Shout! Factory, which recently acquired rights to the “Route 66” television series of 1960-64, announced Friday 
a price tag and release date for its 24-DVD box set of all four seasons of the acclaimed drama.
The “Route 66” box set has a street date of May 22. However, customers who pre-order direct from Shout! Factory will get the privilege of having the set shipped one month early, on April 22.
Also, those who pre-order will get the full box set for $99.99, plus 66 cents shipping (get it?). The regular retail price will be $129.99.
Here’s what’s going to be in the box set:
- All 116 episodes, including the “lost” one that was never broadcast in the wake of President Kennedy’s assassination.
- Vintage commercials
- Bonus DVD of “Great Cars — Corvette” program
- Rare “Route 66” Paley Festival panel footage
More bonus features for the box set are being developed, and will be announced later.
Roxbury Entertainment, which issued three one-season DVD sets of “Route 66,” retained trademark, television remake, and film rights. Roxbury also is developing a “Route 66″ TV series remake with Shout!.
The Emmy-nominated “Route 66” co-starred Martin Milner, George Maharis and a Corvette convertible. My interview with Maharis in 2007 can be read here.
Maharis left the show after the third season, and was replaced by Glenn Corbett for the rest of its run.
UPDATE: You can can order all four seasons of “Route 66” on DVD from Shout! Factory:
I bought a set of these awhile back. I remembered them as being very exciting shows. When I watched them, I realized that acting has come a long way since this show. They aren’t nearly as exciting as shows today are, a reflection of the “simpler time”. Mine don’t have commercials. Those might be better than the shows. I love old commercials.
Ron,
I know it has been awhile since leaving a comment here but having purchased the entire collection from a vendor who had the set made in China I’m wondering is the missing episode “I’m Here To Kill A King” and the man doing the deed is Tod’s exact double?
Yes, that’s the “missing” episode. It’s my understanding that it was eventually aired in reruns, after the shock of the JFK assassination ebbed.
You can read more about that episode here:
https://www.route66news.com/2009/11/06/the-lost-route-66-episode/
Its available from Amazon.com for $20 cheaper. 🙂
But if you order it through Shout!, you get it a month earlier. 😉