Warner Bros. Television Studios
Warner Bros. Television shield. | |
Industry | Television production |
---|---|
Founded | March 21, 1955[1] |
Founder | William T. Orr |
Headquarters | Burbank, California, United States |
Key people | Barry Meyer, Chairman and CEO Bruce Rosenblum, President, Warner Bros. Television |
Products | Television programs |
Revenue | US$110.7 billion (2007)[2] |
US$845 million (2007) | |
Owner | Independent (1955–1967) Warner Bros.-Seven Arts (1967–1969) Kinney National Company (1969–1971) Warner Communications (1971–1989) Time Warner (1989–2001, 2003–present) AOL Time Warner (2001–2003) Warner Bros. Entertainment (2003–present) |
Parent | Time Warner |
Website | www.warnertv.com |
Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network (in which Time Warner has a 50% ownership stake), though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on Showtime and The Closer on TNT (though Time Warner owns TNT).
History and production
Beginning and saturation
The division was started on March 21, 1955[1] with its first and most successful head being Jack Warner's son-in-law William T. Orr. ABC had major success against its competition with Walt Disney's Disneyland (TV series) and approached Warner Bros. initially with the idea of purchasing the studio's film library (WB eventually sold the rights to the negatives of 750 films and over 1500 shorts to Associated Artists Productions, or a.a.p., in 1956[3]). WB formally entered television production with the premiere of its self-titled anthology series Warner Bros. Presents on ABC. The one hour weekly show featured rotating episodes of television series based on the WB films, Casablanca and King's Row, as well as an original series titled Cheyenne with Clint Walker. The first one hour television western, Cheyenne became a big hit for the network and the studio with the added advantage of featuring promotions for upcoming Warner Bros. cinema releases in the show's last ten minutes. One such segment for Rebel Without a Cause featured Gig Young notably talking about road safety with James Dean.
With only Cheyenne being a success, Warner Bros. ended the ten minute promotions of new films and replaced Warner Bros. Presents with an anthology series titled Conflict. It was felt that "Conflict" was what the previous series lacked. Conflict showed the pilots for Maverick and 77 Sunset Strip [citation needed].
The success of Cheyenne led WBTV to produce many series for ABC such as Westerns (Maverick, Lawman, Colt .45, Bronco that was a spin off of Cheyenne, Sugarfoot, and The Alaskans), crime dramas (77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Bourbon Street Beat, and Surfside 6), and other shows such as The Gallant Men and The Roaring Twenties using stock footage from WB war films and gangster films respectively. The company also produced Jack Webb's Red Nightmare for the U.S. Department of Defense that was later shown on American television on Jack Webb's General Electric True.
All shows were made in the manner of WB's B pictures in the '30s and '40s;[4] fast paced, lots of stock footage from other films, stock music from the Warners music library and contracted stars working long hours for comparatively small salaries with restrictions on their career.
During a Hollywood television writers strike, Warner Bros. reused many plots from its films and other television shows under the nom de plume of "W. Hermanos".[5] This was another example of imitating Warner Bros' B Pictures who would remake an "A" film and switch the setting.[6]
Two of the most popular stars, James Garner and Clint Walker quit over their conditions. Garner never returned to the Warner's fold. Successful Warner's television stars found themselves in leading roles of many of the studio's films with no increase in salary. Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. was simultaneously the lead of 77 Sunset Strip, in a recurring role on Maverick, and also headlined several films until exhaustion forced the studio to give him a rest. Many other actors under contract to Warner's at the time, who despite their work conditions, did see their stars rise over time, albeit for most only briefly, included Jack Kelly, Will Hutchins, Peter Brown, Ty Hardin, Wayde Preston, John Russell, Donald May, Rex Reason, Richard Long, Van Williams, Roger Smith, Mike Road, Anthony Eisley, Robert Conrad, Robert McQueeney, Dorothy Provine, Diane McBain, and Connie Stevens. Edd Byrnes and Troy Donahue would go on to become teen heartthrobs. Another contract player, Englishman Roger Moore (Maverick and The Alaskans), was growing displeased with Warner as his contract was expiring and would relocate to Europe from Hollywood, becoming an international star on TV, and eventually, in films. Warners also contracted established stars such as Ray Danton, Peter Breck, Jeanne Cooper and Grant Williams. These stars often appeared as guest stars, sometimes reprising their series role in another TV series.
