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DreamWorks Classics

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DreamWorks Classics is an American entertainment company owned by DreamWorks Animation, a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, a division of NBCUniversal, which in turn is a subsidiary of Comcast. Founded as Classic Media in 2000 by Eric Ellenbogen and John Engelman,[5] The studio's library consists of acquired intellectual property catalogs and character brands, as well as the licensing rights for various third-party properties. In 2012, Boomerang Media sold Classic Media to DreamWorks Animation, who rebranded the company as DreamWorks Classics (the legal name is still Classic Media, LLC).[6][7] DreamWorks Animation became a subsidiary of NBCUniversal in 2016.[8]

History[]

Classic Media was founded by Eric Ellenbogen and John Engelman in May 2000 after acquiring the United Productions of America (UPA) catalog and assets from the estate of Henry Saperstein.[5] Frank Biondi, the former head of Universal Studios, and film producer Steve Tisch invested in the company.[9] Classic Media then bought the Harvey Films catalog on March 11, 2001.[9][10] On August 16, 2001, Classic Media and Random House won a joint bid for the assets of Golden Books, with Random House, and Classic Media acquiring Golden Books' entertainment division (including the Dell Comics and Gold Key Comics libraries[11]) and Random House acquiring Golden Books' book publishing properties. Classic then purchased much rights to the Jay Ward characters and formed Bullwinkle Studios, a joint venture with Jay Ward Productions, to manage them sometime in 2002.[12][13] On October 31, 2003, Classic Media purchased the assets of the bankrupt Big Idea Entertainment catalog.[14] By 2007, Bullwinkle Studios became converted to a functioning studio.[6][15]

On April 7, 2005, the company was recapitalized by a group of investors consisting of Spectrum Equity Investors plus existing investors led by Pegasus Capital Advisors. A $100 million senior debt facility was also arranged from JP Morgan Chase Bank-led bank group. With the deal, Spectrum became a majority owner over the existing investors, with a representative on the company board of directors.[11]

In August 2006, Classic Media announced a joint venture with ION Media Networks, NBCUniversal, Corus Entertainment and book publisher Scholastic Corporation to launch Qubo, a kids' entertainment network.[16]

Classic Media logo

Logo for Classic Media

On December 14, 2006, it was announced that Classic Media would be acquired by UK-based rival Entertainment Rights for $210.0 million.[17] Before the acquisition was completed, both companies announced distribution and production agreements with Genius Products LLC, replacing the Sony Wonder deal.[18]

Entertainment Rights fell in to administration on April 1, 2009. On the same day, Boomerang Media LLC, formed by Ellenbogen and Engelman in 2008 with equity funding from GTCR, announced that it would acquire Entertainment Rights' principal UK and American subsidiaries, including Classic Media, Inc. and Big Idea Entertainment, from its administrators.[19] On May 11, 2009, Boomerang Media announced that the former UK and American subsidiaries of Entertainment Rights would operate as a unified business under the name Classic Media, while Big Idea would operate under its own name.[3][4]

On February 20, 2010, Classic Media purchased the then-upcoming manga-inspired television series My Life Me from the bankrupt TV-Loonland AG.[20][21]

Classic Media bought the Noddy brand on March 7[22] and later bought the Olivia brand on March 19, both in 2012 from Chorion.[23]

Sale to DreamWorks Animation (2012–present)[]

On July 23, 2012, DreamWorks Animation announced that they would acquire Classic Media for $155 million from Boomerang Media, with the deal closing in September of that year.[6][7] Afterwards, Classic Media began trading as DreamWorks Classics to associate itself with its parent company, although the parent company remained under its former name.

