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Question about old syndicated rerun packages

The first four seasons (1950-54) of "You Bet Your Life"
were not included in the rerun package; in his book "The
Secret Word Is Groucho," he said that there were some
legal problems; I wonder if they might have been related
to ownership of those episodes: NBC or Groucho and producer-
partner John Guedel, who sold the show to NBC around 1954.
However, those early shows are available on DVD, so you can
see Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, the show's most memorable
contestant, who appeared in 1953. (BTW, Guedel and Art
Linkletter also sold "People Are Funny" to NBC around the
same time, and only 150 of 246 episodes were syndicated,
although many were probably destroyed.)
 
bpatrick said:
The first four seasons (1950-54) of "You Bet Your Life" were not included in the rerun package; in his book "The Secret Word Is Groucho," he said that there were some legal problems; I wonder if they might have been related to ownership of those episodes: NBC or Groucho and producer-partner John Guedel, who sold the show to NBC around 1954. However, those early shows are available on DVD, so you can see Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, the show's most memorable contestant, who appeared in 1953. (BTW, Guedel and Art Linkletter also sold "People Are Funny" to NBC around the same time, and only 150 of 246 episodes were syndicated, although many were probably destroyed.)
Click to expand...
I think part of the problems may've had to do with the McCarthy era; I read somewhere that the original YBYL musical director, Jerry Fielding, was blacklisted for several years starting in the early 1950's, so it was on that basis that those early episodes were taken "off market."
 
I meant to bring this up earlier but was short on time, but I've read where TV Land will buy a limited number of episodes on some shows, probably for a test run, and depending on the ratings they may buy more. If this is true this might explain why some shows run on TV Land for a short time and are never seen again or are shuffled off to very early morning time slots.
 
TV Land has been doing that for years...enticing viewers with endless promos, and usually a 'marathon' to start, then abruptly pulling or moving shows to make way for the next 'new arrival'.
This led to lower ratings, which led to the new "mostly-reality mixed in with 'Andy Griffith' and 'Gunsmoke' schedule.
 
When Nick At Nite had The Facts Of Life in 2000-2001 quite a few episodes they deemed controversial were omitted such as First Time, Breaking point, Dope.

Also, in terms of package deals, I recall around 1986 WGBO 66 Chicago had a weekday checkerboard of I believe Harper Valley PTA, Square Pegs, Carter Country and a few others.
 
When The Facts of Life was in syndie reruns in about 1986-87 (I watched TFoL in those days on WPHL-17 Philadelphia) the first season or two, pre-Jo (Nancy McKeon) were never shown.

ixnay
 
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