Melange Pictures

Last updated
Republic Entertainment Inc.
FormerlyRepublic Pictures Corporation
(1984–1994)
Republic Entertainment
(1994–2012)
Company type Motion pictures
Predecessor National Telefilm Associates
FoundedDecember 28, 1984;40 years ago (1984-12-28)
FateCeased production of feature films in 1996 and later folded by Viacom
Assets are currently owned by Melange Pictures
Headquarters Studio City, Los Angeles, California
Parent Spelling Entertainment (1994–1999)
Viacom (1999–2005; 2005–2010)
Divisions Republic Pictures Home Video

Melange Pictures is a distribution company primarily concerned with the syndication of American film libraries to television, including the Republic Pictures and its predecessor National Telefilm Associates (NTA) film library. It was successful enough on cable television between 1983 and 1985 that it renamed itself Republic Pictures and undertook film production and home video sales as well.

Contents

Background

National Telefilm Associates

NTA was founded by Ely Landau and Oliver A. Unger [1] in 1954 when Ely Landau, Inc. was reorganized in partnership with Unger and Harold Goldman. [2] NTA was the successor company to U.M. & M. TV Corporation, which it bought out in 1956. [2]

In October 1956, NTA launched the NTA Film Network, a syndication service which distributed both film and live programs to television stations not affiliated with NBC, CBS, or ABC (DuMont had recently gone out of business). The ad-hoc network's flagship station was WNTA-TV, channel 13 in New York. [3] The NTA Network was launched as a "fourth TV network", and trade papers of the time referred to it as a new television network. [4]

The NTA network launched on October 15, 1956, with over 100 affiliate stations. [5] NTA programming included syndicated programs such as Police Call (1955), [6] How to Marry a Millionaire (1957-1959), The Passerby , Man Without a Gun (1957-1959), and This is Alice (1958). The network also distributed 52 Twentieth Century Fox films in 1956. [3] In November of the same year, it was announced that 50% of the network had been purchased by Fox, which would also produce original content for the network. [5]

In January 1959, Ely Landau was succeeded by Charles C. Barry, who took over as president of network operations. Landau continued to chair National Telefilm Associates. [7] Bernard Tabakin became the president of National Telefilms Associates in 1962 and retained that position until 1975. During his tenure, NTA became the largest independent television distributor in the industry and acquired various film libraries, including NBC Films and Republic Pictures. [8]

Despite the 50% ownership of 20th Century Fox, the film network never developed into a major commercial television network on a par with the "Big Three" television networks; modern TV historians regard the NTA Film Network as a syndication service rather than a major television network.

In March 1973, NTA bought NBC Films, the syndication arm of the NBC television network since March 1953 for $7.5 million, after the FCC ruled TV networks could not syndicate their own shows. Notable titles include Bonanza , The High Chaparral , Car 54, Where Are You? , Kimba the White Lion and Get Smart . [9]

Like its U.M. & M. predecessor, NTA altered the original negatives to the Paramount black-and-white animated shorts, replacing the front-and-end titles. References to Paramount and Technicolor were blacked out, with the NTA logo replacing the Paramount mountain.

At the end of color prints, the NTA logo had a U.M. & M. copyright byline below it, but on black-and-white prints, the U.M. & M. copyright appeared where the original Paramount copyright had been.

On some shorts, either the original Paramount copyright line, the original color process line, the "Paramount Presents" line, or even part of the Paramount logo could still be seen for a few frames before the black bars appear. On two Noveltoons featuring Little Audrey, the "spinning star" portion of the Paramount opening could still be seen. On the Little Lulu cartoons altered by NTA, they had no choice but to leave in the last part of the Paramount opening, albeit with much of it blacked out, since the "Little Lulu by Marge from The Saturday Evening Post " title card appeared over the Paramount mountain. In addition, most Betty Boop cartoons made between 1932 and 1934 utilize the Paramount mountain (minus the stars and typeface) as a backdrop for the main titles, with even a select few keeping the original copyright byline. However, when NTA repackaged many of those same cartoons in the 1970s, the original titles were kept without black bars, but the opening and ending Paramount logos were replaced with a contemporary NTA logo (the design taken from NTA predecessor Commonwealth United). At the same time, the Fleischer Studios feature Gulliver's Travels, as well as a small number of short subjects have circulated with their original Paramount titles.

