Never Give Up ?

[goodolddays]

Hello, Group

Scott the lurker here.

I'm just curious. Have we Ozzie and Harriet fans all but given up trying to get one of the major cable networks--e.g. American Life Network, Hallmark Channel, Disney channel (which aired it once long ago)--to run the series ? Or is there hope that it will once again grace the airwaves ?

Sheesh ! With all the specialized channels nowadays (sports, news, soap operas, cartoons, movies, animals, etc. soon to include "Sleuth," a channel for police/detective shows), you'd think somebody out there would come up with a "classic tv" channel !

Scott

[snorlaxnut]

Don't forget to try to get the show on the Independent Television network (formerly PAX). That channel only has 6 or 7 hours of shows, the rest of the time is infomercials.

I am hoping for season sets on DVD.

[goodolddays]

Originally Posted by snorlaxnut

Don't forget to try to get the show on the Independent Television network (formerly PAX). That channel only has 6 or 7 hours of shows, the rest of the time is infomercials.

Hello !

I am hoping for season sets on DVD.

I don't know... When they produce only a "best of" series of tapes, I wonder whether there is any hope of them coming out with a season by season series of DVD's. (Has any other tv series ever been released first as a "best of" series before coming out season by season ?)

I just hope they weren't foolishly producing such a collection with the intent of "testing the waters" regarding whether people would be interested enough to make a season by season release worthwhile. There will undoubtedly be a lot of people NOT buying the "best of" collection simply because they're waiting for them to release the series the "right" way.

BTW, some time back I contacted Ron Defore (Don "Thorny" Defore's son) at his website (which honors his dad's career) and he said he was going to try to get in touch with David Nelson to ask his what's what regarding the series' future. I haven't heard back.

Scott

[TravelingGirl]

Scott,

I have given up on David releasing the series...and am working on making my own. I am looking for trades of good quality VHS or DVD copies to fill in holes I have in my collection. Do you have any at this time? I am about 2/3 done...Let me know if you have any to trade by sending me titles....thanks!

[Mokey]

I have noticed more and more nostalgic channels. METV, COZI, Heros and Icons Channel and Decades TV but none show Ozzie and Harriet. Darn!

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by Mokey

I have noticed more and more nostalgic channels. METV, COZI, Heros and Icons Channel and Decades TV but none show Ozzie and Harriet. Darn!

Retro TV (RTV) shows it.

[Mokey]

Originally Posted by DJM77

Retro TV (RTV) shows it.

I wish I got that!!

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by Mokey

I wish I got that!!

Me too. But I did get to see about 10 eps I don't have copies of through YouTube. I probably have about 55-60% of the eps through various DVD release. It'd be fantastic if Antenna TV airs it one day. All I can do is hope, but you never know-Antenna has aired some classic sitcoms I'd thought would never make the light of day-like Bachelor Father.

[CJ]

The Internet Archive has several episodes, some that have not been on any official/un-official releases or public domain airings.

The ones by "kjs" are especially nice because they are mostly from film transfers and many contain the original commercials.

https://archive.org/search.php?query=Ozzie

[TeeVeeCloset]

I can't believe this thread started ten years ago and we are no further with a syndication package for airing, this was way before Sam Nelson started his kickstarter restoration project. Find threads on O&H board about that.

So ten years later, though most of the series is in the public domain, we wanted a nice syndication package for like example Antenna or MeTV to air, as of this writing no syndication package of O&H exsists, hence only odd seldom available channels like TCT (religious) still air the public domain episode packages chopped to pieces.

The Nelson Family Trust owns the rights, though once something falls into PD, that is it, an exception is the "It's A Wondeful Life" film where the decision was reversed based on the script was copyrighted but not the film. Republic Pictures took it to court and hence NBC Universal/Comcast has had exclusive TV rights ever since.

The last I heard personally from Sam Nelson he was hoping to create a first two seasons remastered syndication package & DVD release to create the much more needed funds to restore what is left of the entire series. But Sam sadly discovered that no complete unedited series will ever be released or shown because Ozzie chopped up the original negatives and many film cans unopened for over 50 years had turned to rust dust. There is also a problem with song licensing as the estate does not own the copyrights to most of the songs that were sung by Rick, especially the earlier ones and cover versions.

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by CJ

The Internet Archive has several episodes, some that have not been on any official/un-official releases or public domain airings.

The ones by "kjs" are especially nice because they are mostly from film transfers and many contain the original commercials.

https://archive.org/search.php?query=Ozzie

Thanks CJ! I've found some great viewing esp. On You Tube.

[CJ]

I hadn't checked You Tube for O&H, but last night I looked for a bit.

Many of those are the same ones that are on the Internet Archive. I saw several originally by "kjs" and I know they were uploaded to Internet Archive. I have several from this source on DVD and I am so grateful for the willingness to share what obviously is not going to be available in any other manner.

As we have all sadly come to realize, this is the only way to see these episodes.

My dream has always been for Sam to check the cans for the truly missing 40 something episodes that have not seen the light of day in 50+ years and forget about season sets, for now.

Maybe those 40+ episodes are lost forever, but it is worth a shot and an announcement about which episodes he does not have and ask for help from collectors who may have films or transfers.

Within the last 2 years, 6 uncirculated episodes turned up on RTV with original openings and closings and 2 uncirculated films sold on Ebay. They are out there and I firmly believe all 435 are in the PD. I understand about the rights to the songs, but okay take them out. I have 2 separate fan made compilation DVD's of just Rick's singing on the show. Some are from episodes not seen anywhere, so I know they are out there.

It is incredibly sad that a series of this caliber fell into the PD, but it is what it is.

[Mokey]

On Facebook the Ozzie and Harriet page downloads two episodes a day. Some of which I have not seen before and believe me I have seen them all. You can try on there. It's a great page. I don't know what is going on with Sam Nelson's big project on restoring the whole series. I guess it was just too much?

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by CJ

It is incredibly sad that a series of this caliber fell into the PD, but it is what it is.

I couldn't agree with you more; it really is a crying shame. All we can do is hope Sam comes up with some kind of valuable release-with intimate bonus material and at least a few of those prized elusive eps.

BTW, I really admire the way you collect. I'm kind of lazy in that regard...but your commitment to collecting is why you have close to 400 eps and I trail sadly in the 250-260 range. My laziness with collecting doesn't negate my love for the show because whenever anything commercial related to Rick and Dave comes my way I IMMEDIATELY buy it. Have a good # of Rick & Daves's movies.