Don't get me wrong. I love this station. Everything about this station is outstanding. Just surprised that they broadcast in order only the "Donna Reed Show" episodes until the year when Shelley Fabares left the show and Paula Peterson joined the cast full time. Then it was back to the first year episodes.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
ME TV drops the ball for once
- Thread starter ChuckRoast
- Start date
The later shows may not be in the syndication package, and MeTV can't do anything other than negotiate for them the next time around. Many of the shows on Me have the same issue - they don't show the B&W episodes of Petticoat Junction and My Three Sons, and seasons 1-4 of Make Room for Daddy (the ones with Jean Hagen as Danny's wife) are not shown. There's lots of reasons why (cutting down on a lot of episodes in a long-running series, different ownership of various seasons, color eps sell better, rebooting of series).
My personal opinion is you're not missing much with the later episodes of Donna Reed. When Shelly Fabares left and they replaced her with Paul Peterson's kid sister Patty, it jumped the shark. Also, Bob Crane as the new neighbor didn't add anything either.
Too bad they don't show the earlier episodes of Make Room For Daddy and Petticoat Junction. It would be interesting to see the episodes with Jean Hagen and, once again, I think Petticoat Junction jumped the shark when they went to color. Both shows early seasons are available on DVD.
Too bad they don't show the earlier episodes of Make Room For Daddy and Petticoat Junction. It would be interesting to see the episodes with Jean Hagen and, once again, I think Petticoat Junction jumped the shark when they went to color. Both shows early seasons are available on DVD.
therealjm12 said:Too bad they don't show the earlier episodes of Make Room For Daddy...It would be interesting to see the episodes with Jean Hagen...early seasons are available on DVD.
Supposedly, Danny Thomas kept the early seasons out of syndication out of spite toward Jean Hagen, who left after the third season. Hagen couldn't stand Thomas, and more to the point, reportedly had a small ownership in the show.
Then again, Thomas' public reason for focusing on the post-Hagen shows was so it wouldn't confuse viewers with the two different wives.
The first season available on DVD is Season Five, which begins with the start of his new marriage. It also has the final ep of S4 on it, since it deals with Danny proposing marriage. A number of the Hagen-era shows are now in public domain.
ME TV recently did the same thing with My Three Sons. Rather than continue the series into the final two years or so, it returned to the first episode of the 1965-66 season where Mike, the oldest son, gets married and now continues forward from there.
my three sons reruns
Regarding My Three Sons: As a little girl, I remember watching on Saturday nights the episodes of My Three Sons when the triplets were born and then Chip and Polly elope. Until the 1980s when I bought a TV series reference book, I never even knew that there were other episodes after that, because the show was moved to later Sunday evening.
In the mid-70s, My Three Sons went into syndication. The episodes were the ones that began with Mike leaving, and ended with the last few about Chip and Polly. It sounds like Me TV has the same syndication package.
Regarding My Three Sons: As a little girl, I remember watching on Saturday nights the episodes of My Three Sons when the triplets were born and then Chip and Polly elope. Until the 1980s when I bought a TV series reference book, I never even knew that there were other episodes after that, because the show was moved to later Sunday evening.
In the mid-70s, My Three Sons went into syndication. The episodes were the ones that began with Mike leaving, and ended with the last few about Chip and Polly. It sounds like Me TV has the same syndication package.
It’s probably a legal issue that ME doesn’t air the later episodes of the Donna Reed Show. It’s not like I’m a Bob Crane fan. I may watch Hogans Heroes from time to time but only to see the immortal John Banner.
It seems to me that ME is missing a lot of the later Make Room For Daddy episodes too. It could again be legal issues or just problems with the broadcast quality.
As far as My Three Sons, the black and white episodes with William Frawley may be worth watching but this show definitely jumped the shark when it went to color.
It seems to me that ME is missing a lot of the later Make Room For Daddy episodes too. It could again be legal issues or just problems with the broadcast quality.
