Viacom Productions

Last updated
Viacom Productions
FormerlyViacom Enterprises (1971–1994)
Company type Subsidiary
Industry
Founded1971;53 years ago (1971)
DefunctJune 15, 2004;20 years ago (2004-06-15)
FateFolded into Paramount Network Television
Successor Paramount Television
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
,
United States
Products Television Production
Parent Viacom (1971–1995)
Paramount Network Television (1995–2004)

Viacom Productions (formerly Viacom Enterprises) was a television production arm of Viacom International. Viacom Enterprises was also a movie production, and a sports production. The division was active from 1971 until 2004, when the company was folded into Paramount Television 10 years following Viacom's acquisition of Paramount Pictures, and led Perry Simon to move itself to Paramount for a production deal. [1]

Contents

History

Viacom Enterprises was formed in 1971 as the successor of the pre-1968 CBS Films, later reincorporated as CBS Enterprises, Inc. in 1968. The company began handling the production and distribution of films around the same time, under the name "Viacom Productions" to produce first-run television series airing on the major networks. [2] In 1973, it was spun-off because it was against the FCC regulations for a television network to distribute its programs under its own name.

In 1977, after failed attempts to launch prime-time shows, Viacom decided to set up its own unit for prime-time programming, which was headed by Richard Reisberg, who had also saw program acquisition activities. [3]

The first primetime television show, movie, or sports to be produced by Viacom Productions for the ABC network was The MacKenzies of Paradise Cove . [4] The studio had development contracts with independent writers and producers. The studio made significant deals in 1977, when Roland Kibbee and Dean Hargrove left Universal for Viacom. [5]

In 1984, Thomas D. Tannenbaum became president of the studio. [6]

On March 11, 1994, Viacom acquired Paramount Communications, Inc. and Viacom Enterprises was folded into Paramount Domestic Television, by transferring the domestic rights of the Viacom library. Viacom International was later reorganized as the parent company of MTV Networks and Showtime Networks. Viacom transferred the international rights of the said library into Paramount International Television, while Viacom Productions was reincorporated as a production sub-division of Paramount Television. [7] The first hit came after the acquisition was Sabrina, the Teenage Witch , a show ABC aired from 1996 to 2000, followed by a run on The WB from 2000 to 2003.

Viacom Productions was folded into Paramount Network Television in 2004, amid financial troubles brought on to Viacom. The final two series to end under the Viacom Productions name are Ed and The Division.

Viacom Pictures

Viacom Pictures
Industry Film production
Founded1989;35 years ago (1989)
Defunct1999;25 years ago (1999)
Successor Paramount Pictures
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
,
United States
Parent Viacom Productions

From 1991 to 1999, Viacom Productions produced some theatrical films and television films (primarily Showtime) under the brand Viacom Pictures. Viacom Pictures stopped producing theatrical films around 1995, after its parent acquired Paramount Communications, the parent of Paramount Pictures, though it continued to produce television films until 1999.

The division was originally formed in 1989 to produce television movies for Showtime and theatrical films, it was headed by Neil S. Braun, in an effort to compete with HBO, who had its own HBO Pictures division. [8]

Filmography

TitleYearsNetworkNotes
The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine 1974-1975 CBS co-production with Funhouse Productions and Yongestreet Productions
The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse and Heckle & Jeckle 1979–1981 CBS co-production with Filmation
Dear Detective1979 CBS co-production with Kibee-Hargrove Productions
The MacKenzies of Paradise Cove 1979 ABC co-production with Blinn/Thorpe Productions
The Lazarus Syndrome 1979 ABC co-production with Blinn/Thorpe Productions
American Dream 1981 ABC co-production with Mace Neufield Productions
Nurse 1981-1982 CBS co-production with Robert Halmi, Inc.
The Devlin Connection 1982 NBC co-production with Jerry Thorpe Productions and Mammoth Films, Inc.
Amanda's 1983 ABC co-production with E&L Productions
Ace Crawford, Private Eye 1983 CBS co-production with Conway Enterprises
The Master 1984 NBC co-production with Michael Sloan Productions
Me and Mom 1985 ABC co-production with Hal Sitowitz Productions
Easy Street 1986–1987 NBC
Matlock 1986–1995 NBC/ABC co-produced by The Fred Silverman Company (Intermedia Entertainment Company in season 1) and Dean Hargrove Productions (Strathmore Productions in seasons 1–2), (season 9 only)
Frank's Place 1987–1988 CBS
Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures 1987–1988 CBS co-production with Bakshi-Hyde Ventures
Jake and the Fatman 1987–1992 CBS co-produced by The Fred Siverman Company and Dean Hargrove Productions (Strathmore Productions in season 1)
Father Dowling Mysteries 1987–1991 NBC/ABC co-produced by The Fred Silverman Company and Dean Hargrove Productions
Snoops 1989-1990 CBS co-production with Tima Love Productions and Solt/Egan Company
Max Monroe: Loose Cannon 1990 CBS co-production with Dean Hargrove Productions
The Marshall Chronicles1990 ABC co-production with Sweetum Productions
Flying Blind 1992–1993 Fox co-production with Sweetum Productions and Paramount Network Television
Key West 1993 Fox
Diagnosis: Murder 1993–2001 CBS co-produced by The Fred Silverman Company and Dean Hargrove Productions
Deadly Games 1995–1997 UPN
Townies 1996 ABC
The Adventures of Corduroy1996–1997home video onlyco-produced by Graz Entertainment
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch 1996–2003 ABC/The WB co-produced by Archie Comics, Hartbreak Films, and Finishing the Hat Productions (for season 1 only)
Oz 1997–2003 HBO seasons 4–5 only; co-production with The Levinson/Fontana Company and Rysher Entertainment
The Hoop Life 1999–2000 Showtime
The Beat 2000 UPN
Ed 2000–2004 NBC co-produced with NBC Productions and Worldwide Pants
The Division 2001–2004 Lifetime co-produced by Kedzie Productions
Baby Bob 2002–2003 CBS
Jake 2.0 2003–2004 UPN
The Handler 2003-2004 CBS co-production with Haddock Entertainment
The 4400 2004–2007 USA Network season 2 by Paramount Network Television, last 2 seasons by CBS Paramount Network Television

