FORTHCOMING & RECENT RELEASES

Apologies for not updating the TV western threads for a while, due to lack of time rather than lack of enthusiasm. Hope to catch up shortly.

Meantime this thread will note recent & forthcoming releases in the TV western field.

RECENT RELEASES

Laramie - Season 2 - Timeless
Overland Trail - Complete series - Timeless
Cimarron City - Complete series - Timeless
The Virginian- Season 6 - Timeless
Wagon Train - Season 5 - Timeless
Fury - Season 1 - (UK Region 2 only) -Network Re-release

FORTHCOMING RELEASES

Riverboat - Complete Series - May 15 - Timeless
Maverick - Season 1 -May 29 - Warners
Bonanza - Season 3 - Vols 1 & 2 - Jul 17 - CBS/Paramount
Yancy Derringer - Complete Series - Aug 7 - Timeless

The following have yet to be confirmed but should be announced shortly. Seems CBS are fast tracking some of their releases, maybe they have twigged we aren't getting any younger.However, in future some of their material will be available on line only, so don't look for it in brick & mortar stores.

From CBS/Paramount

Rawhide S5 Vols 1 & 2 (Sept.)
Bonanza S4 Vols 1 & 2 (Oct)
Bonanaza S5 Vols 1 &2 (Feb 2013)
Gunsmoke S6 Vol 1 (Aug)
Gunsmoke S6 Vol 2 (Oct)
Gunsmoke S7 Vol 1 (Dec) -1st of 1 hour series.
Gunsmoke S7 Vol 2 (Feb 2013)

I also hear Timeless are working on a deal which will bring some further long lost shows to DVD. More info shortly.

Howdy Chris!!

That's great news pard. Timeless had released 12 episodes of Cimarron City some time ago, but there had been no word on the complete series since. Overland Trail was Doug McClure's (Trampas) first series, before The Virginian. Riverboat with Darren McGavin and Burt Reynolds and Yancy Derringer were also excellent series. I look forward to seeing these ole series again, after so many years. Keep up the good work, pard.

Ed

Yeah....like...The Grey Ghost....

You may have heard Timeless Group have been bought out/taken over by Shout. I am not sure if this is particularly good news as Timeless have been the leading outfit for releasing long forgotten old TV westerns on disc. This was mainly due to the president of Timeless , Norm Anderson , being a great fan of the genre & his hope was to get as many as possible released.

Shout seem to specialise in more 'modern' material, 70's 80's sitcoms and to my knowledge have never issued a western series. There have been the usual platitudes about nothing changing ,but with Norm retiring shortly I suspect Shout will be unlikely to sanction releases such as 'Whispering Smith' or 'Tate' which probably didn't sell more than a couple of hundred. Time will tell.

Meantime one bright spot is that prior to the takeover, Timeless were able to obtain the rights to 'Tombstone Territory' & 'Stony Burke' & these should see the light of day before the end of the year. Meantime 'Yancy Derringer' has been put back till October.

I'll be buying Tombstone Territory when it is released. "Whistle a tune that will carry me back to Tombstone Territory." That tune (song) brings back memories of the old show and look forward to watching them again.
Hopefully with Shout taking over it doesn't mean that the sit coms of the 70's and 80's take over their market. If that happens I guess it will be easier to save my money for next year's Memphis Film Festival and a return to India or Nepal for a romp through the mountains.

'Iron Horse'- Dale Robertson colour series .

Season 1 of this series is being released by Sony in their MOD Format on Oct 2nd.

Meantime- The following 2 part series from CBS have now been confirmed.

See 1st post for dates- Gunsmoke S6 (completes all 1/2 hour episodes) , Bonanza S4 & Rawhide S5.