As far as My Three Sons, the black and white episodes with William Frawley may be worth watching but this show definitely jumped the shark when it went to color.
The last two seasons (1962-64) are also not included in the syndication package. By '62, both Danny Thomas and Marjorie Lord wanted to scale back on their involvement with the show. This was done by having Kathy accompany Danny on a 'world tour'; the Williamses appeared occasionally, 'phoning in' their parts, while the Halpers took care of the kids. While the ratings for those last two seasons were still high when the episodes originally aired, they were eventually withdrawn from rerun packages because viewers tuned out.ChuckRoast said:It seems to me that ME is missing a lot of the later Make Room For Daddy episodes too. It could again be legal issues or just problems with the broadcast quality.
BD Sullivan said:Supposedly, Danny Thomas kept the early seasons out of syndication out of spite toward Jean Hagen, who left after the third season. Hagen couldn't stand Thomas, and more to the point, reportedly had a small ownership in the show.
Then again, Thomas' public reason for focusing on the post-Hagen shows was so it wouldn't confuse viewers with the two different wives.
The first season available on DVD is Season Five, which begins with the start of his new marriage. It also has the final ep of S4 on it, since it deals with Danny proposing marriage. A number of the Hagen-era shows are now in public domain.
From what I’ve read Danny Thomas was livid that Jean Hagen left the show. It put Thomas in bind to come up with a reason for her departure. He wasn’t thrilled with the idea of being a widower. He also had to deal with replacing his original housekeeper on the show with actress Amanda Rudolph, who later became ill and also left the show. Then Sherry Jackson, who played his daughter, decided to move on and Angela Cartwright was added to the program as the daughter of Thomas’ second wife Kathy played by Marjorie Lord.
Getting back to the earlier post I never read anything where Hagen couldn’t stand Thomas. It is my understanding she just wanted to move on with her career. After all she had been in a number of movies during her early years in show business (even starring with Gene Kelly) and might have wanted to return to the big screen.
Remember TV for many actors, especially during that era, was considered a graveyard for their careers.
Of course today many of those same actors wouldn’t even be remembered if it had not been for television. Example: George Reeves.
onairb said:The last two seasons (1962-64) are also not included in the syndication package. By '62, both Danny Thomas and Marjorie Lord wanted to scale back on their involvement with the show. This was done by having Kathy accompany Danny on a 'world tour'; the Williamses appeared occasionally, 'phoning in' their parts, while the Halpers took care of the kids. While the ratings for those last two seasons were still high when the episodes originally aired, they were eventually withdrawn from rerun packages because viewers tuned out.
Ironic don’t you think that both Thomas and Lord wanted to scale back their involvement in the original series which aired in the 1960s, but later decided to reenact their roles in the 1970s version of “Make Room for Granddaddy.” That show proved that it’s very hard for many actors to return to their ‘glory days.’ Just ask Dick Van Dyke (after The Dick Van Dyke Show and before Prescription Murder); Andy Griffith (after Mayberry and before Matlock); and of course Tim Conway (after McHale’s Navy and before Carol Burnett)
Thomas never entirely walked away from 'Make Room for Daddy', at least until 1971. In between, a handful of reunion specials aired on all three networks between '65 and '69; supposedly 'Make Room for Granddaddy' was supposed to air on CBS in 1969-70, but the network wouldn't give Thomas a better time slot.
Sherry Jackson once told a story about how she was complaining about something to do with Thomas, and Hagen replied, "You don't have it so bad. I have to kiss him."Mark_Giardina said:Getting back to the earlier post I never read anything where Hagen couldn’t stand Thomas. It is my understanding she just wanted to move on with her career. After all she had been in a number of movies during her early years in show business (even starring with Gene Kelly) and might have wanted to return to the big screen.BD Sullivan said:Supposedly, Danny Thomas kept the early seasons out of syndication out of spite toward Jean Hagen, who left after the third season. Hagen couldn't stand Thomas, and more to the point, reportedly had a small ownership in the show.
