Remember the Abbott and Costello TV show? Being restored from the camera negatives at long last..

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Steve Hoffman, May 22, 2021.

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  1. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    This is going to be so cool. Historian and restoration expert Bob Furmanek clued me into this. He's been busy!

    If Bob is involved in this you know it's going to be amazing.

    Pre-order THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW Season One Restored!

    I have fond memories of watching the show in reruns on TV when I was a kid in the 1960's. I loved Joe Besser as Stinky (holding that giant lollypop) and of course Hillary, the high class (but nice) tenant. She called Costello "Lewis."

    I remember (although it's been years) that the boys treated Hillary Brooke with respect on the show, never pranked her in any way. It also freaked me out (as a kid who watched a lot of TV) that Hillary was the mom in INVADERS FROM MARS (1953) that wuz pushed underground by converted Dad and became a baddie when the Martians drilled a control device into the base of her skull. Actually I felt a (slight) tingle of fear when watching her on Abbott and Costell0, like she could turn bad at any second. Added to the experience.

    Regarding Hillary Brooke, imagine my surprise years later when my mom and I were watching on TV a Sherlock Holmes Basil Rathbone flick ("The Woman In Green" I believe) and I said, "That's Hillary from Abbott and Costello and Invaders From Mars. She's from England."

    My mom snorted and said: "No honey, she's from Queens, New York. Her accent is fake."

    I was crushed, heh.

    At any rate, click on the link and check this out!!
     
  2. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni

    Location:
    USA
    That’s fantastic news! Love A&C.
     
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  3. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Thank you, Steve!

    I had the great pleasure of interviewing Ms. Brooke in 1990 for our book. She was absolutely wonderful and a VERY sweet lady!

    You can see a clip of her in HD from the new 4K restoration:

     
    Ere, supermd, Strat-Mangler and 6 others like this.
  4. MAYBEIMAMAZED

    MAYBEIMAMAZED Don't think Twice it's alright

    Location:
    DFW TEXAS
    Wow that’s cool.


    Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein is my favorite! :laugh:
    I think I will watch it tonight so funny!
     
  5. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    24 hours into the campaign and we are at 60% funded. Fantastic, that is certainly an excellent start!

    I've gotten several inquiries about current "HD" uploads that are found online. Those streaming versions of the show are not HD, they are the same old analogue scans that have simply been artificially upscaled. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. The difference between those ancient scans and our new restorations are night and day.

    The first season episodes were filmed in four separate groups. Usually, all of the scenes for six (or seven) shows were done over a period of ten days. Seventy years ago today, filming was done on the interior hallway rooming house scenes for episodes one, two, five and six. On set that day were Bud, Lou, Sid Fields, Gordon Jones and Hillary Brooke.

    [​IMG]

    Please continue to share the news about this restoration project. Thank you!
     
  6. nosticker

    nosticker Forum Guy

    Location:
    Ringwood, NJ
    Looks awesome! The first thing I noticed besides the resolution is the absence of the "rocking in the gate" in the 4K transfer.



    Dan
     
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  7. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    In my humble opinion, this will be the best quality 1950s TV show on Blu-ray. The picture and audio on the original 35mm elements are simply phenomenal. When we began scanning, the entire team was blown away!
     
  8. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Bob, I gave a little nudge on Facebook as well. Such a worthy project..

    Steve Hoffman
     
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  9. jjh1959

    jjh1959 Senior Member

    Location:
    St. Charles, MO
    I pledged 5 minutes after the announcement I knew was coming. It will be nice to dump the dvds I've had of these for years.
     
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  10. Mirrorblade.1

    Mirrorblade.1 Forum Resident

    Nothing as bad as honeymooners quality.. they show it on decades once and while
    They use there old routines from all there movies..
    I have almost all there movies.. I enjoy them..
    Tv show it's a hit and miss.
    The thing I wonder if there enough interest? I'm Gen X.. I grew up with them..
    Some people of my generation moved on.
    Will there be enough sales..?
     
  11. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    Yeah, when you can do a pin-registered scan, what you're seeing exactly reproduces the accuracy of the camera. On a lock-down shot, I'll sometimes do a digital pin-registration pass on top of that so it looks at the entire frame and steadies it from that, but it won't work if there's a lot of people moving around or if the camera isn't 100% locked. I always say, the additional steadiness also makes the picture look sharper, and I have no doubt that 1950s original B&W negative could look extremely good done the right way.
     
  12. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Wow, 48 hours in and we are already 71% funded. That is incredible, thank you SO much to everyone for your enthusiasm and support!

