Viacom Productions

Viacom Pictures
Industry	Film production
Founded	1989;35 years ago
Defunct	1999;25 years ago
Successor	Paramount Pictures
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California , United States
Owner	Viacom
Parent	Viacom Productions

Viacom Productions
Formerly	Viacom Enterprises
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Television production ; Movie production ; Sports production ;
Founded	1971;53 years ago
Defunct	June 15, 2004;19 years ago
Fate	Folded into Paramount Network Television
Successor	Paramount Television
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California , United States
Products	Television Production
Parent	Viacom Enterprises (1971–1995); Paramount Network Television (1995–2004)

Last updated February 10, 2024

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]

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

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 it was headed by Neil S. Braun, in an effort to compete with HBO, who had its own HBO Pictures division.^[8]

Shows produced by Viacom Productions

Among select titles

Title	Years	Network	Notes
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 Detective	1979	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 Chronicles	1990	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 Corduroy	1996–1997	home video only	co-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 (now CBS Media Vertures).

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References

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

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[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.

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