Laff TV this morning - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Alan Brady's Hair · 12-31-2022, 08:31 AM

LAFF is showing six Season 2 episodes (including Give Me Your Walls) this morning. They're being shown once, then repeated. Back to Hillbilly episodes next Saturday morning.

Apparently these are public domain? I didn't know there were public domain DVD episodes.

Svenfan1234 · 12-31-2022, 01:01 PM

Yes, those particular episodes are in the public domain which is why LAFF airs them. I think Real McCoys is the only non-PD black and white sitcom they’ve aired. Dick Van Dyke airs on MeTV and Decades and Beverly Hillbillies airs on MeTV. You sure would think Real McCoys was PD, though, since it streams everywhere you can think of now.

For anyone thinking that this means that MeTV lost the rights to Dick Van Dyke, would be proven very, very wrong.

biffbronson · 12-31-2022, 01:52 PM

I bought a DVD for $1 containing public domain Dick Van Dyke Show episodes on it many years ago -- these 3 were on it:

The Night the Roof Fell In - Season 2, Ep. 9
A Man's Teeth Are Not His Own - Season 2, Ep. 13
Give Me Your Walls - Season 2, Ep. 23

The other PD shows also were released in 3-per-disc format.

stevea · 12-31-2022, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

Yes, those particular episodes are in the public domain which is why LAFF airs them. I think Real McCoys is the only non-PD black and white sitcom they’ve aired. Dick Van Dyke airs on MeTV and Decades and Beverly Hillbillies airs on MeTV. You sure would think Real McCoys was PD, though, since it streams everywhere you can think of now.

For anyone thinking that this means that MeTV lost the rights to Dick Van Dyke, would be proven very, very wrong.

I thought the McCoys were PD, but they still have an owner. SFM had those episodes, but when they were broadcast locally this year, they had a different logo attached at the end--I forget what it was.

Svenfan1234 · 01-01-2023, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I thought the McCoys were PD, but they still have an owner. SFM had those episodes, but when they were broadcast locally this year, they had a different logo attached at the end--I forget what it was.

Was it FilmRise by any chance? Does that sound familiar?

cd637299 · 01-01-2023, 08:55 AM

It was FilmRise. It was shown in lower left in the Laff credit-crunch.

As to Dick Van Dyke Show, no distributor showed at the end. PD.

cd

stevea · 01-01-2023, 09:41 AM

Yep, that's it. I assume they got the 11 season Danny Thomas franchise, also, since they put out a DVD set of season 4. I imagine SFM went belly-up, or just sold their TV properties.

cd637299 · 01-01-2023, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

Yep, that's it. I assume they got the 11 season Danny Thomas franchise, also, since they put out a DVD set of season 4. I imagine SFM went belly-up, or just sold their TV properties.

The first three seasons of Danny Thomas Show are all PD, no? That is, all the Jean Hagen ones; unless something happened, like what happened to “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

cd

Charles Knox · 01-01-2023, 12:08 PM

I like to find a good site that lists all the sitcom episodes for various shows that are in the public domain. Might be a good project on here for someone that likes to make lists. ��

cd637299 · 01-01-2023, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles Knox

I like to find a good site that lists all the sitcom episodes for various shows that are in the public domain. Might be a good project on here for someone that likes to make lists. ��

This is by no means the be-all and end-all answer, but the guy that runs this site:

www.fesfilms.com

seems to have everything I know in PD. I bought the DVD “Prehistoric Television” (mostly 1948 stuff) from him.

cd

stevea · 01-01-2023, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cd637299

The first three seasons of Danny Thomas Show are all PD, no? That is, all the Jean Hagen ones; unless something happened, like what happened to “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

cd

I think Danny had the first three seasons of MRFD out of circulation. My guess is they let the copyrights lapse, maybe accidentally, since some of those are out on cheapie DVDs.

