Private Secretary/Susie on DVD - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

gidgetgrape · 02-06-2005, 10:52 PM

Here's the description from Critic's Choice's paper catalog:

Here's a real artifact from the long-lost era! Underrated comedy genius Ann Sothern stars as Susie McNamara, a personal secretary to handsome, successful talent agent Peter Sands, played by Don Porter. Susie helps her boss get out of (and sometimes into) one scrape after another, but it's when she teams up with co-worker Vi, played marvelously by Ann Tyrell, that the show really gets off the ground.

Includes the episodes:
Cat on a Hot Tin File (3/18/56)
Elusive (6/10/56)
Dollars and Sense (11/25/56)
The Efficiency Expert (2/17/57)

B&W/100min/NR. DVD:Mono

http://www.ccvideo.com/item.cfm?itemid=CCD001094

gidgetgrape · 02-23-2005, 08:19 PM

Replying to my own post - how sad.

Anyway, I got this DVD from Critic's Choice today. My biggest pet peeve is that the syndicated "Susie" credits are included instead of the original ones. CCVideo doesn't mention this on their website or in their catalog, so buyer beware. The back of the DVD box does state that the Susie credits are used though. I would rate the quality as good. There are some lines and spots in segments, but it's very watchable. If you would like to see some screen captures from the DVD, I have added some to the gallery here .

I haven't watched all the episodes yet, but it seems like a cute show. Too bad it's not in color because Ann Sothern wore some fabulous outfits.

gidgetgrape · 07-09-2005, 08:15 PM

Just wanted to report that Critic's Choice has added 3 more Private Secretary DVDs to their collection! You can buy volumes 1-4 separately or together. Sorry, I don't know which episodes are on volumes 2-4 yet! I will post if or when I find out.

I also discovered that Alpha Video has 2 best of DVDs out too.

Volume 1 contains these episodes: What Every Secretary Knows, How To Handle a Boss, Not Quite Paradise and Three's A Crowd.

Volume 2 contains: Cat In A Hot Tin File, Dollars and Sense, Old Dogs, New Tricks and That's No Lady, That's An Agent. These can be ordered from www.oldies.com or amazon.com.

Note: I'm changing the title of this thread from "Critic's Choice Video has a Private Secretary DVD!" to "Private Secretary/Susie on DVD." If you find any more places with DVD compilations, please post in this thread so other fans can check them out too.

gidgetgrape · 07-11-2005, 02:33 PM

PRIVATE SECRETARY VOL. 3 - Critic's Choice
contains these episodes: How To Handle The Boss (10/28/56), What Every Secretary Knows (11/12/56), Her Best Enemy (12/9/56), Three's a Crowd (12/23/56).
104min.

PRIVATE SECRETARY VOL. 4 - Critic's Choice
contains these episodes: That's No Lady, That's an Agent (1/20/57), Not Quite Paradise (2/3/57), Two and Two Make Five (3/3/57), Thy Name Is Sands (3/17/57). 104 min.

PRIVATE SECRETARY VOL. 2 - Critic's Choice
no info yet - sorry!

V20 · 07-18-2005, 09:19 PM

Hi Gidget Grape!

Here are the titles on DVD #2:

Oh Brother! (3-4-56)
The Little Ceasar Of Bleeker Street (4-1--56)
Passing The Buck (4-29-56)
Sow's Ear (10-14-56)

I know because I've just received the 4 DVD's from Critic's Choice, although they're really not a set, just the 4 separate DVD's sold at a cheaper price than buying the 4 discs separately. (In other words there is no "outer box" or anything to distinguish these as anything different than 4 individual DVD's).

gidgetgrape · 07-26-2005, 09:27 AM

Cool! Thanks for posting.

paterd · 02-11-2006, 09:42 AM

I bought this set, it's pretty good except for a few bad spots where the voices don't match. I was pleased overall!

TV_on_the_Porch · 04-06-2006, 09:20 PM

I bought the first two DVDs and was less than pleased with the quality. Maybe it's just because I remember how fabulously crisp, clear and new this show looked when Nick @ Nite ran it c. 1987-89. Yes, Nick @ Nite. All episodes (except a couple from the first season) shown during that run were the original 35mm films and looked--and sounded--magnificent. The 16mm prints used for this release suffer inherently from graininess, but far worse is the careless, sloppy way the prints were transferred to DVD with black levels that vary from episode to episode, sometimes drastically; and the the terrible wow in the soundtrack, not so noticable during dialogue, but so exagerrated that it totally ruins the wonderful, idiosyncratic background music. It's too bad this is probably as good as it's going to get for us fans of the obscure. I know what these shows should look like and feel cheated that they don't.

paterd · 04-07-2006, 07:25 AM

Wow, I sure don't remember Nick at Nite running this show, I thought it was CBN. I recorded some of those but the video tape did not hold up. When I posted that I was pleased overall, I hadn't watched all of the DVD's. Now that I've finished watching them, I can see what you're talking about. You're probably right, it is probably the best we will get. Sigh!

