Time Life continues proving that it is the master of Those '70s (and '60s) Shows regarding the November 7, 2017 22-disc release "The Red Skelton Show in Color: The Deluxe Collection." This celebration of the Golden Age of Television Variety Shows and Specials joins similar recent (reviewed) releases of programs starring Carol Burnett and Bob Hope.
"Skelton" by the numbers is that it includes 130 remastered episodes, a biographical documentary on Skelton that includes home movies, and a collectible memory book.
The centerpiece of this "Best of 2017" set of a generous helping of the 20-season "The Red Skelton Show" is the 10-disc set "The Red Skelton Show" This collection of 31 rarely seen episodes both has a strong line-up of A-Listers of the era and has Skelton aptly clown around with his show-biz buddies. Segments in which he and Milton Berle improvise their lines and joke about stealing each other's gags is a highlight.
We further get Skelton regularly performing his classic characters Clem Kadiddlehopper (whose antics include playing the monster in a skit with Boris Karloff and Vincent Price) and street person Freddie the Freeloader, who joins a hippie family that includes Tim Conway. Skelton further tells many Vaudeville-era jokes featuring Gertrude and Heathcliff the sea gulls.
Each show ends with "The Silent Spot," which makes good use of the pantomime skills of Skelton. This bits include a man desperate for work and a nervous man staying near an airport.
The 8-disc/72 episode "Early Years" set focus on the era from 1952-54; the emphasis is on the characters but has very special guest stars; these notables include Berle, Ann Sothern, Charles Bronson, Jackie Gleason, John Wayne, and members of the Skelton family.
"The Farewell Specials" further celebrate the special comedy of Skelton including a literal "Royal Command" performance in which Skelton shows the royal family that no one does classic comedy better than him.
The most awesome aspect of this set is that it supports the Burnett theory that classic comedy has that title for a reason; it never stops being funny. Skelton lasting 20 years on CBS is a strong indication of that; silly setups and physical humor getting heavy laughs more than 65 years after the premiere of "Skelton" demonstrates that some things are timeless.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Sketlton" is encouraged either to email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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