Last week we
reported about the first known batch of extras which will be included on Shout! Factory's
June 29th DVD release of
Leave It to Beaver - The Complete Series. Yesterday the DVD Producer on this title at Shout! Factory, Brian Ward, talked a bit further about bonus material for this 37-disc set in
a post at the studio's official message board. Nothing was said to contradict the previous information...rather, Brian expanded our knowledge by speaking more about what will (and won't) be among the set's special features.
He cleared up, first of all, that there will not be official Audio Commentaries on any of the episodes, pointing out that "
...because the LITB episodes themselves were from 50 years ago, most of the cast can't speak in-depth about the specifics today. There were technically 235 of them, after all." Fair enough, so what they are instead doing is using the 6 licensed installments of
Stu's Show (which, as we mentioned in our last report, is the Shokus Internet Radio call-in programs which had
Leave It To Beaver cast as the guests on these particular installments). These radio shows will play over the first episode of each season, in the same way a commentary track would, and "cover a lot of ground" (as Brian put it) about memories of their time creating the show.
About the "Forever the Beaver" and "The Drum Major Of The Toy Parade" Featurettes which Brian has been putting together for the set, he explains what these are in quite some detail: "
...the majority of the featurettes are composed of footage the cast shot themselves and has never been seen by anyone outside the LITB cast and close family. It looks and sounds good, for the most part, and there's a lot covered that we wouldn't have necessarily thought to ask, since they knew better than anyone what to talk about. Included in the featurettes compiled specifically from that footage are Barbara Billingsley, Jerry Mathers, Tony Dow, their great friend Brian Levant, as well as a special short interview Tony Dow conducted with the theme song's composer Dave Kahn." He confirms as well that
Stu's Show host Stuart Shostak recorded the "Ken And Frank Remember" Featurette this past weekend.
Now, on to newly-revealed bonus content! Besides confirming that the show's original pilot ("It's A Small World") is included, he goes on to say that the Savings Bond promo made for the U.S. Treasury Dept. will be included, too! We'll also see "
a couple of original promos," Brian says, plus something completely unexpected: "
Finally, we're including a physical recreation of the original 'Leave It To Beaver' board game by Hasbro as an exclusive in the complete series box set." WOW!
Brian finishes up by commenting that the 37th DVD, the bonus disc, will not be available outside of the
Complete Series box set, so fans should be sure to pick it up. He also urges fans to begin asking about the title NOW at their local retailer, to encourage them to stock the title. He explains, "
Some of 'em seem to think you don't want it. Let 'em know they're wrong!" Good plan. Of course, you can always pre-order
Leave It to Beaver - The Complete Series via the Amazon link just below, and help to support our website with your purchase. We appreciate it!
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