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

[Brian Himes]

True, but I guess since that One More Time set never got a retail release (did it?), it seems like a bonus disc to me.

As far as I know, the One More Time set never got an official retail release. There were a few that popped up on Amazon Market Place (third party sellers) and eBay. Of course they carried with them the usual outrageous prices.

 

[mrz7]

Wow....just finish watching the episode with Phyllis Diller. Much to my surprise, there were 3 (or 4?) Beatle songs in the Finale. Very impressed. And so far all the episodes I watched seem to be complete (around 51-52 minutes long). Now if Time Life/Star Vista was able to get music license for the Beatles songs.....that is pretty damn good (mind you they were not sung by the Beatles....they were sung by Carol and her guests), but still, my understanding is that licensing the Beatle's songs are very expensive (could also be only of the reasons this set is a little pricey!!!) Overall, I am not disappointed with the set at all! I have been enjoying about 2-3 episodes a night. Don Rickles is hysterical in one of the episodes....very funny! And I think I saw all the Lucille Ball episodes (there are a total of 3....plus the bonus special with Lucy, which I have not had a chance to see yet). Unfortunately, the only thing that some people might not like is that there are no "Family/Mama" sketches.....those were only in the laters years...not in these first 5 years of the show. However, there are plenty of "As The Stomach Turns", "The Old Folks" and "Carol and Sis" sketches in this set! And there also isn't as much Tim Conway in these early shows (he was only a guest and not a regular). There is more Lyle Wagner....not only is he good looking....he was pretty damn funny too!!! Anyway, I highly recommend this set!!! Enjoy fellow Carol Burnett fans!!!

 

[Paintbeanie]

While I do miss the Mama's Family sketches, I also wish they had Tudball and Wiggins sketches in the first five seasons as well. Although it is nice to see some of the older characters that I had not seen before like George and Zelda

 

[AndyMcKinney]

Anybody know if they included the episode with the Star Trek parody?

 

[Brian Himes]

Anybody know if they included the episode with the Star Trek parody?

I haven't seen anything about a Star Trek parody on the set. I do know that the later Carol & Company show had a Star Trek parody where the entire crew were changed into women. Could that be the one you are referring to?

 

[Brian Himes]

Well, I have to report that there is a very tiny edit to the Don Adams episode (Disc 3 episode 2). Actually, edit is not the right word. Let's call it an alteration, for lack of a better word.


Anyway, there is an alteration of the PC nature to the episode. During the Donny Bishop Show sketch, Don Adams is playing a late night talk show host where the entire technical crew is on strike and the executives are running the show (mikes, camera, ect.). Don (Donny Bishop) says Carol (playing a movie actress) is his guest and she is the star of the movie Marriage, Polish Style. Well, the word 'Polish' has been altered to run backwards. When Carol comes out, Don mentions that she will be singing a song. Carol says that the song is from her new movie Marriage, Polish Style, and the word is again run backwards. I noticed this when Don first mentioned it and I ran that part again in slow motion so I was able to read his lips and figure out just what was said. Now if this movie title is a twist on a then current movie title, the joke is lost on me. In fact, even if it is not, I still don't get the joke. So, I am at a loss as to why this has been altered.


I just wanted to mention the alteration for those who haven't gotten the set yet.

 

[JohnMor]

Well, I have to report that there is a very tiny edit to the Don Adams episode (Disc 3 episode 2). Actually, edit is not the right word. Let's call it an alteration, for lack of a better word.


Anyway, there is an alteration of the PC nature to the episode. During the Donny Bishop Show sketch, Don Adams is playing a late night talk show host where the entire technical crew is on strike and the executives are running the show (mikes, camera, ect.). Don (Donny Bishop) says Carol (playing a movie actress) is his guest and she is the star of the movie Marriage: Polish Style. Well, the word 'Polish' has been altered to run backwards. When Carol comes out, Don mentions that she will be singing a song. Carol says that the song is from her new movie Marriage: Polish Style, and the word is again run backwards. I noticed this when Don first mentioned it and I ran that part again in slow motion so I was able to read his lips and figure out just what was said. Now if this movie title is a twist on a then current movie title, the joke is lost on me. In fact, even if it is not, I still don't get the joke. So, I am at a loss as to why this has been altered.


I just wanted to mention the alteration for those who haven't gotten the set yet.

Haven't watched that episode yet. Maybe tonight.


Yes, the title is a play on the title of the film Marriage, Italian Style with Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. That movie title was also spoofed a couple of years later by another film called Divorce, American Style starring Debbie Reynolds and Dick Van Dyke. Not to mention later by the TV series "Love, American Style."


