Classic television is about to get a lot clearer with three of the greats coming out on Blu-ray on May 6th. The Honeymooners – ‘Classic 39′ Episodes contains all the sitcom episodes about Ralph, Alice, Norton and Trixie. Even with so few episodes, Jackie Gleason’s work of genius has been in reruns forever. I Love Lucy – Ultimate Season One brings the crazy redhead to extra vivid black and white. Imagine what people will see with more detail given to Fred Mertz’s face. The Andy Griffith Show – Season One promises to give more definition to Barney Fife’s single bullet. These shows will look better than ever thanks to Blu-ray. Here’s the press release from CBS DVD:
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (March 28, 2014) – Three of television’s most beloved classic comedies will arrive looking better than ever when I LOVE LUCY – ULTIMATE SEASON ONE, THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW – SEASON ONE and THE HONEYMOONERS – “CLASSIC 39″ EPISODES make their Blu-ray Disc debut May 6th from
CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution. All three shows are finally available in high-definition with image quality never seen before. Specifically, every episode has been transferred from the original camera negative, producing crisp details, and rich sharp blacks.
I LOVE LUCY – ULTIMATE SEASON ONE
I LOVE LUCY – ULTIMATE SEASON ONE brings to Blu-ray the hilarious first episodes of the groundbreaking series starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Alongside such classics as the “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” episode selling Vitameatavegamin are never-before seen treats, including Lucy and Desi’s makeup and wardrobe tests where the off-screen couple are filmed together just days before full-scale production began. Also included is the pilot episode, re-mastered from its recently discovered original 35mm negative. Along with radio broadcasts, on-set color home movies and backstage photos, the collection features some of the series’ most beloved episodes, including “The Ballet,” “Pioneer Women” and “The Freezer.”
THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW – SEASON ONE BLU-RAY
All 32 episodes of the first season of THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW have been restored in sparkling high definition, with original sponsor openings and closings. Starring Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Don Knotts and Frances Bavier, the beloved series about small-town America includes rare special features, including color on-set home movies shot by Ron Howard’s father Rance, Edward R. Murrow’s insightful interview of Andy Griffith on Person to Person in 1957 and a new HD transfer of the Return to Mayberry television movie.
THE HONEYMOONERS – “CLASSIC 39″ EPISODES BLU-RAY
Also brilliantly re-mastered in high-definition, THE HONEYMOONERS – “CLASSIC 39″ EPISODES BLU-RAY collection contains full-length episodes of the iconic series, starring the one and only Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph. Special features include a never-before-released, hour-long musical The Honeymooners: The Adoption from 1966; a memorable 1984 “60 Minutes” profile of Jackie Gleason; both The Honeymooners Anniversary Special (1990) and The Honeymooners 50th Anniversary Celebration (2002) Jackie Gleason interviewing a Queens bus driver as guest host for Edward R. Murrow on Person to Person; and original openings, closings and cast commercials.
CBS Home Entertainment manages the worldwide DVD and Blu-ray businesses for the CBS Corporation across all lines of content including current hits and classic series from the vast CBS library, as well as new releases from Showtime Video. CBS Home Entertainment products are released on the CBS DVD and CBS Blu-ray labels.
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for certain DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment titles. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.
