What prevents the Carol Burnett Show from being released on DVD?

Question

I was a fan of the old Carol Burnett Show when I was a kid in the 70's. I'd love to see some of those shows again, in their entirety. However, they are not available on DVD.

My question is: what, specifically, is preventing the release of these shows on DVD? Is it royalties to all the performers? Does someone own all the rights and not want to release them?

Note: my question is NOT "where to get" the DVD's, or "are they available". I know they are not. I'm hoping to hear from someone familiar with the situation exactly what is preventing these shows from being given the full DVD treatment so many other shows have.

Thanks in advance!

Grad Student: The page you link to shows a set of 90 episodes. The show ran for 278 episodes, so this is not a season-by-season release, like other series. Also, the site looks kinda shady. It has no actual picture of the product. I would not buy from a site like that, but thanks anyway.

Also - a google turns up that that set seems to be the cut-down 1/2-hour version of the show, the one that was syndicated as "Carol Burnett and Friends", not the full hour-long original shows.

Additional details on InternationalFilm.com. I got suspicious of this site - no phone numbers or addresses, selling tv shows that th IMDB and Amazon don't show as available on DVD, the product is acually a DVD-R - that just screamed piracy.

Here's a link to a McAfee site patrol-type site that lists it as a spam/phishing site. Stay away from that site!

McAffee link: http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/internationalfilm.tv/postid?p=299858

Answer 1

Very recently -- today or yesterday -- I saw a commercial on television advertising the release of DVDs of the old Carol Burnette show, so I am quite certain that they either are or soon will be available. Good news!

Answer 2

Actually, they are available on DVD. I work for a television station and one of the infomercials we air is for The Carol Burnett Show, and getting the seasons on DVD. I'll check our tapes and get you the contact info.


Try this site:
http://www.internationalfilm.tv/product.php?productid=12824

I found the tape that we air for the Carol Burnett show and called to find out about ordering the tapes. At the moment, they are not available, but will be again soon. It is through Guthy Renker Inc

The number I have for Guthy Renker is 800-538-1990

Answer 3

Maybe Carol Burnett does not want her show to be release on DVD for personal reasons.

Answer 4

I think they are waiting to release it until she dies. Actress Olivia deHavilland (Melanie in Gone With the Wind) would not let any likeness of herself be reproduced until after her death. My guess is Carol Burnett or whoever has ownership of the rights to the show won't release it. Maybe Michael Jackson owns the episodes

Answer 5

Gee, I hadn't heard of his lack of existence & I had watched the data two times as we talk & there replaced into no information about his passing. i'm saddened to hearken to of his passing & will undergo in options him as being such an outstanding comic on the Carol Burnett tutor. i will by no potential ignore the skits Tim Conway & Harvey Korman did on the tutor (dentist, butcher) & how difficult it replaced into for Harvey to keep his composure. I loved the reunion shows Carol & the different forged individuals had & had replaced into hoping yet another you'd be contained in the close to destiny. I doubt which will take position now. thanks for sharing this data with us. edit: Harvey Korman kicked the bucket 4 months after suffering complications from a ruptured belly aortic aneurysm. docs stated as him a "miracle guy" for even surviving any such ingredient contained in the first position.