On October 3, 2012, Classic Media made its first post-DreamWorks sale by securing licensing and distribution rights to Studio Hari's The Owl & Co outside of France and other French-speaking territories.[24]

On September 17, 2013, DreamWorks Animation announced they had purchased the programming library of the British animation studio Chapman Entertainment, and placed distribution through DreamWorks' UK-based TV distribution operation.[25]

On June 18, 2014, DreamWorks Animation bought the Felix the Cat brand and added it to the DreamWorks Classics portfolio.[26]

On April 28, 2016, NBCUniversal announced it would buy out DreamWorks Animation in a $3.8 billion deal.[27] The buyout was completed on August 22.[8]

In January 2020, Classic Media pre-sold streaming rights to three series; Lassie, George of the Jungle and Mr. Magoo, by CBS All Access (now as Paramount+).[28]

Libraries[]

Catalogs[]

  • The United Productions of America (UPA) library (Mr. Magoo and Gerald McBoing-Boing)[5] (excluding the theatrical shorts library, which is still handled by Sony Pictures via Columbia Pictures, and theatrical films owned by third-party companies)
    • Several Godzilla films (under license from Toho)[29]
  • The Harvey Films library (Casper the Friendly Ghost, Little Audrey, Richie Rich and Baby Huey)[9][10] (excluding co-productions owned by third-party companies)
  • The Western Publishing/Golden Books/Gold Key Comics/Golden Book Video library (Pat the Bunny, Magnus, Robot Fighter, Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom, Turok and Little Lulu),[11][12][13] including:
    • Broadway Video's former family entertainment library (Lassie, The Lone Ranger and Sergeant Preston of the Yukon),[30][31] including:
      • The pre-1974 Tomorrow Entertainment library
        • The pre-September 1974 Rankin/Bass Productions library (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Little Drummer Boy, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town and others)[citation needed]
      • The Total Television library (Underdog and Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales)[citation needed]
(excluding the 2007 Underdog film, owned by Walt Disney Pictures)
    • Shari Lewis' two PBS series (Lamb Chop's Play-Along and The Charlie Horse Music Pizza)[32]
  • The CST Entertainment library
  • The Big Idea Entertainment library (VeggieTales, 3-2-1 Penguins! and Larryboy: The Cartoon Adventures)[14]
  • The Entertainment Rights library,[19] including:
    • The Carrington Productions International library
    • The Link Entertainment library
    • The Filmation library (The Archie Show, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and BraveStarr)[33] (excluding third-party licensed properties)
    • The Woodland Animations library (Postman Pat, Gran, Bertha and Charlie Chalk)[34]
    • The Tell-Tale Productions library (including Boo!, but excluding the rights to Tweenies, owned by BBC Studios)[35][36][37]
    • The Sleepy Kids library (Dr. Zitbag's Transylvania Pet Shop, Budgie the Little Helicopter and Potsworth & Co.)
    • The Maddocks Animation library (including The Family-Ness, Jimbo and the Jet-Set, Penny Crayon and The Caribou Kitchen)
    • Other programs formerly under Entertainment Rights that were produced by other production companies, such as The Basil Brush Show
  • The Chapman Entertainment library (Fifi and the Flowertots, Roary the Racing Car, Little Charley Bear and Raa Raa the Noisy Lion)[38]

Character brands[]

  • Noddy[22]
  • Olivia[23]
  • Felix the Cat[26]
  • Where's Waldo?[39]
  • Masters of the Universe characters (via the Filmation catalog; under license from Mattel)[citation needed]
  • Roger Ramjet[citation needed]
  • The Mighty Hercules

Joint ventures[]

  • Bullwinkle Studios, a joint venture with Jay Ward Productions to produce and manage the Jay Ward catalog (including The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Dudley Do-Right and George of the Jungle).[6][15] DreamWorks' partnership with Bullwinkle Studios ended in February 2022 when the Ward estate partnered with WildBrain.[40] DreamWorks continues to own its co-productions with Bullwinkle Studios.[41]

Other rights[]

  • My Life Me[42][43]
  • OOglies (worldwide distribution excluding UK television rights)[44][45]
  • Theodore Tugboat
  • Tracy Beaker Returns (worldwide distribution excluding UK television rights)[46]
  • The Tribune Content Agency catalog (including Dick Tracy, Brenda Starr, Reporter, Gasoline Alley and Broom-Hilda)[47][48]
  • Voltron[49] (under license from World Events Productions)
  • The Owl & Co (Worldwide distribution excluding France television rights)

