Lorimar Productions
Encyclopedia
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
.
. Rich 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 was a ratings success, and served as the pilot for Lorimar's first major hit production, 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.
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 MGM
lot from Ted Turner
.
to form Time Warner
. Lorimar's distribution business was folded into Warner Bros. Television
; since then, the Telepictures
name has been resurrected as both a production company (circa 1990), and once again as a syndication company (1996, after the Turner merger).
The former MGM studio lot was sold to Sony
to house Columbia Pictures
, TriStar Pictures
and Sony's other film operations and is now Sony Pictures Studios
. Lorimar continued as a production company until 1993, when it was folded into Warner Bros. Television
. The last series to premiere under the Lorimar name was Time Trax
.
Les Moonves (current president of CBS Corporation) was the president and CEO of Lorimar Television from 1987-1993. Moonves would then become the chairman of Warner Bros. Television when Lorimar merged its operations with Warner Bros. Television the summer of 1993.
), which includes Cabaret
and Papillon
; these too are now owned by Warner.
(oddly a year before Warner's takeover of Lorimar). Under Warner, Lorimar continued to make theatrical films until 1990.
The rights to most of the films noted here have been retained by their original distributors (as noted with an * asterisk), while others are now in the hands of Warner Bros. (Including all of the Lorimar film productions released by United Artists, 20th Century Fox, almost all of the Lorimar film productions released by Paramount, and the Lorimar film productions released by Warner Bros.) The television rights to The Last Starfighter are owned by Warner, while Universal
holds theatrical and home video rights. In the UK, films produced by Lorimar in the late 1970s/early 1980s were distributed by ITC Entertainment
. Lorimar Motion Pictures also distributed The Fourth Protocol
and Siesta
- neither of them produced by the company - in North America.
workout videos, was renamed Karl-Lorimar Home Video after the acquisition. Relationships between Lorimar and Karl grew sour, which forced Karl to resign in March 1987. Karl-Lorimar continued to exist under the name Lorimar Home Video until it closed sometime later. Lorimar Home Video closed in 1989 and was folded into Warner Home Video
. Lorimar joined a venture with Village Roadshow Limited
to make Roadshow Lorimar Home Video distribute movie titles by Lorimar Motion Pictures.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
production company that was later a subsidiary of Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
, active from 1969 until 1993. It was founded by Irwin Molasky
Irwin Molasky
Irwin Molasky is considered a real estate pioneer and one of the most important people in the development of Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States.-Background:...
, Merv Adelson and Lee Rich, who named the company by combining the name of Adelson's ex-wife, Lori, with Palomar Airport
McClellan-Palomar Airport
McClellan-Palomar Airport , known to locals as Palomar Airport, is a public airport located three miles southeast of the central business district of Carlsbad, a city in San Diego County, California, United States. It is owned by the County of San Diego and serves the northern part of the county...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
.
Early years
Lorimar initially started producing made-for-TV movies for the ABC Movie of the WeekABC Movie of the Week
The ABC Movie of the Week is a weekly television anthology series, featuring made-for-TV movies, that aired on the ABC network in various permutations from 1969 to 1975.-History:...
. Rich bought the script to an adaptation of Earl Hamner Jr.
Earl Hamner Jr.
Earl Henry Hamner, Jr. is an American television writer and producer , best known for his work in the 1970s and 1980s on the long-running CBS series The Waltons and Falcon Crest...
's novel "The Homecoming" and subsequently sold the rights to CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. The Homecoming: A Christmas Story was a ratings success, and served as the pilot for Lorimar's first major hit production, The Waltons
The Waltons
The Waltons is an American television series created by Earl Hamner, Jr., based on his book Spencer's Mountain, and a 1963 film of the same name. The show centered on a family growing up in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II. The series pilot was a television...
, which premiered in 1972. Throughout the 1970s, Lorimar produced several other shows as well including Eight is Enough
Eight Is Enough
Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series which ran on ABC from March 15, 1977 until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who wrote a book with the same name...
; of these, the most popular by far was Dallas
Dallas (TV series)
Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...
. In 1980, Lorimar purchased the bankrupt Allied Artists Pictures Corporation.