Then again, Thomas' public reason for focusing on the post-Hagen shows was so it wouldn't confuse viewers with the two different wives.
The first season available on DVD is Season Five, which begins with the start of his new marriage. It also has the final ep of S4 on it, since it deals with Danny proposing marriage. A number of the Hagen-era shows are now in public domain.
"Make Room for Granddaddy" aired on ABC in the 1970-71 season. Terry went overseas with her soldier husband (not the same one she married in the original, and no explanation given), leaving her young son with Danny and Kathy. Rusty was in medical school, and Linda was a teenager. Here's a promo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx095NyrSC0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx095NyrSC0
Whatever happened between Jean Hagen and Danny Thomas must have blown over. She later appeared on an episode of the Andy Griffith Show, which Danny Thomas was part owner.
Penney Parker, the 'other' Terry, was also effectively 'fired' in 1960, once her character was married off to Pat Hannigan (Pat Harrington, Jr), who had gotten a lot of screen time for the previous season or so. Their 'farewell' episode had Danny barging in on and interfering with their honeymoon, before he came to his senses and left them alone...forever, as it turned out! Was another name besides 'Pat' used when Terry's husband was mentioned on 'Granddaddy'?MCarney said:"Make Room for Granddaddy" aired on ABC in the 1970-71 season. Terry went overseas with her soldier husband (not the same one she married in the original, and no explanation given), leaving her young son with Danny and Kathy. Rusty was in medical school, and Linda was a teenager. Here's a promo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx095NyrSC0
I think that someone on here mentioned that the last time that the Bob Crane episodes (Season 6 and Season 7) of The Donna Reed Show were last seen in syndication was in the 1970's and that they even aired during its daytime rerun run on ABC. Don't even know why these episodes were skipped over when they ran on Nick at Nite for years unless Donna Reed had something to do with it. Guess we're going to have to see if they even release Season 6, Season 7 and Season 8 of Donna Reed on DVD since the first 5 seasons have been released on DVD.
Braves2005 said:I think that someone on here mentioned that the last time that the Bob Crane episodes (Season 6 and Season 7) of The Donna Reed Show were last seen in syndication was in the 1970's and that they even aired during its daytime rerun run on ABC. Don't even know why these episodes were skipped over when they ran on Nick at Nite for years unless Donna Reed had something to do with it. Guess we're going to have to see if they even release Season 6, Season 7 and Season 8 of Donna Reed on DVD since the first 5 seasons have been released on DVD.
Seasons 4, 6 and 7 of "The Donna Reed Show" were not included in the Screen Gems syndicated package.
One of Thomas' gripes about Hagen (which he wrote about in his autobiography) was that she always dressed VERY casually during rehearsals, causing to once blurt out, "For God's sake, put on some high heels and a little lipstick."BD Sullivan said:Sherry Jackson once told a story about how she was complaining about something to do with Thomas, and Hagen replied, "You don't have it so bad. I have to kiss him."Mark_Giardina said:Getting back to the earlier post I never read anything where Hagen couldn’t stand Thomas. It is my understanding she just wanted to move on with her career. After all she had been in a number of movies during her early years in show business (even starring with Gene Kelly) and might have wanted to return to the big screen.BD Sullivan said:Supposedly, Danny Thomas kept the early seasons out of syndication out of spite toward Jean Hagen, who left after the third season. Hagen couldn't stand Thomas, and more to the point, reportedly had a small ownership in the show.
Then again, Thomas' public reason for focusing on the post-Hagen shows was so it wouldn't confuse viewers with the two different wives.
The first season available on DVD is Season Five, which begins with the start of his new marriage. It also has the final ep of S4 on it, since it deals with Danny proposing marriage. A number of the Hagen-era shows are now in public domain.
- Status
- This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.