Barney Back 'Atcha

I'm going to do an occasional series answering your questions in the comments on my blogs, starting with the oldest.

Here goes ...

In comments on  Barney’s blog of tuesday, january 23, 2007 

A MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER BARNEY ROSENZWEIG:

-- melissa wrote

I'm hoping that the "menopausal" tv movies will be released on their own very soon also. If the 1,110 total signatures on our online petition is any indication, the dvd sales will be a highly successful venture!

I'd love to get an autographed copy of your book...any chance of a book tour that would bring you down south?

barney answers

The quartet of movies that we lovingly refer to as “The Menopause Years” should be available before 2009 reaches the mid-way point. I am hoping for “by Mother’s Day” but have little control beyond delivering the various elements that are needed in as timely a fashion as I can. 

As to any eventual success… my grandmother would say, “from your mouth, to God’s ear.” Finally… as to a southern book tour. I love doing them and I have no aversion to any particular part of the country, but am still trying to figure out how to have one of these “tours” do more than pay the dry cleaning bill of the clothes I wear on the day of the tour. 

It is a new business for me and I am an old dog trying to learn as fast as I can.  

-- pip wrote

I loved The Trials of Rosie O'Neill and haven't seen them since their original run here in the UK. Any chance of that being released on DVD? Or am I just pushing my luck ;-)

barney answers

I only control the rights to The Rosie series in the USA and, even here, there are complications to which I periodically devote some time. 

The success of the upcoming release of our quartet of C&L reunion movies will (hopefully) make it clear to me that it is worth going through the various machinations that are required in order to make this happen. 

I am not altogether sure (as there have been no rumblings of a release of The Trials of Rosie O’Neill by anyone other than me, but (I think) at this time the Disney Company has “inherited” the world rights (outside the USA) from the now defunct MTM company with whom I was once in business.

-- k wrote

Ciao Barney.  Please remember about all the fans in Europe (I am from Italy) and release Region 2 Dvds too... Thanks a lot.

barney answers 

I wish I controlled the rights to the series in Italy… well, truth to tell, as long as I am wishing, how ‘bout a villa in Tuscany? I try to keep the pressure on MGM (which owns the underlying rights to the series) and FOX (the MGM designee to make and release the series on DVD). 

They are a uniquely resistant group, but… let’s face it… had the first batch done better in the market place, these folks who like making money every bit as much as anyone would respond with more. 

I don’t think they did a very good job with the first release (surprise, surprise) and I fought like mad to have the entire series put out on one large DVD package, rather than piecemeal, but they are in control and (for reasons that do not hold up under scrutiny) believe they know best. 

Here’s another wish: Wish I could have answered this in Italian.   

-- june m wrote

Secondly, a question: I have heard of two release dates for the show--1) the whole series (125 episodes) will be out by winter (according to a comment placed on amazon.com who got the news from USA Today) 2) Season 1 will be out on DVD on May 8. Can you tell me which is correct so that I can get the appropriate set? 

barney answers

The thing wrong with getting back to you so belatedly is that events tend to answer without my aid. The Winter of 2008 is almost upon us and I have not heard anything from MGM about the entire series coming out on DVD. 

It would be a lovely Christmas gift (to me, if no one else), but if that is to come to pass it will be the winter of 2009. I would admonish against the holding of breath, but would say that if the release of “The Menopause Years” goes well this spring (summer?) then… can winter be far behind?

-- steve in oxford, england wrote

Oh...you'll know this...will the C&L DVDs be released in the UK?

barney answers

I love answering questions for folks in Oxford, England, but then I am one of those used-to-be kids who grew up on movies such as “A Yank at Oxford” and “Goodbye, Mr. Chips.” 

The DVDs of the series first 22 episodes with Sharon Gless as Cagney (as opposed to the very first episodes with Meg Foster as Cagney or the first film of C&L with Loretta Swit as Cagney) should already be there in the UK and being gobbled up by all our fabulous British fans. 

I know of no plans to release the quartet of reunion films (The Menopause Years) in the UK so for those you will have to check this website incessantly… with a (here’s a clue you can keep under your mortar board) eye for earlyish 2009.  

-- cheryl & tina wrote

I would love to hear your response to the question about release dates. I have heard August this year and then at amazon it states the release is 2010. I have not heard aobut a complete box set, but that would be my very favorite if I had to choose.

barney answers

Mine too… That is, a “favorite” being a complete boxed set. It could happen, but I cannot imagine where Amazon gets its news. Amazon barely knows that that there is a “collector’s edition” of my book, which (as long as it has been mentioned) can be purchased even cheaper through this website.  

-- robbie wrote

Any chance that "The Trials of Rosie O'Neill" will be released on DVD? That was a beautifully orchestrated show. And, with the erratic scheduling of that show by the network, I haven't had as many opportunities to see all the episodes of that one as I have of C&L ...

barney answers

I am glad you asked, but would be even gladder (is that a word…? Don’t think so) if I had a firm answer. I pledge to redouble my efforts to get this back on track (it almost happened a year or so ago) if I get any sort of sense that the effort, expense and exposure to various legal problems is worthwhile. 

I think the best way to do that is to make some kind of judgment about the responses we get on this website and on the success of the DVD of “The Menopause Years,” coming out in 2009. 

And, lest it go unsaid, I agree with you completely that “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill” was a… how did you put it?….” a beautifully orchestrated show.” 

-- no1lulufan wrote

i LOVE the show and im just so pleased youve managed to get this all together!!! the 1 thing i really wanna know is though when are you and the fab girls coming to england?? i would love to see you here and who knows i maybe lucky enough to meet you (ahh man i hope so that would be so cool!!)

barney answers

It would be “cool” and undoubtedly will be (cool to cold, that is) as the soonest I might be in England would be this January when Sharon is there doing some film work. 

When I know, this website will pass it on. Meanwhile who is the no2 lulu fan? 

-- jenn wrote

hi barney, please could you get the rest of the c & l series on dvd i think it is a fantastic show 

barney answers 

Would you believe I, too, think it is a “fantastic show”?  Of course you would. Trust me, Jenn, I am trying. But there are powerful forces (apathy, stupidity, morbidity and corporate executives) who just will not get out of the way. 

My answer to them is to try to show them up with a 2009 release of Cagney & Lacey: The Menopause Years and have it be successful enough for them to wake up and smell the opportunity. Stay tuned.

-- philippa wrote

Any chance of getting "The Trials of Rosie O'Neill" on DVD in UK-friendly format?

barney answers 

When I made “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill” I dealt off the UK and all world rights outside the USA to MTM. They were then a viable television entity that controlled rights to many of the finest television series ever made: “All in the Family”, “Hill Street Blues,” “St. Elsewhere” etc. 

So much for pedigree; they went belly up and their stuff (including “Rosie” and the C&L reunion movies) were sent off to new owners. In the UK… and don’t quote me on this… I believe the new owner is the Walt Disney Company.