The stars appeared in Warner Bros. cinema releases with no additional salary, with some such as Zimbalist, Walker, Garner (replacing Charlton Heston in Darby's Rangers), and Danton (replacing Robert Evans in The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond[7]) playing the lead roles; many of the stars appeared in ensemble casts in such films as The Chapman Report and Merill's Marauders. Some stars such as Connie Stevens, Edd Byrnes, Robert Conrad and Roger Smith made albums for Warner Bros. Records.
It was during this period, that shows, particularly Westerns like Cheyenne and Maverick; and the crime dramas like 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye and Surfside 6 featured catchy theme songs, that became just as much a part of the American pop culture landscape, as the shows themselves. Depending on the particular show (in this case, the Westerns), William Lava or David Buttolph would compose the music, with lyrics by Stan Jones or Paul Francis Webster, among others. For the crime shows, it was up to the songwriting team of Jerry Livingston and Mack David, who also scored the themes for the sitcom Room for One More, and The Bugs Bunny Show.
In 1960, WBTV turned its attentions to the younger viewer, for one program, anyway, as they brought Bugs Bunny and the other WB cartoon characters to prime-time, with The Bugs Bunny Show, which featured cartoons released after July 31, 1948 (which had not been sold to a.a.p.), combined with newly animated introductory material. Also, that year saw the debut of The Roaring Twenties (which was thought to be a more benign alternative to Desilu's The Untouchables. Whether or not that was the actual case, it was, in fact, much less successful).
WBTV expanded on its existing genre of Westerns and crime dramas, and in January, 1962, produced its first sitcom, Room For One More. Based on the memoirs of Anna Rose, which in 1952 WB made into a movie starring Cary Grant about a married couple with two children of their own, who went on to adopt at least two more, the TV series starred Andrew Duggan and Peggy McKay as George and Anna Rose. Acting legend Mickey Rooney's son Tim, and Ahna Capri, who would continue to do episodic TV roles and feature films (arguably, her best-known movie was Enter the Dragon starring Bruce Lee) were cast as the Rose's natural children. The show only lasted for half a season. In the fall of that year, a WWII drama The Gallant Men debuted, but lasted for only one season.
WBTV exclusively produced shows for the ABC network until 1963, when Temple Houston premiered on NBC.
In 1964, WBTV once again tried to turn a classic film comedy of its own into a sitcom, with No Time for Sergeants. Both the sitcom and the 1958 movie were based on the 1955 Broadway play, which starred Andy Griffith (TV's U.S. Steel Hour also adapted the stage play for TV in 1956). The sitcom starred Sammy Jackson as Will Stockdale, a naive Georgia farm boy drafted into the military. 1965 saw the debut of F-Troop, a Western spoof taking place at a U.S. Army post after the Civil War. Despite lasting two seasons, it is still considered a classic. Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch, and Ken Berry led an ensemble cast featuring military misfits, and an Indian tribe, who, among other things, forgot how to do a rain dance.
The streak of identifiable series subsided in 1963 with a halt of using stock company (acting) contract players and Jack Webb taking over WBTV and not being particularly successful. However, many series were still filmed at Warner Bros. such as F-Troop and The F.B.I..[8]
Later years
In 1976, the company acquired The Wolper Organization, most notably for Chico and the Man and Welcome Back, Kotter. In 1989, it acquired Lorimar-Telepictures. Telepictures was later folded into WBTV's distribution unit, and in 1990, came back as a television production company. In 1993, Lorimar Television was folded into WBTV.
