Sal
07-17-2008, 12:48 PM
I'm not sure about the right way to do this but I'll try anyway...
Ever since YouTube became popular, I have been amazed at the number of old and recent TV shows that have become available online, so much so that I now tend to watch these shows whenever I want instead of what's out here on 'real' TV stations like TV Land or Nick at Nite. Now I was thinking, instead of trading VHS or DVD copies of these shows, why not watch them or download them off a website like YouTube? This is where the danger comes in so I'll proceed to the next step very carefully.
First, I'd like to ask all of you this question: If you are looking for a specific TV sitcom from the 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s, please let me know and I can tell you where to find it online and from there you can proceed to do what you like at your own risk. If you just want to watch certain episodes, that's no problem. Other than that, I can't help you. I mention this because a few months ago I suggested that we should have videos of full episodes on this site but was rejected because of legal reasons. So I'll go through the steps you need to take in this fashion.
1. Name the series you want to watch.
2. a. If the series is Public Domain, meaning it's available to anyone at any time to watch and copy whenever you want, I will give you a link to where you can find it. I'll also make it available to everyone else who might be interested in having it.
2. b. If the series is not Public Domain, your best bet would be sites like YouTube, Google Video, AOL InTV, or Hulu. My favorite would be Graboid. Again, I'll offer my best suggestions, but you'll have to go there yourself.
3. If anyone else knows of a good website for clips and episodes of classic TV sitcoms, you can share it with us here. I'll have a full list of shows and sites later in the summer. Watch for it in the General Sitcoms Discussions board.
4. Every now and then, I'll slip in a few bonus links to Public Domain shows that you might like that haven't been seen in a long time that you might want to add to your collection.
Try these out just for starters:
Ozzie and Harriet - Ricky The Drummer - April 10, 1957 (http://www.tv4u.com/show-large-video.asp?cid=2&sid=17&vid=2346&t=Ricky%20The%20Drummer&cat=Comedy)
The historic episode where Ricky sings for the first time.
More Ozzie and Harriet (http://www.tv4u.com/show-video.asp?cid=2&sid=17&vid=64&t=Episode%201-%20Hamlet&cat=Comedy)
40 episodes in all!
Beulah (http://www.tv4u.com/show-video.asp)
Extremely rare short-lived 50s series about a black maid.
The Pinky Lee Show (http://www.tv4u.com/show-video.asp?cid=20&sid=748&vid=2242&t=Show%201&cat=Hi%20Tops)
Beloved 50s children's entertainer whose career was cut short by a heart attack on live TV.
Jack Benny Program --- Sept. 15, 1953 --- With Marilyn Monroe (http://www.archive.org/details/Jack_Benny_09_15_1953)
Marilyn's ONLY TV appearance! A must have for classic TV show collectors!
Jack Benny --- Honeymooners sketch with Audrey Meadows (http://www.archive.org/details/Jack_Benny_-_Honeymooners_Show)
Benny does Gleason---and does him spendidly. Dennis Day plays Norton.
Love That Bob --- The Bob Cummings Show (http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=bob%20collection%3Aclassic_tv%20AND%20subject%3A%22Love%20That%20Bob%22)
20 episodes
An underrated and very funny show.
I Married Joan (http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=joan%20%20collection%3Aclassic_tv%20AND%20subject%3A%22I%20Married%20Joan%22)
My Little Margie (http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=Margie%20collection%3Aclassic_tv%20AND%20subject%3A%22My%20Little%20Margie%22)
Want more? Just ask me. I'll know where to find them.
Ever since YouTube became popular, I have been amazed at the number of old and recent TV shows that have become available online, so much so that I now tend to watch these shows whenever I want instead of what's out here on 'real' TV stations like TV Land or Nick at Nite. Now I was thinking, instead of trading VHS or DVD copies of these shows, why not watch them or download them off a website like YouTube? This is where the danger comes in so I'll proceed to the next step very carefully.
First, I'd like to ask all of you this question: If you are looking for a specific TV sitcom from the 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s, please let me know and I can tell you where to find it online and from there you can proceed to do what you like at your own risk. If you just want to watch certain episodes, that's no problem. Other than that, I can't help you. I mention this because a few months ago I suggested that we should have videos of full episodes on this site but was rejected because of legal reasons. So I'll go through the steps you need to take in this fashion.
1. Name the series you want to watch.
2. a. If the series is Public Domain, meaning it's available to anyone at any time to watch and copy whenever you want, I will give you a link to where you can find it. I'll also make it available to everyone else who might be interested in having it.
2. b. If the series is not Public Domain, your best bet would be sites like YouTube, Google Video, AOL InTV, or Hulu. My favorite would be Graboid. Again, I'll offer my best suggestions, but you'll have to go there yourself.
3. If anyone else knows of a good website for clips and episodes of classic TV sitcoms, you can share it with us here. I'll have a full list of shows and sites later in the summer. Watch for it in the General Sitcoms Discussions board.
4. Every now and then, I'll slip in a few bonus links to Public Domain shows that you might like that haven't been seen in a long time that you might want to add to your collection.
Try these out just for starters:
Ozzie and Harriet - Ricky The Drummer - April 10, 1957 (http://www.tv4u.com/show-large-video.asp?cid=2&sid=17&vid=2346&t=Ricky%20The%20Drummer&cat=Comedy)
The historic episode where Ricky sings for the first time.
More Ozzie and Harriet (http://www.tv4u.com/show-video.asp?cid=2&sid=17&vid=64&t=Episode%201-%20Hamlet&cat=Comedy)
40 episodes in all!
Beulah (http://www.tv4u.com/show-video.asp)
Extremely rare short-lived 50s series about a black maid.
The Pinky Lee Show (http://www.tv4u.com/show-video.asp?cid=20&sid=748&vid=2242&t=Show%201&cat=Hi%20Tops)
Beloved 50s children's entertainer whose career was cut short by a heart attack on live TV.
Jack Benny Program --- Sept. 15, 1953 --- With Marilyn Monroe (http://www.archive.org/details/Jack_Benny_09_15_1953)
Marilyn's ONLY TV appearance! A must have for classic TV show collectors!
Jack Benny --- Honeymooners sketch with Audrey Meadows (http://www.archive.org/details/Jack_Benny_-_Honeymooners_Show)
Benny does Gleason---and does him spendidly. Dennis Day plays Norton.
Love That Bob --- The Bob Cummings Show (http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=bob%20collection%3Aclassic_tv%20AND%20subject%3A%22Love%20That%20Bob%22)
20 episodes
An underrated and very funny show.
I Married Joan (http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=joan%20%20collection%3Aclassic_tv%20AND%20subject%3A%22I%20Married%20Joan%22)
My Little Margie (http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=Margie%20collection%3Aclassic_tv%20AND%20subject%3A%22My%20Little%20Margie%22)
Want more? Just ask me. I'll know where to find them.