been mentioned: something is up with the very earliest episodes (looks like it affects those from the first two seasons). Certain shows in the set begin very abruptly in mid-applause, as if there was a musical riff played which had to be cut.

The shows from the first season have the 1960s CBS color logo intro, and even on those, once that fades out, the "show proper" starts very abruptly afterwards.

The shows affected are (as listed in the booklet):

108 (11/4/1968)
Lucille Ball, Eddie Albert, Nancy Wilson

107 (11/11/1968)
Don Rickles, Mel Torme, Nanette Fabray

003 (9/11/1967) (has color logo)
Jim Nabors

013 (11/27/1967) (has color logo)
Lesley Ann Warren, Don Adams

006 (10/2/1967) (has color logo)
Lucille Ball, Tim Conway, Gloria Loring

112 (1/6/1969)
Tim Conway

008 (10/16/1967) (has color logo)
Bobbie Gentry, Phyllis Diller, Gwen Verdon

016 (3/18/1968) (has color logo)
Tim Conway, Jack Jones, Ruth Buzzi

(I have listed these shows in the order in which they appear in the set. Is anyone besides me a little annoyed at how the set arbitrarily jumps around, with shows in a seemingly random sequence?)

I just wonder (assuming this is for music-rights reasons) what song was used at the beginning of these early shows. All the rest have the band playing Carol's signature song "I'm so glad we had this time together..." which is what I remember.

One other thing I noticed: I had just recently watched show #1007 with Roddy McDowell (10/30/1976), which ends with the silent comedy homage "Without A Word, Without A Sound." I was surprised to find the same routine in show #506 (10/6/1971) with Steve Lawrence.

Also...I know there were rights issues for a long time with the first five seasons co-owned with Bob Banner's company, which is why they were not part of the half-hour reruns and weren't on DVD until recently. But years ago I picked up a Columbia House DVD with a 1976 show featuring Jim Nabors. That episode included a clip of Nabors on the very first Carol Burnett show. I wonder how they managed to release that. Was someone asleep at the switch? (I always wondered why the final show had never been released, until I finally saw it again and saw how much footage from the pre-1972 shows was in there. It seems like CBS didn't have a problem with the split ownership of the shows as long as the series was still on the air.)

Anyway, I have been enjoying this set. Glad to have this stuff.

 

[JohnMor]

I know I'm late to the party, but I just recently "pushed the button" and picked up the Lost Episodes box set. The version I have has 7 DVDs. Somewhat annoyingly, the seventh disc says "Classic Carol" with a blue background, and looking into this further I found the "big box" was split into three smaller sets so when I eventually get the other two, I will have at least one duplicate disc. Well, better to have it twice than not at all.

(Am I correct that besides the three "sub-sets" from the big box, all the "lost episodes" era shows that have been released are either on the Christmas DVD or the recent 50th anniversary "best of" set?)

Anyway...I have read through this thread and I'm not sure if this has been mentioned: something is up with the very earliest episodes (looks like it affects those from the first two seasons). Certain shows in the set begin very abruptly in mid-applause, as if there was a musical riff played which had to be cut.

The shows from the first season have the 1960s CBS color logo intro, and even on those, once that fades out, the "show proper" starts very abruptly afterwards.

The shows affected are (as listed in the booklet):

108 (11/4/1968)
Lucille Ball, Eddie Albert, Nancy Wilson

107 (11/11/1968)
Don Rickles, Mel Torme, Nanette Fabray

003 (9/11/1967) (has color logo)
Jim Nabors

013 (11/27/1967) (has color logo)
Lesley Ann Warren, Don Adams

006 (10/2/1967) (has color logo)
Lucille Ball, Tim Conway, Gloria Loring

112 (1/6/1969)
Tim Conway

008 (10/16/1967) (has color logo)
Bobbie Gentry, Phyllis Diller, Gwen Verdon

016 (3/18/1968) (has color logo)
Tim Conway, Jack Jones, Ruth Buzzi

(I have listed these shows in the order in which they appear in the set. Is anyone besides me a little annoyed at how the set arbitrarily jumps around, with shows in a seemingly random sequence?)

I just wonder (assuming this is for music-rights reasons) what song was used at the beginning of these early shows. All the rest have the band playing Carol's signature song "I'm so glad we had this time together..." which is what I remember.

One other thing I noticed: I had just recently watched show #1007 with Roddy McDowell (10/30/1976), which ends with the silent comedy homage "Without A Word, Without A Sound." I was surprised to find the same routine in show #506 (10/6/1971) with Steve Lawrence.

Anyway, I have been enjoying this set. Glad to have this stuff.

That is how they originally aired. Nothing has been cut. They did not initially think to have Carol’s “entrance” as a part of the show. They match the production tapes Carol donated to UCLA.

