Of possible interest to the HDTV PING LIST
Inception Gets Flip Wilson, Jerry Lewis TV Comedies.
Inception Media Group June 28 said it signed a global home entertainment distribution deal with SFM Entertainment, an independent aggregator of catalog television programming.
As part of the multiyear agreement, Santa Monica, Calif.-based Inception secures rights to early episodes of “The Flip Wilson Show,” the weekly NBC variety show (1970-74) featuring Emmy and Golden Globe-winning comedian Flip Wilson and a parade of notable guest stars.
The break-out series — co-written by George Carlin, among others — propelled Wilson to pop culture fame through such catchphrases as “The devil made me do it” and “What you see is what you get,” and made Wilson (and his alter ego Geraldine) arguably the most influential comedian in the early ’70s.
Other SFM programming in the pact includes restored editions of “The Colgate Comedy Hour,” starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis; “The Jazz Singer” (live 1959 NBC broadcast starring Jerry Lewis); the complete “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp” classic TV series, starring Hugh O’Brian; and the complete classic television series “The Real McCoys,” starring Richard Crenna and Walter Brennan.
The first set of new re-releases on disc and digital will be available this fall.
“Our agreement with Inception Media Group furthers our ability to bring some of the best classic TV programming to consumers around the world,” said Stanley Moger, president and CEO of SFM Entertainment.
Inception is co-owned and run by David Borshell, former president of Image Entertainme