In 2006, WBTV made its vast library of programs available for free viewing on the Internet (through sister company AOL's IN2TV service), with Welcome Back, Kotter as its marquee offering. Some of these programs have not been seen publicly since their last syndicated release in the 1980s.
WBTV has had a number of affiliated production houses that have co-produced many of their shows with WBTV. These include but are not limited to: Bruce Helford's Mohawk Productions (The Drew Carey Show, The Norm Show, The Oblongs, George Lopez), John Wells Productions (ER, The West Wing, Third Watch), Jerry Bruckheimer Television (Without a Trace, Cold Case), Bad Robot Productions (Fringe, Person of Interest, Alcatraz), Miller-Boyett Productions - which was inherited from Lorimar (Full House, Family Matters) and in 2010, Conan O'Brien's production company Conaco switched its affiliation to WBTV from Universal Media Studios, coinciding with O'Brien's move to his new talk show, Conan at Time Warner-owned TBS.[9]
In August 2009 in Australia, The Nine Network and Warner Bros. Television launched digital free-to-air channel GO! with Warner Bros. Television holding a 33% stake in the new joint venture with Sony Pictures (titles were later picked up by rival Seven in 2011). During that, the network signed 4 more years with the output between 2011 and 2015.
Partial list of programs produced by WBTV[10]
Warner Bros. Television
- Warner Bros. Presents (1955–1956)
- Cheyenne (1955–1963)
- Conflict (1956–1957)
- Maverick (1957–1962)
- Sugarfoot (1957–1960)
- Colt .45 (1957–1960)
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958–1964)
- Lawman (1958–1962)
- The Alaskans (1959–1960)
- Bourbon Street Beat (1959–1960)
- Hawaiian Eye (1959–1963)
- Surfside 6 (1960–1962)
- The Roaring Twenties (1960–1962)
- Room for One More (1962)
- The Gallant Men (1962–1963)
- No Time For Sergeants (1964–1965)
- F Troop (1965–1967)
- The F.B.I. (1965–1974)
- Kung Fu (1972–1975)
- Wonder Woman (1975–1979)
- Alice (1976–1985) (Based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore by Warner Bros. Pictures)
- The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985)
- Love, Sidney (1981–1983)
- Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983–1987)
- V (1984–1985)
- Night Court (1984–1992)
- Growing Pains (1985–1992)
- Spenser For Hire (1985–1988)
- My Sister Sam (1986–1988)
- Head of the Class (1986–1991)
- Full House (1993–1995), (1987–1988) episodes from Lorimar-Telepictures, (1988–1993) episodes from Lorimar Television.
- Murphy Brown (1988–1998)
- Just the Ten of Us (1988–1990)
- Family Matters (1993–1998) (1989–1993) episodes from Lorimar Television.
- Life Goes On (1989–1993)
- The Flash (1990–1991)
- Sisters (1993–1996) (1991–1993) episodes from Lorimar Television.
- Step By Step (1993–1998) (1991–1993) episodes from Lorimar Television.
- Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1993–1997) (1992–1993) episodes from Lorimar Television.