Forthcoming releases

Timeless

The Virginian - Season 7 Feb 5

Wagon Train - Season 6 Mar 5

Wagon Train - Season 8 - Summer

The Restless Gun- Complete Series - Apl 23

Stoney Burke - Complete Series - Apl 16

Tombstone Territory - Season 1 - Apl 2

CBS

Bonanza (2 Vols) - Season 5 - Feb 12- Season 6 (2 vols)- July 2- Season 7 (2 vols)- Oct 02

Gunsmoke Season 7 - Vol 2 Feb 5

Gunsmoke Season 8 (2 vols) May 7 - Season 9 (2 vols) Aug

Rawhide Season 6 (2 vols) Jun 4 - Season 7 (2 vols) -Aug

Have Gun , Will Travel -Season 6 (2 vols) - May 7

TCG

Bat Masterson - Seasons 1 & 2 - Jan 29 ?

Infinity

Life & Legend of Wyatt Earp - Season 2 - Apl

Warner Bros

Maverick -Season 2 - Apl 23

I have both Tombstone Territory & Restless Gun on pre-order. Looking forward to those. Would like more of these but gotta wait til I can afford them. My top priority at this time is saving $$$ to go to Memphis Film Festival in June and back to Npal & India in Spring of 2014 for some good mountain trekking.

YANCY DERRINGER is out now and it is excellent. Even better than I remembered it being. Only thing about it that seems "off" is that the ballad style theme song "They say that Yancy Derringer had ruffles on his wrists---brocade and silver buckles---and iron in his fists" is not there in the compilation. I must assume this is a situation like that of The Rebel, where the original Johnny Cash ballad rendition could not have the copyrights cleared and an instrumental replaced it on the episode soundtracks. With Derringer, while the ballad is nowhere to be heard, what is there is an excellent orchestral composition that sounds both adventurous and waltz-like at the same time. Really quite impressive. And the thing "grows" on you. It is very memorable and catchy and you actually find yourself humming it or whistling it at times. That is the mark of good thematic composition. Mahoney looks to do his own stunts in the show (like that would be a stretch) and now and again---such as in one rather exciting punch-out fight atop a billiard table---when Yancy blasts the bad guy off the table and the fisticuffs are over, there is no editing cut-away where the stunt double is replaced by the actor. It stays clear here that the "stunt double" is the actor. Very glad to see this series issued and highly recommend it.

There have been so many releases in 2013 I thought I would just list them in case anyone wasn't aware & may be interested. Everything is generally available at Amazon -

CBS/Paramount

Bonanza Season 5 (2 volumes)) - Released Feb

Bonanza Season 6 (2 volumes) Releasing July

Bonanza Season 7 - Possibly Oct, no official confirmation

Gunsmoke Season 7 (volume 2) - Released Feb

Gunsmoke -Season 8 (2 volumes) - Released May

Gunsmoke - Season 9 (2 volumes) -Releasing Aug

Have Gun Will Travel Season 6 (2 volumes) Released May

Rawhide Season 6 (2 volumes) Jun 04.

Rawhide Season 7 Possibly August ? - No official confirmation

TIMELESS

The Virginian Season 7 Released Feb

The Virginian Season 8 (Final season-Releasing July. 'Men from Shiloh' already released.)

Wagon Train Season 6 Released March

Wagon Train Season 8 (Final Season) Releasing Jun 11

Tombstone Territory Season 1 Released Apl

Timeless plan to release further seasons in due course.

Stoney Burke -Complete Series Released Apl

The Restless Gun - Complete Series Released Apl,

Bearcats Complete Series -Released May -

Gene Autry - Final Season in Colour - Released May

in the pipeline but not confirmed 'The Rebel', Mackenzies Raiders, Hondo.

Classic Media

The Lone Ranger Collectors Set -contains every episode of TV series + the two Clayton Moore movies & many extras.

Seems to be a re-release of the 2 season set issued a couple of years back with the John Hart & colour episodes + the 2 films added. - Very expensive.

CTG

Bat Masterson Seasons 1 & 2 Released Jan.

Apparently they don't have the rights to Season 3 at present.

INCEPTION MEDIA

The Life & Legend of Wyatt Earp Season 2 Released March

No plans for remaining seasons at present ?

Warners

Cheyenne Season 5 -Released March MOD

Maverick Season 2 Released Apl

Sugarfoot Season 1 MOD -Not at Warners site & Amazon say July 16., however it is already out ! I got mine from Deep Discount weeks ago.

