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Lorimar Television

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Lorimar Television
Lorimar 1988 logo.jpg
Founded February 1, 1969
Dissolved 1993 (folded into Warner Bros. Television)
President Irwin Molasky
Merv Adelson
Lee Rich (founders)
Notable Works The Waltons
Dallas
Perfect Strangers
Full House
Family Matters

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.

Contents

History

Early Years

When Lorimar started operation, they initially started producing made-for-TV movies for the ABC Movie of the Week. Rich then 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 became a ratings success, and served as the pilot for the company's first major hit, 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 and its TV subsidiary Allied Artists Television.

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 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer lot from Ted Turner, and months later, Rich left the company and moved to MGM.

The Purchase from Warner Communications

In 1988, the Lorimar-Telepictures production arm became known as Lorimar Television. The distribution arm, however, stayed in business until 1989. The following year, Warner Communications purchased the Lorimar name, which then merged with Time, Inc., and formed Time Warner, one of the largest media companies in the world.

Key components Lorimar owned

Lorimar had owned key components of the film library of the defunct Allied Artists film studio (formerly known as Monogram Pictures), which include Cabaret and Papillon. Both of these movies are owned by Warner Bros.

Productions

List of shows produced by Lorimar Television

Title Format Buyer Year(s)
The Good Life Sitcom NBC 1971–1972[1]
The Waltons Drama CBS 1972–1981
Doc Elliot Medical drama ABC 1973–1974
Apple's Way Drama CBS 1974–1975
The Blue Knight Crime drama CBS 1975–1976
Eight Is Enough Dramedy ABC 1977–1981
Dallas Soap Opera CBS 1978–1991
The Waverly Wonders Sitcom NBC 1978
Kaz Legal drama CBS 1978–1979
Flatbush Sitcom CBS 1979
Married: The First Year Drama CBS 1979
Big Shamus, Little Shamus Drama CBS 1979
Knots Landing Soap Opera CBS 1979–1993
Skag Drama NBC 1980
Flamingo Road Drama NBC 1980–1982
Secrets of Midland Heights Drama CBS 1980–1981
The People's Court Reality court show First-run syndication 1981–1993
Falcon Crest Drama CBS 1981–1990
King's Crossing Drama ABC 1982
Boone Drama NBC 1983–1984
Just Our Luck Sitcom ABC 1983
Love Connection Game Shows First-run syndication 1983–1994
First-run syndication 1998–1999
The Hitchhiker Drama HBO 1983–1987
USA 1989–1991
Suzanne Pleshette Is Maggie Briggs Sitcom CBS 1984
Hunter Crime drama NBC 1984–1991[2]
The Best Years Drama NBC 1985
ThunderCats Animated action / adventure First-run syndication 1985–1989
The Redd Foxx Show Sitcom ABC 1986
The Hogan Family Sitcom NBC 1986–1990
CBS 1990–1991
Perfect Strangers Sitcom ABC 1986–1993
Morningstar/Eveningstar Drama CBS 1986
Mama's Family Sitcom First-run syndication 1986–1990[2]
SilverHawks Animated action / adventure First-run syndication 1986
Better Days Sitcom CBS 1986
Max Headroom Sci-fi drama ABC 1987–1988
Full House Sitcom ABC 1987–1995[3]
Gumby Animated comedy First-run syndication 1988[2]
Aaron's Way Drama NBC 1988
Midnight Caller Drama NBC 1988–1991
Paradise Western drama CBS 1988–1991
Freddy's Nightmares Horror anthology First-run syndication 1988–1990
Nearly Departed Sitcom NBC 1989
Island Son Drama CBS 1989–1990
The People Next Door Sitcom CBS 1989
Family Matters Sitcom ABC 1989–1997[3]
CBS 1997–1998
The Family Man Sitcom CBS 1990–1991
Going Places Sitcom ABC 1990–1991
Sisters Drama NBC 1991–1996[3]
Step by Step Sitcom ABC 1991–1997[3]
CBS 1997–1998
Homefront Drama ABC 1991–1993
Pros and Cons Crime drama ABC 1991–1992
Reasonable Doubts Legal drama NBC 1991–1993
I'll Fly Away Drama NBC 1991–1993
Scorch Sitcom CBS 1992
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures Sitcom FOX 1992
Going to Extremes Medical drama ABC 1992–1993
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Sitcom ABC 1992–1997[3]
The Jackie Thomas Show Sitcom ABC 1992–1993
Shaky Ground Sitcom FOX 1992–1993
Time Trax Sci-fi crime drama PTEN 1993–1994[3]
It Had to Be You Sitcom CBS 1993
  1. Co-production with Screen Gems.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Distribution only.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Folded into Warner Bros. Television in 1993.

External Links