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This article is about the film studio. Previously, it was affiliated with a cinema chain bearing its name, now owned by Regal Entertainment Group. Regal Entertainment Group ( is the largest Movie theatre chain in North America, operating 6423 screens in 529 locations in 41 U Regal Entertainment Group ( is the largest Movie theatre chain in North America, operating 6423 screens in 529 locations in 41 U
United Artists
United Artists Corporation
United Artists Films, Inc.
United Artists Entertainment, LLC
Type film studio
Founded February 5, 1919 (original date)
November 2, 2006 (relaunch)
Headquarters MGM Tower, Century City, California
Key people Paula Wagner, Tom Cruise
Industry film, music
Products motion picture
Owner MGM - part of subsidiaries:
Providence Equity Partners (29%)
TPG Capital, L.P. (21%)
Sony (20%)
Comcast (20%)
DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%)
Quadrangle Group (3%) www.mgm.com
Website www.unitedartists.com

United Artists Entertainment LLC (UA)[1][2] is an American film studio. Paula Wagner (born Paula Kauffman on 12 December 1946) is an American Film producer and film executive Thomas Cruise Mapother IV ( born July 3 1962 better known by his screen name Tom Cruise, is an American Actor and Film producer For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" In Marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a Market that might satisfy a want or need Ownership is the state or fact of exclusive rights and control over Property, which may be an object, land/real estate, Intellectual property Providence Equity Partners is a Private equity firm headquartered in Providence Rhode Island that focuses on investments in media and telecommunications TPG Capital (formerly Texas Pacific Group commonly referred to as "TPG" is a Private equity investment firm founded by David Bonderman, James is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest Media conglomerates with Comcast Corporation ( is the largest Cable television company the second largest Internet service provider and (according to the company the fourth largest telephone DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (DLJMB is a Private equity investment firm focused on Leveraged buyout transactions A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A movie studio (aka film studio) is in the established sense of the term a company that distributes films. The "new" UA was formed in November 2006 under a partnership between producer/actor Tom Cruise and his production partner, Paula Wagner, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. Events in November All Saints' Day (formerly All Hallows Day a Christian holy day is celebrated on November 1, the day after Halloween Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Thomas Cruise Mapother IV ( born July 3 1962 better known by his screen name Tom Cruise, is an American Actor and Film producer Paula Wagner (born Paula Kauffman on 12 December 1946) is an American Film producer and film executive , an MGM company.

Cruise and Wagner own a small stake in the studio, a subsidiary of MGM Studios. A subsidiary, in business matters is an entity that is controlled by a bigger and more powerful entity MGM is owned by MGM Holdings, Inc. MGM Holdings Inc is the parent company of the American media company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. , which was formed by a consortium including Sony, Comcast, TPG Capital, L.P. and Providence Equity Partners. is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest Media conglomerates with Comcast Corporation ( is the largest Cable television company the second largest Internet service provider and (according to the company the fourth largest telephone TPG Capital (formerly Texas Pacific Group commonly referred to as "TPG" is a Private equity investment firm founded by David Bonderman, James Providence Equity Partners is a Private equity firm headquartered in Providence Rhode Island that focuses on investments in media and telecommunications

