TVShowsonDVD reports -

The delayed "THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW 50th Anniversary: The Best of Mayberry" DVD set finally has a release date, with a preliminary list of contents...


Quote:

Today CBS DVD and Paramount Home Entertainment announced those completed plans, with a new street date of December 21st! They've also informed retailers of many of the specifics, too. We've found out that this will be a 3-DVD package running 429 minutes, with the following features: • 17 of the best episodes from the original, iconic series • The "Danny Meets Andy Griffith" episode from The Danny Thomas Show's seventh season • Clips from "Opening Night" 1962 and 1963 • "Return to Mayberry" TV Movie • "Fishing Hole" montage • Main Title with sponsor spots; cast commercial end credits with sponsor spots • View all Episodic Intros • "Celebrating Fifty Years of Mayberry"

just in time for Christmas!

I wasn't expecting much more than a generic collection of episodes from this, but it actually sounds very nice.  Plus, the $24.99 SRP means it will likely be available for $15-20 at most places.

Good news. Can't wait to purchase this. Or should I wait for Santa (Ben Weaver) to put one in his suitcase?

From "Danny" to "Movie" has me sold!  You reckon Barnes and Noble will carry it? 

Probably get it at the flee market a few days after its released for $6

Rare Nickle wrote on Oct 12^th, 2010 at 2:52pm:

Probably get it at the flee market a few days after its released for $6

They still have the 321 Flea Market just out of Dallas, NC ?

you know they do! where else would all those pagan 'illegles' go on Sunday?

'illegal'

Yeah its still there...................but......................theres a lot of people there from "somewheres else"..................theres one in Kings Mountain thats a real flea market...................all outside stuff and all local folks.

Rare Nickle wrote on Oct 13^th, 2010 at 10:55am:

Yeah its still there...................but......................theres a lot of people there from "somewheres else"..................theres one in Kings Mountain thats a real flea market...................all outside stuff and all local folks.

Where abouts in Kings Mountain?

Tween Kings Mountain and Bessermer City in front of the ole radio station if you know where that is.

Rare Nickle wrote on Oct 13^th, 2010 at 12:31pm:

Tween Kings Mountain and Bessermer City in front of the ole radio station if you know where that is.

Yep...pretty close.  Use to have kin that lived in Bessemer City.

WKMT was one of the best AM radio stations around............the second gereration owners sold to some folks from"some wheres else"..................it was Tommy Failes last gig before his passing.

Rare Nickle wrote on Oct 13^th, 2010 at 1:29pm:

WKMT was one of the best AM radio stations around............the second gereration owners sold to some folks from"some wheres else"..................it was Tommy Failes last gig before his passing.

Kinda like WAGY in Gaffney I reckon.  One day I tuned to it to listen to bluegrass gospel and heard music from "some wheres else".  mmmmhhhhh.  I always liked Tommy Faile.   :'(

rip wrote on Oct 13^th, 2010 at 2:22pm:

Rare Nickle wrote on Oct 13th, 2010 at 1:29pm: WKMT was one of the best AM radio stations around............the second gereration owners sold to some folks from"some wheres else"..................it was Tommy Failes last gig before his passing. Kinda like WAGY in Gaffney I reckon.  One day I tuned to it to listen to bluegrass gospel and heard music from "some wheres else".  mmmmhhhhh.  I always liked Tommy Faile.   :'(

Karl I thought they took the radio out of the day room, some of the friends did not quite understand the concept of voices coming out of a box.  :o

Hodie Snitch wrote on Oct 13^th, 2010 at 4:41pm:

Kinda like WAGY in Gaffney I reckon.  One day I tuned to it to listen to bluegrass gospel and heard music from "some wheres else".  mmmmhhhhh.  I always liked Tommy Faile.   :'( Karl I thought they took the radio out of the day room, some of the friends did not quite understand the concept of voices coming out of a box.  :o

Well, we did have a problem, but we have pretty well solved it now.  Seems some of the boys was mainly upset cause they thought there was a little man trapped inside the radio and they kept taking the back off of it to let him out....kept it tore up all the time pulling out tubes and stuff to see if he was hiding behind them.  After a while the doctors finally convinced them it was really magic that made them voices come out of the box and they have been OK with it ever since.  Penology shore has come a long way in the last few years....and boy am I glad!

http://www.tvshowsondvd.net/graphics/news3/AndyGriffitShow_50thAnniversaryBestOfMayberry_f.jpg

It appears Barnes and Noble will have it on December 21, just barely in time for Christmas

So does it say what the 17 "best" episodes are?  Why do I have this sneaking suspicion that these 17 will contain most if not all of the public domain episodes?  Sure not!

And what is "Opening Night" 1962 and 1963?

Not that it matter, I'll be buying just to have that very cool cover.

aw, big ain't the word for this!!
I gotta start being nice now for Santa to bring this!!

but if you have the box-set you already have all the 'extras' included here, I was hoping for more 'unreleased' or 'alternate takes' and what-not.

