THE RED SKELTON HOUR IN COLOR

Red Skelton was a brilliant performer, a passionate patriot, and a master of simple, hilarious and classic comedy.  Now, home audiences can be entertained by America's Clown Prince any time with brilliant full-color episodes of The Red Skelton Hour, some of which have been unseen for over 50 years!  After purchasing an old movie studio and converting it for TV productions, Red was the first CBS host to begin taping his weekly programs in color.  And now, on January 3, Time Life brings viewers back to a simpler time with THE RED SKELTON HOUR IN COLOR, showcasing never-before-released shows as they were originally broadcast more than 50 years ago.

One of the country's most treasured comedians, Skelton kept TV audiences in stitches for 20 groundbreaking seasons on The Red Skelton Show.  The son of a circus clown, Red always had a twinkle in his eye and a spring in his step (often accompanied by a cowbell sound effect); his heart was pure gold, his jokes were silly and his gifts for physical comedy were unparalleled.  And from his inimitable comic mind also came a memorable lineup of zany characters including the country bumpkin Clem Kadiddlehopper, the lovable hobo Freddie the Freeloader, Sheriff Deadeye and more. 

Available in two configurations, THE RED SKELTON HOUR IN COLOR -- perfect viewing for the whole family -- is packed with hilarious, heartwarming humor.  The 3-disc collector's set ($29.95srp) features 12 never-before-released episodes, including best-loved sketches with Freddie the Freeloader joining a love-in with hippie Tim Conway; Sheriff Deadeye facing off with Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne); and Clem Kadiddlehopper being mistaken for a robot by mad scientists Boris Karloff and Vincent Price.  Other fan favorite sketches include classics such as "Dial M for Moron" with Phyllis Diller, "Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Dumb" with George Gobel, and "Eenie Meenie Minee Schmo" with Mickey Rooney.  The single disc release ($12.95srp) includes 4 complete episodes.  Additionally, both releases include exclusive new interviews with Bobby Rydell and Vicki Lawrence.  

There's no business like funny business and no one did it better than Red, on full, hilarious display in THE RED SKLETON HOUR IN COLOR! 

My Thoughts

There is nothing better than the classics. When I was a little girl, I used to sit and watch Red Skeleton with my grandparents for hours. Even then it was just re-runs and I didn't always understand everything that was happening, but it still made  me laugh. Getting to watch a selection of the best sketches on one DVD brings me back to those carefree days, and reminds me of my grandparents and the great times we shared. What makes this set even more exciting, is that it's actually in color. This adds a whole new dimension to this classic.

This set includes three DVDs. There are so many guest stars that I haven't even thought of in years including John Wayne, Mickey Rooney, and Phyllis Diller. There are even a few never-before-seen episodes.  It's slapstick humor at it's best, and a show I'll never get tired of watching. Every fan of this series needs to have this DVD in their collection.