Nice bonus features: Video Interview with Norman Powell (Dick Powell's son) by Joel Blumberg, Audio Interview on the history of Four Star Productions with author Christine Becker by Joel Blumberg, Classic TV Commercials.
Thanks for that link, Bob. I see from the product description that ZGT launched no less than 5 tv western spin-offs, including "Black Saddle" where Chris Alcaide narrowly missed getting the Peter Breck role. The cover looks different than what was shown on tvshowsondvd.com though it appears that "Theater" is still spelled as "Theatre".
This looks to be released right around the time of the DD 20%-off sale (assuming it occurs again in the "usual" time frame), so pricing for this set should be very reasonable. It's actually showing at DD right now for $24.48, so it's very possible we'll see this for under $20 shipped. Sold!!!
I've been looking at the spec for this & I'm a little concerned.
Run time is given as 870 minutes. Given that a typical 1/2 hour show from this period was 25 or 26 minutes, the run time here indicates just over 22 minutes which was the usual cut version when going to syndication. Perhaps VCI could confirm ?
Chris, the first season of Zane Grey Theater was 30 episodes, which means the 780 minute run time is spot on for uncut episodes. I'll definately be picking this set up. Hopefully, sales of this show will be strong enough for VCI to release all five seasons. I also hope that VCI licenses another Four Star show, The Westerner, which is one of my all-time favorite series.
Happy to see this, but I hope season 2 is also released. It sports such celebrities as Claudette Colbert, Hedy Lamaar, Joseph Cotton, Barbara Stanwyck, etc.
VCI Entertainment has posted some video clips of the upcoming release at their web site. Click the movie player on the home page for more information. There are a lot of great guest stars, but there is no confirmation of the release date, only that it's coming this Summer.
Dick Powell Ida Lupino David Niven Eddie Albert Mary Astor Ralph Bellamy James Best Ernest Borgnine Lloyd Bridges Rory Calhoun Lee J. Cobb Robert Culp John Derek Jack Elam John Forsythe Beverly Garland James Garner Sterling Hayden Celeste Holm John Ireland David Janssen Carolyn Jones DeForest Kelley Cloris Leachman Jack Lemmon Julie London Strother Martin Ralph Meeker Jack Palance Denver Pyle Robert Ryan Stuart Whitman James Whitmore and many others
And it is being released right around the time of, knock on wood, Deep Discount's 20-25% off sale. So, if that current price holds, you're looking at a little under $20 shipped for the set.
There is something strange about DVD Pacific now. When you put many of these smaller label items in your basket and try to check out, they say something like nonstandard item and the shipping is sometimes almost as much as the set - no free shipping. This happened to me a couple of times, and now I have given up on them.
FYI: My credit card information was stolen after a single transaction with DVD Pacific. Apparently this has been a problem with them in the past, according to a warning thread at DVDTalk. I'm done with them.