In the 1980s, Lorimar's output swung toward family-friendly sitcoms; among these were Perfect Strangers and Full House
Full House
Full House is an American sitcom television series. Set in San Francisco, the show chronicles widowed father Danny Tanner, who, after the death of his wife, enlists his best friend Joey Gladstone and his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and...
, which were produced by Miller-Boyett Productions
Miller-Boyett Productions
Miller-Boyett Productions was an American television production company that mainly developed television sitcoms from the 1970s through the 1990s...
.
In 1986
1986 in television
The year 1986 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1986.For the American network television schedule, please see 1986-87 American network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:*September 6 –...
, Lorimar merged with television syndication
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
firm Telepictures
Telepictures
Telepictures is an American production company, currently operating as a label of Warner Bros. Television, with Hilary Estey McLoughlin currently serving as President...
, becoming Lorimar-Telepictures
Lorimar-Telepictures
Lorimar-Telepictures was a production and television syndication firm established in 1986 with the merger of Lorimar and Telepictures until both TV divisions became separate in 1988...
; later that year, they purchased the MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
lot from Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
.
Purchase by Warner Communications
In 1988, Lorimar-Telepictures became Lorimar Television, however the L-T distribution business remained until 1989. In 1989, Lorimar was purchased by Warner Communications, which was merging with Time Inc.Time Inc.
Time Inc. is a subsidiary of the media conglomerate Time Warner, the company formed by the 1990 merger of the original Time Inc. and Warner Communications. It publishes 130 magazines, most notably its namesake, Time...
to form Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
. Lorimar's distribution business was folded into Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television
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 , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
; since then, the Telepictures
Telepictures
Telepictures is an American production company, currently operating as a label of Warner Bros. Television, with Hilary Estey McLoughlin currently serving as President...
name has been resurrected as both a production company (circa 1990), and once again as a syndication company (1996, after the Turner merger).
The former MGM studio lot was sold to Sony
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
to house Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
, TriStar Pictures
TriStar Pictures
TriStar Pictures, Inc. is an American film production/distribution studio and subsidiary of Columbia Pictures, itself a subdivision of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, which is owned by Sony Pictures...
and Sony's other film operations and is now Sony Pictures Studios
Sony Pictures Studios
The Sony Pictures Studios are a television and film studio complex located in Culver City, California at 10202 West Washington Boulevard and bounded by Culver Boulevard , Washington Boulevard , Overland Avenue and Madison Avenue...
. Lorimar continued as a production company until 1993, when it was folded into Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television
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 , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
. The last series to premiere under the Lorimar name was Time Trax
Time Trax
Time Trax was an American/Australian co-produced science fiction television series that first aired in 1993. A police officer, sent through time into the past, has to track down and return convicted criminals who have escaped prison in the future...
.
Les Moonves (current president of CBS Corporation) was the president and CEO of Lorimar Television from 1987-1993. Moonves would then become the chairman of Warner Bros. Television when Lorimar merged its operations with Warner Bros. Television the summer of 1993.
Key components Lorimar owned
Additionally, Lorimar has owned key components of the film library of the defunct Allied Artists film studio (originally Monogram PicturesMonogram Pictures
Monogram Pictures Corporation is a Hollywood studio that produced and released films, most on low budgets, between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram is considered a leader among the smaller studios sometimes referred to...
), which includes Cabaret
Cabaret (film)
Cabaret is a 1972 musical film directed by Bob Fosse and starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York and Joel Grey. The film is set in Berlin during the Weimar Republic in 1931, under the ominous presence of the growing National Socialist Party....
and Papillon
Papillon (film)
Papillon is a 1973 film based on the best-selling novel by the French convict Henri Charrière.This motion picture was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, starring Steve McQueen as Henri Charrière , and Dustin Hoffman as Louis Dega...
; these too are now owned by Warner.
TV productions
- The Good LifeThe Good Life (1971 TV series)The Good Life is an American situation comedy which was aired on NBC as part of its 1971-72 lineup. The series stars Larry Hagman and Donna Mills, and was produced by Lorimar, in association with Screen Gems.-Synopsis:...