FilmRise probably got all the masters, so they could put out decent quality DVDs if there were still a market for them. Kind of like what MPI is doing with Ozzie and Harriet, some of which have lapsed into public domain, too.

On the other hand much of the first three seasons could be lost media--who knows?

Svenfan1234 · 01-01-2023, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I think Danny had the first three seasons of MRFD out of circulation. My guess is they let the copyrights lapse, maybe accidentally, since some of those are out on cheapie DVDs.

FilmRise probably got all the masters, so they could put out decent quality DVDs if there were still a market for them. Kind of like what MPI is doing with Ozzie and Harriet, some of which have lapsed into public domain, too.

On the other hand much of the first three seasons could be lost media--who knows?

Their website has "The Danny Thomas Show" under titles they distribute and they have all the years it ran listed as well as Jean Hagen apart of the cast. However, and is sometimes the case, it could be copy and paste info they have regarding it--but they may have those seasons, it would be nice to see them at least on streaming.

forn · 01-09-2023, 09:00 PM

Anyone know why those six episodes are in the public domain, and not the others?

stevea · 01-09-2023, 10:15 PM

My GUESS is that someone forgot to renew the copyright on those particular episodes.

It seems really strange that a network would show those six episodes, just because they can. And some entity would probably be making sure they did not use a copyrighted DVD as a source.

Alan Brady's Hair · 01-09-2023, 10:46 PM

It seems LAFF is promoting these public domain showings as "Classic TV Marathons."

12-31-2022, 08:31 AM	#1
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,831	Laff TV this morning LAFF is showing six Season 2 episodes (including Give Me Your Walls) this morning. They're being shown once, then repeated. Back to Hillbilly episodes next Saturday morning. Apparently these are public domain? I didn't know there were public domain DVD episodes.

12-31-2022, 01:01 PM	#2
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	Yes, those particular episodes are in the public domain which is why LAFF airs them. I think Real McCoys is the only non-PD black and white sitcom they’ve aired. Dick Van Dyke airs on MeTV and Decades and Beverly Hillbillies airs on MeTV. You sure would think Real McCoys was PD, though, since it streams everywhere you can think of now. For anyone thinking that this means that MeTV lost the rights to Dick Van Dyke, would be proven very, very wrong.
	__________________ [

12-31-2022, 01:52 PM	#3
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,512	I bought a DVD for $1 containing public domain Dick Van Dyke Show episodes on it many years ago -- these 3 were on it: The Night the Roof Fell In - Season 2, Ep. 9 A Man's Teeth Are Not His Own - Season 2, Ep. 13 Give Me Your Walls - Season 2, Ep. 23 The other PD shows also were released in 3-per-disc format.

01-01-2023, 08:55 AM	#6
cd637299 cd637299 Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 14, 2022 Location: South Florida Posts: 851	It was FilmRise. It was shown in lower left in the Laff credit-crunch. As to Dick Van Dyke Show, no distributor showed at the end. PD. cd

01-01-2023, 09:41 AM	#7
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,840	Yep, that's it. I assume they got the 11 season Danny Thomas franchise, also, since they put out a DVD set of season 4. I imagine SFM went belly-up, or just sold their TV properties.

01-01-2023, 12:08 PM	#9
Charles Knox Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 17, 2009 Posts: 1,225	I like to find a good site that lists all the sitcom episodes for various shows that are in the public domain. Might be a good project on here for someone that likes to make lists. ��

01-09-2023, 09:00 PM	#13
forn Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 18, 2022 Posts: 294	Anyone know why those six episodes are in the public domain, and not the others?

01-09-2023, 10:15 PM	#14
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,840	My GUESS is that someone forgot to renew the copyright on those particular episodes. It seems really strange that a network would show those six episodes, just because they can. And some entity would probably be making sure they did not use a copyrighted DVD as a source.

01-09-2023, 10:46 PM	#15
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,831	It seems LAFF is promoting these public domain showings as "Classic TV Marathons."