External links[]

v - e - d
Animation industry in the United States
Companies/studios Active DreamWorks Animation • DreamWorks Animation Television • DreamWorks Classics • Big Idea Entertainment • Harvey Entertainment • Jay Ward Productions • Illumination • Universal Animation Studios • CBS Eye Animation Productions • Late Night Cartoons • MTV Animation • Nickelodeon Animation Studio • Nickelodeon Digital • Paramount Animation • Miramax Animation (49%) • Cartoon Network Studios • Rooster Teeth Animation • Warner Animation Group • Warner Bros. Animation • Williams Street • 20th Century Animation • 20th Television Animation • Disney Television Animation • Lucasfilm Animation • Industrial Light & Magic • Marvel Animation • Pixar Animation Studios • Walt Disney Animation Studios • Crunchyroll • Sony Pictures Animation • Sony Pictures Imageworks• Augenblick Studios • Awesome Inc. • Fox Corporation • Bento Box Entertainment • Billionfold Inc. • Blur Studio • Cartuna • Charlex • CMCC Cartoons • DNEG • Digital Domain • Film Roman • Phil Roman Entertainment • Floyd County Productions • Fred Wolf Films • Fuzzy Door Productions • Genius Brands • Wow Unlimited Media • Frederator Studios • Frederator Films • Hasbro • Entertainment One • Joe Murray Productions • Justin Roiland's Solo Vanity Card Productions! • Kinofilm • Klasky Csupo • Laika • Lee Mendelson Films • Melendez Films • Little Airplane Productions • Man of Action Entertainment • Mattel • Mexopolis • Mirari Films • Mondo Media • 6 Point Harness • Netflix Animation • Noble • Omation Animation Studio • Parallax Studio • Powerhouse Animation Studios • Psyop • Radical Axis • Reel FX Creative Studios • Renegade Animation • Rough Draft Studios • Rovio Animation • Screen Novelties • Scholastic • Weston Woods Studios • SD Entertainment • ShadowMachine • Skydance Animation • Snee-Oosh, Inc. • Splash Entertainment • Sprite Animation Studios • Stretch Films • Stoopid Buddy Stoodios • Tau Films • Threshold Entertainment • Titmouse, Inc. • The ULULU Company • United Plankton Pictures • Vanguard Animation • WildBrain • Wild Canary Animation • World Events Productions • Worker Studio
Defunct 41 Entertainment • 4Kids Entertainment • 70/30 Productions • Adelaide Productions • Adventure Cartoon Productions • Allspark • Amblimation • Animation Collective • Animation Lab • Animation Magic • Blue Sky Studios • Bolder Media • Cambria Productions • Cartoon Pizza • Chorion • Circle 7 Animation • Cookie Jar • Copernicus Studios • Crest Animation Productions • Curious Pictures • DePatie–Freleng Enterprises • DIC Entertainment • Disneytoon Studios • DNA Productions • Famous Studios • Filmation • Fleischer Studios • Format Films • Fox Animation Studios • Funimation • Golden Films • Hanna-Barbera • HIT Entertainment • Jetlag Productions • Kanbar Animation • Kroyer Films • Laugh-O-Gram Studio • Marvel Productions • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation • MGM Animation/Visual Arts • MGM Cartoons • MoonScoop • Pacific Data Images • PorchLight Entertainment • Prana Studios • Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment • Rhythm and Hues Studios • Ruby-Spears • Saban Entertainment • Screen Gems • Skellington Productions • Soup2Nuts • Spümcø • Sullivan Bluth Studios • Sunbow Entertainment • Terrytoons • United Productions of America • Van Beuren Studios • Walter Lantz Productions • Warner Bros. Cartoons • Will Vinton Studios • Zodiac Entertainment
Industry associations The Animation Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 839 • ASIFA-Hollywood
