Originally Posted by TVShowsOnDVD

Since 2001, and as recently as just a month ago, DVD releases of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson have steadily been made available in a number of ways, including direct-sales, "club" offers, and of course via traditional in-store retail channels. All have been deftly handled by the fine folks at Respond2 Entertainment, but their biggest obstacle all along has been that there is just SO MUCH material to release! And some fans want it all, and others want to focus in on their favorite episodes, or episodes containing their favorite moments or guests. How do you overcome an obstacle like that? Well, it seems that Respond2 has teamed up with Amazon's CreateSpace program to come up with a solution: you try to put as much of it as possible on DVD, but in a way that lets the fans pick-and-choose or themselves which episodes to purchase!

Today Amazon/CreateSpace and Respond2 Entertainment have announced that beginning immediately Amazon is exclusively selling manufacture-on-demand (MOD) releases of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on DVD, produced using the CreateSpace DVD-on-Demand program. Each disc contains selected (and legally clear-able) scenes from the named episode, roughly a half-hour's worth of material per DVD, at $12.99 apiece.

Expressing pride in working with Respond2 Entertainment on this project, CreateSpace managing director Dana LoPiccolo-Giles said they "are delighted to provide customers with the opportunity to relive some of their favorite Tonight Show moments with the undisputed king of late-night TV for more than 30 years." Over 50 episodes are represented in the titles available to order right away (you can use either the above-provided link, or the button link below) and additional DVD releases of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson are expected to be available at Amazon.com through CreateSpace in the coming months. Immediately below is a selected portion of today's press release heralding the official announcement, and at bottom you'll find a sample package cover from The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson - Show Date 12/31/65 (the earliest episode represented among these MOD releases, three years after Carson's debut on the program).

The legacy lives on! CreateSpace, part of the Amazon.com, Inc. group of companies, and Respond2 Entertainment today announced that they will release highly anticipated classic TV series content on DVD. A broad array of individual episodes from "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson", that spans four decades of the show, are newly available for sale on DVD exclusively via CreateSpace's DVD on Demand technology. In addition, the titles will be offered for digital sale through Amazon Video On Demand.

The unique CreateSpace DVD on Demand platform allows networks, studios and marketers such as Respond2 Entertainment to bring their TV content to a broad consumer base in a quick and cost-effective way since titles are manufactured only in direct response to customer demand. In addition, CreateSpace can distribute a wide range of content on-demand through Amazon.com and other channels, including Amazon Video On Demand.

"We are very excited to expand our title selection with CreateSpace to include individual episodes of 'The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,' " said Brian Hepner, director of Sales & Marketing, Respond2 Entertainment. "Each and every fan of this timeless show has their own unique list of favorites - from individual guest appearances to specific show dates - and now they will be able to enjoy the episodes that they desire most."

The debut release of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" marks the first time that the show has been released in individual episode format. Spanning 1965 to 1990, the first wave includes 56 original shows representing the life of the remarkable, long-running series. Customers can select the programs with their favorite celebrities of the time - from Frank Sinatra, Bette Midler and The Jackson 5 to Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise and Muhammad Ali among many others - as they get reacquainted with unforgettable regular features such as Carson's Carnac the Magnificent, animal handler Jim Fowler and loyal sidekick Ed McMahon.

With an average nightly audience of nearly 12 million viewers, Carson enjoyed an amazing run through seven American presidents, from John F. Kennedy to George H.W. Bush, and eight Emmys. To this day, few entertainers have achieved the iconic status of Carson - and none have been more warmly adopted by American audiences.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.net/graphics...12-31-1965.jpg

Originally Posted by Spottedfeather (Post 10521402)

Unfortunately, none of the episodes they have out are any that I'm even remotely interested in. I want the one with Tonto from The Lone Ranger where he throws the tomahawk into the crotch of the outline man drawn on the boards. Very funny.

Originally Posted by Spottedfeather (Post 10521402)

Unfortunately, none of the episodes they have out are any that I'm even remotely interested in. I want the one with Tonto from The Lone Ranger where he throws the tomahawk into the crotch of the outline man drawn on the boards. Very funny.

Originally Posted by Pizza (Post 10521664)

MOD is perfect for something like this, but for the entire episode, not highlights. This and Mister Rogers will die quick deaths or will see sharp price reductions.

Originally Posted by DRG (Post 10521771)

The 30 minute versions are an even bigger ripoff when you consider that in the 1960s a typical hour-long American show would run for 51 minutes excluding advertisements (that figure according to Wikipedia). I can understand if they need to cut a musical number, but what's the other 15-18 minutes they're cutting?

Originally Posted by PaulNJ21 (Post 10522276)

The conversion on the Tonight Show box set which recently came out was so bad, I emailed the company about it... it isn't a problem with the masters, but their DVD conversion and it is both awful and annoying to sit through and they refuse to admit it is their mistake.

Originally Posted by Mike86 (Post 10523893)

I wish some modern late night shows would do this too (Letterman, Conan, Ferguson).

Originally Posted by calhoun07 (Post 10525574)

I would LOVE to see old classic Letterman again. It seems like it's been ages since Trio carried the show and nobody has picked up the rights to it for some reason.

But I disagree that other shows should follow this sales plan. It's a hard sell to anybody except a hard core fan to pay $13 per episode. Even if it was uncut.

I would rather see Letterman release a massive box set of his early shows from Late Nite. Music included.

Originally Posted by rw2516 (Post 10522575)

In the 60s the Tonight Show was 90min. so 45min. is cut.

Originally Posted by calhoun07 (Post 10525574)

I would LOVE to see old classic Letterman again. It seems like it's been ages since Trio carried the show and nobody has picked up the rights to it for some reason.

But I disagree that other shows should follow this sales plan. It's a hard sell to anybody except a hard core fan to pay $13 per episode. Even if it was uncut.

I would rather see Letterman release a massive box set of his early shows from Late Nite. Music included.

Originally Posted by rw2516 (Post 10522575)

In the 60s the Tonight Show was 90min. so 45min. is cut.