(with Screen GemsScreen GemsScreen Gems is an American movie production company and subsidiary company of Sony Pictures Entertainment's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group that has served several different purposes for its parent companies over the decades since its incorporation....
, 1971–1972) - The WaltonsThe WaltonsThe Waltons is an American television series created by Earl Hamner, Jr., based on his book Spencer's Mountain, and a 1963 film of the same name. The show centered on a family growing up in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II. The series pilot was a television...
(1972–1981) - Apple's WayApple's WayApple's Way is a television dramedy which aired on CBS from 1974-1975. It was created by Earl Hamner, Jr..-Premise:The Apples, a family from Los Angeles, seek refuge from the hectic pace of city living and relocate to the father's hometown of Appleton, Iowa, which was founded by the father's...
(1974-1975) - Sybil (TV movie) (1976)
- Helter Skelter (TV mini-series) (1976)
- Eight Is EnoughEight Is EnoughEight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series which ran on ABC from March 15, 1977 until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who wrote a book with the same name...
(1977–1981) - DallasDallas (TV series)Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...
(1978–1991) - Knots LandingKnots LandingKnots Landing is an American primetime television soap opera that aired from December 27, 1979 to May 13, 1993 on CBS. Set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles in California, the show centered on the lives of four married couples living in a cul-de-sac, Seaview Circle...
(1979–1993) - Skag (1980)
- Flamingo Road (1980–1982)
- The People's CourtThe People's CourtThe People's Court is a US television court show in which small claims court cases are heard, though what is shown is actually a binding arbitration....
(1981–1993) - Falcon CrestFalcon CrestFalcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced....
(1981–1990) - King's CrossingKing's CrossingKing's Crossing is a short-lived 1982 nighttime soap opera which aired on ABC from January 16, 1982 to February 27, 1982 for seven episodes.Its roots can be found in the 1980 drama Secrets of Midland Heights, which aired on CBS for eight episodes...
(1982) - ThunderCatsThunderCatsThunderCats is an American animated television series that was produced by Rankin/Bass Productions debuting in 1984, based on the characters created by Tobin "Ted" Wolf. The series follows the adventures of a group of cat-like humanoid aliens...
(1983) - BooneBoone- Places :In the United States:* Boone, Colorado* Boone, Iowa* Boone, North Carolina* Boone Grove, Indiana* Boone Township, Minnesota* Boones Mill, Virginia* Boonesboro, Missouri* Boonesborough, Kentucky* Booneville...
*1873( - Just Our LuckJust Our LuckJust Our Luck was a short-lived American sitcom which aired on the American Broadcasting Company in the fall of 1983. Created by brothers Lawrence and Charles Gordon, it was considered a modernized version of the classic 1960s sitcom I Dream of Jeannie. The series starred Richard Gilliland as a...
(1983) - SilverHawksSilverhawksSilverHawks is an American animated television series developed by Rankin/Bass and distributed by Lorimar-Telepictures in 1986. The animation was provided by Japanese studio Pacific Animation Corporation. In total, 65 episodes were made...
(1986) - Love ConnectionLove ConnectionLove Connection is an American television game show, hosted by Chuck Woolery, in which singles attempted to connect with a compatible partner of the opposite gender. The show debuted in syndication on September 19, 1983 and ended on July 1, 1994, after more than 2,000 shows. Reruns continued to air...
(1983–1994, 1998–1999) - Hunter (1984–1991) (distribution only)
- Mama's FamilyMama's FamilyMama's Family is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 22, 1983. It was cancelled in May 1984, but NBC would continue to air reruns until September 1985. In September 1986, Mama's Family returned in first-run syndication, where it aired for an additional four seasons,...
(1986-1990 version, distribution only) - Valerie/The Hogan FamilyThe Hogan FamilyThe Hogan Family is an American television situation comedy that aired from March 1, 1986 to July 20, 1991...
(1986–1991) - Perfect StrangersPerfect Strangers (TV series)Perfect Strangers is an American sitcom that ran for eight seasons from March 25, 1986, to August 6, 1993, on the ABC television network. Created by Dale McRaven, the series chronicles the rocky coexistence of midwestern American Larry Appleton and his distant cousin from eastern Mediterranean...
