Is the b&w era of TV on DVD slowly coming to an end? (2 Viewers)

[GMBurns]

Everyone has been very patient with the early 60s sitcom which I believe I teased over a year ago. We're going to be sending out a newsletter soon (likely next week) and mentioning it, but you HTFer's are so supportive I'm going to give you it to you now!

It's the Jess Oppenheimer single-season sitcom ANGEL (1960-61) with Marshall Thompson (coincidentally of our upcoming WOG release) and Annie Fargue (Fargé) and lots of great guest stars.

It's from 35mm and the raw scans I've seen so far are so sharp and clean it looks like it was filmed yesterday (there is almost no dirt and flicker and stability is excellent for 60+year-old elements)—by far the best elements we've dealt with at ClassicFlix. I'll be posting a clip of it soon when we send out our newsletter.

It ran 33 episodes and we're going to be releasing them on DVD in 3 separate volumes.

- David
ClassicFlix Founder, Producer

Very cool! Thanks a lot for letting us know this David. I will place a pre-order for volume 1 as soon as it shows up on your website.

 

[Gary OS]

David, thank you so much for the wonderful insider info on the upcoming release. And also the honest assessment of where the industry as a whole is. It's been no secret that we are, as you say, "in the twilight" of the home video market. And I'm so happy that an outfit like ClassicFlix has a heartbeat for older material that would otherwise never see the light of day. That's why I'll be supporting you guys as long as you are in existence (or at least as long as I'm in existence).


Gary "hoping ClassicFlix has continued success for a long time to come" O.

 

[ClassicFlix]

David, thank you so much for the wonderful insider info on the upcoming release. And also the honest assessment of where the industry as a whole is. It's been no secret that we are, as you say, "in the twilight" of the home video market. And I'm so happy that an outfit like ClassicFlix has a heartbeat for older material that would otherwise never see the light of day. That's why I'll be supporting you guys as long as you are in existence (or at least as long as I'm in existence).


Gary "hoping ClassicFlix has continued success for a long time to come" O.

Thanks, Gary. We'll be cranking out classic TV as long as we can turn a profit, but even at that point this stuff is important enough to me that I would still want to keep the label alive by restructuring it as a non-profit.

In the near future we are going to try to supplement declining physical media revenue with streaming revenue, but at this point there is no way to know if that is a long-term solution.

- David
ClassicFlix Founder, Producer

 

[Gary OS]

We'll be cranking out classic TV as long as we can turn a profit, but even at that point this stuff is important enough to me that I would still want to keep the label alive by restructuring it as a non-profit.

And that, David, is the reason you aren’t just an “Insider” here. You’re one of us!

Thanks again for your love of vintage film and TV, and all you do!!

 

[oldtvshowbuff]

Very cool! Thanks a lot for letting us know this David. I will place a pre-order for volume 1 as soon as it shows up on your website.

Since Angel was from Desilu, I assume it is owned by CBS Paramount.

 

[Neil Brock]

Since Angel was from Desilu, I assume it is owned by CBS Paramount.

Actually produced and owned by Burlingame Productions.

 

[Gary OS]

Actually produced and owned by Burlingame Productions.

Yep. Filmed at Desilu Studios, but not a CBS/Paramount property.

 

[Purple Wig]

“Newly digitally preserved”——a hopeful sign?

East Side/West Side: “Who Do You Kill?” | UCLA Film & Television Archive

cinema.ucla.edu

 

[Neil Brock]

As far as I know, all of the MGM library was remastered to one-inch tape in the 80s. Including East Side West Side.

 

[Flashgear]

“Newly digitally preserved”——a hopeful sign?

East Side/West Side: “Who Do You Kill?” | UCLA Film & Television Archive

cinema.ucla.edu

View attachment 200365

Thanks Alan for that link!...interesting that those two East Side/West Side episodes, "newly digitally preserved" likely refers to 4K scans derived from 35mm elements held at the U of Wisconsin Film Center, and screening (via state-of-the-art DCP, 'Digital Cinema Package', the current industry standard for digital cinemas) on November 18th...nearly 60 years to the day from their OAD! Two episodes directed by stalwarts Tom Gries (who directed 4 episodes of East Side/West Side) and Herschel Daugherty (who directed 2 episodes of this series), George C. Scott of course, with atypical to the era 'meaty' roles for Black actors with series' regular Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones, Diana Sands and Godfrey Cambridge. And the usual fine NYC based familiar faces from that era, including Lois Nettleton and Joseph Campanella.

Cicely Tyson, George C. Scott and Ed Binns in a publicity photo...

Gene Hackman with George C. Scott in episode 13, Creeps Live Here (Dec. 23, 1963)...

Filmed on location on NYC streets in the style of contemporary shows Naked City, The Defenders and The Nurses/Doctors and Nurses, ...here's a terrific behind-the scenes CBS publicity photo from the filming of Who do you Kill (Nov. 4, 1963) in Harlem...James Earl Jones and Diana Sands seen at center...one of the two episodes being screened at UCLA's Billy Wilder Theatre on Nov. 18th...

Publicity photos for East Side/West Side's Who do you Kill. James Earl Jones and Diana Sands...

You can watch this episode (and others) on YT, derived from cable TV showings in the '90s, and unfortunately cut for time at 43:21, missing approx. five minutes...



The other episode to be shown at UCLA, No Hiding Place (Dec. 2, 1963) can fortunately be seen somewhat more complete (48:22) from a fine 16mm film source...


