CBS Theatrical Films
| Division | |
| Industry | movie |
| Fate | closed |
| Predecessor | Cinema Center Films |
| Successor | CBS Films |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Defunct | November 1985 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | films |
| Parent | CBS |
CBS Theatrical Films was the film production branch of the U.S. television network, CBS, which was active from 1979 to 1985.
CBS was also a partner in TriStar Pictures, which started as a joint venture with Columbia Pictures (owned then by The Coca-Cola Company), and Time, Inc.'s HBO.[1]
History
CBS began its theatrical films operation in 1979, headed by Donald March, and turned the operation into the separate CBS Theatrical Films division in 1980.[2] The company had gone through four presidents (March, Michael Levy, Bill Self, and Alan Levin). Before 1985, Self was president of production.[3] None of its releases were commercial successes.[4]
Closure
Several factors contributed to the closure of CBS Theatrical Films. As a so-called boutique, it was disadvantaged because it was usually only offered left over films after the major studios had selected the more likely commercial successes. Television movies did better in the ratings than theater films already released via cable and video. With additional startup boutiques, the market was overcrowded causing box office strain at the same time movie production costs doubled to $10 million with marketing matching that level. Another factor was that as a boutique, CBS Theatrical Films did not have a distribution system, so had to release its films through major studios, which sometimes resulted in disadvantageous release dates.[4] Most of their films were distributed by Warner Bros.[5] CBS announced CBS Theatrical Films's closure in November 1985.[4] The Challenge and their final production The Lightship were released through Embassy Pictures and Castle Hill Productions respectively. Today most of the movies made by the company are distributed by Paramount Pictures on DVD, as Paramount Pictures has a home video distribution deal with CBS.
Films produced
| Release Date | Title[4] |
|---|---|
| March 13, 1981 | Back Roads |
| July 23, 1982 | The Challenge |
| February 18, 1983 | Table for Five |
| May 18, 1984 | Finders Keepers |
| August 3, 1984 | Grandview, U.S.A. |
| September 21, 1984 | Windy City |
| October 26, 1984 | American Dreamer |
| August 23, 1985 | Better Off Dead |
| November 1, 1985 | Eleni |
| November 8, 1985 | Target |
| September 26, 1986 | The Lightship |
Cancelled film
Starblasters was to be a video game-themed movie, due to be released about Christmas time 1982, at least some of the film was to be computer-animated. It would have been the second video game-themed movie after Tron which was released in July of that year.[6]
External links
References
- ↑ Palmer, L. (1998) "How to write it, how to sell it: everything a screenwriter needs to know about Hollywood" (pp. 232-235). St. Martin's Press, New York. ISBN 0-312-18726-2.
- ↑ "CBS turns theatrical films operations into division". The Wall Street Journal. 1980-12-02.
- ↑ Barnes, Mike (November 18, 2010). "Former Producer, Fox TV Exec William Self Dies". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Harmetz, Aljean (November 23, 1985). "Abc, Cbs Drop Movie Interests". Orlando Sentinel.
- ↑ Lumenick, Lou (May 16, 2009). "CBS And Theatrical Films: If At First You Don't Succeed...". NY Post.com. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ↑ Bloom, Steve (1982). Video Invaders. Arco Publishing, Inc. p. 132. ISBN 0-668-05518-9.