Building A Nostalgic Videotape Library

It’s another prime-time TV season. Despite all the new programming, you may find yourself running out of things to watch-so why not create the perfect TV nostalgia schedule? A cornucopia of programs many thought had vanished are now available on home viddo. Here’s a suggested schedule, based roughly on when the shows originally aired.

SUNDAY

7:30-8 p.m., “The Jack Benny Show”

Benny, a radio superstar since 1932, moved easily into TV and his CBS programs are still hilarious. MCA has issued pristine copipi of two programs that aired in 1958: the hilarious “Christmas Show” and “The Railroad Station.” Shokus offers many programs, including the original commercials, with such superstars as Bob Hope, George Burns, Bing Crosby and Walt Disney.

8-9 p.m., “The Ed Sullivan Show: Toast of the Town” (Video Yesteryear)

This is the first program in Sullivan’s 11th season on CBS in 1958. It features the typical collection of Sullivan guests: Stewart Granger, comics Mickey Rooney and Joe E. Lewis, and newsmaker Col. “Pappy” Boyington.

9-10 p.m. “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”

MCA offers sharp copies of this 30-minute (later an hour) CBS (and NBC for a season) anthology series featuring the director as perfect host. The stories often ended with evil triumphant until Hitchcock returned after the commercial to tell the viewers the villain actually went to jail or met a horrible end.

MONDAY

7-8 p.m. “The Outer Limits” (MGM/UA)

“Do not attempt to adjust your TV picture. There is nothing wrong with your set. We are controlling transmission.” Along with “The Twilight Zone,” this was one of the better sci-fi TV programs, although occasionally marred by a moralizing conclusion from the show’s creator, Leslie Stevens.

More than two dozen programs of the ABC series are available. Start with the first episode starring Cliff Robertson in “The Galaxy Being” (Sept. 16, 1963) and work your way through episodes with Robert Duvall, Robert Culp, Martin Sheen, Dabney Coleman, Ed Asner and, in the oddest episode in the series, “Don’t Open Till Doomsday,” Miriam Hopkins.

8-8:30 p.m. “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” (RCA/Columbia Home Video has several volumes; Shokus offers several other shows)

This CBS series was one of the most innovative situation comedies in television history. George not only played Gracie’s husband, but on a moment’s notice and with the characters in the comedy unaware, he became an on-screen narrator, looking into the camera, commenting on the action and letting the audience become an active participant in the show.

8:30-9 p.m. “Trouble with Father-The Stu Erwin Show” (Shokus)

ABC’s leading bumbling father series in the 1950s featured the well-meaning but incompetent middle-aged suburban parent perfectly played by comic Erwin. (The opposite side of the coin , “Father Knows Best,” is harder to find on video.)

9-9:30 p.m. “I Love Lucy”

(CBS-Fox, two episodes on each tape, four episodes on each laser disc)

The Ricardos (Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz) and the Mertzes (Vivian Vance and William Frawley) are featured in the timeless CBS comedy classic. Volume One includes the classic “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” and “Lucy’s Italian Movie.”

9:30-10 p.m. “The Spike Jones Show” (Paramount).

Spike’s City Slicker Band was mostly summer relief on NBC and later CBS, but who c c resist “Dinner Music for People Who Aren’t Very Hungry.” A nice way to end the evening.

TUESDAY

8-9 p.m. “The Milton Berle Show”

Shokus has two vintage 1953 programs that illustrate why Berle’s ground-breaking NBC program was the most popular television program in the early days of television. “Mr. Television” is as funny as ever. 9-10 p.m. “Marty” Rod Steiger’s “Goodyear TV Playhouse” production featuring Rod Steiger in the Paddy Chayefsky television classic (MGM/UA) is as powerful today as it was whennit was first televised live on NBC on May 24, 1953.

Next week: Suggested nostalgia viewing for Wednesday-Saturday.

Many video stores do not regularly stock these tapes. They can be ordered by writing Fox Hills (5730 Buckingham Parkway, Culver City, Calif. 90230; 800-421-4509), MPI Home Video (15825 Rob Roy Drive, Oak Forest, Ill. 60452; 800-323-0442), Rhino (2225 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, Calif. 90404; 213-828-1980), Shokus Video (P.O. Box 8434, Van Nuys, Calif. 91409; 818-704-0400), Unicorn (20822 Dearborn St., Chatsworth, Calif. 91311; 818-407-1333), Video City Productions (4266 Broadway, Oakland, Calif. 94611; 415-428-0202), Video Yesteryear (P.O. Box C, Sandy Hook, Conn. 06482; 800-243-0987), Worldvision (660 Madison Ave., New York, New York 10021; 212-750-5366).