Contents

The early years

early UA Logo
early UA Logo

UA was incorporated as a joint venture on February 5, 1919 by four of the leading figures in early Hollywood: Mary Pickford, Charles Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and D. W. Griffith. Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Mary Pickford ( April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979) was an Academy Award -winning Canadian motion picture Douglas Fairbanks ( May 23 1883 – December 12 1939) was an American Actor, Screenwriter, director David Llewelyn Wark "D W" Griffith (January 22 1875 &ndash July 23 1948 was a premier pioneering Academy Award -winning American Film director. Each held a 20% stake, with the remaining 20% held by lawyer William Gibbs McAdoo. William Gibbs McAdoo ( October 31, 1863 &ndash February 1, 1941) was an American Lawyer and political leader who served [3] The idea for the venture originated with Fairbanks, Chaplin, Pickford, and cowboy star William S. Hart a year earlier as they were traveling around the U. William Surrey Hart ( December 6, 1864 &ndash June 23, 1946) was an American Silent film Actor, Screenwriter S. selling Liberty bonds to help the World War I effort. A Liberty Bond was a special type of War bond that was sold in the United States to support the allied cause in World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Already veterans of Hollywood, the four film stars began to talk of forming their own company to better control their own work as well as their futures. They were spurred on by established Hollywood producers and distributors making moves to tighten their control on star salaries and creative control, a process which would evolve into the rigid studio system. The studio system was a means of film production and distribution dominant in Hollywood from the early 1920s through the early 1950s With the addition of Griffith, planning began, but Hart bowed out even before things had formalized. When he heard about their scheme, Richard A. Rowland, head of Metro Pictures, is said to have observed, "The inmates are taking over the asylum. Metro Pictures Corporation was an American Motion picture production company founded in late 1915 by Richard A " The four partners, with advice from McAdoo (son-in-law and former Treasury Secretary of then-President Woodrow Wilson), formed their distribution company, with Hiram Abrams as its first managing director. The United States Secretary of State (commonly abbreviated as SecState) is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with Foreign affairs Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28 1856—February 3 1924 was the twenty-eighth President of the United States. Hiram Abrams (1878 - 1926 was an early American movie mogul and one of the first presidents of Paramount Pictures and the first managing director of United Artists

The original terms called for Pickford, Fairbanks, Griffith and Chaplin to independently produce five pictures each year. But by the time the company got under way in 1920-1921, feature films were becoming more expensive and more polished, and running times had settled at around ninety minutes (or eight reels). In the Film industry, a feature film is a Film made for initial distribution in theaters and being the "main attraction" of the screening It was believed that no one, no matter how popular, could produce and star in five quality feature films a year. By 1924, by which time Griffith had dropped out, the company was facing a crisis: either bring in others to help support a costly distribution system or concede defeat. The veteran producer Joseph Schenck was hired as president. Joseph Michael Schenck ( December 25, 1878 &ndash October 22, 1961) was a pioneer executive who played a key role in the development of Not only had he been producing pictures for a decade, but he brought along commitments for films starring his wife, Norma Talmadge, his sister-in-law, Constance Talmadge, and his brother-in-law, Buster Keaton. Norma Talmadge ( May 26, 1893 &ndash December 24, 1957) was one of the greatest film stars of the silent era Constance Talmadge ( April 19, 1897 - November 23, 1973) was a Silent movie star born in Brooklyn, New York Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton ( October 4 1895 &ndash February 1 1966) was an Academy Award -winning American Contracts were signed with a letter of independent producers, especially Samuel Goldwyn, Alexander Korda and Howard Hughes. Samuel Goldwyn ( ca. July 1879 &ndash 31 January 1974) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning producer Sir Alexander Korda (September 16 1893 - January 23 1956 was a Hungarian-born Film director and producer. Howard Robard Hughes Jr (December 24 1905 – April 5 1976 was an American Aviator, Industrialist, Film producer / director, Philanthropist Schenck also formed a separate partnership with Pickford and Chaplin to buy and build theaters under the United Artists name.

Still, even with a broadening of the company, UA struggled. The coming of sound ended the careers of Pickford and Fairbanks. Chaplin, rich enough to do what he pleased, worked only occasionally. Schenck resigned in 1933 to organize a new company with Darryl F. Zanuck, Twentieth Century Pictures, which soon provided four pictures a year to UA's schedule. Darryl Francis Zanuck ( September 5, 1902 &ndash December 22, 1979) was an Academy Award -winning producer, Writer He was replaced as president by sales manager Al Lichtman who himself resigned after only a few months. Alexander "Al" Lichtman ( April 9, 1885 - February 20, 1958) was a Businessman working in the Motion picture industry Pickford produced a few films, and at various times Goldwyn, Korda, Walt Disney, Walter Wanger, and David O. Selznick were made "producing partners" (i. Walter Elias Disney (December 5 1901 – December 15 1966 was a multiple Academy Award -winning American Film producer, director, Screenwriter Walter Wanger ( July 11, 1894 – November 18, 1968) was an Academy Award -winning American Film producer David O Selznick, born David Selznick ( May 10, 1902 &ndash June 22, 1965) was one of the iconic Hollywood producers e. , sharing in the profits), but ownership still rested with the founders. As the years passed and the dynamics of the business changed, these "producing partners" drifted away, Goldwyn and Disney to RKO, Wanger to Universal Pictures, Selznick to retirement. Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American By the late 1940s, United Artists had virtually ceased to exist as either a producer or distributor.

Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers



The Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers was founded in 1941 by Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, Orson Welles, Samuel Goldwyn, David O. George Orson Welles (May 6 1915 – October 10 1985 was an Academy Award -winning director, writer actor and producer for film stage radio and television Selznick, Alexander Korda, and Walter Wanger - many of the same people who were members of United Artists. Sir Alexander Korda (September 16 1893 - January 23 1956 was a Hungarian-born Film director and producer. Later members included William Cagney, Sol Lesser, and Hal Roach. Sol Lesser (born February 17, 1890 in Spokane Washington – September 19, 1980 in Hollywood California) was an Academy Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr ( January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and

The Society aimed to preserve the rights of independent producers in an industry overwhelmingly controlled by the studio system. The studio system was a means of film production and distribution dominant in Hollywood from the early 1920s through the early 1950s

SIMPP fought to end monopolistic practices by the five major film studios - MGM, Paramount Pictures, RKO, Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox - that controlled the production, distribution, and exhibition of films. Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and

In 1942, the SIMPP filed an antitrust suit against Paramount's United Detroit Theatres. The complaint accused Paramount of conspiracy to control first-run and subsequent-run theaters in Detroit. It was the first antitrust suit brought by producers against exhibitors alleging monopoly and restraint of trade.

In 1948, the United States Supreme Court Paramount Decision ordered the Hollywood movie studios to sell their theater chains and to eliminate certain anti-competitive practices. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. United States v Paramount Pictures, Inc, 334 US 131 ( 1948) (also known as the Hollywood Antitrust Case of 1948, the Paramount A movie studio (aka film studio) is in the established sense of the term a company that distributes films. This effectively brought an end to the studio system.

By 1958, many of the reasons for creating the SIMPP had been corrected and SIMPP closed its offices.

The 1950s and 1960s

In 1951, two lawyers-turned-producers Arthur Krim and Robert Benjamin approached Pickford and Chaplin with a wild idea: let them take over United Artists for five years. Arthur B Krim ( April 4, 1910 &ndash September 21, 1994) was an entertainment lawyer the former finance chairman for the United States If, at the end of those five years, UA was profitable, they would be given an option to buy the company. Since UA was barely alive, Pickford saw nothing to lose and agreed. Chaplin was against the deal, but changed his mind in late 1952 when the US government revoked his re-entry visa while he was in London for the UK premiere of Limelight. Limelight is a 1952 comedy - drama Film written directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, co-starring Claire Bloom He sold his remaining shares of UA several years later.

