Lost episodes look FAR funnier than Python does now - somebody at the BBC reschedule them immediately - at Prime Time on BBC One.

JK2006 wrote:
Lost episodes look FAR funnier than Python does now - somebody at the BBC reschedule them immediately - at Prime Time on BBC One.

Brilliant programmes (love the original Four Yorkshiremen sketch written by Feldman & Brooke Taylor and always laugh at the Ferret Song) - but they were made for ITV (25 minutes long to fit in a 30 minute slot with adverts), so I can't see the BBC screening them. and ITV doesn't seem to have much interest in its Black & White archive material. There was an excellent DVD set released a few years back, though it doesn't include all of the surviving episodes.

Andy wrote:
JK2006 wrote:
Lost episodes look FAR funnier than Python does now - somebody at the BBC reschedule them immediately - at Prime Time on BBC One.

Brilliant programmes (love the original Four Yorkshiremen sketch written by Feldman & Brooke Taylor and always laugh at the Ferret Song) - but they were made for ITV (25 minutes long to fit in a 30 minute slot with adverts), so I can't see the BBC screening them. and ITV doesn't seem to have much interest in its Black & White archive material. There was an excellent DVD set released a few years back, though it doesn't include all of the surviving episodes.

I thought there was only about 4 surviving episodes, ITV do let Network release their forgotten programmes for good prices, BBC old comedies don't even let them see the light of day unless it's Steptoe which is released with poor picture quality no attempt to re-master there, Hancock has a nice release, numerous box sets of OFAH with the same edits.

JK2006 wrote:
Lost episodes look FAR funnier than Python does now - somebody at the BBC reschedule them immediately - at Prime Time on BBC One.

There's already a decent DVD, JK, with quite a bit of the old shows, including the original Four Yorkshiremen sketch. The thing that puzzles me is the surprise news reporters are expressing that Frost had this in his collection. Frost, as you well know, was shrewd enough to keep all of his Paradine Productions output, so why wouldn't these tapes be among them? It seems a bit stage managed to me. Frost, for example, still 'owned' Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett when they moved from LWT to the BBC, and the beeb had to pay Paradine for their services, so copies of all of those shows went to Frost as well.

andrew wrote:
ITV do let Network release their forgotten programmes for good prices, BBC old comedies don't even let them see the light of day unless it's Steptoe which is released with poor picture quality no attempt to re-master there, Hancock has a nice release, numerous box sets of OFAH with the same edits.

The BBC has released a huge amount of their old shows on DVD - Yes Minister, Dad's Army, Hancock, Steptoe, Fawlty Towers, Open All Hours, Porridge, Morecambe & Wise, etc etc etc. So that's a rather absurd attempt to praise ITV whilst bashing the BBC. As for re-mastering programmes, it's expensive, and actually very few programmes, on any channel, get that luxury. The BBC is also hindered by some of the estates of the programme makers, who meddle and block all kinds of plans. Then there are some families of programme makers - the BBC have always wanted to release the old Dave Allen shows but the family keep blocking it. Sometimes it's the artists themselves: David Jason, the miserable old sod, is notorious for blocking the release (or even repeats) of many of his old shows (he even took five months to be persuaded to allow his face to be shown on the cover of a BBC book about one of his old shows). So I'm happy to disabuse you of the idea that the BBC is conspiring to keep its old shows from the public. Their commercial wing is actually very eager to do more.

I wish they would reshow all my Entertainment USA shows - and No Limits - bet the audiences would be huge.

Pru wrote:
andrew wrote:
ITV do let Network release their forgotten programmes for good prices, BBC old comedies don't even let them see the light of day unless it's Steptoe which is released with poor picture quality no attempt to re-master there, Hancock has a nice release, numerous box sets of OFAH with the same edits.

The BBC has released a huge amount of their old shows on DVD - Yes Minister, Dad's Army, Hancock, Steptoe, Fawlty Towers, Open All Hours, Porridge, Morecambe & Wise, etc etc etc. So that's a rather absurd attempt to praise ITV whilst bashing the BBC. As for re-mastering programmes, it's expensive, and actually very few programmes, on any channel, get that luxury. The BBC is also hindered by some of the estates of the programme makers, who meddle and block all kinds of plans. Then there are some families of programme makers - the BBC have always wanted to release the old Dave Allen shows but the family keep blocking it. Sometimes it's the artists themselves: David Jason, the miserable old sod, is notorious for blocking the release (or even repeats) of many of his old shows (he even took five months to be persuaded to allow his face to be shown on the cover of a BBC book about one of his old shows). So I'm happy to disabuse you of the idea that the BBC is conspiring to keep its old shows from the public. Their commercial wing is actually very eager to do more.

I always wanted to know why there hasn't been a decent Dave Allen DVD, I'm sure the BBC would of got their money back if Steptoe DVD's were re-mastered. David Jason's early stuff is dire, I never been let down by Network releases.

JK2006 wrote:
I wish they would reshow all my Entertainment USA shows - and No Limits - bet the audiences would be huge.

Could you buy the rights JK ?

The Network phenomenon always intrigues me. They release a few gems but much of the old TV shows they release are so stunningly awful I wonder who actually buys them in large enough quantities to make the release cost-effective. Do they furtively print on demand? I mean, Arthur Mullard sitcoms, for god's sake!