I didn't buy the boxed set.  I bought them one season at a time.  Therefore, no 'extras'.

Been poutin'  :'( about it for some time, but not no more.  :D

Shemp wrote on Oct 11^th, 2010 at 6:47pm:

"Celebrating Fifty Years of Mayberry"

What's celebrating fifty years of Mayberry and opening night?

MissEllie wrote on Oct 18^th, 2010 at 3:09pm:

Shemp wrote on Oct 11th, 2010 at 6:47pm: "Celebrating Fifty Years of Mayberry" What's celebrating fifty years of Mayberry and opening night?

"Celebrating Fifty Years of Mayberry" is probably a new video tribute as this is the first time Mayberry has been 50 years old.

Opening Night?  Not sure.  Did they maybe have a special before party before the first episode was recorded back in the 60's?  I dunno.  I'll let you know when I get my copy.

Pierre wrote on Oct 19^th, 2010 at 8:45am:

I'll let you know when I get my copy.

k thanks. I already have Return to Mayberry and probably all 17 episodes. so if celebrating fifty years of mayberry and opening night are good I'll probably get it, if not... :-X

there is not much 'un-released' TAGS stuff left ...I'm guessing.

are there any behind the scenes videos from TAGS?

A pre-release review of the upcoming "50th Anniversary" DVD set reports that the pilot episode from THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW is complete, with Will Wright's scene intact.  Total running time for that episode is 27-1/4 minutes.

Earlier, the THOMAS pilot packaged with TAGS' Complete Series DVD box set was a syndication cut, with several minutes missing, notably Will's scene as the shady haberdasher.

Review at The Home Theater Forum

Thanks for the link, Shemp.  Nice to see a detailed description of the features.

Shemp wrote on Dec 10^th, 2010 at 10:10pm:

A pre-release review of the upcoming "50th Anniversary" DVD set reports that the pilot episode from THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW is complete, with Will Wright's scene intact.  Total running time for that episode is 27-1/4 minutes. Earlier, the THOMAS pilot packaged with TAGS' Complete Series DVD box set was a syndication cut, with several minutes missing, notably Will's scene as the shady haberdasher. Review at The Home Theater Forum

Also, the epilogue to "The Darlings Is Coming" is now intact.

Just added it to my Christmas list!

Say it agin.  :-/

"Video Quality

3.5/5
... Most are clean transfers with just occasional glimpses at dust specks, debris, or slight aliasing."

What does 'aliasing' mean? It's used several times in the critique.  :(

Pierre wrote on Dec 14^th, 2010 at 1:22pm:

What does 'aliasing' mean?

In photographs and graphics it means a bumpy or ragged edge around something.
It might mean the same thing with video quality.

The first image below is not aliased.  The second is.

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/2836/aliasj.jpg

O-o-o-o-o-oh

Probably comes from multiple generation copies removed from the original negatives.

Got it today at Walmart for $ 15.00
Got my three least favorite episode, but its a good colectable and worth the $$15

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z74/BARRY7X/AndyGriffithShow_50thAnniversaryBestOfMayberry.jpg

How is the transfer of "The Darlings Are Coming?"   I understand that it is now complete with the tag scene, but does it look like they have found a better print than the one used for the earlier DVD release?

"Got my three least favorite episodes," says RareNickle

Now I just have to guess . ;)

I'm going with:
Mr McBeevee
Man in a Hurry
Class Reunion
????

Pickle story
Dogs, Dogs,Dogs
Opie The Bird Man

Should have said least favorite B/W episodes.

you got something against kerosene Barry? ;)

Kerosene on the rocks

Rare Nickle wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2010 at 5:09am:

Kerosene on the rocks

I think they sell that right across the street from the police station in my hometown.

After all that agonizing about which one to get, I got to Wal-Mart on the 21st and all they had was the 50th anniversary one.  So I got it and we're real happy with it.  The Danny Thomas pilot is funny!

Laura Lee Hobbs wrote on Dec 27^th, 2010 at 5:51am:

So I got it and we're real happy with it.

You've been  freed from TV Land! ;)

Unfortunately, "The Darlings Are Coming" is STILL incomplete on the new DVD release.   The tag/epilogue scene is there now, and the episode has been mastered from a superior print than that used for the earlier DVD releases, but the second jailhouse performance by The Darlings and Andy is not included.  Not happy about this, I dug out a very old VHS tape and rescued the missing song...which is the first time "Salty Dog Blues" was played on TAGS.  Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeNe5MLgyHM

Very cool that several of the episodes on the first two discs of the set include the sponsor logo after Opie throws the stone into the lake, and also include the original closing credits of Andy and Opie leaving the fishing hole (preceded by a shot of them on the lake walking away from a boat).   I had only seen some of this material before in blurry YouTube copies.

