Lorimar Television

Lorimar

Former type	Entertainment
Industry	Television and film production
Fate	folded into Warner Bros. Television
Founded	February 1, 1969
Defunct	1993
Key people	Irwin Molasky, Merv Adelson and Lee Rich (founders)
Parent	Independent (1969-1986) Lorimar-Telepictures (1986-1989) Warner Communications (1989) Time Warner (1989-1993)

Lorimar, later known as Lorimar Television and Lorimar Distribution, was an American television production company that was later a subsidiary of Warner Bros., active from 1969 until 1993. It was founded by Irwin Molasky, Merv Adelson, and Lee Rich, who named the company by combining the name of Adelson's ex-wife, Lori, with Palomar Airport in San Diego, California.

History

Early years

Lorimar initially started producing made-for-TV movies for the ABC Movie of the Week. Rich bought the script to an adaptation of Earl Hamner Jr.'s novel "The Homecoming" and subsequently sold the rights to CBS. The Homecoming: A Christmas Story was a ratings success, and served as the pilot for Lorimar's first major hit production, The Waltons, which premiered in 1972. Throughout the 1970s, Lorimar produced several other shows as well, including Eight is Enough; of these, the most popular by far was Dallas. In 1980, Lorimar purchased the bankrupt Allied Artists Pictures Corporation.

In the 1980s, Lorimar's output swung toward family-friendly sitcoms; among these were Perfect Strangers and Full House, which were produced by Miller-Boyett Productions.

In 1986, Lorimar merged with television syndication firm Telepictures, becoming Lorimar-Telepictures; later that year, they purchased the MGM lot from Ted Turner.

Purchase by Warner Communications

In 1988, Lorimar-Telepictures' production arm became Lorimar Television; however, the L-T distribution business remained until 1989. In 1989, Lorimar was purchased by Warner Communications, which was merging with Time Inc. to form Time Warner, one of the world's largest media companies, now headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Lorimar's distribution business was folded into Warner Bros. Television Distribution and became Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution; since then, the Telepictures name has been resurrected as both a production company (circa 1990), and once again as a syndication company (1996, after the Turner merger).

The former MGM studio lot was sold to Sony to house Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures and Sony's other film operations in which was later named Columbia Studios and is now Sony Pictures Studios. Lorimar continued as a production company until July 1993, when it was folded into Warner Bros. Television, for "economic issues" as a result of declining syndication sales. The last two series to premiere under the Lorimar name were Time Trax and Babylon 5, as part of the 'Prime Time Entertainment Network' programming block.

Les Moonves (current president of CBS Corporation) was the president and CEO of Lorimar Television from 1987-1993. Moonves would then become the chairman of Warner Bros. Television after the merger with Lorimar.

Key components Lorimar owned

Additionally, Lorimar has owned key components of the film library of the defunct Allied Artists film studio (originally Monogram Pictures), which includes Cabaret and Papillon; these too are now owned by Warner.

TV productions

• The Good Life (with Screen Gems, 1971–1972)
• The Waltons (1972–1981)
• Apple's Way (1974-1975)
• Sybil (TV movie) (1976)
• Helter Skelter (TV mini-series) (1976)
• Eight Is Enough (1977–1981)
• Dallas (1978–1991)
• Knots Landing (1979–1993)
• Skag (1980)
• Flamingo Road (1980–1982)
• The People's Court (1981–1993)
• Falcon Crest (1981–1990)
• King's Crossing (1982)
• Boone (1983)
• Just Our Luck (1983)
• SilverHawks (1986)
• Love Connection (1983–1994, 1998–1999)
• Hunter (1984–1991) (distribution only until 1987)
• ThunderCats (1985-1989)
• Mama's Family (1986-1990 version, distribution only)
• Valerie/The Hogan Family (1986–1991)
• Perfect Strangers (1986–1993)
• Full House (1987–1995)
• Gumby (1988)
• Midnight Caller (1988–1991)
• Freddy's Nightmares (1988–1990)
• Family Matters (1989–1998)
• Stephen King's It (TV mini-series) (1990)
• Reasonable Doubts (1991–1993)
• Sisters (1991–1996)
• Step by Step (1991–1998)
• O Pioneers! (TV movie) (1992)
• Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1992)
• Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1992–1997)
• Time Trax (1993–1994)
• It Had to Be You (1993)
• Island City (TV movie) (1994)

Other ventures

Theatrical films

Lorimar not only specialized in producing television programs, they also produced (sporadically) a number of theatrical motion pictures, most of which were originally distributed by other studios as noted. In 1985, they had a film production unit known as Lorimar Motion Pictures. In January 1987, the film unit was renamed Lorimar Film Entertainment to coincide with its newly formed in-house distribution unit. In 1988, Lorimar made a distribution deal with Warner Bros. Under Warner, Lorimar continued to make theatrical films until 1990.