02-06-2005, 10:52 PM	#1
gidgetgrape Forever Gidget Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 20, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 3,503	Private Secretary/Susie on DVD Here's the description from Critic's Choice's paper catalog: Here's a real artifact from the long-lost era! Underrated comedy genius Ann Sothern stars as Susie McNamara, a personal secretary to handsome, successful talent agent Peter Sands, played by Don Porter. Susie helps her boss get out of (and sometimes into) one scrape after another, but it's when she teams up with co-worker Vi, played marvelously by Ann Tyrell, that the show really gets off the ground. Includes the episodes: Cat on a Hot Tin File (3/18/56) Elusive (6/10/56) Dollars and Sense (11/25/56) The Efficiency Expert (2/17/57) B&W/100min/NR. DVD:Mono http://www.ccvideo.com/item.cfm?itemid=CCD001094
	Last edited by gidgetgrape; 07-09-2005 at 08:19 PM.

07-09-2005, 08:15 PM	#3
gidgetgrape Forever Gidget Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 20, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 3,503	Just wanted to report that Critic's Choice has added 3 more Private Secretary DVDs to their collection! You can buy volumes 1-4 separately or together. Sorry, I don't know which episodes are on volumes 2-4 yet! I will post if or when I find out. I also discovered that Alpha Video has 2 best of DVDs out too. Volume 1 contains these episodes: What Every Secretary Knows, How To Handle a Boss, Not Quite Paradise and Three's A Crowd. Volume 2 contains: Cat In A Hot Tin File, Dollars and Sense, Old Dogs, New Tricks and That's No Lady, That's An Agent. These can be ordered from www.oldies.com or amazon.com. Note: I'm changing the title of this thread from "Critic's Choice Video has a Private Secretary DVD!" to "Private Secretary/Susie on DVD." If you find any more places with DVD compilations, please post in this thread so other fans can check them out too.
	Last edited by gidgetgrape; 07-11-2005 at 02:38 PM.

04-06-2006, 09:20 PM	#8
TV_on_the_Porch anything good on? Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Posts: 879	16 mm. I bought the first two DVDs and was less than pleased with the quality. Maybe it's just because I remember how fabulously crisp, clear and new this show looked when Nick @ Nite ran it c. 1987-89. Yes, Nick @ Nite. All episodes (except a couple from the first season) shown during that run were the original 35mm films and looked--and sounded--magnificent. The 16mm prints used for this release suffer inherently from graininess, but far worse is the careless, sloppy way the prints were transferred to DVD with black levels that vary from episode to episode, sometimes drastically; and the the terrible wow in the soundtrack, not so noticable during dialogue, but so exagerrated that it totally ruins the wonderful, idiosyncratic background music. It's too bad this is probably as good as it's going to get for us fans of the obscure. I know what these shows should look like and feel cheated that they don't.

02-23-2005, 08:19 PM	#2
gidgetgrape Forever Gidget Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 20, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 3,503	Replying to my own post - how sad. Anyway, I got this DVD from Critic's Choice today. My biggest pet peeve is that the syndicated "Susie" credits are included instead of the original ones. CCVideo doesn't mention this on their website or in their catalog, so buyer beware. The back of the DVD box does state that the Susie credits are used though. I would rate the quality as good. There are some lines and spots in segments, but it's very watchable. If you would like to see some screen captures from the DVD, I have added some to the gallery here . I haven't watched all the episodes yet, but it seems like a cute show. Too bad it's not in color because Ann Sothern wore some fabulous outfits.

07-11-2005, 02:33 PM	#4
gidgetgrape Forever Gidget Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 20, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 3,503	PRIVATE SECRETARY VOL. 3 - Critic's Choice contains these episodes: How To Handle The Boss (10/28/56), What Every Secretary Knows (11/12/56), Her Best Enemy (12/9/56), Three's a Crowd (12/23/56). 104min. PRIVATE SECRETARY VOL. 4 - Critic's Choice contains these episodes: That's No Lady, That's an Agent (1/20/57), Not Quite Paradise (2/3/57), Two and Two Make Five (3/3/57), Thy Name Is Sands (3/17/57). 104 min. PRIVATE SECRETARY VOL. 2 - Critic's Choice no info yet - sorry!

07-18-2005, 09:19 PM	#5
V20 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 18, 2005 Posts: 31	Hi Gidget Grape! Here are the titles on DVD #2: Oh Brother! (3-4-56) The Little Ceasar Of Bleeker Street (4-1--56) Passing The Buck (4-29-56) Sow's Ear (10-14-56) I know because I've just received the 4 DVD's from Critic's Choice, although they're really not a set, just the 4 separate DVD's sold at a cheaper price than buying the 4 discs separately. (In other words there is no "outer box" or anything to distinguish these as anything different than 4 individual DVD's).

07-26-2005, 09:27 AM	#6
gidgetgrape Forever Gidget Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 20, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 3,503	Cool! Thanks for posting.

02-11-2006, 09:42 AM	#7
paterd Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 09, 2001 Location: Nebraska Posts: 12	I bought this set, it's pretty good except for a few bad spots where the voices don't match. I was pleased overall!

04-07-2006, 07:25 AM	#9
paterd Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 09, 2001 Location: Nebraska Posts: 12	Wow, I sure don't remember Nick at Nite running this show, I thought it was CBN. I recorded some of those but the video tape did not hold up. When I posted that I was pleased overall, I hadn't watched all of the DVD's. Now that I've finished watching them, I can see what you're talking about. You're probably right, it is probably the best we will get. Sigh!