Shindig & other US Pop shows

[Steven Sigel]

Does anyone know the archive status of US Pop shows like "Shindig"? I just ran across a great 16mm kinescope of a Shindig episode with Boris Karloff as guest host -- he even sings (sort of - more like he recites it) "The Pepermint Twist" in his best "Boris" voice while a bunch of girls dance wildly around him... (Around and round, up and down and one two three kick, one two three jump ... :-)).

Also has Ted Cassidy and a bunch of obscure bands like "The Gauchos" and all the original commercials...

[RMF]

If I recall correctly, ever episode of "Shindig" survives on b/w kinescope/TR.

Its' rival on NBC, "Hullaballo", also has its' complete run on b/w kinescope/TR, and there are also three surviving episodes on color videotape.

[Stuw]

All 82 episodes exist at the ABC archives. At least 2 exist on videotape. One of the videotaped episodes has the Rolling Stones and the Ronnettes. Of course there is the Beatles performance from a 1965 show which exists on videotape. That whole show supposedly exists on video tape in the hands of a private collector. This is the same collector who has the complete last episode of the Beatles final UK tv appearance. Supposedly almost all the shows have a video tape version which exists in the hands of 2-3 private collectors. There is a very lengthy story (which I won't go into right now) that's never been officially confirmed but I have heard it from several sources in the industry. How these video tape versions escaped the archive is akin to a Watergate scenario. Quite an interesting story. The network supposedly had to borrow 16mm kinescope copies of all aired episodes from one of the original producers, make copies and then return. Unbeleivable if it is true.

All shivaree episodes exist in the ABC archives (kinescope) and all Hollywood palace episodes exist (all video tape with the exception of a 1967 episdoe hosted by Herb Alpert and with Boyce and Hart-which is a black and white kinescope)

Hope this info is helpful.

[Laurence Piper]

VERY interesting. Thanks. I always wondered about Shindig - it was once rumoured here that only a couple survived. We see clips from that show occasionally that are taken from ropy telerecordings. Those pristine VT copies are inaccessible, I take it?

Incidentally, what is the final Batles UJ show you refer to? Do you meanthe missing 16/6/66 Top Of The Pops? I wonder if this will surface eventually..?

[Stuw]

Yes, I was referring to the TOTP 6/16/66 episode with the Beatles.

[Stuw]

Some of the video versions of shindig are in limited circulation amongst some collectors. I have the Beatles segment in pristine quality, the Ronnettes show and another complete episode with I believe the searchers. I'll have to 2x check

[RMF]

According to www.tvtome.com, there are four surviving videotape editions of Shindig that are certain to exist (4/8/65, 11/8/65 (the one with the Rolling Stones/Ronettes), 8/9/65 (which has the Searchers), and 30/9/65). Fragments are known to exist of the pilot, 7/10/64 (the Beatles footage), 23/12/64, 27/1/65, 26/5/65, and 30/6/65.

The episode that StevenS saw was the 30/10/65 episode (Halloween was the next day, hence Karloff and Ted Cassidy (A.K.A. Lurch from The Addams Family))

[sm offline]

With a lot of US shows inserts were recorded in London e.g The Who material from TKAA as mentioned already recorded for shindig. They also recorded My Generation on the same day which has been used on various tv programmes since.

12 official Shindig videos were released in the US in the early 90's including compilations featuring The Kinks, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jackie Wilson, The Righteous Brothers & James Brown. Other videos featured The British Invasion 1 & 2, Frat Party, Groovy Girls, Soul, Rock 'n' Roll & 60's Superstars.

3 Hullaballoo DVD's were released in the US featuring 12 complete episodes including episodes featuring The Kinks & Rolling Stones. The DVD included many bonus clips from various shows including Brian Epstein inserts introducing acts from England. Worth investing in these if you haven't already purchased a copy.

[Stuw]

The pilot episode is a kinescope.