The rights to most of the films noted here have been retained by their original distributors (as noted with an * asterisk), while others are now in the hands of Warner Bros. (Including all of the Lorimar film productions released by United Artists, 20th Century Fox, almost all of the Lorimar film productions released by Paramount Pictures, and the Lorimar film productions released by Warner Bros.) The television rights to The Last Starfighter are owned by Warner, while Universal Studios holds theatrical and home video rights. In the UK, films produced by Lorimar in the late 1970s/early 1980s were distributed by ITC Entertainment. Lorimar Motion Pictures also distributed The Fourth Protocol and Siesta - neither of them produced by the company - in North America. ITV Global Entertainment now owns The Tamarind Seed.

• The Sporting Club (1971; distributed by Avco Embassy Pictures)
• The Man (1972, in association with ABC Circle Films; distributed by Paramount Pictures)
• The Tamarind Seed (1974, in association with ITC; distributed by Avco Embassy Pictures)
• Mitchell (1975) (re-release only, originally distributed by Allied Artists Pictures Corporation)
• The Choirboys (1977, distributed by Universal Studios.)*
• Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978, originally distributed by Warner Bros.; WB summarily relinquished the rights, but reclaimed them after the Lorimar/WB merger)*
• The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979, distributed by United Artists)
• Being There (1979, distributed by United Artists)
• Avalanche Express (1979, distributed by 20th Century Fox)
• Americathon (1979, distributed by United Artists)
• Cruising (1980, distributed by United Artists)
• Carny (1980, distributed by United Artists)
• The Big Red One (1980, distributed by United Artists)
• The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981, distributed by Paramount Pictures)
• Night School (1981, distributed by Paramount Pictures)
• S.O.B. (1981, distributed by Paramount Pictures)
• Victory (1981, distributed by Paramount Pictures)
• Love & Money (1982, distributed by Paramount Pictures)
• An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) (Lorimar/Paramount co-production)*
• Lookin' to Get Out (1982, distributed by Paramount Pictures)
• The Dead Zone (1983) (in silent partnership with Dino De Laurentiis Corporation, distributed by Paramount Pictures, who still owns major rights today)*
• Tank (1984, distributed and co-produced by Universal Studios)*
• The Last Starfighter (1984, distributed and co-produced by Universal Studios)*
• Power (1986, distributed by 20th Century Fox)
• American Anthem (1986, distributed by Columbia Pictures)
• The Boy Who Could Fly (1986, distributed by 20th Century Fox)
• The Morning After (1986, distributed by 20th Century Fox)
• Big Shots (1987, distributed by 20th Century Fox)
• In the Mood (1987, a co-production with Kings Road Entertainment)
• Orphans (1987)
• Made In Heaven (1987)
• The Fourth Protocol (1987, U.S. distribution)
• Siesta (1987, U.S. distribution)
• Two Moon Junction (1988)
• Return of the Living Dead Part II (1988)
• Action Jackson (1988)
• Running On Empty (1988, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
• Dangerous Liaisons (1988, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
• Moonwalker (1988, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
• Bert Rigby, You're a Fool (1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
• The Toxic Avenger Part II (1989, distributed and co-produced by Troma Entertainment)*
• Dead Bang (1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
• See You in the Morning (1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
• Cookie (1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
• Next of Kin (1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
• Second Sight (1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
• The Witches (1990, distributed by Warner Bros.)*

Home video

In 1984, Lorimar purchased Karl Video Corporation (KVC), also known as Karl Home Video, which was named after its founder, Stuart Karl (1953–1991). KVC, which was best known for producing the bestselling Jane Fonda workout videos, was renamed Karl-Lorimar Home Video after the acquisition. Relationships between Lorimar and Karl grew sour, which forced Karl to resign in March 1987. Karl-Lorimar continued to exist under the name Lorimar Home Video until it closed sometime later. Lorimar Home Video closed in 1989 and was folded into Warner Home Video.

In Australia, Lorimar joined a venture with Village Roadshow Limited to create Roadshow Lorimar Home Video, which distributed movie titles by Lorimar Motion Pictures in that country.

Television stations

Main article: Lorimar-Telepictures#Broadcasting