After years of looking, I finally came across a 16mm print of an episode from Season 12. The episode is S12 E15, "Alfred". The print, however, is in B&W. There was no picture of the intro in the listing. It also was not explained whether this is an original print from CBS or a Viacom print, though they did say the print is "unspliced", so judging from my experience, it could be a Viacom print. I should hopefully receive the print next week.

Please let us know and post it if possible on Youtube. There would be ways to tell if it's a network:

Does the opening include Don Grady in the credits?

Do the closing credits include the main cast? Are changes to the next slide/card via cut or dissolve?

Of course, if it's a Viacom print, it's obviously syndication.

I still haven't received this print yet, but I cannot wait until it finally arrives. I should be able to purchase a film scanner sometime this year, and when I do, this print will be one of the first I scan. The problem I have to face is choosing which film to scan first!

I also thought about something else. There are currently no HD masters of any color episodes from S06-S12, especially episodes from the second half of S11 and all of S12 (S06-S11.1 transfers look pretty good for being nearly 30 year old transfers). When I get this print scanned, this may be the first true HD scan of any S12 episode... ever? CBS has the negatives at their disposal, but I get it, restoring and remastering is a lot of hard and expensive work. I aim to do a bit of that hard work for them with this particular print.

The big problem with this print is that it is in B&W. That probably won't bother me too much, though. I wish I knew of a way to add the color back, but I am not willing to edit nearly 37,000+ frames.

I received the print today. I’m only able to look at the first few feet since I’m currently not home. The first thing I noticed is a pretty big one: there is no intro. I checked after the SMPTE leader for a splice to see if somebody spliced the intro out; I didn’t find one, which means that it was removed from the negative. I saw no splice of any kind, though, not even one from the original negative. The print starts with a "Sponsor’s Message" bumper, then the first act begins. Unless the intro sequence changed in S12, it’s very possible this print does not have an intro.

To add, this appears to be a syndication print. It is printed on Eastman stock dated 1972.

EDIT: I was able to check the entire print. The runtime appears to be about 25 minutes. This is a Viacom print. This print does not have an intro and only has two splices, both in the same scene around the 10 minute mark or so. Also, with the exception of the beginning of the first act and closing credits, the scenes for each act before and after the commercial break do not fade in or out. These scenes just cut in from black. The closing credits are the same syndication credits as seen on MeTV's prints. Overall, this print appears to be complete, and I'm happy about that. I'll just have to add an intro to the show in post-production once I get the print scanned.

I should note, the print looks and sounds amazing. I've never heard the S12 closing credits sound this great before. I'm looking forward to getting a scan of this print soon!

The lack of opening credits might mean they never included them with these seasons, in syndication, and maybe sent a separate reel with opening credits for seasons 10 thru 12. If that's true it would mean the opening credits for season 12 could be with the the original 35mm negatives. Assuming they bothered to make new opening credits--others claim they did, deleting Don Grady and adding Ronne Troup and Dawn Lyn. If those changes were made they evidently are only with the originals and never made it to any syndication prints.

And, yes since it's a Viacom print I'd have to think the closing credits were chopped up on some copy, then duplicated and sent out. And all those cuts at breaks were probably done on another copy too.

I also think many transitions between scenes (like dissolves and establishing shots of the house) were cut out, resulting in a cut between scenes where a passage of time would require a transition. Of course this results in a choppy looking episode.

Also the condition of what has floated around has deteriorated over the years. For example, some episodes on Nick at Nite (I have a few of them sourced from there) have scenes that were missing on MeTV.

All in all, a mess that could probably be remedied only by mastering from originals.

Now that you don't have enough to do on that b/w print you just got, I can give you another project to do after you scan. You can use that Deoldify process people on YouTube are using to colorize their b/w movies or b/w TV shows. Personally I'm not impressed with the resuts of Deoldify as they look like the worst examples of the earliest days of colorization in the mid 1980's. I wish they'd come out with modern looking colorizing process but for now Deoldify is better than nothing. You can use Deoldify to colorize your My 3 Sons show, I don't know how to do it myself but here's the Deoldify website where they can tell you or if you do a search for "Deoldify" you'll see other sites that teach how. Supposedly, I've never tried it. But to start here's the Deoldify website:
https://deoldify.ai/

Now that you don't have enough to do on that b/w print you just got, I can give you another project to do after you scan. You can use that Deoldify process people on YouTube are using to colorize their b/w movies or b/w TV shows. Personally I'm not impressed with the resuts of Deoldify as they look like the worst examples of the earliest days of colorization in the mid 1980's. I wish they'd come out with modern looking colorizing process but for now Deoldify is better than nothing. You can use Deoldify to colorize your My 3 Sons show, I don't know how to do it myself but here's the Deoldify website where they can tell you or if you do a search for "Deoldify" you'll see other sites that teach how. Supposedly, I've never tried it. But to start here's the Deoldify website:
https://deoldify.ai/I actually forgot about that. I've heard about DeOldify before, but have never tested it. That'll be something new for me to try.

The most important thing is to get the print cleaned and scanned. I hate that there are two splices in the print, but they are nothing serious. It appears that only one frame is missing from both sections, although it is possible somebody simply taped the film sections back together after their projector ripped the film (there's sprocket damage caused by a projector). If that is the case, then there are no missing frames at all and I can go into software and edit out the tears in the film.

