Brock Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 According to Amazon.com, The Milton Berle Special featuring Lucy and Desi is coming out on DVD next week: http://www.amazon.com/Lucy-Desi-Milton-Berle-Special/dp/B00GV8B1BM/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1390118970&sr=1-1&keywords=lucille+ball The distribution company seems to have a very unusual and varied library, a mix of public domain and not. I wonder what the status of this is.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 Something about the cover art makes me suspect it's public domain. Remember, the PD Goodtimes documentary "The Funny World of Lucy" was able to include a clip of this, so chances are it's not under copyright. But regardless this is exciting, I look forward to seeing the entire thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted January 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 But regardless this is exciting, I look forward to seeing the entire thing. Me too. The copy of a copy of a copy I have on this thing is and has always been unwatchable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 LOL. Hopefully that's not the same source they used Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 My copy is slightly better than Brock's but not good. I would want to know quality on this as it is not exactly my favorite special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted January 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 My copy is slightly better than Brock's but not good. I would want to know quality on this as it is not exactly my favorite special. I've ordered, so I'll take the bullet and let you know. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 I can wait, like Shel said, this is not something priceless we can't wait to get a pristine copy of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 I'll order mine soon, too. I've never seen the whole thing. Those of you who have, what do you think of it? I remember Fidelman saying that Lucy and Ricky seem rather out-of-character due to the different writers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucille Ball fan Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Legend Films is the company releasing this dvd. If I am correct Legend Films is the company that CBS had colorize the 3 I Love Lucy shows. So I would say that the special has been digitally restored in black and white. It is about time this special be released on dvd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Legend Films is the company releasing this dvd. If I am correct Legend Films is the company that CBS had colorize the 3 I Love Lucy shows. So I would say that the special has been digitally restored in black and white. It is about time this special be released on dvd. Legend Films colorized some public domain Lucy material (Bob Hope Chevy Show, Victor Borge Theatre, I've Got a Secret and Westinghouse Special) but I don't think they did the recent 3 episodes. The style looks different. It probably has undergone some restoration, but it all depends on the quality of the source. Just have to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucille Ball fan Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Legend Films did a great job with the 2007 dvd release called Lucy's Really Lost Moments. So I think the Milton Berle special will look very good. I could be wrong but I still think Legend Films was behind the I Love Lucy color shows. If I am wrong then who did color the shows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 I didn't mind the way "Victor Borge" looked, and the "Chevy Show" and "I've Got a Secret" were forgivable given the lower quality source material. But I was quite unimpressed with "Westinghouse". Way too garish looking, completely unrealistic and a real eyesore. Certainly did nothing to endear the process in my eyes. And, as usual, Desi's skin was made FAR too bronze. Mercifully they included the proper B&W versions as well. At least the I Love Lucy episodes appeared better looking overall, whichever company did them. I seem to recall Tom Watson mentioning the company in another thread, and I don't think it was Legend. But I could be misremembering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted January 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted January 21, 2014 Report Share Posted January 21, 2014 Ah the days when you had to pull a handle on a slot machine and got real money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted January 21, 2014 Report Share Posted January 21, 2014 Was this a true special or just an episode of Berle's program? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted January 21, 2014 Report Share Posted January 21, 2014 I think just an episode of his regular show. Boobie, how many times do we have to say this, D E S I W A S D A R K E R than most people, her grandfather, upon meeting him for the first time asked her if he was B L A C K ! LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 I think just an episode of show regular show. Boobie, how many times do we have to say this, D E S I W A S D A R K E R than most people, her grandfather, upon meeting him for the first time asked her if he was B L A C K ! LOL! Yes, BUT, Legend's colorization of the Westinghouse Special made him look like he was coated in bronze spray-paint. Even Brock has said elsewhere that his skintone is usually a bit off when colored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likewow Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 There was a time when I would've ordered this right away. But now, since there are so many DVDs I've purchased and never watched again, I'll have to pass. I like their advertising, though: "Finally complete your Lucy collection!" That almost hooked me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 Was this a true special or just an episode of Berle's program? Somewhere along the line, I did see this and can't say I was impressed. Don't remember much about it, so am looking forward to a report. However, I believe it was a special because Berle did not have a series at that point. His next would be the true *nadir* of Mr. Television, "Jackpot Bowling with Milton Berle". He had a 30 year exclusive contract with NBC that was to run until 1981. I wonder who the mastermind behind that was because in '81 Berle would be 73---about the same year I saw him live. For some reason a Catholic college booked him. Sitting up on stage were a bunch of priests and nuns and Berle told such sophomoric, smarmy jokes, it was embarrassing.....Nothing wrong with his delivery, and the crowd was trying to be with him, but my God! this was not the place for boner jokes. His contract was augmented so he could do his 1966 variety show on ABC....augmented so he got less, BUT the contract was still in effect. You would think NBC would use this chance to get out of it. This variety show was a total ratings flop, cancelled at mid-season but I remember it as being entertaining. The only exposure to Berle I had had up to that point was his "Lucy-Desi Hour". The guest star on his first show was Lucy, of course. I didn't think about it until now but Lucy was also the premiere guest on "MTM Hour" "Steve Lawrence" "Pearl Bailey"....Were there others I'm forgetting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 That Zaza Zaza Gabor talk show that I don't think ever took off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 The Milton Berle Show was part of The Sunday Showcase on NBC. There were a couple starring Milton Berle. Some of the shows broadcast in that spot were in color. Too bad this one wasn't. Lucy was also on the premiere of Dick Cavett's summer variety show in 1975. Lucy's appearance on The Pearl Bailey Show was actually the second episode of the series. Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, and Andy Williams were the guests on the premiere. Not series premieres, but Lucy was also on the season openers of The Practice, The Garry Moore Show, The Ann Sothern Show, and Donny & Marie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C L A U D E Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 Yes, mr television could be rude, crude, classless BUT, he did KNOW comedy and didn't become Mr Television or Mr Tuesday night for nothing, he had a well documented flair for outrageous comedy and working with Lucy was like having two real pros at work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 ---Lucy was also on the premiere of Dick Cavett's summer variety show in 1975.--- This is new information to me! What's the story? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 ---Lucy was also on the premiere of Dick Cavett's summer variety show in 1975.--- This is new information to me! What's the story? I've never seen the show, but I've read the reviews. Lucy did a telephone sketch with Dick where she thought he was an obscene caller. I'm not sure how long the sketch was. Liza Minnelli, Henry Gibson, and Doug Henning were the other guests. The show was done in New York. I'm pretty sure Lucy's half of the telephone conversation was taped in California. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted January 26, 2014 Report Share Posted January 26, 2014 Not series premieres, but Lucy was also on the season openers of The Practice, The Garry Moore Show, The Ann Sothern Show, and Donny & Marie. and Flip Wilson! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.