(1986–1993) - Full HouseFull HouseFull House is an American sitcom television series. Set in San Francisco, the show chronicles widowed father Danny Tanner, who, after the death of his wife, enlists his best friend Joey Gladstone and his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and...
(1987–1995) - GumbyGumbyGumby is a green clay humanoid character created and modeled by Art Clokey, who also created Davey and Goliath. Gumby has been the subject of a 233-episode series of American television as well as a feature-length film and other media...
(1988) - Midnight CallerMidnight CallerMidnight Caller is a dramatic NBC television series created by Richard DiLello, which ran from 1988 to 1991. It was one of the first television series to address the dramatic possibilities of the then-growing phenomenon of talk radio...
(1988–1991) - Freddy's NightmaresFreddy's NightmaresFreddy's Nightmares is an American horror anthology series, which aired in syndication from October 1988 until March 1990. A spin-off from the Nightmare on Elm Street series, each story was introduced by Freddy Krueger...
(1988–1990) - Family MattersFamily Matters (TV series)Family Matters is an American sitcom about a middle-class African-American family living in Chicago, Illinois, which ran on national television for nine full seasons. The series was a spin-off of Perfect Strangers, but revolves around the Winslow family...
(1989–1998) - Stephen King's ItIt (film)It is the name of several films:*It , starring Clara Bow*It! , a horror film starring Roddy McDowell*It , a horror television miniseries based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King...
(TV mini-series) (1990) - Reasonable DoubtsReasonable DoubtsReasonable Doubts is a police drama broadcast in the United States by NBC that ran from 1991 to 1993.-Synopsis:Reasonable Doubts is primarily about the working relationship between Assistant District Attorney Tess Kaufman , a prosecutor very sensitive to the rights of the accused, and...
(1991–1993) - SistersSisters (TV series)Sisters is a television drama which aired on NBC for six seasons, from 1991 to 1996. The series was created by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, who also created the Showtime series Queer as Folk and wrote the acclaimed Emmy and Peabody Award winning drama An Early Frost, also for NBC...
(1991–1996) - Step by Step (1991–1998)
- O Pioneers!O Pioneers! (film)O Pioneers! is a Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie based on the novel of the same title by Willa Cather. It originally aired in 1992 on CBS and stars Jessica Lange.-Plot summary:...
(TV movie) (1992) - Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1992)
- Hangin' with Mr. CooperHangin' with Mr. CooperHangin' with Mr. Cooper is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from 1992 to 1997, starring Mark Curry and Holly Robinson. The show took place in Curry's hometown of Oakland, California. Hangin' with Mr. Cooper was produced by Jeff Franklin Productions, in association with...
(1992–1997) - Time TraxTime TraxTime Trax was an American/Australian co-produced science fiction television series that first aired in 1993. A police officer, sent through time into the past, has to track down and return convicted criminals who have escaped prison in the future...
(1993–1994) - It Had to Be YouIt Had to Be You (TV series)It Had to Be You is an American sitcom starring Faye Dunaway and Robert Urich. The series premiered September 19, 1993 on CBS. It centered on Dunaway's character, a Network-like businesswoman, who hires blue-collar Urich to do some carpentry work at her New York office, and their ensuing romance...
(1993) - Island City (film)Island City (film)Island City is a science fiction television pilot movie that was aired by Prime Time Entertainment Network in 1994. The film was produced by Lee Rich Productions in association with Lorimar Television....
(TV movie) (1994)
Theatrical films
Lorimar not only specialized in producing television programs, they also produced (sporadically) a number of theatrical motion pictures starting in 1974, most of which were originally distributed by other studios as noted. In the late 1980s they had a film production and distribution unit known as Lorimar Motion Pictures. In 1988, the film unit was reorganized as Lorimar Film Entertainment. At the same time, Lorimar made a distribution deal with Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
(oddly a year before Warner's takeover of Lorimar). Under Warner, Lorimar continued to make theatrical films until 1990.
