People are saying to have seen a different version of the pilot episode. Is it possible it was the unaired version, and not the version that aired on March 15, 1985?

Because I remember looking at the TV listings for the program in 1985, and the pilot was never rerun on ABC.

I have no idea because I wasn't even born then but I want to know if anyone on hear recorded the pilot when it aired on Antenna TV in January or March? I'd like to be able to get a copy of it if possible because now they have that stupid credit crunch and I won't be able to have the rare closing theme and I would like to get a hold of it.

Unfortunately, I didn't record it, something I now kick myself over.

The Pilot ending theme was a rock arrangement, from what I read on IMDB. Examples below:

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Awhile back I came across these two videos for Mr. Belvedere intros that I've never seen before, this first one has Leon Redbone singing the theme more lively and what looks like each intro of the actors was taken at a Sears portrait studio.

https://youtu.be/nqAyQNYMz_c

This next video has two intros, the first being what was shown just once for its debut episode again with different looking Sears portraits LOL! which is followed by the regular intro for the remainder of season 1. Again if someone knows if these are accurate please fill us in.

https://youtu.be/DPDt96AU-Eg

The top is the original broadcast version of the Pilot. And that's Dr. John singing the theme.

For the bottom: The beige version was the REAL season 1 opening. That was how the season 1 episodes, all six of them, originally opened. After season 1 aired, the show went on hiatus, and the episodes were recut for future reruns, so that the season 1 opening replaced the Pilot version, and the season 2 opening replaced the season 1 version; season 2 started production at that time.

In the beige family portrait book opening, Tracy Wells looks more like her season 1 version, than her Pilot version.

http://s2.postimg.org/ea4ru3n95/33_5mrb.jpg

http://s10.postimg.org/wtsxmc9bt/93682186.jpg

Ohhhhh that's some good information, but what was up with those odd Sears studio portraits?

Don't know.

Coincidentally, Dr. John and Leon Redone did a duet of Frosty the Snowman.

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Too bad the Pilot for Mr. Belvedere didn't get the deluxe treatment, like the Pilot for Seinfeld did, when Sony included both versions of the Pilot for that show on DVD.

I seem to remember with Antenna TV's pilot, they showed the opening credits for season 2 and then in the second episode of the first season, they showed the opening credits for season 1.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blLj7gUoc0w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blLj7gUoc0w

Fixed

Too bad the Pilot for Mr. Belvedere didn't get the deluxe treatment, like the Pilot for Seinfeld did, when Sony included both versions of the Pilot for that show on DVD.
I wonder if Frank Dungan and Jeff Stein, the original developers and executive producers of Mr. Belvedere, asked 20th Century Fox to allow Shout! Factory to include both versions of the pilot episode.

I wonder if Frank Dungan and Jeff Stein, the original developers and executive producers of Mr. Belvedere, asked 20th Century Fox to allow Shout! Factory to include both versions of the pilot episode.


Were there really 2 different versions of the pilot? If so, what do we know were the differences?

These were the differences between the two versions of the Pilot.

And in the other clip posted by MikeL, a different version of the end credits were shown. On the other version, it was the standard season 1 ending, with the ending theme looped.

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These were the differences between the two versions of the Pilot.

And in the other clip posted by MikeL, a different version of the end credits were shown. On the other version, it was the standard season 1 ending, with the ending theme looped.

Do we know if there were differences in the actual episodes themselves, or were they the same pilot episode just with different beginning and ending credit sequences?

The Pilot on Antenna TV was the same thing as the one on the DVD. Just with different opening and ending credits, and George worked in Construction, instead of Sports. There was even one line where George referred to his Construction job that was removed when the Pilot was re-cut.

I should have known that there was a different version of the Pilot. On the U.S. Copyright Office (http://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&PAGE=First), there is evidence of there being one. I had known about this information for 6 or 7 years, but I had never really put 2 & 2 together, until now.

There are copyright details on a videotaped copy, and a final draft, both published in January of 1985. Before ABC officially picked up the show. There is also a copyright description on a musical score from Jimmie Haskell. I had NO idea what it was for, until now. Haskell arranged and conducted the opening and ending themes for the Pilot. His credit was removed on the re-cut version (which is on the DVD).

Type of Work: Motion Picture
Registration Number / Date: PA0000247566 / 1985-04-24
Title: Mr. Belvedere : 3T01, pilot / a production of Lazy B/F. O. B. Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television ; producer, Patricia Rickey ; directed by Tony Sheehan.
Imprint: Los Angeles : 20th Century Fox Television, c1985.
Description: 1 videocassette (30 min.) : sd., col. ; 3/4 in.
Notes: Based on the character, Belvedere, created by Gwen Davenport.
Cast: Christopher Hewett, Ilene Graff, Rob Stone et al.
Credits: Written by Frank Dungan & Jeff Stein; director of photography: George Spiro Dibie; musical supervision: Lionel Newman; videotape editor: Mike Weitzman.
Copyright Claimant: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Date of Creation: 1985
Date of Publication: 1985-01-14
Authorship on Application: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, employer for hire.
Basis of Claim: New Matter: all cinematographic material excluding final draft screenplay, original musical score & music & lyrics.
Variant title: Mr. Belvedere : 3T01
Other Title: Mister Belvedere : 3T01

Type of Work: Dramatic Work and Music; or Choreography
Registration Number / Date: PAu000685684 / 1985-01-22
Title: Strangers in the night : final draft, Jan. 7, 1985 / written by Frank Dungan & Jeff Stein.
Description: 61 p.
Series: Mister Belvedere
Notes: Screenplay.
Copyright Claimant: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Date of Creation: 1985
Authorship on Application: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, employer for hire of Frank Dungan & Jeff Stein.

Type of Work: Music
Registration Number / Date: PAu000686333 / 1985-01-14
Title: Mister Belvedere : The Pilot / Jimmie Haskell.
Description: 1 v.
Notes: Musical score.
Copyright Claimant: W B Music Corporation & Rewind Music, Inc.
Date of Creation: 1985
Authorship on Application: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, employer for hire.
Other Title: The Pilot