How the West Was Won - Complete 1st season - Releasing July

Also from Warners - 2 further volumes in their Monogram Cowboy Collection series - Vols 5 & 6 . 5 contains more Johnny Mack Brown & 6 is Jimmy Wakeley -available now, both MOD.

& from mainly public domain outfit Mill Creek - Lash Larue Collectors set - 12 movies for $12.99

Shout have also put out a set containing 4 50'S westerns with George Montgomery, Rory Calhoun, Joel McCrea -Gun Belt/Lone Gun/Gunsight Ridge/Ride Out for Revenge under the title Movies 4 You -Western Classics. $8.99

Timeless will release 'Mackenzie's Raiders' starring Richard Carlson on Oct 8th. This was a ZIV syndicated series from the late 50's. It will contain 38 of the 39 episodes despite being billed as the complete series. It appears that the last episode is unavailable.

Recent releases include 'Wagon Train' Season 8 & 'The Virginian' Season 8. Both these shows are now complete on DVD.

'Sugarfoot' Season 1  & 'Cheyenne' Season 6 are both now available from Warners MOD programme or from Amazon.

A few updates

Warner Bros Archive
Maverick Season 3 has just been released and is available now. The first two seasons were available retail but it has now reverted to MOD status, although the first batch is usually pressed discs.Price has also jumped significantly, in a month or two it should be available via Amazon for less.

Nichols - this short lived unusual series with James Garner has also been available for a few weeks. Obtainable at Amazon also but expensive.

Sugarfoot Season 2 - Being released November 5

Although I have no confirmation I understand that the final season of Cheyenne will be out before Christmas.

TGG

Bat Masterson Season 3 - being released Nov 5. One episode 'Trouble on the Trinity' is not included due to rights issues.


CBS/Paramount

Rawhide Season 7 Vols 1 & 2 - March
Bonanza Season 7 Vols 1 & 2 - June
Rawhide - Season 8 - June
Gunsmoke Season 10 Vols 1 & 2 Aug.
Bonanza Season 8 - Oct  2014
Gunsmoke Season 11 Vols 1 & 2 Dec  2014

TIMELESS

No news at present, though I have heard they are working
on a couple of things.

Chris

I sure would like to see somebody release the 17 episodes of "The Rounders" starring Ron Hayes, Patrick Wayne, Chill Wills and Old Fooler, the mustang.

Not too much in the way of new releases or announcments -

As mentioned in the last update 'Rawhide S7' has been confirmed for Mar 4th.
All the other CBS/Paramount releases in last update post are definite despite
anything you may hear on other forums.

Maverick S4 - Warners Bros will release this in their MOD programme Jan 4th.

Warners are also claiming they will release S5+ the two later spinoffs 'Bret Maverick' & 'Young Maverick' when the main series is completed. I think we will also see 'Sugarfoot' 'Bronco & 'Colt 45.' in due course.

'Tombstone Territory' -in a curious move Timeless/Shout have put 'the complete series'
out as a Walmart exclusive. Wether this will eventually show up at Amazon etc. I don't know. It will mean re-buying Series 1 again, however the Walmart price is only around $20.00 so quite a good bargain.

Apparently they are still working on 'The Rebel' but have run into print problems. They may also pick up on two abandoned series 'The Big Valley' & 'Zane Grey Theatre' in 2014.

Finally 'The Rifleman' - The copyright holders have put out S1 under theie own steam,
www.therifleman.net for details. Somewhat overpriced at "$69. (also available at Amazon for the same price.)

A happy New Year to all.

Chris

My brother Ray saw the Tombstone Territory full series dvd at a local Walmart and bought it. Said the quality is great. I already had season one but as I am just about finished watching the season I sent Ray a check (there are no Walmart's in Santa Cruz County where I live) and he bought one for me so now I have the whole series to watch. Love it.
   Looks like a good roundup of these old westerns coming out...can't wait til Lawman is available. And, Chris, do you ever hear any news on Rin Tin Tin ever being released. Lee Aaker told Jim and I about 12 years ago he thought they would be coming out...but so far, no news of it. Have a great New Year and if all goes well I hope to make he Memphis Film Festival (and Jim too)...altho it won't be quite the same without my cousin. Take care.............Tom.