The rights to most of the films noted here have been retained by their original distributors (as noted with an * asterisk), while others are now in the hands of Warner Bros. (Including all of the Lorimar film productions released by United Artists, 20th Century Fox, almost all of the Lorimar film productions released by Paramount, and the Lorimar film productions released by Warner Bros.) The television rights to The Last Starfighter are owned by Warner, while Universal
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
holds theatrical and home video rights. In the UK, films produced by Lorimar in the late 1970s/early 1980s were distributed by ITC Entertainment
ITC Entertainment
The Incorporated Television Company was a British television company largely involved in production and distribution. It was founded by Lew Grade.-History:...
. Lorimar Motion Pictures also distributed The Fourth Protocol
The Fourth Protocol
The Fourth Protocol is a novel written by Frederick Forsyth and published in August 1984.-Explanation of the novel's title:The title refers to the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which contained four secret protocols. The fourth, of the protocols, was meant to prohibit the non-conventional...
and Siesta
Siesta
A siesta is a short nap taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal. Such a period of sleep is a common tradition in some countries, particularly those where the weather is warm....
- neither of them produced by the company - in North America.
- The Tamarind SeedThe Tamarind SeedThe Tamarind Seed is a 1974 Blake Edwards film starring Julie Andrews as Judith Farrow, a British Home Office functionary and Omar Sharif as Feodor, a Soviet air attaché – lovers involved in Cold War intrigue. This was Lorimar's first film. The score was composed by John Barry. The...
(1974, in association with ITC; distributed by Avco Embassy Pictures) - MitchellMitchell (film)Mitchell is a 1975 film starring Joe Don Baker as an abrasive, alcoholic police detective, released by Allied Artists Pictures Corporation in the USA on September 10, 1975....
(1975) (re-release only, originally distributed by Allied Artists Pictures Corporation) - The ChoirboysThe Choirboys (film)The Choirboys is a 1977 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Aldrich, written by Christopher Knopf and Joseph Wambaugh based on Wambaugh's novel. It features an ensemble cast including Randy Quaid and James Woods...
(1977, distributed by Universal.)* - Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? is a 1978 comedy mystery film starring George Segal, Jacqueline Bisset, and Robert Morley. It was based on a novel entitled Someone is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe by Nan and Ivan Lyons...
(1978, originally distributed by Warner Bros.; WB summarily relinquished the rights, but reclaimed them after the Lorimar/WB merger)* - The Fish That Saved PittsburghThe Fish That Saved PittsburghThe Fish That Saved Pittsburgh is an American sports/fantasy comedy film that was released in 1979. The movie was directed by Gilbert Moses and co-produced by David Dashev and Gary Stromberg. It was produced by Lorimar and distributed by United Artists. The rights to the film are currently owned by...
(1979, distributed by United ArtistsUnited ArtistsUnited Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
) - Being ThereBeing ThereBeing There is a 1979 American comedy-drama film directed by Hal Ashby. Adapted from the 1971 novella written by Jerzy Kosinski, the screenplay was coauthored by Kosinski and Robert C. Jones. The film stars Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Melvyn Douglas, Jack Warden, Richard A...
(1979, distributed by United Artists) - AmericathonAmericathonAmericathon is a 1979 American comedy film starring John Ritter, Fred Willard, Peter Riegert, Harvey Korman, and Nancy Morgan, with narration by George Carlin, based on a play by Firesign Theatre alumni Phil Proctor and Peter Bergman...
(1979, distributed by United Artists) - CruisingCruising (film)Cruising is a 1980 film directed by William Friedkin and starring Al Pacino. The film is loosely based on the novel of the same name, by New York Times reporter Gerald Walker, about a serial killer targeting gay men, in particular those associated with the S&M scene.Poorly reviewed by critics,...
(1980, distributed by United Artists) - Carny (1980, distributed by United Artists)
- The Big Red OneThe Big Red OneThe Big Red One is a World War II war film starring Lee Marvin and Mark Hamill. Written and directed by Samuel Fuller, it was produced by Lorimar and released by United Artists in the US on July 18, 1980...
