Gifts of TV Past

With the holidays in sight, you’re probably wondering what to get the couch potato who already has a home video library of such classic TV series as “I Love Lucy,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “MASH,” “The Honeymooners,” “The Prisoner,” “Dark Shadows” and “Bonanza.” Look no further.

Those familiar titles are just a start when it comes to shows available on video. So, for a stocking stuffer for a television fanatic, here are some offbeat suggestions:

Fans of “The Prisoner” (MPI Home Video), Patrick McGoohan’s classic allegorical series from the ‘60s, may want to check out episodes from his two earlier series: “Secret Agent” ($19.95 each, MPI) and “Danger Man” ($9.98 each, MPI). In both series, McGoohan plays suave British secret agent John Drake. “Danger Man,” a half-hour British series, aired on CBS in 1961. “Secret Agent,” the expanded version, aired on CBS from 1965 to ’66. The only two color episodes from “Secret Agent” have been stitched into the feature “Secret Agent Man: Koroshi,” ($59.95, MPI).

Rhino Home Video (1-800-432-0020) has an interesting selection of videos, including two early small-screen appearances by the late James Dean. He plays Paul the Apostle in the 1951 Easter drama “Hill No. 1” ($14.95). In “The Evil Within,” a 1952 installment of “Tales of Tomorrow” ($19.95), Dean is a scientist working with Rod Steiger on an experiment that goes awry. Also included on this tape are commercials from the live broadcast.

Rhino’s latest vintage line, the “Drama Classics” ($7.95 each), features 10 installments from the ‘50s anthology, “‘Schlitz Playhouse of Stars.” Included in the series is Michael Landon in the 1957 drama “Fight of the Title,” Angela Lansbury in 1955’s “The Indiscreet Mrs. Jarvis,” Bette Davis in 1957’s “Stranded,” James Cagney in 1955’s “A Link in the Chain,” Errol Flynn in 1957’s “The Duel” and Ronald Reagan in 1954’s “The Jungle.”

For sophisticated detective fare, look at Rhino’s collection of “Peter Gunn” episodes ($9.95 each.) “Peter Gunn,” aired on NBC, and then ABC from 1958 to ‘61, and starred Craig Stevens as a suave, womanizing private investigator. Henry Mancini provided the popular theme song.

James Caan, Clint Eastwood, Mariette Harley, Dabney Coleman, Ronald Reagan and Robert Taylor are among the performers who star in episodes of “Death Valley Days” ($9.95 each), also available on Rhino. The syndicated Western anthology series aired 1952-75. Both Reagan and Taylor hosted the series during its 23-year run.

And if you want to relive those thrilling days of yesterday, Rhino offers 20 episodes of “The Lone Ranger,” which aired on ABC from 1949 to ’57 and starred Clayton Moore as the Masked Man and Jay Silverheels as his faithful Indian companion, Tonto. Each $19.95 video contains two episodes, plus new introductions and trivia by Moore. The entire 10-volume set also is available for $149.50.

Video Yesteryear’s catalogue (1-800-243-0987) is a treasure of videos from “The Golden Age of Television,” including episodes of “Westinghouse Studio One” ($24.95). Titles include a 1949 version of “Of Human Bondage,” starring a young Charlton Heston; “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court,” from 1950, starring Thomas Mitchell and Boris Karloff, and Richard Greene and Tom Poston in a 1951 telecast of Shakespeare’s “Coriolanus.” Several of these videos also include commercials.

If you love innovative, wacky comedy, Kultur Video (1-800-458-5887) offers “The Best of Ernie Kovacs” ($19.95 each, $99.75 for all five volumes). Kovacs, who died in 1962, was a true original and Kultur’s five-video collection features classic bits from his various TV shows, including visits with Percy Dovetonsils and the Nairobi Trio. If you order the five-volume set, you also receive a box of Kovacs’ official cigars, Dutch Masters.

From 1959 to ‘61, Kovacs also was the host of the quiz-panel series “Take a Good Look.” Both Moviecraft ($19.95) and Video Yesteryear ($19.95) have episodes from that short-lived program.

For the action-adventure fan, there’s the entertaining “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” starring dimple-chinned Richard Greene as Robin. The series was filmed in England and aired on CBS 1955-58. Moviecraft’s two volumes ($19.95 each) each feature two episodes including commercials. Time Warner Viewer’s Edge catalogue (1-800-228-5400) offers two volumes ($8.95), both featuring four episodes from the series.

And if you’re on a tight budget this Christmas, Concord Video’s “Fifties’ TV Classics” line features vintage TV shows for only $5.95 each. Titles include “Annie Oakley,” “The Cisco Kid,” “Dragnet,” “Duffy’s Tavern,” “Make Room for Daddy,” “Mr. and Mrs. North,” “Sherlock Holmes,” “Beulah,” “The Ed Wynn Show,” “The Loretta Young Show” and “The Howdy Doody Show.”