    Seventy years ago today, they filmed exterior scenes for the first six episodes on the backlot "Roach Street" where so many classic comedies had been made in the 20s and 30s with Laurel and Hardy, Charley Chase, Our Gang and many more.

    Joe Besser filmed his first appearance as "Stinky" in the Drugstore episode. Forty-three years old at the time and simply listed as "Boy" on the Call Sheet, this beloved character became an integral part of the shows madness. The world was never the same again.

    "I'll harm you!"


    [​IMG]

    Please continue to share the news about this restoration project. Thank you!
     
  13. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    I don't remember the TV show that well but it is great to hear when old shows get restored. I've recently watched them in the movie Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein and it was very enjoyable. I hope other old TV shows get the HD treatment too. The pictures shared on this thread look fantastic I can even see the grain on this microscopic computer screen.
     
  14. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Seventy years ago today, the company shot additional exterior scenes for episodes one through five on the Hal Roach backlot.

    Reuniting with Lou that afternoon was Glenn Strange. Towering one foot above him at 6' 5" and demanding an explanation of some provocative photos taken with his girlfriend, Tessie Tinfoil, the imposing actor had previously menaced Lou as the Frankenstein Monster in 1948. They had recently finished filming COMIN' ROUND THE MOUNTAIN at Universal a few months earlier in February 1951.

    Glenn reported to the set at 12:00 and was dismissed at 4:40. It was a beautiful day in Culver City that afternoon with temperatures in the mid-70s, perfect for outdoor filming.

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Seventy years ago today finds the crew working on interior scenes in their apartment for episodes four, five and six.

    We're getting closer to our goal, please continue to share this campaign. Thank you very much!

    [​IMG]
     
  16. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Seventy years ago today found the crew working on unique interior sets for episodes three, four and five. We meet the landlord's brother, Sporty Fields.

    [​IMG]
     
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  17. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    We are seven days into the campaign and 93% funded. That is outstanding!

    Seventy years ago, on day seven of principal photography, more interior shots were done for the first group of episodes. We learn that Hillary is a nurse by profession and I suspect that's why she can afford to live in such a deluxe rooming house.

    [​IMG]

    Please continue to share the news about this exciting restoration project. We have two really cool stretch goals that are waiting in the wings!
     
  18. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    That is *way* before my time. I've never seen a single episode. But the quality of that restoration floored me! That is gorgeous! Amazing work. :righton:
     
  19. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    On this date seventy years ago, additional interior scenes were filmed for episodes two, five and six. We were very privileged to get a glimpse into the backroom of Mr. Bacciagalupe's bakery!

    [​IMG]

    We are currently 96% funded and $957.00 short of reaching our goal. If we can sell just twenty more copies of the Blu-ray, I will unlock the first stretch goal and it's a gem. You'll have an opportunity to hear incredibly rare audio from the show that has never been heard before!

    Please share this campaign and help us to reach our goal. Thank you!
     
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  20. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    I launched the Kickstarter campaign for THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO TV SHOW just nine days ago. We are now a success and this Blu-ray and DVD release of Season One has been funded. Thank you very much for your support of this most exciting restoration project!

    Here is an update with the first stretch goal for incredibly rare 70 year old audio tracks that have never been heard before. Please share this campaign!

    Update 9: SUCCESS! Stretch Goal #1 · Pre-order THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW Season One Restored!

    [​IMG]
     
  21. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    I received this notification from Kickstarter and they love our project!

    [​IMG]
     
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  22. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

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  23. MarkTheShark

    MarkTheShark Senior Member

    Any plans to do Season 2? Is it true that Season 1 is public domain? Season 2 is still under copyright, correct?
     
  24. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Yes, Season Two is next!

    The show is not public domain.

    Seventy years ago on June 1, the final scenes were filmed for the first six episodes. They worked exclusively on the Theater Stage set that day.

    Marguerite Campbell was on-set handling the cue cards (more about her later in the campaign) and making a brief appearance was a nineteen year old bit player delivering a telegram to Bud and Lou for the opening of episode six. With just three small supporting roles on her Hollywood resume at the time, it's quite extraordinary to realize that seven decades later, this multiple-award winning actress is now a living legend.

    Her name is Rita Moreno!

    [​IMG]
     
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  25. Dan C

    Dan C Forum Fotographer

    Location:
    The West
    I really enjoyed this show when it ran on L.A.'s indie stations in the 70s when I was a little kid. I loved Abbott and Costello in general. Probably haven't seen an episode since then, however.

    What's amazing is how many of the original elements still exist! This seems like a perfect candidate for a "lost series" considering it was never on a network, ran only two seasons and featured, at the time, a fading (but brilliant) comedy team. Good work restoring it!

    dan c
     
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