1 hour ago, GL Oldtimer said:

I'm sure there's a fan with a basement full of beta or VHS tapes that probably has a decent chunk of episodes covering some of the lost decades.

The thing is, home VCR use didn't really become a thing until the late 70s. We got our first one around '77. My mom and I bugged the hell out of my dad as soon as they hit the market. They were expensive at the time--I think around $800--and my dad was, ahem, on the thrifty side. But he came home with one. (To this day, I'm certain it fell off a truck.) A lot of people couldn't afford that (or lacked my dad's connections, lol). So anything pre-1977 is probably going to be either from an actor's personal collection--they usually only keep episodes they are in--or something the network overlooked.

The Bells were smart to keep all of B&B. The reason most of Ryan's Hope is available (at least the early years, before it was sold to ABC) is because creators Claire Labine and Paul Avila Mayer conserved the tapes.

It's heartbreaking that so much television history was tossed or taped over.

Also tapes were expensive in those days and it was normal practice to tape over previous recordings. I recall doing it by mistake and losing stuff I wanted to keep or hadn't watched yet.

8 hours ago, DeeVee said:

It's heartbreaking that so much television history was tossed or taped over.

It is strange how Game Shows from the 1970s have kept ALL their old episodes, and are now playing in reruns on "The Game Show Network" - yet P&G WIPED all their tapes to reuse!

The Locher Room has announced their special guest to celebrate their sixth anniversary will be

Carl Tye Evan (Alan-Michael) on April 2, 2026 at 7:30 PM

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by TheyStartedOnSoaps

which characters do you wish returned full-time?

Hope, Rita, kelly nelson, Lucy, MH as Ed, Ross, Sam Marler, Melinda Sue, Roxie, Judi Evans as Beth

12 hours ago, TheyStartedOnSoaps said:

It is strange how Game Shows from the 1970s have kept ALL their old episodes, and are now playing in reruns on "The Game Show Network" - yet P&G WIPED all their tapes to reuse!

Many of those were wiped too.

2 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Many of those were wiped too.

Game Show Network currently airs episodes of Match Game, Price is Right, Let's Make A Deal, Card Sharks, Newlywed Game, Family Feud, Password, Tattletales and Pyramid - all from the 1970s

As they were saved by the production company.

3 minutes ago, TheyStartedOnSoaps said:

Game Show Network currently airs episodes of Match Game, Price is Right, Let's Make A Deal, Card Sharks, Newlywed Game, Family Feud, Password, Tattletales and Pyramid - all from the 1970s

As they were saved by the production company.

Some did, yes. Others didn't. Someone in the game show thread mentioned that most of the Wheel of Fortune episodes in those years were junked.

6 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Some did, yes. Others didn't. Someone in the game show thread mentioned that most of the Wheel of Fortune episodes in those years were junked.

But there are MORE complete episodes of Game Shows that were saved from the 1970s, not less

33 minutes ago, TheyStartedOnSoaps said:

But there are MORE complete episodes of Game Shows that were saved from the 1970s, not less

The difference is, as long as winners don't come back the following episode, missing episodes don't matter as much as they do with soaps. I think most of the ones you listed had self-contained episodes.