And, yes, they did recreate a few of their finales over the years, like they did with “Without a Word...” Another one they redid was “Little Miss Showbiz.” Not too many, but a few.

 

[Matt Hough]

Carol also "borrowed" from her specials with Julie Andrews for sequences on her series.

 

[Mark Y]

That is how they originally aired. Nothing has been cut. They did not initially think to have Carol’s “entrance” as a part of the show. They match the production tapes Carol donated to UCLA.

And, yes, they did recreate a few of their finales over the years, like they did with “Without a Word...” Another one they redid was “Little Miss Showbiz.” Not too many, but a few.

Well, okay, if they match other extant tapes out there...but it sure looks like something is up. It looks like someone was dubbing a copy of the show and joined it in progress. Not smooth at all. I don't remember a network show ever beginning so herky-jerky. Extremely abrupt. Not even a fade-in. The "uncut Q&A" (from the first show with Jim Nabors) which is on there as an extra isn't like that. It also has the CBS color logo intro, and the segment starts pretty much the same, but the "uncut" version has a quick fade-in while the regular episode abruptly cuts to it.

Kind of weird.

I am really enjoying seeing these shows. Or seeing them again, I guess, since the show was regular viewing in our household, though I would have been between 0-5 years old when these episides first aired.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

Well, okay, if they match other extant tapes out there...but it sure looks like something is up. It looks like someone was dubbing a copy of the show and joined it in progress. Not smooth at all. I don't remember a network show ever beginning so herky-jerky. Extremely abrupt. Not even a fade-in.

Remember, videotape editing was in its infancy at the time (often done by hand with a razor blade), so it was probably just far easier to do it this way until they decided to make her entrance a part of the show.

 

[Benno123]

With the news about Tim Conway makes all of this discussion that much more interesting, and a sad reminder that the heroes are mortal.

https://www.statesman.com/entertain...ts-appointed-guardian/bhigeXBbXK9PDd7vq7y6JI/

 

[Tony Bensley]

With the news about Tim Conway makes all of this discussion that much more interesting, and a sad reminder that the heroes are mortal.

https://www.statesman.com/entertain...ts-appointed-guardian/bhigeXBbXK9PDd7vq7y6JI/

This is sad news, indeed.

 

[Mark Y]

Sad to hear about Tim Conway's troubles.

Another question: So far I have picked up the individual "Lost Episodes" set as well as "Treasures From The Vault." Both are 7-DVD versions, i.e. each has one extra disc compared to the "regular" versions.

In the case of the former, the additional disc is from the "Classic Carol" set, which I guess duplicates a disc from the third volume. For the "Treasures" set, the seventh disc is labeled "Exclusive Bonus Features, Disc 1." Not much is on it, a few interviews and some outtakes. But if this is "Disc 1," is there a "Disc 2?"

To further complicate things, there is a separate 2-DVD set also called "Exclusive Bonus Features" -- which has completely different contents (TV specials and stuff).

Does (or did) the "Classic Carol" set have a version with an extra disc like the other two? (If it does, that's what I'd like to get, especially if it has the second half of the extras. But I haven't seen a 7-disc version of it.)

All these multiple versions are confusing. But at least for these "lost episodes," I am thankful that (by their nature, having been held back with legal issues) they are absolutely 100% NOT duplicate episodes from the Guthy-Renker series.

 

[JohnMor]

Sad to hear about Tim Conway's troubles.

Another question: So far I have picked up the individual "Lost Episodes" set as well as "Treasures From The Vault." Both are 7-DVD versions, i.e. each has one extra disc compared to the "regular" versions.

In the case of the former, the additional disc is from the "Classic Carol" set, which I guess duplicates a disc from the third volume. For the "Treasures" set, the seventh disc is labeled "Exclusive Bonus Features, Disc 1." Not much is on it, a few interviews and some outtakes. But if this is "Disc 1," is there a "Disc 2?"

To further complicate things, there is a separate 2-DVD set also called "Exclusive Bonus Features" -- which has completely different contents (TV specials and stuff).

Does (or did) the "Classic Carol" set have a version with an extra disc like the other two? (If it does, that's what I'd like to get, especially if it has the second half of the extras. But I haven't seen a 7-disc version of it.)

All these multiple versions are confusing. But at least for these "lost episodes," I am thankful that (by their nature, having been held back with legal issues) they are absolutely 100% NOT duplicate episodes from the Guthy-Renker series.

Each disc and all its contents are listed on the TimeLife website page for the box set. You can compare all the contents there.

Here’s the page:
https://timelife.com/products/the-carol-burnett-show-the-lost-episodes-ultimate-collection