The Joey Bishop Show - The Complete Second Season (1961)

The comic genius behind the legendary Rat Pack, and co-star of the original "Ocean’s Eleven," stars in this sparkling sitcom available for the first time on DVD in this exclusive collection authorized by Bishop. The Joey Bishop Show ran from1961-65. The second season marked a new beginning for the series, with new cast members, new characters, and a new premise that revitalized the series, making it a hit with viewers and Bishop fans. Bishop stars as New York talk show host Joey Barnes, whose professional life hilariously collides with his personal life. Abby Dalton joins the series as Joey’s new wife Ellie, with Joe Besser (The Three Stooges) as fussy building superindendent Jillson, and Guy Marks as Joey's conniving manager. Contains 34 episodes, each in "living color," along with vintage archival extras, including the series pilot.

The Joey Bishop Show - The Complete Second Season

I enjoyed the Joey Bishop Show. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as I Love Lucy, Make Room for Daddy or The Dick Van Dyke Show so I was not as disappointed as most people. Joey Bishop did not have the comedic timing that Dck Van Dyke had and he did not have the onscreen chemistry with Abby Dalton that that Van Dyke had with Mary Tyler Moore. Guy Marks was amazing and I was shocked when after 8 or 10 episodes his character disappeared and was never mentioned again. When it comes to The Joey Bisho Show I just wanted to watch a sitcom from the sixties that had a definite 1960s feel. I have to admit I enjoyed every minute of this dvd set and I can not wait for the complete series to be released. March 4, 2008

Love it for what it is....

What a pleasure to finally be able to own this program! While the subject matter and dialogue are not deep or thought-provoking, the program is representative of a simpler, more innocent time, a time when a comedy was a comedy. Further, this program was not "badly acted" on Mr Bishop's part but a tongue-in-cheek portrayal of his "stone-faced" persona. In reality he had a terrific sense of humor and great comedic timing (he was responsible for many of the hilarious routines and one-liners from the Rat Pack shows featuring himself, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr and Frank Sinatra); and it was plain to see the great relationships between the players in this comedy and the genuine amusement on their faces as they played off each other, as though they were sharing a private joke. Abbie Dalton in her role as the loving and adoring wife, Ellie, and Joe Besser as the over-weight yet hyperactive, hen-pecked, cinnamon bun-addicted building superintendent, Jillson, shine in their supporting roles.

In rebuttal to other reviews which accuse the show of being sexist and condescending, I feel I must point out that the program cannot be viewed purely through "modern" eyes (or should I say feminist eyes [yes, I am a woman]) but must be judged by the social attitudes of the time, which were portrayed fairly accurately. I can attest to that, as this was the time period in which I grew up. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every episode and am holding out hope that release of the other seasons will be forthcoming.

February 27, 2008

Very Good Sitcome

I disagree with some of the reviews regarding the Joey Bishop Show. I thought the show was well written and sophisticated. The chemistry of the cast is good and the color is fine. The only negative I could come up with is the lack of the opening credits. Otherwise the DVD set is fine. Joey Bishop was a great entertainer and a very attractive man. February 5, 2008

Guy Marks Shines; Joey Bishop Doesn't InThis Waste Of Color Film

It's hard to understand today why Joey Bishop was ever considered star material. A fourth-rate actor and comic, Bishop always acted as if whatever he was doing was somehow beneath him. On this series, he seems perpetually miffed, simply putting up with having to endure each poorly written, uninspired episode until it finally sputters to a stop. His smug, sexist, condescending tone makes not just his wet blanket character but the man himself entirely unlikable. Abby Dalton gamely does her best in the thankless role of his wife. The only bright moments come via the personalities of (and not the lines assigned to) some supporting characters and guests. Joe Besser is good, although his cartoonish demeanor seems out of place here. And it's nice to see Gordon Jones (the cop from Abbott & Costello) pop up in a guest bit --although he, too, is wasted. Clearly the best talent here is Guy Marks, who was so good that Bishop actually fired him partway through the season simply out of jealousy. Among the DVD extras, watch for Laurel & Hardy's Billy Gilbert in a bonus "Make Room For Daddy" episode. (That episode also demonstrates how much better constructed the MRFD series was.) Yes, a bit more care should have ben taken to correct the dust/hairs on the title sequence and obvious color problems in nearly every episode. And they should have cut the DVD's moronic montage of opening clips one must sit through each time you watch each disc. Considering all the truly first-rate B&W sitcoms on the air in the early '60s ("Dobie Gillis," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," etc.) it's unfortunate that color film was wasted on THIS series rather than given to a program of some lasting value. November 14, 2007

What an absolutely horrible show

I've been eyeing this turkey for a long time now, knowing full well that this was a bomb when it was airing on TV Land a few years ago. But I have a huge collection of television DVD sets and I wanted to add this to my collection. Well, I can't even stomach the first five minutes and even that's being too generous.

There's a reason why "The Joey Bishop Show" isn't compared with "I Love Lucy" as the greatest sitcom of all time. It's horrible. In walks Joey Bishop into his 1960s pad, and pretty soon the room is filled with supporting players who are laying eggs every which way. I wanted so much to like this show (that's a scary thought) but the more I watched the more I wanted to keep away.

If the show isn't horrible the prints are. I always thought Joey Bishop was a huge star but somebody in charge must have also thought the show horrible because he (or she) didn't bother to preserve them carefully. Each print of the show on this set is sharp and clear, but the color is so washed out you could get your 5 year old to start coloring the screen for you. There is so much orange color on your screen all you need is a light to set it on fire. I think that's why there are only 8 reviews of this set on here.

Sad to say, I will buy the remaining seasons if ever released, simply because I love 60's television, brilliant or not.

October 27, 2007

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