Apropos At Last the 1948 show, I'm quite suspicious of the way the musty old BFI seem to have control of these 'discoveries'. Dick Fiddy was quite an amiable old cove when he was doing little nerdy things for the NME, but he now acts like some kind of grand poo-bah at the BFI, seemingly taking charge of who gets to see these things and under what circumstances. I'd much rather such items were sent straight to the relevant broadcasters or rights holders and the focus was on getting them seen by as broad an audience as possible rather than the cliquish friends of Fiddy.

Pru wrote:
The Network phenomenon always intrigues me. They release a few gems but much of the old TV shows they release are so stunningly awful I wonder who actually buys them in large enough quantities to make the release cost-effective. Do they furtively print on demand? I mean, Arthur Mullard sitcoms, for god's sake!

Apropos At Last the 1948 show, I'm quite suspicious of the way the musty old BFI seem to have control of these 'discoveries'. Dick Fiddy was quite an amiable old cove when he was doing little nerdy things for the NME, but he now acts like some kind of grand poo-bah at the BFI, seemingly taking charge of who gets to see these things and under what circumstances. I'd much rather such items were sent straight to the relevant broadcasters or rights holders and the focus was on getting them seen by as broad an audience as possible rather than the cliquish friends of Fiddy.

There a pearls on Network, I got mates who are TV anoraks they all nearly have all of almost every DVD release by Network; they think all the old sitcoms were great. Really ?

I borrowed a few DVD's from my mate and Christ how were these programmes given the green light ?

ITV sitcoms were terrible to watch of Yus My Der, I watched episodes of it then took the DVD back to my mate. I did borrow Please Sir and Fenn Street Gang which were enjoyable same with Sykes which is now sadly deleted.

If you want to laugh out loud then watch Jason King.

andrew wrote:
Pru wrote:
The Network phenomenon always intrigues me. They release a few gems but much of the old TV shows they release are so stunningly awful I wonder who actually buys them in large enough quantities to make the release cost-effective. Do they furtively print on demand? I mean, Arthur Mullard sitcoms, for god's sake!

Apropos At Last the 1948 show, I'm quite suspicious of the way the musty old BFI seem to have control of these 'discoveries'. Dick Fiddy was quite an amiable old cove when he was doing little nerdy things for the NME, but he now acts like some kind of grand poo-bah at the BFI, seemingly taking charge of who gets to see these things and under what circumstances. I'd much rather such items were sent straight to the relevant broadcasters or rights holders and the focus was on getting them seen by as broad an audience as possible rather than the cliquish friends of Fiddy.

There a pearls on Network, I got mates who are TV anoraks they all nearly have all of almost every DVD release by Network; they think all the old sitcoms were great. Really ?

I borrowed a few DVD's from my mate and Christ how were these programmes given the green light ?

ITV sitcoms were terrible to watch of Yus My Der, I watched episodes of it then took the DVD back to my mate. I did borrow Please Sir and Fenn Street Gang which were enjoyable same with Sykes which is now sadly deleted.

If you want to laugh out loud then watch Jason King.

Ha ha, yes, quite. Have you ever heard Peter Wyngarde's album? Even more bizarre!

I haven't seen Peter in years - I shall try to catch up with him for a meal before it's too late.

JK2006 wrote:
I haven't seen Peter in years - I shall try to catch up with him for a meal before it's too late.









Excellent stuff.

Is he still in Edwardes Square? Him and Frankie Howerd in the same street - what larks.

andrew wrote:
Andy wrote:
JK2006 wrote:
Lost episodes look FAR funnier than Python does now - somebody at the BBC reschedule them immediately - at Prime Time on BBC One.

Brilliant programmes (love the original Four Yorkshiremen sketch written by Feldman & Brooke Taylor and always laugh at the Ferret Song) - but they were made for ITV (25 minutes long to fit in a 30 minute slot with adverts), so I can't see the BBC screening them. and ITV doesn't seem to have much interest in its Black & White archive material. There was an excellent DVD set released a few years back, though it doesn't include all of the surviving episodes.

I thought there was only about 4 surviving episodes, ITV do let Network release their forgotten programmes for good prices, BBC old comedies don't even let them see the light of day unless it's Steptoe which is released with poor picture quality no attempt to re-master there, Hancock has a nice release, numerous box sets of OFAH with the same edits.

The last 'complete Steptoe' release was awful, particularly the colour episodes.

One of the Christmas ones, in fact the very last episode, was the butchered beyond belief print, missing some very funny lines whilst the other Christmas one is missing the line "Enoch's dreaming of a white Christmas" which might be viewed offensive now but was actually incredibly satirical back then - and funny.

Funnily enough I've been re-watching Love Thy Neighbour recently. It's naively a lot more funny than people give it credit for and performed very, very well, even if it does have "questionable material" to our tastes, but hey millions watched it back then.

JK2006 wrote:
Lost episodes look FAR funnier than Python does now - somebody at the BBC reschedule them immediately - at Prime Time on BBC One.

I believe the episodes were found in David Frost's "archive", have you ever catalogued your own archive JK?

I could put you in touch with someone if you believe you have something "interesting" and "missing".

JK2006 wrote:
I haven't seen Peter in years - I shall try to catch up with him for a meal before it's too late.

better be quick - he's 86 !

I made a mistake, Steve, buying my Mum a BETA machine instead of a VHS when they both started but it worked out because she recorded all my Entertainment USA shows off air and the quality of BETA was far superior to the VHS ones. So, after she died, I had all the BETA tapes copied onto DVDs digitally.

He never lived down that public exposure thing.