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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THIS MAY, TIMELESS MEDIA GROUP WILL RELEASE ONE OF THE LONGEST-RUNNING,
LANDMARK TV WESTERNS -- NEVER BEFORE AVAILABLE ON DVD!
THE VIRGINIAN:
THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
Fully Restored and Digitally Remastered, This Stunning 10-Disc Collector's Set ($79.98SRP) in
Embossed Tin Packaging Features Over 39 Hours of the First 90-Minute Television Western,
Including a Bonus Disc Featuring Exclusive Interviews with The Virginian
James Drury, Roberta Shore (Betsy), Gary Clark (Steve Hill) and More!
IN STORES AND TIMELESSVIDEO.COM ON MAY 25
EUGENE, OR - Owen Wister's 1902 western novel "
The Virginian" was one of the first great novels of the American West. Set in the semi-mythical town of Medicine Bow, Wyoming in the 1890's, it chronicled the lives and relationships of the people who came west to settle the wild land. The title referred to a man of mystery whose past was unknown, and whose future, like the West itself, was as big as the western landscape. Although adapted for the big screen four times prior, in 1962, NBC Television gambled with a 90-minute color version starring James Drury as the titular character. With its talented central cast and A-list guest stars, excellent scripts, and stunningly photographed scenery, the show -- the most ambitious western ever produced for TV -- became a mainstay on American television. And after nine seasons and 249 episodes, "
The Virginian" would go on to become the third longest-running TV western, behind only "
Gunsmoke" and "
Bonanza."
On May 25, Timeless Media Group and NBC Universal will saddle up this landmark television classic - available on DVD for the very first time - as
THE VIRGINIAN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON. Available in exclusive, collectible embossed tin packaging, the 10-disc set features all 30 full-color episodes from the first season of the show, fully restored and digitally remastered from source materials, assuring an optimal viewing experience. The eagerly-anticipated set, presented in full screen, also includes a bonus disc featuring all-new interviews with actors James Drury ("The Virginian"), and cast members Gary Clark ("Steve Hill") and Roberta Shore ("Betsy Garth"). Robert Fuller (
Laramie, Wagon Train) and Peter Brown (
The Lawman, Laredo) also discuss their roles on "
The Virginian" and the making of classic television westerns.
The Virginian made its first screen appearance in Cecil B. DeMille's 1912 silent movie adaptation, followed by another silent film in 1923. Perhaps the best-known version was Victor Fleming's 1929 film starring Gary Cooper as the man with no name, a role that was reprised by Joel McCrea in 1946. So, when NBC's elaborate, expensive adaptation of Wister's novel - each episode cost approximately $320,000 (about $2.3 million today) -- hit the airwaves in '62, it was one of the more storied and best-known westerns in the genre. Airing on Wednesday from 7:30-9:00pm, it broke into the Nielsen Top 10 in 1967 and gave NBC the genre hit it had been searching for.
In the title role of
The Virginian, foreman of the Shiloh Ranch owned by Judge Garth, James Drury (
Ride the High Country) was cast. Although he was weaned on Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw, Drury was made for the part, having starred in a 1956 unsold pilot for "
The Virginian," an episode of the short lived Screen Gems anthology show "
Decision." With an air of mystery and a blend of calm, authority and appropriate flare-ups, he was one of only two actors to star in the entire series run. Doug McClure (
The Unforgiven, Checkmate) was perfectly cast as Trampas, the loveable rogue, along with the unforgettable, Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated Lee J. Cobb (
"12 Angry Men," On the Waterfront, The Brothers Karamazov) as the patriarchal figure of Judge Garth, Gary Clark (
Hondo) as ranch-hand Steve Hill, Pippa Scott as Molly Hill and Roberta Shore (
The Young Savages) as the Judge's niece, Betsy. In later seasons, this talented ensemble would be joined by Randy Boone, Clu Gulager (
The Tall Man), Charles Bickford and Lee Majors.
Filmed mainly in the greater Los Angeles area, on the back lots and sound stages at Universal Studios and surrounding ranches such as Iverson, Albertson and Disney's Golden Oak Ranch, the show was also strengthened by supremely-talented A-list guest stars who, each week, brought their skill to the set of
The Virginian. Season One's line-up of luminaries reads like a who's who of Hollywood, with star turns by actors such as George C. Scott, Lee Marvin, Bette Davis, Robert Duvall, Brian Keith, Colleen Dewhurst, Hugh O'Brian, Gena Rowlands, Jack Warden, Ricardo Montalban, Fabian, Eddie Albert, Vera Miles, Ida Lupino and many more!
With Percy Faith's distinctive theme leading the way, this singular, memorable western earned its rightful place in television history. And, this May, fans both old and new will have the wonderful opportunity to visit the Shiloh Ranch again and again with
THE VIRGINIAN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON...only from Timeless Media Group.
About Timeless Media
Timeless Media Group (TMG), a leading independent home-entertainment distribution company, produces, licenses and distributes a variety of video and audio products to a majority of retailers throughout the U.S. Products include its own award-winning military history documentaries, first run movie titles, classic television programming, and special interest DVD, along with an extensive offering of collectible compact discs. Visit www.timelessvideo.com .
THE VIRGINIAN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
Street Date: April 27, 2010
Running Time: 2370 minutes + extras
SRP: $79.98
Format: DVD/10 Discs
Genre: Classic TV
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