Following Warner Bros.'s example of having their black-and-white cartoons colorized in 1968, NTA also sent the Betty Boop cartoons to South Korea in the early 1970s to be redrawn in color in order to become more marketable in the wake of color TV.

By 1982, NTA had launched a home video division called NTA Home Entertainment to market its holdings on VHS and Betamax, after its original contract with The Nostalgia Merchant ended. NTA previously licensed several of the titles for videocassette to The Nostalgia Merchant. [10] Two labels, Spotlite Video, releasing video cassettes of public domain material and documentaries, and Inspiration Video, which released Christian/faith content was also established.

History

Beginnings

By 1984, NTA had bought the name and trademarks of the old Republic studio and renamed itself Republic Pictures and the home video arm was renamed to Republic Pictures Home Video, as well as Spotlite and Inspiration closing in 1986.

NTA/Republic changed hands in succeeding years, and distribution of the former NTA holdings is split—the theatrical rights are handled by Paramount Pictures, while television rights lie with Trifecta Entertainment & Media (for the theatrical output), and CBS Broadcasting, Inc. (for the television library).

In January 1993, Blockbuster Entertainment announced they would purchase a 35% stake in Republic. [11] [12] On September 14, 1993, following Blockbuster's purchase of a 48.2% stake in Aaron Spelling's Spelling Entertainment, [13] Spelling announced that they would enter into a $100 million purchase and merger with Republic Pictures Corporation, which would close at the end of January 1994. [14] [15] The deal was closed on April 27, 1994, with Republic Pictures Corporation becoming a fully owned subsidiary of Spelling Entertainment and was renamed Republic Entertainment Inc. [16] Following Blockbuster Entertainment's merger with Viacom on September 29, 1994, Blockbuster by then owned 67% of Spelling Entertainment and Republic. [17] At the end of the year, Spelling's existing home video division, Worldvision Home Video, was merged with Republic Pictures Home Video and took the latter name. [18]

Fate

In 1996, Republic shut down its film production unit. [19] In September 1997, Republic's video rental operations were taken over by Paramount Home Video; although its sell-through operations remained. [20]

In September 1998, Spelling announced that they would license the American and Canadian video rights to the Republic Pictures library to Artisan Entertainment, [21] and would continue to be released with the Republic Pictures brand and logo. Overseas, Spelling licensed out the library to distributors such as PolyGram Video/Universal Pictures Video in the United Kingdom.

By the end of the decade, Viacom bought the portion of Spelling it did not own previously; thus, Republic became a wholly owned division of Paramount Pictures. Artisan (later sold to Lionsgate Home Entertainment) continued to use the Republic name, logo, and library under license from Paramount. Republic Pictures' holdings consist of a catalog of 3,000 films and TV series, including the original Republic library (except for the Roy Rogers and Gene Autry catalogs, owned by their respective estates) and inherited properties from NTA and Aaron Spelling.

When Republic folded in 2012, Viacom took full control of the former's theatrical library and formed a holding company called "Melange Pictures." In December 2019, Viacom and CBS Corporation remerged into a single entity under the name ViacomCBS (and eventually renamed into Paramount Global), which reunited the former NTA assets.

Library

Melange Pictures library includes:

