Pilot episode on DVD edited?

[Charlie Chan]

On the Home Theater Forum there are a couple of posts suggesting that the pilot episode on the new DVD set is edited? I am not an expert on this show. Can anyone here confirm or refute that?

[Breather]

The pilot episode-'The Informer'-is missing four minutes compared to the pilot on the Columbia House DVDs and VHS.

On another board, there was mention of a Paramount telephone number to call in order to get the reversed discs 1 and 2 in the set replaced. Apparently, some sets made it to stores with episodes 8-14 on disc #1 and episodes 1-7 on disc #2. Paramount has set up a phone line to handle exchanges for corrected discs. It would be a great idea to complain about the edited pilot to the people at that phone number, if even to have them forward the information.

1-866-627-8201

[Lolac]

Four minutes? That is an outrage! We definitely need to complain!

Lolac
:mad:

[Breather]

Now things may not be so clear. This isn't definite, but it appears that the pilot included on the Paramount set may be exactly how it aired in September of '65. The long version that comes on the Columbia House Season 1-Volume 1(7 episode) DVD(along with the 2 episode CBS Video VHS from '98)contains a pilot that runs 00:30:34. Some have said that the long version was only shown to executives to sell the show and CBS Video and Columbia House put it on as a bonus.

So, if you want the long version, get yourself a copy of the CH Season 1-Volume 1 set(7 episode disc) or the CBS Video VHS with the purple cover. Apparently, the Columbia House VHS has the same shorter version from the Paramount set.

[sarastiles]

thats unusual lol! but i think the shorter one was the one shown in '65 cuz the longer one ran for u said 30 minutes a change and sitcoms are only like what 25 or less minutes altogether when they're shown on tv?

[Bonsai]

There's no way the 30-minute version could have been broadcast----it would have had to be commercial-free and we know the network would never have done that......;)

[TV Knowledge Fan]

...of the original black & white pilot, "The Informer":

The first, running almost 31 minutes, was INDEED the "unaired" version (with extra footage) that CBS used to "sell" the show to potential advertisers [as was the concurrent 31 minute unaired "I DREAM OF JEANNIE" pilot, "The Lady In the Bottle", which is available in certain collector's circles but NOT on DVD], and apparently, it's only available on those "Columbia House" DVD issues.

The one that's "broadcast length", about 26 minutes, is the version that finally aired on the network (minus the original commercials and sponsor i.d.'s), and that's what's now available in the Paramount DVD box sets.


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