Awards Academy Awards • Annie Awards • Daytime Emmy Award • Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards • Primetime Emmy Award
History Silent era • Golden age (World War II) • Television era • Modern era
Genres Animated Infomercial • Animated sitcom • Buddy film • Comedy-drama • Superhero fiction • Western
Related topics American comics (History of American comics • Tijuana bible) • Humorous Phases of Funny Faces • Flash animation
Template:Icon Category
v - e - d
DreamWorks Animation Logo (Boy on the Moon Print)
A subsidiary of NBCUniversal, a Comcast company
Feature films Theatrical Antz (1998) PDI • The Prince of Egypt (1998) • The Road to El Dorado (2000) • Chicken Run (2000) AA • Shrek (2001) PDI • Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) • Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003) • Shrek 2 (2004) PDI • Shark Tale (2004) • Madagascar (2005) PDI • Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) AA • Over the Hedge (2006) • Flushed Away (2006) AA • Shrek the Third (2007) PDI • Bee Movie (2007) C81P • Kung Fu Panda (2008) • Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) PDI • Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) • How to Train Your Dragon (2010) • Shrek Forever After (2010) • Megamind (2010) PDI • Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) • Puss in Boots (2011) • Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) PDI • Rise of the Guardians (2012) • The Croods (2013) • Turbo (2013) • Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) PDI BS • How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) • Penguins of Madagascar (2014) PDI • Home (2015) • Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) PS • Trolls (2016) • The Boss Baby (2017) • Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017) • How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) • Abominable (2019) PS • Trolls World Tour (2020) • The Croods: A New Age (2020) • Spirit Untamed (2021) • The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021) • The Bad Guys (2022) • Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) • Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023) • Trolls Band Together (2023) • Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) • The Wild Robot (2024)
Direct-to-video Joseph: King of Dreams (2000)
Direct-to-digital Orion and the Dark (2024)
Upcoming Dog Man (2025) • The Bad Guys 2 (2025) • Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie (2025) • Shrek 5 (2026)
Franchises Shrek • Spirit • Madagascar • Kung Fu Panda • Monsters vs. Aliens • How to Train Your Dragon • Megamind • The Croods • Trolls • Tales of Arcadia • The Boss Baby • The Bad Guys
People Bill Damaschke • Chris Meledandri • Jeffrey Katzenberg • Nico Marlet • Kelly Asbury • Eric Darnell • Tom McGrath • Pierre Perifel
Divisions DreamWorks Animation Television • DreamWorks Channel • DreamWorks Classics (Big Idea Entertainment • Harvey Entertainment)
Related topics Amblimation • CyberWorld • DreamWorks Pictures (films • DreamWorks Records • DreamWorks Television • DreamWorks Interactive • Go Fish Pictures) • MoonRay • Pacific Data Images • Pearl Studio • Universal Animation Studios • Illumination (Illumination Studios Paris) • List of Paramount Pictures theatrical animated feature films • List of 20th Century Studios theatrical animated feature films • List of Universal Pictures theatrical animated feature films (unproduced projects) • List of unproduced DreamWorks Animation projects • DreamWorks Water Park • In amusement parks (DreamWorks Experience)
Template:Icon Category