Note

The 4400 continued as a Paramount Network Television production for season 2. The show became a CBS Paramount Network Television production for its last two seasons after the Viacom/CBS split at the end of 2005.

All shows from Viacom Productions are now owned by CBS Studios Productions, LLC., a holding company, and distributed by CBS Television Distribution.

See also

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 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.

Paramount Media Networks is an American mass media division of Paramount Global that oversees the operations of its television channels and online brands. The division was originally founded as MTV Networks in 1984, named after the MTV cable network. It would be known under this name until 2011; when it would be thereafter known as Viacom Media Networks until 2019; and ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks until 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flix (TV network)</span> American movie-oriented pay television network

Flix is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Showtime Networks, a subsidiary of Paramount Global operated through its Paramount Media Networks division. Its programming consists solely of theatrically released motion pictures released from the 1970s to the present day, interspersed with some films from the 1950s and 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Movie Channel</span> American movie-oriented pay television network

The Movie Channel (TMC) is an American premium television network owned by Showtime Networks, a subsidiary of Paramount Global operated through its Paramount Media Networks division. The network's programming mainly features first-run theatrically released and independently produced motion pictures, and during promotional breaks between films, special behind-the-scenes features and movie trivia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CBS Studios</span> American television production company

CBS Studios, Inc. is an American television production company which is a subsidiary of the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. It was formed on January 17, 2006, by CBS Corporation as CBS Paramount (Network) Television, as a renaming of the original incarnation of the Paramount Television studio.

King World Productions, Inc. was a production company and syndicator of television programming in the United States founded by Charles King (1912–72) that was active from 1964 to 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MTV Entertainment Studios</span> American film and television production company

MTV Entertainment Studios is an American film and television production and distribution company and is the film and television production arm of the MTV Entertainment Group, itself a subsidiary of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. It primarily produces content aimed at adolescent and adult audiences, including original productions for the namesake cable channel and its siblings, or theatrical films released through Paramount Pictures.

<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">Paramount Global Content Distribution</span> Global TV distribution arm of Paramount Global

Paramount Global Content Distribution is the international television distribution arm of American media conglomerate, Paramount Global, originally established in 1962 as the international distribution division of Desilu Productions. With the sale of Desilu to Gulf+Western, then-owners of film studio Paramount Pictures, in 1968, the division evolved into Paramount's first foray into the international television industry in the 1970s.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CBS Productions</span> Production arm of American CBS television network

CBS Productions was a production arm of the CBS television network, now a part of Paramount Global, formed in 1952 to produce shows in-house, instead of relying solely on outside productions. One of its first productions was Studio One, a drama anthology series.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MGM+</span> American pay television network

MGM+, is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by the MGMPlus Entertainment subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), which is itself a subsidiary of Amazon MGM Studios. The network's programming consists of recent and older theatrically released motion pictures, original television series, documentaries, and music and comedy specials.

CBS Films Inc. was an American film production and distribution company founded in 2007 as a subsidiary of CBS Corporation and was considered a mini-major studio up until 2019.

<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 went 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Showtime (TV network)</span> American pay television network

Showtime, also known as Paramount+ with Showtime, is an American premium television network and the flagship property of Showtime Networks, a sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Paramount+ with Showtime's programming includes original television series produced exclusively for the linear network and developed for the co-owned Paramount+ streaming service, theatrically released and independent motion pictures, documentaries, and occasional stand-up comedy specials, made-for-TV movies, and softcore adult programming.

References

  1. ↑ Schneider, Michael (2004-06-16). "Viacom Prods. now part of Par". Variety. Retrieved 2021-09-02.
  2. ↑ "Viacom heats up" (PDF). Broadcasting . July 17, 1972. p. 46. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Viacom sets up group for prime-time shows" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine . February 21, 1977. p. 47. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Back-ups" (PDF). Broadcasting . 1978-05-22. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
  5. ↑ "Dean Hargrove". IMDb. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
  6. ↑ "Fates & Fortunes" (PDF). Broadcasting . 1984-08-20. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
  7. ↑ "VP new factor in syndication" (PDF). Broadcasting . 1994-02-21. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  8. ↑ "It's showtime for Viacom" (PDF). Broadcasting . July 24, 1989. p. 70. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
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.