the benny hill show [1969]

[Stephen Doran]

is this still archived i wondered as network dvd have started releasing from 1970.

[Deleted]

Hi Stepen,

A & E Home Video in America have released 3 DVD box sets to date with a forth one on the way.

The first on (titled Benny Hill Complete and Unadulterated - The Naughty Early Years, Set 1 (1969-1971) contains the following episodes:

1. Episode 1 - November 19th 1969
2. Episode 2 - December 25th 1969
3. Episode 3 - February 4th 1970
4. Episode 4 - March 11th 1970

DISC 2:

1. Episode 5 - October 28th 1970
2. Episode 6 - December 23rd 1970
3. Episode 7 - January 27th 1971
4. Episode 8 - February 24th 1971

DISC 3:

1. Episode 9 - March 24th 1971
2. Episode 10 - November 24th 1971
3. Episode 11 - December 22nd 1971

Presumably there were only 2 episodes made in 1969.

If you are thinking of getting this set and the others, make sure you can play Region 1 DVD's (you'll wait for ever for Network to release them in this country).

Set 2 covers 1972-74, set 3 covers 75-77 and the forthcoming set 4 contains 78-81.

Hope this helps.

Peter

[Nosmo King]

The first show Benny made for "Thames" was screened Nov 1969 ... so yes there were only two broadcast in 1969.

The first two A&E sets are actually region free (R0), the third ... 75-77 .. is region 1 - presumably they were told to encode them after Network started releasing UK disks of the show

[Stephen Doran]

thanks peter&nosmo.

[John Stewart Miller]

I always recalled a sketch featuring Pat Hayes and Benny from this period. Interested in whether this was a BBC or a Thames show. I haven't seen it since so wonder about its survival.

It was a drama called 'The hitch hiker' shot on film stock. It began at a country road side and was one of Bennys satires on drama pieces (such as his spoof of the 60s film 'The Collector' with Terence Stamp).

[Stephen Doran]

the hitch-hiker is on one of the discs,its very funny.

[Andy McKinney]

To the original poster:

If you're in the UK, you may want to know that Network are planning on releasing the two 1969 shows by using them as "special features" on some of the future "annual" sets that contain a lower-than-normal episode count (such as certain years in the '80s where only two episodes were produced in a year).

[Laurence Piper]

Hmm, someone who can actually provide definite advance info on Network's future releases...we should have him stuffed!

[Stephen Doran]

Andy said:

To the original poster:

If you're in the UK, you may want to know that Network are planning on releasing the two 1969 shows by using them as "special features" on some of the future "annual" sets that contain a lower-than-normal episode count (such as certain years in the '80s where only two episodes were produced in a year).

thanks andy.

[Andy McKinney]

Laurence said:

Hmm, someone who can actually provide definite advance info on Network's future releases...we should have him stuffed!

Okay, Laurence, I don't have contacts at Network. I should have said that it has been said at placed like The Mausoleum Club that Network were holding back the two 1969 editions to use on later "annuals" where there were fewer episodes per year.

I found one post archived there that references this, but I do remember reading another where someone was supposed to have asked Network about the two 1969 episodes and that was the reply given.

So, I cannot guarantee that is what they will do, but it has been said and I'm sure they'll put them out. Otherwise, you'd think they'd have started with the 1969 shows from the get-go.

[Stephen Doran]

lets hope "the waiters" will be included too.