- Babylon 5 (1993–1998)
- Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1993–1997)
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993–1997)
- Living Single (1993–1998) (Co-produced with SisterLee Productions)
- ER (1994–2009) (co-production with Amblin Entertainment John Wells Productions Constant c Productions NBC)
- Friends (1994–2004) (with Kevin S. Bright Marta Kauffman David Crane) NBC
- MADtv (1995–2009)
- The Drew Carey Show (Co-produced with Mohawk Productions (1995–2004)
- Bless This House (Co-produced with Mohawk Productions (1995-1996)
- Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1998-2007) Hat Trick Productions ABC)
- The Wayans Bros. (1995–2000)
- The Parent 'Hood (1995–2000)
- The Jamie Foxx Show (1996-2001)
- Lush Life (Co-produced with SisterLee Productions) (1996)
- For Your Love (Co-produced with SisterLee Productions) (1998-2002)
- Two of a Kind (1998–2000)
- Jesse (1998–2000)
- The Norm Show (Co-produced with Mohawk Productions) (1999-2001)
- The West Wing (1999–2006) NBC John Wells Productions
- Third Watch (Co-produced with John Wells Productions (1999-2005)
- Gilmore Girls (2000–2007)
- Nikki (Co-produced with Mohawk Productions) (2000-2002)
- Witchblade (Co-produced with Halsted Pictures, Mythic Films and Top Cow Productions) (2001-2002)
- Smallville (2001-2011)
- The Nightmare Room (2001–2002)
- Citizen Baines (Co-produced with John Wells Productions and Lydia Woodward Productions) (2001)
- The Court (2002) John Wells Productions ABC
- George Lopez (Co-produced with Fortis Productions and Mohawk Productions) (2002-2007)
- Without a Trace (2002–2009)
- Fastlane (2002-2003) McNamara Paper Products Wonderland Sound and Vision Fox
- Birds of Prey (2002–2003)
- What I Like About You (2002–2006)
- Presidio Med (2002-2003) Lydia Woodward John Wells CBS
- Everwood (2002–2006) Berlanti Liddell Productions WB
- Wanda at Large (Co-produced with Mohawk Productions) (2003)
- Nip/Tuck (Co-produced with Ryan Murphy Productions, Hands Down Entertainment, The Shephard-Robin Company and Stu Segall Productions) (2003-2010)
- Two and a Half Men (Co-produced with Chuck Lorre Productions) (2003–present)
- Eve (2003-2006)
- The O.C. (2003–2007) College Hill Pictures Inc. Wonderland Sound and Vision Fox
- Like Family (Co-produced with 3 Hounds Productions, MHS Productions and The Littlefield Co.) (2003-2004)
- One Tree Hill (2003–2012)
- Cold Case (2003–2010)
- Skin (Co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Hoosier Karma Productions) (2003)
- Joey (2004–2006)
- Blue Collar TV (2004–2006)
- Veronica Mars (2004–2007) (with CBS Paramount Television)
- Twins (2005–2006)
- The Closer (2005–2012)
- The War at Home (2005–2007)
- Supernatural (2005–present)
- Just Legal (Co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television) (2005-2006)
- E-Ring (Co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television) (2005-2006)
- Close to Home (Co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television) (2005-2007)
- Freddie (Co-produced with Mohawk Productions and Hunga Rican, Excitable Boy! (2005-2006)
- Modern Men (Co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television) (2006)
- Justice (Co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television) (2006)
- The Class (2006–2007)
- The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006–2010)
- Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006–2007)
- Smith (Co-produced with John Wells Productions) (2006)
- Gossip Girl (Co-produced with CBS Television Studios) (2007–2012)
- The Big Bang Theory (Co-produced with Chuck Lorre Productions) (2007–present)
- Moonlight (Co-produced with Silver Pictures Television (2007-2008)
- Aliens in America (Co-produced with CBS Television Studios) (2007–2008)
- Life Is Wild (Co-produced with CBS Television Studios) (2007–2008)
- Pushing Daisies (2007–2009)
- Chuck (2007–2012)
- Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Co-produced with C2-Pictures) (2008–2009)
