CBS Theatrical Films

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 Inc.

CBS Theatrical Films, also as CBS Theatrical Films Group, 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. CBS was an owner in TriStar from the start in 1982 to 1985.[1][2]

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.[3] In March 1980, the unit was promoted to group level, same as the broadcast and records groups, as CBS Theatrical Films Group with Michael Levy as group president reporting directly to CBS president Thomas H. Wyman.[4] Before 1985, Self was president of production.[5] None of its releases were commercial successes.[6]

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.[6] CBS announced CBS Theatrical Films's closure in November 1985.[6] 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[6]
March 13, 1981Back Roads
July 23, 1982The Challenge
February 18, 1983Table for Five
May 18, 1984Finders Keepers
August 3, 1984Grandview, U.S.A.
September 21, 1984Windy City
October 26, 1984American Dreamer
August 23, 1985Better Off Dead
November 1, 1985Eleni
November 8, 1985Target
September 26, 1986The 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.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Lumenick, Lou (May 16, 2009). "CBS And Theatrical Films: If At First You Don't Succeed..." NY Post.com. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  2. ↑ "CBS Sells Stake In Tri-Star Inc". The New York Times. Associated Press. 16 November 1985.
  3. ↑ "CBS turns theatrical films operations into division". The Wall Street Journal. 1980-12-02.
  4. ↑ Curran, Trisha (June 28, 1981). "CBS Wants to Star In the Movies--As One of the Major Film Producers". The New York Times. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  5. ↑ Barnes, Mike (November 18, 2010). "Former Producer, Fox TV Exec William Self Dies". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Harmetz, Aljean (November 23, 1985). "Abc, Cbs Drop Movie Interests". Orlando Sentinel.
  7. ↑ Bloom, Steve (1982). Video Invaders. Arco Publishing, Inc. p. 132. ISBN 0-668-05518-9.
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