COLOR HONEYMOONERS

[katmandu38]

THE RELEASE ON JUNE 27TH OF THE 9 EPISODES OF THE COLOR HONEYMOONERS I BET WILL BE THE 9 TRIP SHOWS ENDING WITH "PETTICOAT JUNGLE". I'M GLAD I HAVE THE 42 COLOR SHOWS FROM GOODLIFE TO VIEW WHEN I PLEASE.

[Benno123]

Considering this is "Collection 1" I look for more releases by the end of the year. In fact, since the color shows have already aired on TV reruns again after oh-so-many years, I look for more releases, not just the color and a re-release of the black and white lost shows. (I bet that a big collection of "Jackie Gleason Show" material from the 1950s and the 1960s will be released within the next year, as well as the 4 reunion shows from the 70s after all of these shows are put out.)

[VIDEOWACK]

Considering this is "Collection 1" I look for more releases by the end of the year. In fact, since the color shows have already aired on TV reruns again after oh-so-many years, I look for more releases, not just the color and a re-release of the black and white lost shows. (I bet that a big collection of "Jackie Gleason Show" material from the 1950s and the 1960s will be released within the next year, as well as the 4 reunion shows from the 70s after all of these shows are put out.)

There is so much Gleason material on kinescope/film/tape that his estate could release. Besides The Honeymooners and his variety shows, there are TV dramas he starred in like "The Time Of Your Life" and "Million Dollar Incident", and a couple of specials during 1960 called "The Big Sell" and "Step On The Gas". Also, let's not forget the greatest game show of all time, "You're In The Picture"! LOL!:wave:

[Benno123]

Rob,

I agree, the Gleason Estate holds so many shows, specials, performances, and maybe even a movie or two. (Is Gigot part of Gleason's Estate?) I really believe that this first collection of "Color" Honeymooners is to dip their toes in the water and test the market for Gleason releases. I do believe, with the right advertising that these will be a hit. (MPI could always do what is being done with the Dean Martin shows and sell via an infomercial if store sells don't meet what they expect them to.)

[VIDEOWACK]

Rob,

I agree, the Gleason Estate holds so many shows, specials, performances, and maybe even a movie or two. (Is Gigot part of Gleason's Estate?) I really believe that this first collection of "Color" Honeymooners is to dip their toes in the water and test the market for Gleason releases. I do believe, with the right advertising that these will be a hit. (MPI could always do what is being done with the Dean Martin shows and sell via an infomercial if store sells don't meet what they expect them to.)

I'm not sure if "Gigot" is part of the Gleason estate, although he DID write the original story and music for it. Exactly what his legal ties to that film were is way beyond my knowledge. I can tell you that the film has been shown several times on Fox Movie Network, complete, unedited and uninterrupted, just as the TCM Network does. I don't believe it's ever been "officially" offered on home video, but beware......there have been copies of it on eBay, but they are pirate copies and NOT original factory made prints. Gleason's films are generally not easy to come by, especially the older ones. Films like "The Toy", "Sting II", "The Hustler" and "Requiem For A Heavyweight" are easily obtainable on home video VHS or DVD. But when it comes to finding films like "Navy Blues", "Escape From Crime" or "The Desert Hawk" (among others) you need to turn to video collectors or to cable and dish channels such as TCM or FOX. They are out there....you just need to search.

:)

[W.B.]

I know that in the case of Gigot, the original production company was Seven Arts, and distributor was 20th Century-Fox; after Seven Arts' merger with Warner Bros. in 1967, Warners-7 Arts assumed distribution. (I've seen late '60's 8" x 10" landscape-layout promo photos with a W-7 logo on the bottom part of the print; and a Warners-7 Arts book published in 1968 explaining which films were available for TV, and Gigot was in the list.) That might be a clue as to the complexities of ownership/distribution pertaining to Gigot.

[TeeVeeCloset]

First let me say I'm a big Gleason fan......but I think it is a big mistake to start the "color Honeymooners" as they are now referred to as only a 9 episode set.....the truth is these episodes aren't very good...they are a wonderful novelty that wears off after watching a few.....don't forget they actually break into song on these and the lead women pale in comparison to Meadows and Randolph. Some of the scripts are painful. I taped all 43 or so off Goodlife (now American Life) and will go out and buy the first 9.....but if there was a choice I much rather have seen the original Gleason shows released first with Joe The bartender, etc. or even better the 4 precious 1970's reunion shows with Meadows would make an incredible and hopefully wonderfully selling set.....I'm just afraid that by releasing the 9 color ones, that casual fans will be turned off by future sets, especially if they spread them out over 4 volumes.....It will be hard to keep the consumers excited if they are "let down" by the first 9. Also can anyone shed anylight on whether these 9 will be complete? The June Taylor dance segments were cut out during the goodlife run....(Paul Brownstein, the distributor & editor had legal problems with them) also will the original opening be included?, a generic new "Color Honeymooners" montage open was used during the goodlife run, only one episode appeared intact on goodlife (I think it was an error) luckily I taped it and as a purist I prefer things as they originally ran as "The Jackie Gleason Show" but of course that title doesn't sound as interesting to the average viewer versus "The Color Honeymooners" which of course screams for more attention. thoughts anyone?