Filmways

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The "Filmways Globe" logo, used from 1961 to 1978.
The "Filmways Globe" logo, used from 1961 to 1978.

Filmways Inc. was a television and film production company founded by American film executive Martin Ransohoff in 1960. It is probably best-known as the production company of CBS's "rural comedies" of the 1960s, including The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction, and Green Acres. Ransohoff left the company in 1972.

Filmways acquired famous companies throughout the years, such as Heatter-Quigley Productions in 1966 for (Hollywood Squares), syndicator Rhodes Productions in 1975 (Rhodes broke apart from the company in 1980 by becoming independent), animation studio Ruby-Spears Productions in 1978, book publisher Grosset & Dunlap, and American International Pictures in 1979.

[edit] Ownership of television properties

In 1982 Filmways merged with Orion Pictures. Today, most of the Filmways library including Green Acres, The Addams Family, Cagney & Lacey, Hollywood Squares, and Mister Ed is owned by MGM (successor-in-interest to Orion which it purchased in 1998).

There are a few exceptions to the library. CBS holds ownership rights to The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction. Viacom (the parent of CBS from 1999-2005, actually started as CBS' syndication arm) syndicated Filmways' output through the 1970s.

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