early 1960s UA Logo
early 1960s UA Logo

In taking over UA, Krim and Benjamin created the first studio without an actual "studio". Primarily acting as bankers, they offered money to independent producers. UA leased space at the Pickford/Fairbanks Studio, but did not own a studio lot as such. Thus UA did not have the overhead, the maintenance or the expensive production staff which ran up costs at other studios. Among their first clients were Sam Spiegel and John Huston, whose "Horizon Productions" gave UA one major hit, The African Queen (1951) and one slightly less successful one, Moulin Rouge (1952), based on the life of Toulouse-Lautrec. For contemporary French actor Sam Spiegel see Sam Spiegel ( Sam Herve Spiegel) french actor Sam Spiegel ( 11 November 1901 – John Marcellus Huston ( August 5 1906 &ndash August 28 1987) was an American Film director and Actor. The African Queen is a Drama film directed by John Huston and produced by Sam Spiegel (billed as "S The year 1951 in film involved some significant events Events Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian Moulin Rouge ( 1952) is a Film directed by John Huston, produced by Sir John Woolf and James Woolf of Romulus Films and released The year 1952 in film involved some significant events Events January 10 - Cecil B Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (ɑ̃ʁi dø tuluz loˈtʁɛk (24 November 1864 &ndash 9 September 1901 was a French painter, printmaker, draftsman Others followed, among them Stanley Kramer, Otto Preminger, Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, and a number of actors, newly freed from studio contracts and anxious to produce or direct their own films. Stanley Kramer ( September 29, 1913 &ndash February 19, 2001) was an Academy Award -nominated American Film director Otto Ludwig Preminger ( December 5[[ 906]]&ndash April 23[[ 986]] was an Austrian born Film director who moved from the theatre to Hollywood Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster ( 2 November &ndash 20 October) was an American film Actor and star noted for his athletic physique UA production-head Arnold Picker could do no wrong in selecting the properties which the company would back. Arnold M Picker ( 29 September 1913 — 11 October 1989) was a United States film industry executive mayor of Golden Beach Florida With UA's new success, Pickford saw a chance to exit gracefully, though she still held out for top dollar, walking away with $1. 5 million in 1955. That same year, UA won its first Best Picture Oscar, for the film Marty. The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to artists working Marty is a low-budget 1955 love story directed by Delbert Mann, starring Ernest Borgnine in the title role and Betsy It starred Ernest Borgnine, who won a Best Actor Oscar for his performance. Ermes Effron Borgnino (born January 24 1917 better known by his stage name Ernest Borgnine, is an American Golden Globe, BAFTA and Academy

UA went public the following year, and as the other mainstream studios fell into decline, UA prospered, adding relationships with the Mirisch brothers, Billy Wilder, Joseph E. Levine and others. Mirisch is a Surname and may refer to Marvin Mirisch Walter Mirisch Mirisch Company Billy Wilder ( June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian born Jewish - American Journalist Joseph E Levine ( September 9, 1905 – July 31, 1987) was an American Film producer. In 1961, United Artists released West Side Story, an adaptation of the Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim stage musical, which won a record ten Academy Awards (including Best Picture). West Side Story is a 1961 film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes Stephen Joshua Sondheim (born March 22 1930 is an American musical and film composer and lyricist winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards (seven In 1964, UA introduced U. S. film audiences to The Beatles by releasing producer Walter Shenson's A Hard Day's Night (1964) and Help! (1965). The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 A Hard Day's Night is a 1964 British Comedy film written by Alun Owen starring The Beatles — John Lennon, Paul McCartney Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Help! is a 1965 film starring The Beatles and featuring Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, John Bluthal, Roy Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. (The group had already made wildly successful television appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. The Ed Sullivan Show was an American television Variety show that ran from June 20, 1948 to June 6, ) At the same time it backed two expatriate Americans in Britain, who had acquired screen rights to Ian Fleming's Bond novels. For $1 million, UA backed Harry Saltzman and Albert Broccoli's Dr. No (which was a sensation in 1962) and served as the launching point for the James Bond series. Harry Saltzman ( October 27 1915 - September 28 1994) was a theatre and Film producer best known for his mega-gamble which resulted Albert Romolo Broccoli, CBE (Hon ( April 5 1909 &ndash June 27 1996) nicknamed "Cubby" was an American Dr No (1962 is the first Film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Sean Connery as British Secret Service agent James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story That franchise has outlived UA's life as a major studio, still running forty years later. Other successful projects backed in this period included Blake Edwards's Pink Panther series, which began in 1964, and Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns, which made a star of Clint Eastwood. Blake Edwards (born July 26, 1922) is an Academy Award -winning American Film director, Screenwriter, and producer The Pink Panther is a series of comedy films featuring the bumbling French police detective Jacques Clouseau that began in 1963 with the release of Sergio Leone ( January 3, 1929 &ndash April 30, 1989) was an Italian Film director. Spaghetti Western, also known in some countries in mainland Europe as the Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western Clinton "Clint" Eastwood Jr (born May 31 1930 is a four-time Academy Award winning American Actor and Filmmaker.