Not sure why the alteration, but I did read in one of the set's booklets that Carol said they got a lot of flak from Polish viewers over one sketch. Possibly that's the one. If it was, I'm surprised it wasn't the Polish Airline sketch. That was pretty brutal when it comes to PC. Very funny, but about as un-PC as the Burnett Show ever got.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

I haven't seen anything about a Star Trek parody on the set. I do know that the later Carol & Company show had a Star Trek parody where the entire crew were changed into women. Could that be the one you are referring to?

No. Episode 2 of the first season has one...

 

[Brian Himes]

No. Episode 2 of the first season has one...

No that episode has not been released.

 

[Brian Himes]

Now if Time Life/Star Vista was able to get music license for the Beatles songs.....that is pretty damn good (mind you they were not sung by the Beatles....they were sung by Carol and her guests), but still, my understanding is that licensing the Beatle's songs are very expensive (could also be only of the reasons this set is a little pricey!!!)

Yes, Beatles songs in general are expensive to license. However, as these are cover versions they are not as expensive. The real expense comes in when you license the original Beatles versions of Beatles songs.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

Yes, Beatles songs in general are expensive to license. However, as these are cover versions they are not as expensive. The real expense comes in when you license the original Beatles versions of Beatles songs.

Which is why Doctor Who: The Chase is edited on DVD (in America).

 

[Brian Himes]

I have finished the first 6 disc set. Overall I'm really pleased with this set. I have skipped the interviews but I have watched all of the other bonus features. I have a feeling that when I'm completely finished with this set, I'm going to be left with wanting more. Probably because these episodes all have stuff in them that I have never seen before. With everything that has been released for seasons 6-10, I'm pretty satisfied with those years. Yes, there were a few things from those seasons that I remember that didn't get released. I have since gotten that stuff off MeTV with their showings of Carol Burnett & Friends. The only two shows that I would love to see get full releases are the 10th Anniversary Show (it was a 90 minute show), which was the last show of season 10 and also Harvey Korman's last episode and the 2 hour series finale.


Anyway, back to The Lost Episodes. I did notice that there are a couple of episodes with some serious video issues. Both are on disc 6. Show 316 has a serious video problem near the end of the opening Q&A segment. It clears up after the opening animation so it doesn't affect the rest of the episode. It kind of looks like the camera had a slight technical issue during the original taping. Show 506 has a couple of video jumps. During Steve Lawrence's solo song, In My Own Lifetime. The picture jumps from a really quick edit. I don't know if this was there during the original airing or if Time Life edited out a damaged section of the tape. It is very noticeable when it occurs. The same thing happens during the salute to Oscar. Specifically when Lyle is presenting the Oscar for Best Actress to Carol Channing. Lyle hands the award to Carol and it jumps to Carol already behind the podium giving her lengthy, acceptance speech. This also looks like a damaged portion was edited out. There is a slight video disturbance just before the jump. This is also very noticeable.


Seeing these couple of video defects makes wonder just what condition the rest of the episodes from seasons 1-5 could be in. Especially the ones that have not been released in this entire set. Are there anymore damaged tapes? I hope that everything that can be done is being done to preserve every episode from all 11 years of this show. I feel that this show is culturally significant and it should be preserved intact. I'd love it if a channel like MeTV could strike a deal to rerun complete episodes of The Carol Burnett Show. Much like Antenna TV did with The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. If that were to happen, the shows would be transferred to a digital format which will help in preserving the series and there would also be off the air recordings by fans that could also help in preserving the series.

 

[moogaboo]

Well, that looks like those could be the missing pieces. Now if we can figure out what is missing from episode 408.

Ricardo Montalban performing "A Man and a Woman." My source is a book called Television Variety Shows: Histories and Episode Guides to 57 Programs, which I located and was able to search via Google Books. I may have to pick it up, as it has detailed descriptions of, well, just about every variety show ever.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

If tape damage was the reason for those edits, it kind of makes you wonder why they didn't consider editing in a brief section from the dress rehearsal. I'm not sure if they did this that early in the show's run, but certainly in the '70s, it was known that each episode was recorded twice: the final run-through (which made it to air), but also the dress rehearsal. I'm sure if tapes of the dress for those episodes exist, those brief sections could have been replaced, and maybe a short disclaimer screen run just before the episode.


