Disc News: Complete Mama’s Family Coming Home

Disc Announcements

Mamas_Family_title_screen

The Carol Burnett Show came to an end in 1978 yet one of her best sketches refused to go away. Vicki Lawrence’s character of the overbearing mother had remained in the mind of so many viewers that wanted more of her. Well their wish came true in when she was given her own series in the winter of 1982. Vicki toned down the character a little bit so that she wasn’t always trying to break the will of Eunice (Carol Burnett). Now all six seasons are coming out on DVD with Mama’s Family: The Complete Series. Here’s the press release from Starvista Entertainment/Time Life on how to order the show online:

DO YOU REMEMBER MAMA?

BEGINNING THIS JULY, STARVISTA ENTERTAINMENT/TIME LIFE, IN CONJUCTION WITH WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT, INVITES YOU TO SPEND SOME QUALITY TIME WITH ONE OF TELEVISION’S ORIGINAL DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES IN AN EAGERLY-AWAITED TV CLASSIC

COMING TO DVD

MAMA’S FAMILY: THE COMPLETE SERIES

Vicki Lawrence’s Beloved Character , Thelma ‘Mama’ Harper, Stars Alongside Rue McClanahan, Betty White, Ken Berry, Harvey Korman and Carol Burnett in This Hilarious ’80s-era TV Classic spun off from The Carol Burnett Show; it makes its COMPLETE SERIES DVD Debut in a Collector’s Set Featuring All 130 Episodes from the Original Broadcast Masters, More Than 10 Hours of Bonus Content Programming,

Including a Cast Roundtable Reunion, the 1982 CBS Movie “Eunice”, an Exclusive, New Interview with Vicki and Carol Burnett

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE AT MAMASFAMILYDVDS.COM

FAIRFAX, VA — From the first time the wildly-popular sketch “The Family” aired on The Carol Burnett Show in 1974, Vicki Lawrence has been followed by a buxom, blue-haired, purse-lipped, 65-year-old widow. This is, of course, Thelma Mae Crowley Harper, Lawrence’s indelible, abrasive and smart alecky alter ego who would eventually be spun-off into her own delightfully offbeat sitcom Mama’s Family, which debuted on NBC on January 22, 1983 and ran for six seasons. This July, StarVista Entertainment/Time Life, in conjunction with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, invites all classic TV aficionados and sitcom lovers to spend some quality time with one of television’s original dysfunctional families with MAMA’S FAMILY: THE COMPLETE SERIES. Marking the first time the entire run of this fan-favorite series will be released to DVD, the set will initially be offered exclusively online, available for pre-order for $199.95 at MamasFamilyDVDs.com

Set in the fictional city of Raytown, MAMA’S FAMILY revolves around the eye-opening escapades of the Harper clan, headed by formidable matriarch, Mama Harper, a fiery-tempered no-nonsense woman who does not suffer fools gladly. In fact, she makes everybody suffer a little with her patented snappy retorts that truly put the “diss” in dysfunction. Across 130 thirty-minute episodes spanning six seasons, viewers are treated to hilarious – and sometimes heart-warming — family comedy of the highest degree. Adding to the unforgettable mix are Mama’s journalist sister, Fran (Rue McClanahan, The Golden Girls), who lives with her; her youngest son, Vint (Ken Berry, F-Troop), who moves in with his two teenagers after he is evicted; and Naomi (Dorothy Lyman, All My Children), who marries Vint by Episode 4. Mama’s extended family includes her two daughters, highfalutin’ Ellen (Betty White) and high-strung Eunice (Carol Burnett), as well as Eunice’s husband, Ed (Harvey Korman).

MAMA’S FAMILY: THE COMPLETE SERIES will arrive in a handsome collector’s set featuring all 130 episodes on 24 DVDs. The first two seasons feature the rare, original broadcast masters (the “Joe Hamilton” cuts) of the episodes which fans have clamored about for years; they also feature Harvey Korman’s hilarious introductions as Alistair Quince (spoofing Alistair Cooke). The set also contains over ten hours of specially-created programming including: a cast reunion roundtable with Vicki Lawrence (Mama), Ken Berry (Vint), Dorothy Lyman (Naomi), Beverly Archer (Iola), and Allan Kayser (Bubba), all-new cast and crew interviews, including the aforementioned cast, Betty White, executive producer Rick Hawkins, costumers Ret Turner and Bob Mackie and others, a very special one-on-one interview with Vicki “interviewing” Mama through the magic of split-screen; an exclusive new Carol Burnett and Vicki Lawrence interview, the 1982 CBS-TV movie Eunice, which takes the Harper Family on a 23-year journey; an introductory note penned by Lawrence, key “Family” sketches from THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW and much more.

“I couldn’t be more excited that Mama’s Family is being released to DVD by StarVista/Time Life,” said Vicki Lawrence. “They did such a wonderful job in bringing The Carol Burnett Show to a new generation with their recent collector’s editions, and now, consumers will finally be able to bring Mama and her relations into their very own homes!”

“Well, it’s about damn time,” said Mama. “I thought I was gonna have to wait’ll the Great Beyond to see this day”.

Following StarVista Entertainment/Time Life’s triumphant release of THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW (which, to date, has sold over 4 million DVDs), MAMA’S FAMILY is certain to thrill fans who’ve been eagerly awaiting its complete, unadulterated DVD release for years. And, if you’ve never visited Raytown, you’ll be glad you did in this spinoff sitcom that launched 1000 quips.

# # #


MAMA’S FAMILY: THE COMPLETE SERIES

Online pre-order begins: July 26, 2013

Price: $199.95

Online Exclusive Collection includes:

130 episodes across 24 DVDs in a collector’s set featuring eye-catching artwork and an introductory note from Vicki Lawrence
Collectible Mama’s Family Album featuring character bios, a Mama’s Family Tree, and interviews and anecdotes from cast members

Ten hours of specially-created bonus material including interviews, featurettes and more, including: a cast reunion roundtable with Vicki Lawrence (Mama), Ken Berry (Vint), Dorothy Lyman (Naomi), Beverly Archer (Iola), and Allan Kayser (Bubba); All-new cast interviews, including the aforementioned cast members as well as Betty White; A special interview featuring Vicki “interviewing” Mama through the magic of split-screen technology; An exclusive, new interview featuring TV comedy legends Vicki Lawrence and Carol Burnett; Crew interviews with executive producer Rick Hawkins, costumers Ret Turner and Bob Mackie and show writers Jim Evering and Manny Basanese; The 1982 CBS-TV original movie Eunice – the precursor to the MAMA’S FAMILY series — which takes the Harpers on a 23-year journey; Key “Family” sketches from THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.