Notes

  1. ↑ "Oliver Unger Quits NTA; Charles Glett Successor". BOXOFFICE. 1961-05-29. Retrieved 2009-03-09.[ dead link ]
  2. 1 2 "U.M. & M. and NTA, a brief history". Archived from the original on 2009-08-06. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
  3. 1 2 Golembiewski, Dick (2008). Milwaukee Television History: The Analog Years. Marquette University Press. pp. 280–281. ISBN   978-0-87462-055-9.
  4. ↑ "Fourth TV Network, for Films, is Created". Boxoffice. 1956-07-07. p. 8.[ dead link ]
  5. 1 2 "Fox Buys Into TV Network; Makes 390 Features Available". Boxoffice. 1956-11-03. p. 8.
  6. ↑ "Billboard Magazine". August 18, 1956.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ↑ "Barry Named President of NTA Film Network". Boxoffice. 1959-01-26. p. 17.
  8. ↑ "Bernard Tabakin". 13 August 1997. Archived from the original on 2016-05-29. Retrieved 2016-04-03..
  9. ↑ "Sale of NBC Films completes exodus of networks from syndication" (PDF). Broadcasting . 1973-02-12. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  10. ↑ "NTA Scratches Nostalgia Pact, Getting Into Own Homevid Retail Setup". Variety . 1983-05-18. p. 34.
  11. ↑ "Blockbuster Will Buy 35% Stake in Republic Pictures". Los Angeles Times . January 22, 1993.
  12. ↑ "Blockbuster gets 35% stake in Republic Pix". January 22, 1993.
  13. ↑ "Blockbuster to Buy Stake in Spelling : Entertainment: Pushing further into Hollywood, the video store chain will acquire 48.2% in a $141.3-million deal". Los Angeles Times . March 9, 1993.
  14. ↑ "Spelling Entertainment, Republic Pictures in Merger". Associated Press .
  15. ↑ "Spelling Will Acquire Republic Pictures Corp". September 19, 1993.
  16. ↑ Blockbuster's Spelling Finishes Buying Republic Orlando Sentinel, Retrieved on May 27, 2013
  17. ↑ "Viacom Completes Merger With Blockbuster". techagreements.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  18. ↑ Lichtman, Irv (May 28, 1994). Billboard. p. 82.
  19. ↑ Carver, Benedict (September 9, 1998). "Artisan to distrib Republic" . Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  20. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Eileen (September 6, 1997). Billboard. p. 96.
  21. ↑ Billboard. September 26, 1998.
  22. ↑ Elliot, Mark. Cary Grant: a biography. (p. 366) Three Rivers Press, New York. ISBN   0-307-20983-0.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramount Pictures</span> American film and distribution company

Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production and distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount Global. It is the sixth-oldest film studio in the world, the second-oldest film studio in the United States, and the sole member of the "Big Five" film studios located within the city limits of Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fleischer Studios</span> American animation studio

Fleischer Studios was an American animation studio founded in 1929 by brothers Max and Dave Fleischer, who ran the pioneering company from its inception until its acquisition by Paramount Pictures, the parent company and the distributor of its films. In its prime, Fleischer Studios was a premier producer of animated cartoons for theaters, with Walt Disney Productions being its chief competitor in the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betty Boop</span> Animated cartoon character

Betty Boop is an animated cartoon character designed by Grim Natwick at the request of Max Fleischer. She originally appeared in the Talkartoon and Betty Boop film series, which were produced by Fleischer Studios and released by Paramount Pictures. She was featured in 90 theatrical cartoons between 1930 and 1939. She has also been featured in comic strips and mass merchandising.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republic Pictures</span> American movie and serial production company

Republic Pictures is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California. It had production and distribution facilities in Studio City, as well as a movie ranch in Encino.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Famous Studios</span> Defunct American animation studio

Famous Studios was the first animation division of the film studio Paramount Pictures from 1942 to 1967. Famous was established as a successor company to Fleischer Studios, after Paramount seized control of the aforementioned studio amid the departure of its founders, Max and Dave Fleischer, in 1942. The studio's productions included three series started by the Fleischers—Popeye the Sailor, Superman, and Screen Songs—as well as Little Audrey, Little Lulu, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Honey Halfwitch, Herman and Katnip, Baby Huey, and the Noveltoons and Modern Madcaps series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Ticket Entertainment</span> American production company

Big Ticket Television, Inc. is an American production company. Big Ticket is a subsidiary of CBS Studios, a division of Paramount Global. It is best known for producing the syndicated mainstay Judge Judy from 1996 to 2021.

<i>Noveltoons</i> 1943-67 American animated film series

Noveltoons is a series of cartoons produced by Paramount Pictures' Famous Studios from 1943 to the end of the studio during 1967. The series was known for bringing the characters from Harvey Comics to life, such as Casper the Friendly Ghost, Wendy the Good Little Witch, Herman and Katnip, Little Audrey, and Baby Huey. All shorts from Baby Huey and Little Audrey are included. It was the successor to the series Color Classics produced by Fleischer Studios. Several Noveltoons feature characters which originated in Color Classics. This series was also similar to the two series from Warner Bros., Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, in that it features several recurring characters with one general title.