Here are a few captures:

http://www.retroweb.com/bb/andy_griffith_show_extras_1.jpg

(Opie drops a fish)
http://www.retroweb.com/bb/andy_griffith_show_extras_2.jpg

(Opie wipes the fish off on his blue jeans)
http://www.retroweb.com/bb/andy_griffith_show_extras_3.jpg

http://www.retroweb.com/bb/andy_griffith_show_extras_4.jpg

http://www.retroweb.com/bb/andy_griffith_show_extras_5.jpg

Retro your last post was the news I was waiting for now I will buy this. As always your post are the most informative. :)

Thanx Retro. I remembered that scene where Opie dropped the fish and went back to pick it up but everybody I knew that watched TAGS told me I was crazy and they never seen that before. This confirms what I thought was right all along.

uncle nat wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2011 at 1:16am:

but everybody I knew that watched TAGS told me I was crazy

We don't think you and Karl are crazy Nat. Just "curious acting".  :D ;D

Puddingtame wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2011 at 9:00am:

We don't think you and Karl are crazy Nat. Just "curious acting".

I think I'm a NUT!  :)

I was not only chairman of the tin foil drive but I was also voted the "class clown" back in high school!  :-X

Puddingtame wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2011 at 9:00am:

We don't think you and Karl are crazy Nat. Just "curious acting".  :D ;D

Aren't ya kind....aren't ya kind.  Unfortunately I am afraid I have gone beyond curious.  :-/

Got mine on Dec. 30.  It shipped on the 20th, went from Reno to North Houston (took 6 days), then to regular Houston, then Forest Park Illinois, then to my home. 

Watched "Make Room for Daddy" and the Reunion movie.  Worth the price of admission.  Then I watched the two Darling Episodes.  Seems to me the quality was better than my DVD seasonal sets, but cannot confirm, as It's been a while since I'd viewed them.  Also, I think the "Mountain Wedding" closing scene with the party at the Darlings was longer than I've ever seen since my youth.  I did not remember ET trying to get Barney to dance. 

And, no, no "Salty Dog Blues" on "The Darlings are Coming."   >:(

This is nice for all of us who bought the show season by season and weren't able to get the pilot episode and "Return To Mayberry" movie that was only offered in the complete boxed set. Aside from the episodes and the movie, some new sponsor spots and other interesting tidbits not included in any other DVD release of the series have been added.

Even nicer is the COMPLETE version of the pilot on this DVD set unlike the previous release by Paramount! It now includes the suit rental shop owner scene with Wil Wright, Andy's final speech on Danny's television show is extended, the epilogue is longer, and now a Maxwell House commercial with Andy and Danny appears before the closing credits.

Season Three's "The Darlings Are Coming" is another episode that was edited on Paramount's previously released DVD. The 50th Anniversary disc contains a still edited, but different version. A Post Cereals commercial with Andy and Opie has been added just after the opening credits. Now only a line or two of dialogue has been snipped from Andy's first meeting with the Darlings (I believe more was cut from the previous release). A brief portion of the Darlings playing music just after they arrive in their hotel room is missing along with their performance of "Salty Dog" and the bit of dialogue just before. The epilogue showing Andy marrying Charlene and Dud just before the Darling family plays "Cindy" has been added.

Season Four's "The Sermon For Today" still loses its laugh track at the 18 minute mark of the program. The first DVD release of this episode contained no laugh track. Paramount treated this as a defect and replaced the DVDs with a "fixed" version, but this episode along with "A Black Day For Mayberry" (which does not appear on this 50th Anniversary set) still have incomplete laugh tracks.

Even with its flaws, this disc set is a worthy addition to your Andy Griffith Show collection. I think having the complete pilot and Return To Mayberry are worth the price alone.

as far as I'm concerned, they could leave the laugh track off all the episodes, I like to decide for myself when I should laugh and when I shouldn't without being prompted.

Pierre wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2011 at 8:59am:

Got mine on Dec. 30.It shipped on the 20th, went from Reno to North Houston (took 6 days), then to regular Houston, then Forest Park Illinois, then to my home.

It's headin' for Canada!

widow bradshaw wrote on Jan 16^th, 2011 at 6:41pm:

as far as I'm concerned, they could leave the laugh track off all the episodes, I like to decide for myself when I should laugh and when I shouldn't without being prompted.

I can see your point, but the shows are edited to allow for the laughter. Many of the gags and jokes would seem odd without it because it just becomes awkward silence.

By the way, it took me all of 2 hours total to restore the laughter to the last 7 minutes of "A Black Day For Mayberry" and restore the cut scenes from "The Darlings Are Coming." When I get hold of my Columbia House VHS tape of "The Sermon For Today," I plan on restoring the last 7 minutes of laughter to that episode, as well. If I can do it, why can't Paramount?