...it is possible somebody simply taped the film sections back together after their projector ripped the film (there's sprocket damage caused by a projector). If that is the case, then there are no missing frames at all and I can go into software and edit out the tears in the film.

When you said it appeared to be 25 minutes long that was my thought (that the film broke).

What I can't figure out is why a 1972 syndication film would be black and white.

Is it possibly a kinescope? Apparently as late as 1970, we know that ABC was making 16mm b & w kinescopes, so maybe CBS held on longer...? Here's some info related to Dark Shadows:

"...through the fall of 1970, ABC-TV also made filmed kinescope copies of each episode. These kinescopes were shot in black-and-white on 16mm film. Even when Dark Shadows went to color, the kinescopes were still filmed only in black and white, as networks rarely made color kinescopes."

When you said it appeared to be 25 minutes long that was my thought (that the film broke).

What I can't figure out is why a 1972 syndication film would be black and white.The 25 minute runtime may be slightly incorrect since I’m basing that on the markings on the reel, which aren’t that exact. It’s possible this print is 26 minutes or a bit shorter, but again, I won’t know for sure until the print is scanned. I’m not projecting this print for fear of damaging it.

Also, there are no missing scenes or sudden jump cuts in the areas with splices. Besides those two splices, I didn’t notice any other physical or lab splices. Could this print still be edited? Yes, it’s possible that the 16mm internegative was edited.

Based on how choppy these episodes look plus the incomplete and sped up end credits, I'd say it was copied from an already-edited copy (sorry, I'm not good with these correct terms).

Who knows why they do this stuff? It probably depends on who was working on it. For instance, with the later syndication episodes which were remastered to videotape, supposedly (according to the CBS Syndication Bible site) seasons 6 thru 10 are network versions, yet for seasons 6 thru 8 there are many episodes with time-compressed end credits. So why would they do that in those seasons but not 9 and 10? Who knows?

I received the print today. I’m only able to look at the first few feet since I’m currently not home. The first thing I noticed is a pretty big one: there is no intro. I checked after the SMPTE leader for a splice to see if somebody spliced the intro out; I didn’t find one, which means that it was removed from the negative. I saw no splice of any kind, though, not even one from the original negative. The print starts with a "Sponsor’s Message" bumper, then the first act begins. Unless the intro sequence changed in S12, it’s very possible this print does not have an intro.

To add, this appears to be a syndication print. It is printed on Eastman stock dated 1972.

EDIT: I was able to check the entire print. The runtime appears to be about 25 minutes. This is a Viacom print. This print does not have an intro and only has two splices, both in the same scene around the 10 minute mark or so. Also, with the exception of the beginning of the first act and closing credits, the scenes for each act before and after the commercial break do not fade in or out. These scenes just cut in from black. The closing credits are the same syndication credits as seen on MeTV's prints. Overall, this print appears to be complete, and I'm happy about that. I'll just have to add an intro to the show in post-production once I get the print scanned.

I should note, the print looks and sounds amazing. I've never heard the S12 closing credits sound this great before. I'm looking forward to getting a scan of this print soon!

Your 16mm film find sounds interesting. I own only one 16mm film but it's a good one, it's the Bowery Boys movie titled Crashing Las Vegas from 1956. It's the complete movie, 62 minutes, black and white and is on two reels. Crashing Las Vegas is the last Bowery Boys movie with Leo Gorcey and there are scenes in the movie where Gorcey is obviously inebriated. A few years ago I sent the film out to be transferred on to a DVD, it looks and sounds great. :)

I actually forgot about that. I've heard about DeOldify before, but have never tested it. That'll be something new for me to try.

The most important thing is to get the print cleaned and scanned. I hate that there are two splices in the print, but they are nothing serious. It appears that only one frame is missing from both sections, although it is possible somebody simply taped the film sections back together after their projector ripped the film (there's sprocket damage caused by a projector). If that is the case, then there are no missing frames at all and I can go into software and edit out the tears in the film.

How does one get the DeOldify program? How much does it cost? I’m looking to colorize some B&W episodes of another show.

How does one get the DeOldify program? How much does it cost? I’m looking to colorize some B&W episodes of another show.

DeOldify is a free program. You have to install a bit of code, which they help provide. You would also need FFMPEG installed on your computer, which is also free. The program is not perfect. I find that the program works best with photos that have a very high resolution and are properly exposed. It does work with video, but I haven't tested it with HD video yet. I've seen pretty good results with video, but I would have to see for myself.

Below is an example. I decided to use an old "My Three Sons" cast photo featuring the original ABC cast. It didn't do that bad of a job. It's pretty good, actually.

Thanks. I am looking to colorize some I Love Lucy and Honeymooners episodes.

Excellent.. You have a 100% analogue copy of an episode!!

Your so lucky buddy :)

Excellent.. You have a 100% analogue copy of an episode!!

Your so lucky buddy :)

I own more than one episode of "My Three Sons" on film! I currently have twelve episodes, two B&W and ten color. These twelve prints are just a small portion of my collection of 149 (and counting) 16mm films. The great thing about owning physical film copies is that I can do my own restoring/remastering. Seasons 6-12 are not on DVD nor in HD, but once I get these episodes scanned, these will be the first (that I know of) HD copies of any episode from those seasons. Unfortunately, the episode from season 12, as I mentioned before, is in B&W, but it’s better than not owning any episode from that season.