(1980, distributed by United Artists) - The Postman Always Rings TwiceThe Postman Always Rings Twice (1981 film)The Postman Always Rings Twice is a 1981 film adaptation of the 1934 novel by the same name by James M. Cain. The film was produced by Lorimar and originally released theatrically in North America by Paramount Pictures. This version, based on a screenplay by David Mamet and directed by Bob...
(1981, distributed by ParamountParamount PicturesParamount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
) - Night SchoolNight School (film)Night School is a slasher film released in 1981 directed by Ken Hughes and starring English actress Rachel Ward in her feature film debut. The plot revolves around a series of gruesome decapitation murders happening among college coeds in Boston, Massachusetts. The film was originally to be...
(1981, distributed by Paramount) - S.O.B. (1981, distributed by Paramount)
- VictoryEscape to VictoryEscape to Victory, known simply as Victory in North America, is a 1981 film about Allied prisoners of war who are interned in a German prison camp during World War II...
(1981, distributed by Paramount) - An Officer and a GentlemanAn Officer and a GentlemanA Officer and a Gentleman is a 1982 American drama film that tells the story of a U.S. Navy aviation officer candidate who comes into conflict with the Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who trains him. It was written by Douglas Day Stewart and directed by Taylor Hackford...
(1982) (Lorimar/Paramount co-production)* - The Dead ZoneThe Dead Zone (film)The Dead Zone is a 1983 horror-thriller film based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. Directed by David Cronenberg, the film stars Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, and Tom Skerritt...
(1983) (in silent partnership with Dino De Laurentiis Corporation, distributed by ParamountParamount PicturesParamount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, who still owns major rights today) - TankTank (film)Tank is a 1984 comedy, drama, and action movie starring James Garner, Jenilee Harrison, and C. Thomas Howell. The film was written by Dan Gordon and directed by Marvin J. Chomsky...
(1984, distributed and co-produced by UniversalUniversal StudiosUniversal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
)* - The Last StarfighterThe Last StarfighterThe Last Starfighter is a 1984 science fiction adventure film directed by Nick Castle. The film tells the story of Alex Rogan , an average teenage boy recruited by an alien defense force to fight in an interstellar war. It also featured Dan O'Herlihy, Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Preston, Norman...
(1984, distributed and co-produced by Universal)* - Power (1986, distributed by 20th Century Fox20th Century FoxTwentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
) - American AnthemAmerican AnthemAmerican Anthem is a 1986 American film produced by Lorimar Motion Pictures and released in North America by Columbia Pictures. It was directed by Albert Magnoli, and starred Mitch Gaylord and Janet Jones. The subject of the film was a football player turned gymnast that was seeking to join the...
(1986, distributed by Columbia PicturesColumbia PicturesColumbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
) - The Boy Who Could FlyThe Boy Who Could FlyThe Boy Who Could Fly is a 1986 film written and directed by Nick Castle. It was produced by Lorimar Productions for 20th Century Fox and released to movie theatres on August 14, 1986....
(1986, distributed by 20th Century Fox) - The Morning After (1986, distributed by 20th Century Fox)
- Big ShotsBig Shots (film)Big Shots is a 1987 American comedy adventure film directed by Robert Mandel and starring Ricky Busker and Darius McCrary.-Plot:An 11 year old boy from Hinsdale, Illinois named Obie Dawkins is out fishing with his father, who tells him about the birds and the bees. All the while Obie shows...
(1987, distributed by 20th Century Fox) - In The MoodIn the Mood"In the Mood" is a big band era #1 hit recorded by American bandleader Glenn Miller. Joe Garland and Andy Razaf arranged "In the Mood" in 1937-1939 using a previously existing main theme composed by Glenn Miller before the start of the 1930s...
(1987, a co-production with Kings Road Entertainment) - Orphans (1987)
- Made In Heaven (1987)
- The Fourth ProtocolThe Fourth ProtocolThe Fourth Protocol is a novel written by Frederick Forsyth and published in August 1984.-Explanation of the novel's title:The title refers to the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which contained four secret protocols. The fourth, of the protocols, was meant to prohibit the non-conventional...
(1987, U.S. distribution) - SiestaSiestaA siesta is a short nap taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal. Such a period of sleep is a common tradition in some countries, particularly those where the weather is warm....
