Given how much I've mentioned it on this weblog, I feel like Paramount Home Video owes me a commission on their new DVD of the 1959 movie of Li'l Abner. (Actually, I'm receiving a small one. You folks out there have ordered enough of 'em through the Amazon link on this site to pay for the copy I purchased.) I received mine today and it looks like a good (not great) transfer and of course, there are no extras. I'm guessing it'll be at least 2-3 years before they bring out a more expensive version with bonus features.
It would have been nice if they'd lassoed a couple of cast members for interviews, especially Peter Palmer, who was so perfect in the title role. I interviewed Mr. Palmer a few years ago for this article and this one, and recently a reporter in Tampa, Florida interviewed him for this article about what he's up to, these days. Not mentioned in that article for some reason is the fact that he's been working with a little theater group in his neck of the woods, directing (among other plays) a production of Li'l Abner last year. You will note that he's annoyed about the mislabelled DVD of the other Abner movie, which we told you all about here.
For those of you who buy the new Abner DVD, here are the answers to the questions you'll otherwise send me: Yes, that's Valerie Harper (of Rhoda) and Beth Howland (of Alice) among the chorus ladies. Yes, that's Donna Douglas (of The Beverly Hillbillies) with one line as a Dogpatch resident. Yes, that's Paul Frees doing the voiceover of the newsman. Yes, Leslie Parrish's singing voice was dubbed…by Imogene Lyn, whose voice you know from many Tex Avery cartoons. (See here for details.) Yes, it's true that Ms. Parrish married Richard Bach, the author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, then pretty much disappeared from Hollywood. Yes, that's Jerry Lewis in a brief cameo. No, that is not Jamie Farr playing Evil-Eye Fleagle. Yes, the movie is very similar to the Broadway show but with some songs cut or altered. No, although there have been rumors in the past that a Broadway revival was planned, one does not seem imminent.
The oddest plan I heard of to bring the show back to the Great White Way was a few years back. It was optioned by some group with which Tony Curtis was affiliated and as I understood it, the idea was that Mr. Curtis would serve as a producer and play several small non-singing roles in it. The late Elliott Caplin, who was Al Capp's brother and a manager of the property, told me about the deal. I asked him what he thought the odds were of it actually reaching New York. He said, "Oh, about one in a thousand." Then he paused and added, "If they get rid of Tony Curtis, maybe one in five hundred."
So don't hold your breath. Just enjoy the film version.