Color Classics are a series of animated short films produced by Fleischer Studios for Paramount Pictures from 1934 to 1941 as a competitor to Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies. As the name implies, all of the shorts were made in color format, with the first entry of the series, Poor Cinderella (1934), being the first color cartoon produced by the Fleischer studio. There were 36 shorts produced in this series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worldvision Enterprises</span> American television program distributor

Worldvision Enterprises, Inc. was an American television program and home video distributor established in 1954 as ABC Film Syndication, the domestic and overseas program distribution arm of the ABC Television Network. They primarily licensed programs from independent producers, rather than producing their own content.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.M. & M. TV Corporation</span> Defunct American television syndicator

U.M. & M. TV Corporation was an American media company best known as the original purchaser of the pre-October 1950 short films and cartoons produced by Paramount Pictures, excluding Popeye and Superman. The initials stand for United Film Service, MPA TV of New Orleans, and Minot T.V.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Associated Artists Productions</span> Former production company

Associated Artists Productions, Inc. (a.a.p.) later known as United Artists Associated was an American distributor of theatrical feature films and short subjects for television. Associated Artists Productions was the copyright owner of the Popeye the Sailor shorts by Paramount Pictures, and the pre-1950 Warner Bros. Pictures film library, notably the pre-August 1948 color Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of animated shorts, and the black-and-white Merrie Melodies shorts from Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising, excluding Lady, Play Your Mandolin!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Telefilm Associates</span> Defunct American television syndicator (1954–1984)

National Telefilm Associates (NTA) was a distribution company primarily concerned with the syndication of American film libraries to television, including the Republic Pictures film library. It was successful enough on cable television between 1983 and 1985 that it renamed itself Republic Pictures and undertook film production and home video sales as well.

Spelling Television Inc. was an American television production company that went through several name changes. It was originally called Aaron Spelling Productions, then Spelling Entertainment Inc. and eventually part of Spelling Entertainment Group. The company produced popular shows such as The Love Boat, Dynasty, Beverly Hills, 90210, 7th Heaven, Melrose Place and Charmed. The company was founded by television producer Aaron Spelling on October 25, 1965. The company is currently an in-name-only unit of CBS Studios. A related company, Spelling-Goldberg Productions, co-existed during a portion of the same time period and produced other well-known shows such as Family, Charlie's Angels, Starsky & Hutch, and Fantasy Island but these series are not part of the modern day library now owned by Paramount Global. Another related company, The Douglas S. Cramer Company co-existed during a portion of the same time period, produced shows like Wonder Woman, Joe and Sons, and Bridget Loves Bernie and television films like Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway.

CBS Media Ventures, Inc. is the television broadcast syndication arm of CBS Studios, a division of the CBS Entertainment Group, in turn a division of Paramount Global, founded on January 17, 2006 by CBS Corporation from a merger of CBS Paramount Domestic Television and KingWorld.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramount Domestic Television</span> Television distribution arm of Paramount Pictures

Paramount Domestic Television (PDT) was the television distribution arm of American television production company Paramount Television, once the television arm of Paramount Pictures. It was formed in 1982 originally as Paramount Domestic Television and Video Programming, the successor to Paramount Television Domestic Distribution, Paramount Television Sales, and Desilu Sales.

The NTA Film Network was an early American television network founded by Ely Landau in 1956 that operated on a part-time basis, broadcasting films and several first-run television programs from major Hollywood studios. Despite attracting more than 100 affiliate stations and securing the financial support of Twentieth Century-Fox, the network proved unprofitable and was discontinued by 1961. The NTA Film Network's flagship station WNTA-TV is now WNET, one of the flagship stations of the Public Broadcasting Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viacom (1952–2005)</span> American media conglomerate (1952–2005)

The original phase of Viacom Inc. was an American mass media and entertainment conglomerate based in New York City. It began as CBS Television Film Sales, the broadcast syndication division of the CBS television network in 1952; it was renamed CBS Films in 1958, renamed CBS Enterprises in 1968, renamed Viacom in 1970, and spun off into its own company in 1971. Viacom was a distributor of CBS television series throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and also distributed syndicated television programs. The company came under Sumner Redstone's control in 1987 through his cinema chain company National Amusements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramount Television</span> Former television production division of Paramount Pictures

The first incarnation of Paramount Television was operated as the television production division of the American film studio Paramount Pictures, until it changed its name to CBS Paramount Television on January 17, 2006.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.