Lorimar-Telepictures
Entertainment | |
Industry | Television and film production, syndication, home video, television broadcasting |
Fate | Purchased by Warner Communications |
Founded | April 21, 1986 |
Defunct | January 11, 1989 |
Parent | Warner Communications |
Lorimar-Telepictures was an entertainment company established on April 21, 1986 with the merger of Lorimar and Telepictures. Its assets included television production and syndication (which operated under the Lorimar-Telepictures name), feature films, home video, and broadcasting.
History
The merger of Lorimar-Telepictures was announced on October 7, 1985, by Merv Adelson.[1][2] On April 21, 1986, the merger was complete. Lee Rich, one of the founders of Lorimar, sold his shares in 1986 and left the company. On January 11, 1989, Warner Communications acquired Lorimar-Telepictures after shaking off the hostile takeover of the company.[3]
List of programs produced/distributed by Lorimar-Telepictures
Note: All series listed here are now owned and distributed by Warner Bros. Television with a few exceptions.
- The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime
- Aaron's Way (1988)
- ALF (1986–1989)[n 1]
- ALF: The Animated Series (1987–1989)[n 1]
- ALF Tales (1988–1989)[n 1]
- Alvin and the Chipmunks (1988–1989; Syndication only)
- Animalympics
- Apple's Way
- Behind the Screen
- Berrenger's
- The Best Times
- Big Shamus, Little Shamus
- Blood & Orchids
- The Blue Knight
- Boone
- Bridges to Cross
- Catchphrase
- Chiller
- The Comic Strip
- Dallas (1986–1989)
- The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
- A Death in California
- Detective in the House
- Doc Elliot
- Eight Is Enough
- Falcon Crest (1986–1989)
- Flamingo Road
- Flatbash
- Freddy's Nightmares (1988-1989) (with New Line Television and Stone Television)
- Full House (1987–1989)
- Fun House (with Stone Television; technically Lorimar Television, Telepictures, and Warner Bros. in 1990)
- Games People Play
- Ghost of a Chance
- Gumby (1986-1989)[n 2]
- Hard Choices (theatrical film)
- Here's Lucy[n 3]
- The Hogan Family (1986–1989)
- Hunter (1986–1989)[n 4]
- It's A Living (1986-1989)
- Jack Frost
- Jake's Journey (1988-1989 pilots for CBS starring Graham Chapman)
- Just Our Luck
- Kaz
- Knots Landing (1986–1989)
- Legendary Ladies of Rock & Roll
- Love Connection (1986-1989)
- Made in Heaven
- Maggie Briggs
- Mama's Family
- "Master Harold"...and the Boys
- Max Headroom (not the original pilot by Chrysalis Visual Programming for Channel Four UK)
- Mayberry R.F.D.
- Midnight Caller (1988–1989)
- My Favorite Martian
- The New Dick Van Dyke Show
- One Big Family (1986-1987)
- Our House
- The People's Court (Joseph Wapner era)
- Perfect Match
- Perfect Strangers (1986–1989)
- Real People
- The Redd Foxx Show (1986)
- Rituals
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In[n 5]
- The Sea Wolves (1980)
- Second Serve
- Shattered Innocence
- She's the Sheriff (1987-1989)
- SilverHawks
- Skag
- Spies (1987)
- Summer Girl
- Superior Court
- ThunderCats (1986–1989)
- Two Marriages
- The Waltons
- The Waverly Wonders
Lorimar-Telepictures also distributed most pre-1990 DIC Entertainment and Saban Productions series in international markets; most of the DIC series are currently distributed by DHX Media, and most of the Saban series are currently distributed by Disney-ABC Home Entertainment and Television Distribution.
Notes
- 1 2 3 Currently distributed by Lionsgate under license from Alien Productions.
- ↑ WB's rights to the series reverted to Premavision in 2003.
- ↑ Currently distributed by Paul Brownstein Productions/tvclassics.com.
- ↑ Sony Pictures Television is currently the US TV distributor.
- ↑ WB's rights to the series later reverted back to its original creators.
Broadcasting
In the mid-1980s, Lorimar-Telepictures went into the broadcasting business by acquiring six television stations, which were as follows:
City of License / Market | Station | Channel TV (RF) | Sold To | Current Ownership Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chico - Redding | KNVN | 24 (24) | Goltrin Communicactions (1987) |
NBC affiliate owned by K4 Media Holdings (Operated through a LMA by GOCOM Media, LLC) |
Springfield - Branson | KSPR | 33 (now 15) (19) | Goltrin Communications (1987) |
Antenna TV affiliate, KGHZ, owned by Schurz Communications (Operated through a LMA by Gray Television) |
Pittsburgh | WPGH-TV | 53 (43) | Renaissance Broadcasting (1987) |
Fox affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group |
Midland - Odessa | KMID | 2 (26) | Goltrin Communications (1987) |
ABC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
San Juan - Caguas - Ponce - Mayagüez |
WLII | 11 (11) | Malrite Communications (1991) |
Univision Owned & Operated (O&O) (Simulcasts on locally-owned WORA-TV 5 in Mayagüez) |
WSUR-TV | 9 (9) |
The success of this broadcast division was non-existent (including a failed attempt to buy WTVJ in Miami) resulting in the sale of each of these stations by 1991.
References
- ↑ "Lorimar in Merger." The Pittsburgh Press (October 7, 1985).
- ↑ "A TV TITAN WAGERS A WAD ON MOVIES Lorimar-Telepictures makes a ton of money producing and distributing such TV hits as Dallas and The People's Court. Unsatisfied, chief Merv Adelson is trying to expand in theatrical films. The profits are potentially huge -- but a lot less certain." CNN Money (May 12, 1986).
- ↑ "Warner Completes Merger With Lorimar Telepictures". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-23.