- Fringe (Co-produced with Bad Robot Productions) (2008–present)
- The Mentalist (2008–present)
- Eleventh Hour (Co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Granada America) (2008–2009)
- Southland (Co-produced with John Wells Productions) (2009–present)
- Eastwick (2009)
- Hank (2009)
- The Beautiful Life: TBL (2009)
- The Vampire Diaries (Co-produced with CBS Television Studios) (2009–present)
- The Forgotten (Co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television) (2009–2010)
- V (co-produced with ABC Studios; WB has international distribution rights outside the US) (2009–2011)
- The Middle (2009–present)
- Life Unexpected (co-produced with CBS Television Studios, LY Productions and Mojo Films) (2010-2011)
- Miami Medical (co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Bonanza Productions) (2010)
- Chase (co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Bonanza Productions) (2010-2011)
- Childrens Hospital (Co-produced with Williams Street) (2010–present)
- Hellcats (with CBS Television Studios) (2010)
- Human Target (2010–2011)
- Nikita (2010–present)
- Past Life (2010)
- Undercovers (Co-produced with Bad Robot Productions) (2010)
- Mike & Molly (Co-produced with Chuck Lorre Productions) (2010–present)
- Better with You (2010–2011)
- The Whole Truth (co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television (2010)
- $h*! My Dad Says (co-produced with KoMut Entertainment) (2010-2011)
- Shameless (2011–present) (First WB series on Showtime)
- Harry's Law (2011–2012)
- Hart of Dixie (with CBS Television Studios) (2011–present)
- Ringer (with ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios) (2011-2012)
- The Secret Circle (with CBS Television Studios) (2011-2012)
- 2 Broke Girls (2011–present)
- Person of Interest (Co-produced with Bad Robot Productions) (2011–present)
- Suburgatory (2011–present)
- I Hate My Teenage Daughter (2011-2012)
- Work It (Co-produced with Bonanza Productions and Summer School Productions) (2012)
- Are You There, Chelsea? (Co-produced with Borderline Amazing Productions and Werner Entertainment) (2012)
- Alcatraz (Co-produced with Bad Robot Productions) (2012)
- Major Crimes (2012–present)
- Revolution (Co-produced with Bad Robot Productions and Kripke Enterprises) (2012–present)
- Partners (2012)
- 666 Park Avenue (Co-produced with Alloy Entertainment) (2012–present)
- Arrow (Co-produced with Berlanti Television and DC Comics (2012–present)
- Emily Owens M.D. (2012-2013)
- The Carrie Diaries (2013-present)
- The Following (2013-present)
- Cult (2013-present)
- Golden Boy (2013-present)
Warner Horizon Television
- The Bachelor (Co-produced with Next Entertainment) (2002–present)
- High School Reunion (2003-2010)
- The Bachelorette (Co-produced with Next Entertainment) (2003–present)
- Pussycat Dolls Present: (2007-2008)
- Heartland (2007)
- Side Order of Life (2007)
- State of Mind (2007)
- CW Now (2007-2008)
- America's Best Dance Crew (2008–present)
- Here Come the Newlyweds (2008-2009)
- Stylista (2008)
- True Beauty (2009-2010)
- Trust Me (2009)
- Hitched or Ditched (2009)
- Man vs. Cartoon (2009)
- Dark Blue (2009–2010)
- More to Love (2009)
- There Goes the Neighborhood (2009)
- Leave It to Lamas (2009)
- Pretty Little Liars (2010–present)
- Rubicon (2010)
- Unnatural History (2010)
- Memphis Beat (2010-2011)
- Rizzoli & Isles (2010–present)
- Bachelor Pad (2010-present)
- Glory Daze (2010–2011)
- Shedding for the Wedding (2011)
- Take the Money and Run (co-produced with Jerry Bruckheimer Television (2011)
- The Voice (2011–present)
- The Lying Game (2011–present)
- H8R (2011)
- Longmire (2012–present)
- Dallas (2012–present)
- Political Animals (2012)
- Dallas (2012–present)
- Sullivan & Son (2012–present)
- Newsreaders (2013–present)
Warner Bros. Animation
- The Bugs Bunny Show (1960–2000)
- The Daffy Duck Show
- The Porky Pig Show
- The Road Runner Show
- Superman (1988, with Ruby-Spears Productions)
- Police Academy (1988–1989, with Ruby-Spears Productions)
- Tiny Toon Adventures (1990–1995, with Amblin Entertainment)
