How exactly would you go about releasing a show like The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on DVD? With multiple piecemeal releases over the years, there's a proven interest in Carson's run on the show, but with over 2,000 episodes stretching over three decades, how the hell do you approach the sheer volume of material? Now word comes via TVShowsOnDVD.com that Amazon and Respond2 Entertainment have teamed up to try something new: manufacture-on-demand copies of selected episodes made available via Amazon's CreateSpace program.
Amazon currently has nearly 60 episode disks available right now, each running around a half hour for $12.99. Presumably Amazon will be adding more episodes in future months. Odds are we'll never see a release of Carson's entire voluminous run on the show, but this is a great solution for fans wanting to add some of their favorite moments to their collection. You can check out the full press release and box art below.
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.
