Is "I Married Joan" now in the public domain? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

seventies_sitcoms · 06-20-2005, 04:20 PM

I was wondering if I Married Joan was now in the public domain. I doubt anybody from Joan Davis Enterprises is alive now to even care about it, and her company probably ceased existing when she died. There has been many inferior quality releases of Joan through the years. Does NBC still have the rights to this show? I wonder how Joan would like after a restoration and an officially licensed DVD release? I doubt it happens. I don't think the VCI dvd release is truly legal, but I hope there are more releases from them anyway.

Dr. Jazz · 08-07-2005, 02:54 AM

Legal or not, more Joan = more LAUGHS

Mr. Television · 08-07-2005, 02:57 AM

Joan Davis Rocks.

Dr. Jazz · 08-11-2005, 01:18 AM

I watched an episode this morning where Joan can't stop smoking her husband's cigars while he's at work

That Joan was a real pip! Sometimes I think the writers from "I Love Lucy" watch Joan and then used the same plotline on Lucy lol I've noticed that a lot of the episodes of IMJ & ILL are unmistakably identical plot-wise.

Mr. Television · 08-11-2005, 01:19 AM

Man I wish one of my channels aired that program. I haven't seen it in over 20 years.

seventies_sitcoms · 08-29-2005, 10:22 PM

I just recently found out there are MANY stations that still play Joan. They are mostly regional indie or small religious television stations that play it. I'm very surprised. I found out a religious station just down the road from me plays it, but you have to have a dish to get it.

TV Knowledge Fan · 04-17-2006, 01:52 PM

...some episodes of the show are in the public domain. Otherwise, why would so many "small" TV stations begin showing them at the same time, instead of a major syndicator {like SFM Media, who now controls the rights to the series, I believe} parcelling it to a lineup of 100 stations or more...or cable?
And those DVD releases??

06-20-2005, 04:20 PM	#1
seventies_sitcoms * Senior Member Join Date: Jan 09, 2005 Posts: 2,243	Is "I Married Joan" now in the public domain? I was wondering if I Married Joan was now in the public domain. I doubt anybody from Joan Davis Enterprises is alive now to even care about it, and her company probably ceased existing when she died. There has been many inferior quality releases of Joan through the years. Does NBC still have the rights to this show? I wonder how Joan would like after a restoration and an officially licensed DVD release? I doubt it happens. I don't think the VCI dvd release is truly legal, but I hope there are more releases from them anyway.

08-07-2005, 02:57 AM	#3
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,125	Joan Davis Rocks.
	__________________ Sonny

04-17-2006, 01:52 PM	#7
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	I believe that.... ...some episodes of the show are in the public domain. Otherwise, why would so many "small" TV stations begin showing them at the same time, instead of a major syndicator {like SFM Media, who now controls the rights to the series, I believe} parcelling it to a lineup of 100 stations or more...or cable? And those DVD releases??

08-07-2005, 02:54 AM	#2
Dr. Jazz The Evil Empire. . . . Forum Star Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Posts: 11,074	Legal or not, more Joan = more LAUGHS

08-11-2005, 01:18 AM	#4
Dr. Jazz The Evil Empire. . . . Forum Star Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Posts: 11,074	I watched an episode this morning where Joan can't stop smoking her husband's cigars while he's at work That Joan was a real pip! Sometimes I think the writers from "I Love Lucy" watch Joan and then used the same plotline on Lucy lol I've noticed that a lot of the episodes of IMJ & ILL are unmistakably identical plot-wise.

08-11-2005, 01:19 AM	#5
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,125	Man I wish one of my channels aired that program. I haven't seen it in over 20 years.

08-29-2005, 10:22 PM	#6
seventies_sitcoms * Senior Member Join Date: Jan 09, 2005 Posts: 2,243	I just recently found out there are MANY stations that still play Joan. They are mostly regional indie or small religious television stations that play it. I'm very surprised. I found out a religious station just down the road from me plays it, but you have to have a dish to get it.