There was a famous blooper of Tim/Harvey from one of the Oldest Man skits from the dress rehearsal that got played a few times (Harvey lost his trousers and had forgotten to change from briefs to boxers for the sketch until the moment came for him to lose his trousers). Also, I recall seeing a list of the Columbia House releases where someone noted that one of the episodes they released was of the dress rehearsal for that show, rather than the aired version.

 

[Brian Himes]

There should be a dress rehearsal version for both of those episodes. Those episodes were from 1970 and 1971 so I don't see why dress rehearsal footage couldn't be used. It's hard to say what exactly is available for those first five years. This stuff has been sitting in the vault for 40+ years. Perhaps only the one version of each episode exists.


Now the Columbia House release you were referring to is for episode 717 (February 2, 1974). It contains the famous sketch with Tim Conway as the Oldest Man and Harvey Korman as an actor changing between scenes. Of course the Oldest Man is Harvey's dresser. What is odd about that episode is when it was edited into the 30 minute Carol Burnett & Friends version, the version used is the one that appears on the Columbia House DVD. So, if in fact this was a dress rehearsal version, it seems to be one of the rare cases where it was better than the original aired version.


That blooper is from the Oldest Man deli sketch. Harvey was a nervous wreck for that episode because Lawrence Olivier was in the audience that night and Harvey was a huge fan. I've never seen the blooper. At least not that I can recall.


The episode with the most famous blooper, the elephant story from the Family Sketch where they are playing Password, uses the dress rehearsal version of that sketch because the final run-through (the air version) was unusable. Tim and Vicki messed that one up.

 

[bretmaverick2]

I would really like a seperate release from TCBS of just "The Family" sketches along with the Eunice movie.

 

[mrz7]

I would really like a seperate release from TCBS of just "The Family" sketches along with the Eunice movie.

I actually love this idea......there are still several "Family" sketches still not on DVD. I would also like the two 90 minutes specials that were talked about earlier in this post.....the 10th season Finale and the 11th (and final) year finale specials. Might I add....the reunion special that took place in the '90s?


Even better yet ....Star Vista could release a set similar to the "Carol's Crack Ups" and call it "Carol's Specials" and, as added bonuses, put on the missing "Family" Sketches (as well as any missing Tudball and Wiggins sketches). That would make my "Carol Burnett Show" collection complete for me!!!! Are you listening Star Vista?!?!?!?!?

 

[Brian Himes]

To make my Carol Burnett Show collection complete this is what I'd like to see happen.


There are 44 episodes from seasons 6-10 yet to be released. I'd like to see Time Life release another Ultimate Collection that would contain those episodes along with 6 more episodes from season 11 (including the 2 hour series finale). Then a smaller set that would contain the final 9 unreleased episodes of season 11 and pick up the 8 episodes that have only been released in the Columbia House set.


Then they could release another Lost Episodes Ultimate Collection with 45 more episodes. If they did that, that would leave only 44 episodes from seasons 1-5 left unreleased. Those Time Life could put together in a couple of sets like Carol's Crack-Ups.


Any of these sets could contain the 1971 Julie and Carol At Lincoln Center special, the Eunice movie (even though it was released in the Mama's Family set this would be for those who didn't buy that set) and the 1970 The Carol Burnett Show In London special.


If all of that were to get released, then in the end the entire 11 seasons of The Carol Burnett Show would be available on DVD. Yes, there would be a few episodes with music edits, but I think overall about 95% of the series would have gotten released.


Then I would be happy. A pipe dream to be sure, but one can hope.

 

[Brian Himes]

I have finished the second 6 disc set (Treasures From The Vault). There are only a couple of things to report. Once again, there are a couple of episodes with obvious tape damage. It does appear that the damage to one episode has resulted in a tiny edit.


On Disc 9, show 404, right after the animated opening the video jumps a bit and there is a fade to black just before the first sketch. The fist sketch is The Old Folks. The first couple of seconds is missing from this sketch including the usual opening that says 'The Old Folks'. The picture jumps in after the previous fade out, to a shot of the empty rocking chairs. The camera shot is already in motion as it jumps in. Harvey and Carol are not on stage yet so we don't miss any of their entrance or any dialogue but the edit is very obvious.


The other episode with tape damage is on Disc 12, show 022. Everything is fine until Lyle's product pitch at the end of the episode. The picture jumps a bit during the shot of the Ajax Spray Cleaner. It does not affect anything in the actual episode itself. Just the product pitch. Not a big deal but I thought I'd mention it.

 

[JohnMor]

I thoroughly enjoyed this boxset. I certainly hope they follow it up with another release, a la Carol's Crack-Ups at least.