Hi Chris,
That's great news about The Big Valley.
I've had the First Season and Season Two part 1 for about six or seven years.Bronc.

Tom
No, I don't think you will be seeing Rin-Tin-Tin anytime. I understand the 'rights' are complicated.

There was a release in the UK  some years ago. This claimed to be 'the complete series'. Actually it was 64 (of the 165 episodes). These were the ones that were colourised for syndication. All the music was changed to a horrible dirge & several minutes cut from each episode. Horrible release.

A few episodes also surfaced in the Netherlands but long deleted.

Sad as it would be one of my top desires for release.

A couple of updates -
As per my earlier post Rawhide S7 has now been released & the final season has now been confirmed  for June.

Cimarron Strip -the complete series coming from E1 Entertainment May 27th. It has been available in the UK for a couple of years as individual DVD's.No remastering & the silliest menus ever.I imagine the US release will utilise the same prints, hopefully different menus.

CHAMPION THE WONDER HORSE - 23 (of 26) episodes put out by Film Chest. This was another series released in the UK several years back albeit with atrocious prints which contained a logo. The new US release claims to be fully restored, although from 16mm archival prints, so don't expect the crystal clear 'Gunsmoke' type of picture. Not sure why both the US & UK release omit 3 episodes, I would have though they were available.No longer owned by the Autry company so I don't knpow where the prints come from.

Looks like 'Bonanza' S7 has been postponed or more likely abandoned due to poor sales of S6.

Howdy Chris!!

Pard, the last I heard, Stuart Whitman owned the rights to Cimarron Strip and was selling them in the U.S. for 20.00 per episode. Guess he wasn't selling all that many, due to the high price and decided to lease the copyrights to some studio. It was a 90 minute series as I recall and co-starred Randy Boone, who left The Virginian for this series. It only lasted a couple of years, but it was a purty good one as I recollect. There's a site called Wayback t.v. Shows that offers all 23 episodes for 60.00, but I think it's a pirate company that has just copied them off t.v. Ole Randy should have stayed with The Virginian, since it continued through 1971.

Ed

Pards, here's the low-down on Cimarron Strip. Entertainment One is releasing the the Complete Series on DVD on May 27. It's an 8 disc set, priced at $79.98. The info is here:

 http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Cimarron-Strip-The-Complete-Series/19714

Forthcoming & recent

Gunsmoke S10 - Vols 1 & 2 - August - ridiculously overpriced at $42 per volume at Amazon.
$33 per volume at Amazon Canada.

Sugarfoot 3 from Warners - released

Barbary Coast  - released.

Bonanza 7 - 2 volumes - Sept 2

Bronco Season 1 Jul 29 from Warners

How the West Was Won S2 - Released

Zane Grey Theatre 2 (or theater as you yanks have it ! ) - October from Timeless- $27.98 from Amazon US - !$16.99 - from Amazon Canada.

Big Valley S 4 from Timeless -October 

Annie Oakley - - Complete Series from VCI - October.

Hi ya Chris --- Thanks for the update. I have Zane Grey Theatre Season 2 on pre-order on Amazon.

Not much new to report, real slowdown in releases.

Gunsmoke S11 (last of the black & whites) in Dec. -
(Just to blow my own horn I revealed this in an earlier post in October 13 last year- first with the info on this forum guys !). 

As previously mentioned Annie Oakley - complete series of 81 episodes in October from VCI.
These appear to be the prints held by the daughter of Gail Davis, so should be decent quality.

Nothing else new at the moment, though Timeless still say they will release 'The Rebel', also some more 'Tales of Wells Fargo' & the mid sixties colour series 'Shane' along with S3 OF 'Zane Grey Theater'. No dates yet.

Hi Chris,
According to Classicflix season 3 of Zane Grey Theatre is being released on December 2nd. The same day as Gunsmoke season 11.Bronc.

I bought about half the Annie Oakley's from Gail Davis' daughter a few years ago...the quality of those are very good. I have season two of Zane Grey on pre-order so look forward to season three. Also already have Shane from someone on Ioffer but would like to upgrade those as that was a good show too.