- Taz-Mania (1991–1993)
- Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995)
- The Plucky Duck Show (1992, with Amblin Entertainment)
- Animaniacs (1993–1998, with Amblin Entertainment)
- The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries (1995–2000)
- Pinky and the Brain (1995–1998 with Amblin Entertainment)
- Freakazoid! (1995–1997, with Amblin Entertainment)
- Road Rovers (1996–1997)
- Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000)
- Waynehead (1996–1997, with Nelvana)
- The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999)
- The New Adventures of Zorro (1997–1998)
- Histeria! (1998–2001)
- Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain (1998–1999, with Amblin Entertainment)
- Batman Beyond (1999–2001)
- Detention (1999–2000)
- Baby Blues (most episodes, 2000–2002, with Warner Bros. Television)
- Static Shock (2000–2004)
- The Zeta Project (2001–2002)
- Justice League (2001–2004)
- 3 South (2002–2003, with MTV Animation)
- Baby Looney Tunes (2002, 2004–2005)
- ¡Mucha Lucha! (2002–2005)
- Ozzy & Drix (2002–2004)
- What's New, Scooby-Doo? (2002–2005) (co-production with Hanna-Barbera Productions)
- Duck Dodgers (2003–2005)
- Teen Titans (2003–2006)
- Xiaolin Showdown (2003–2006)
- Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006)
- The Batman (2004–2008)
- Krypto the Superdog (2005–2006)
- Firehouse Tales (2005–2006)
- Johnny Test (2005–2006, first season only, the remainder of the show is now done by Cookie Jar Entertainment)
- Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island (2005–2006)
- Loonatics Unleashed (2005–2007)
- Tom and Jerry Tales (2006–2008) (co-production with Turner Entertainment)
- Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue! (2006–2008) (co-production with Hanna-Barbera Productions)
- Legion of Super Heroes (2006–2008)
- Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008-2011)
- Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010–present) (co-production with Hanna-Barbera Productions)
- MAD (2010–present)
- Young Justice (2010–present)
- The Looney Tunes Show (2011–present)
- ThunderCats (2011–Present)
- Green Lantern: The Animated Series (2011–Present)
- The Flintstones (forthcoming 2013) (co-production with 20th Century Fox Animation, Coconut Heads Productions Studios Inc. and Fuzzy Door Productions)[11][12]
See also
- Peter Roth (executive)
- Warner Bros. Television Distribution
- Warner Bros. International Television
- Warner Bros. Animation
References
- ^ a b "Warner Bros. Enters Tv Field With Pact for ABC-TV Shows". Broadcasting: p. 112. 1955-03-21.
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has extra text (help) - ^ "Time Warner Inc. Reports Results for 2007 Full Year and Fourth Quarter".
- ^ Sperling, Cass Warner, Warner Jr, Jack, Millner Cork Hollywood Be They Name
- ^ p.88 Baughman, James L The Republic of Mass Culture" Journalism, Filmmaking, and Broadcasting in Amereica since 1941 JHU Press 2006
- ^ p.54 Weaver, Tom I Talked With a Zombie Robert Colbert Interview 2008 McFarland
- ^ pp.86–87 Davis, Ronald L. Just Making Movies: Company Directors on the Studio System Vincent Sherman interview 2005 University Press of Mississippi
- ^ p.81 Evans, Robert The Kid Stays in the Picture 1994 Phoenix Books
- ^ Woolley, Lynn, Malsbar, Robert, Strange Jr, Robert G Warner Bros. Television: Every Show of the Fifties and Sixties Episode-By-Episode McFarland Company (1985)
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2010-04-24). "EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros TV Signing Conan O'Brien's Company To Big Production Deal". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2010-04-24.
- ^ Woolley, Lynn, Malsbar, Robert, Strange Jr, Robert G. Warner Brothers Television: Every Show of the Fifties and Sixties Episode-By-Episode McFarland Company (1985)
- ^ "Flintstones set for yabba-dabba-do-over". BBC News. 18 May 2011.
- ^ "Family Guy's Seth MacFarlane to Reboot The Flintstones". IMDB. 17 May 2011.