George C. Scott and Joseph Campanella...

 

[Jack P]

Speaking of UCLA, some years back, they did a restoration and screening of the Playhouse 90 adaptation of the apocalyptic novel "Alas Babylon" that I have long wanted to see made available. Since UCLA put up some episodes of the "US Steel Hour" on their YT channel from videotape masters, I'm surprised this one never got put up or perhaps released as a one-off DVD title. Supposedly it made quite an impact when it aired in dealing with the effects of a nuclear war (I have read the original novel). Two of its stars, Barbara Rush and Rita Moreno are still with us.

 

[Gary OS]

So officially (i.e. a definitive street date), we have 1 new b&w release scheduled for 2024: The Abbott & Costello Show S2.

I know David @ClassicFlix has said they have a few things in the pipeline, but nothing has been officially announced yet. So am I missing another official announcement for a b&w TV series coming soon in 2024? Angel will be coming this year. But is there anything else we know about?


Gary "I have a feeling this may be a pretty lean year for my beloved vintage TV on DVD releases" O.

 

[Neil Brock]

Speaking of UCLA, some years back, they did a restoration and screening of the Playhouse 90 adaptation of the apocalyptic novel "Alas Babylon" that I have long wanted to see made available. Since UCLA put up some episodes of the "US Steel Hour" on their YT channel from videotape masters, I'm surprised this one never got put up or perhaps released as a one-off DVD title. Supposedly it made quite an impact when it aired in dealing with the effects of a nuclear war (I have read the original novel). Two of its stars, Barbara Rush and Rita Moreno are still with us.

I watched it at one of my UCLA visits. Very hard hitting and uncompromising. It really hits home.
Playhouse 90 is one of those shows which everyone is afraid to touch as rights were negotiated only for the live performances and entities fear that they would have to reach out to the heirs of all of the performers for any re-airing or home video release. CBS years ago transferred over all of the 2-inch master tapes, which the shows were recorded on from mid-2nd season on. If a private entity had copies, I'm sure they would put them out and no one would bother them. But unlike filmed series, videotaped ones aren't in circulation anywhere.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Warner Archive just posted this announcement on their social media and I immediately thought of this thread.

COMING TO BLU-RAY FROM THE WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION ON MARCH 12th

COLT .45 (1957-1960) THE COMPLETE SERIES.
A TEN-DISC, 67-EPISODE SET.

Set in the American West of the 1870s, Colt .45 stars Wayde Preston as Christopher Colt, a giant of a man who works undercover on a special assignment for the U.S. Army Intelligence Corps to combat the lawlessness on the young country's frontier. Using the guise of salesman for his family's arms manufacturing company, Colt travels alone, bringing law to the dangerous West at the barrel of his family's signature weapon--the Colt .45. This action-packed series made Preston an instant TV favorite, and the series itself featured an impressive list of guest stars including Dan Blocker, Peter Brown, Robert Conrad, Angie Dickinson, Troy Donahue, Alan Hale Jr., and future TV icons Leonard Nimoy and Adam West. During the series’ third season, the character of Sam Colt Jr. (portrayed by Donald May) was introduced as Christopher’s cousin, taking on the family mantle to combat the nefarious villains and outlaws introduced in each episode. Long unavailable and out of public view, now all 67 episodes of COLT .45 are making their home video debut in this Blu-ray collection, which have been meticulously remastered from 4K scans of the original camera negatives.

 

[Gary OS]

Absolutely fantastic news, Josh! Thank you so much for thinking of this thread and posting!


Gary “great way to start off the new new year“ O.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Absolutely fantastic news, Josh! Thank you so much for thinking of this thread and posting! Gary “great way to start off the new new year“ O.

Couldn't agree more, Gary! I'm somewhat stunned by this announcement, but it makes me very happy. Way to go, WAC!

 

[Flashgear]

Thanks for the bulletin! Stunning news from WAC about Colt .45 on Blu on March 12! Just when you think that Warners has long since left their collective vintage TV holdings far behind to concentrate on feature films and cartoons/animation holdings on Blu, George and company surprise the hell out of us by giving us their rarest and seldom seen Western TV B+W series! And on Blu, no less! Incredible!

You know, I might have about 8 episodes in mostly awful video dupes and two derived directly from severely battered 16mm film in my collection. Colt .45 always has been scarce in trading circles. I hope this might mean that maybe 1961's The Islanders with Diane Brewster and William Reynolds might not be a lost cause, as far as I know, not loads of American Songbook music showcased in that series, as opposed to songstress Connie Stevens' Hawaiian Eye.

 

[Gary OS]

So I think I've found a discernable pattern. Every time I resurrect this thread and suggest that no more b&w titles seem to be forthcoming, we get news of something new coming! This is concrete proof that every studio and physical media company monitors this particular thread and waits until I complain to announce another b&w classic is coming soon.

Therefore, let it be resolved that any time more than three months pass without news of an upcoming DVD or BR set from the golden age of television, this thread will be updated with another quip from me about how announcements and releases have slowed down. Thus insuring that we are treated with a new oldie, and that I am once again made to look foolish. That is all.


Gary " " O.

 

[BobO'Link]

Gee, Gary... why restrict the wait to *three whole months*!!

 

[Gary OS]

Gee, Gary... why restrict the wait to *three whole months*!!

I didn't want to come off as being too pushy or greedy.


Gary "even though, when it comes to b&w TV on DVD/BR, I am" O.