(1987, U.S. distribution) - Two Moon JunctionTwo Moon JunctionTwo Moon Junction is a 1988 American English language erotic thriller and romance film written and directed by Zalman King, starring Sherilyn Fenn and Richard Tyson...
(1988) - Return of the Living Dead Part IIReturn of the Living Dead Part IIReturn of the Living Dead Part II is an American zombie horror comedy film that was released in 1988. It was written and directed by Ken Wiederhorn. The film was released by Lorimar Motion Pictures on January 8, 1988, and was a minor box office success, making over $9 million at the box office in...
(1988) - Action JacksonAction JacksonAction Jackson is a 1988 action film directed by Craig R. Baxley and starring Carl Weathers, Vanity, Craig T. Nelson and Sharon Stone. Paula Abdul was the choreographer...
(1988) - Running On Empty (1988, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
- Dangerous LiaisonsDangerous LiaisonsDangerous Liaisons is a 1988 drama film based upon Christopher Hampton's play, Les liaisons dangereuses, which in turn was a theatrical adaptation of the 18th-century French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos....
(1988, distributed by Warner Bros.)* - MoonwalkerMoonwalkerMoonwalker, also known as Michael Jackson: Moonwalker, is an American anthology film released in 1988 by singer Michael Jackson....
(1988, distributed by Warner Bros.)* - Bert Rigby, You're a FoolBert Rigby, You're a FoolBert Rigby, You're a Fool is a 1989 American musical film directed by Carl Reiner, and starring Robert Lindsay in the title role.-Plot:Bert Rigby is a miner in a small dying town of Langmore in northern England, with aspirations to show business. He tells the story in flashback, while sitting in a...
(1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)* - Dead BangDead BangDead Bang is a 1989 action film starring Don Johnson and Tim Reid, and directed by John Frankenheimer. Johnson's character, based on real-life LAPD officer Jerry Beck, tracks the killer of a Los Angeles Sherrifs Deputy and uncovers a plot involving hate literature, white supremacist militias and...
(1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)* - See You in the Morning (1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
- CookieCookie (film)-Plot:Cookie Voltecki is the illegitimate daughter of mobster Dino Capisco , who has just finished thirteen years in prison. Since being released from jail, all that Dino wants is to settle some old scores, and make up for lost time with his daughter.Cookie's mother, Lenore Voltecki , has been...
(1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)* - Next of KinNext of Kin (1989 film)Next of Kin is a 1989 American action film directed by John Irvin and starring Patrick Swayze and Liam Neeson. The screenplay was based on a story of the same title, both written by Michael Jenning.-Plot:...
(1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)* - Second SightSecond Sight (film)Second Sight is a 1989 comedy film from Warner Bros., starring John Larroquette, Bronson Pinchot, Stuart Pankin and Bess Armstrong. In the film, a paranormal detective , a psychic and a nun search the streets of Boston, Massachusetts for a missing person who has allegedly been kidnapped.Although...
(1989, distributed by Warner Bros.)* - The Witches (1990, distributed by Warner Bros.)*
Home video
In 1984, Lorimar purchased Karl Video Corporation (KVC), also known as Karl Home Video, which was named after its founder, Stuart Karl (1953–1991). KVC, which was best known for producing the bestselling Jane FondaJane Fonda
Jane Fonda is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as Barbarella and Cat Ballou. She has won two Academy Awards and received several other movie awards and nominations during more than 50 years as an...
workout videos, was renamed Karl-Lorimar Home Video after the acquisition. Relationships between Lorimar and Karl grew sour, which forced Karl to resign in March 1987. Karl-Lorimar continued to exist under the name Lorimar Home Video until it closed sometime later. Lorimar Home Video closed in 1989 and was folded into Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
. Lorimar joined a venture with Village Roadshow Limited
Village Roadshow Limited
Village Roadshow Limited is an Australian media company with interests in cinema, theme parks, film production and distribution. The company is a publicly listed entity on the Australian Securities Exchange...
to make Roadshow Lorimar Home Video distribute movie titles by Lorimar Motion Pictures.