PDI Produced with Pacific Data Images • AA Produced with Aardman Animations • C81P Produced with Columbus 81 Productions • BS Produced with Bullwinkle Studios • PS Produced with Pearl Studio

Template:NBCUniversal

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Palmeri, Christopher (July 23, 2012). "DreamWorks Animation to Buy Owner of Casper, Lassie Shows". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved April 2, 2016.Template:Subscription required
  2. ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."DreamWorks buys Casper, Lassie owner Classic Media for $155m". Telegraph. July 23, 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tribbey, Chris (May 11, 2009). Classic Media Absorbs Subsidiaries. Home Media Magazine.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Moody, Annemarie (May 11, 2009). Entertainment Rights to Operate as Classic Media. Animation World Network.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Classic Media Acquires Harvey Entertainment (en) (August 25, 2000).
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Verrier, Richard (July 23, 2012). "DreamWorks Animation buys 'Casper,' 'Lassie' parent Classic Media". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 25, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 DreamWorks Studios Buys Classic Media For $155m. Business Insider (July 23, 2012).
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 McNary, Dave (August 22, 2016). Comcast Completes $3.8 Billion DreamWorks Animation Purchase. Variety.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Harvey Sells Out (March 11, 2001).
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Harvey Sells All Of Its Classic Characters (en) (March 9, 2001).
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Classic Media Gets Monetary Backing.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 DeMott, Rick (August 24, 2001). Random House, Classic Media Buy Bankrupt Golden Books.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Golden Books sold for poky little $84M (August 16, 2001).
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 'VeggieTales' goes for $19.3 million (October 31, 2003).
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Elliot, Stuart (January 16, 2008). "A Classic Series, Retooled and Swingin'". New York Times. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  16. ↑ Hampp, Andrew (August 24, 2006). NBC Debuts Kids Programming Brand Qubo.
  17. ↑ Lodderhose, Diana (December 14, 2006). Kids' programming specialists join hands. Variety.
  18. ↑ Template:Cite press release
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Daswani, Mansha. Boomerang Media Buys ER.
  20. ↑ Anime/Manga-Inspired My Life Me Sold to Classic Media.
  21. ↑ Bynum, Aaron. 'My Life Me' Animation Now in New Hands. Animation Insider.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Sweney, Mark (March 7, 2012). Chorion sells rights to Noddy.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Arrant, Chris (March 19, 2012). Classic Media Acquires "Olivia" Rights from Chorion.
  24. ↑ Dreamworks Classics représente la Chouette & Cie à l'international (October 3, 2012).
  25. ↑ Wendy Goldman Getzler (17 September 2013). DreamWorks scoops up Chapman's library. Kidscreen.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 DreamWorks Picks Up Felix the Cat (June 18, 2014).
  27. ↑ Comcast's NBCUniversal buys DreamWorks Animation in $3.8-billion deal (April 28, 2016).
  28. ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Tuchow, Ryan (January 13, 2020). "CBS All Access scoops up DreamWorks Classics". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020. US SVOD CBS All Access is growing its children’s programming with three new animated series from DreamWorks Animation-owned distributor Classics Media.
  29. ↑ Classic Media Reissues the Original GODZILLA on DVD (May 13, 2014).
  30. ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Golden Books Agrees to Buy a Video Library". The New York Times. Reuters. July 31, 1996. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  31. ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Golden Books To Buy Family Entertainment Library From Broadway Video". Associated Press. July 30, 1996. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  32. ↑ Lamb Chop and Charlie sign on for a Golden deal (July 31, 1997).
  33. ↑ Entertainment Rights buys Filmation (March 25, 2004).
  34. ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Postman Pat sold for Ł5m". BBC News. November 8, 2001. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  35. ↑ https://www.c21media.net/news/postman-pat-buys-tweenies-prodco/
  36. ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Tweenies maker bought for £3.1m". BBC News. September 13, 2004. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  37. ↑ Ball, Ryan (September 13, 2004). Entertainment Rights Acquires Tell-Tale Prods.. Animation Magazine.
  38. ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."DreamWorks scoops up Chapman's library". Kidscreen. June 27, 2014. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  39. ↑ Template:Cite press release
  40. ↑ 'Rocky & Bullwinkle' Owner Jay Ward Productions Inks Deal With WildBrain (EXCLUSIVE) (3 February 2022).
  41. ↑ WildBrain to refresh classic Jay Ward animation (4 February 2022).
  42. ↑ Anime/Manga-Inspired My Life Me Sold to Classic Media.
  43. ↑ Bynum, Aaron. 'My Life Me' Animation Now in New Hands. Animation Insider.
  44. ↑ Classic picks up Ooglies.
  45. ↑ Washington, Ed (March 13, 2012). Classic Media Inks Deals Across Central, Eastern Europe.
  46. ↑ Classic picks up Ooglies.
  47. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  48. ↑ Paskin, Willa (June 13, 2005). Tribune, Classic in cartoon venture. Variety.
  49. ↑ Goldman Getzler, Wendy (June 7, 2010). Voltron returns with full Force.
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