In 1958 United Artists Records was created, initially to release soundtracks from UA films, but it later diversified into many types of music. United Artists Records was a Record label founded by Max E Youngstein of United Artists in 1958 initially to distribute Soundtracks It was later sold to EMI. The EMI Group is a British music company comprising the major record company EMI Music – which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in

In 1960 United Artists purchased Ziv Television Programs and, using the idea of financial backing for television, UA's television division was responsible for shows like Gilligan's Island, The Fugitive, Outer Limits, and The Patty Duke Show. Ziv Television Programs Inc was an American Television syndication and production company producer of popular syndicated TV programs in the 1950s For the company that now owns United Artists Television see United Artists. Gilligan's Island is an American TV sitcom originally produced by United Artists Television. The Fugitive is an American Television series produced by QM Productions and United Artists Television that aired on ABC For the album by Progressive Metal band Voivod see The Outer Limits (album. The Patty Duke Show is an American Sitcom which ran on ABC from September 18, 1963 until May 4, 1966 The television unit also had begun to build up a substantial — and profitable — rental library, having purchased Associated Artists Productions, owners of Warner Bros. pre-1948 features, shorts and cartoons, as well as Popeye cartoons, purchased from Paramount Pictures a few years earlier. Associated Artists Productions ( aap Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and Popeye the Sailor Man is a fictional hero famous for appearing in comic strips and animated films as well as numerous TV shows Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. (See note below at '"Film Archives"' for more on this).

In 1964, the French subsidiary Les Productions Artistes Associés released its first production That Man From Rio. That Man From Rio (L'Homme de Rio is a popular 1964 Adventure film, directed by Philippe de Broca and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo On the basis of its fantastic string of film and television hits in the 1960s, the company was an attractive property, and in 1967 Krim and Benjamin sold control of UA to the San Francisco-based insurance giant, Transamerica Corp. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city Transamerica Corporation is a holding company for various Life insurance companies and Investment firms doing business primarily in the United States. That year, UA released what would turn out to be another Best Picture Oscar winner, In the Heat of the Night, starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 Film, based on the John Ball novel published in 1965 which tells the story of an African-American Sir Sidney Poitier, KBE (ˈpwɑːtie born February 20, 1927) is an Oscar - Golden Globe - BAFTA - and Grammy Rod Steiger ( April 14, 1925 – July 9, 2002) was an American Academy Award -winning Actor known for his

The 1970s and 1980s

Transamerica Logo
Transamerica Logo
United Artists opening logo, 1969-1981.
United Artists opening logo, 1969-1981.

What Transamerica got was not just the UA name and library, but the expertise and experience of Krim, Benjamin and a team of others. For a time the flow of successful pictures continued, including the 1971 screen version of Fiddler on the Roof. Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set New talent was encouraged, including Woody Allen, Robert Altman, Sylvester Stallone, Saul Zaentz, Miloš Forman, and Brian De Palma. Woody Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; December 1 1935 is an American Film director, Writer, Actor, Comedian, and Robert Bernard Altman (February 20 1925 – November 20 2006 was an American Film director known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone (born July 6 1946 is an American Actor, director, producer and Screenwriter. Saul Zaentz (ˈzænts born February 28, 1921) is an American Film producer and former record company executive Jan Tomáš Forman (ˈjan ˈtomaːʃ ˈforman born February 18, 1932) better known as Miloš Forman (ˈmɪloʃ ˈforman is a Czech-American Brian De Palma (born Brian Russell DePalma on September 11 1940 in Newark New Jersey) is an American Film director. In 1973 UA took over the sales and distribution of MGM's films (ironically, MGM would soon be distributing UA's films in the future).

But the ups-and-downs of movie making made the insurance company nervous. They were also not pleased with UA's frequent releases of films rated X by the Motion Picture Association of America, such as Last Tango in Paris; in these instances, Transamerica demanded the byline "A Transamerica Company" be removed from the UA logo on the prints and in all advertising. Last Tango in Paris ( Ultimo Tango a Parigi) is a 1973 film directed by Italian Bernardo Bertolucci which tells the story of At one point, the parent company expressed their desire to phase out the UA name and replace it with Transamerica Films. Finally in 1978, following a dispute over administrative expenses, UA's top executives, including chairman Krim and president Benjamin, walked out. Within days they announced the formation of Orion Pictures, with backing from Warner. Orion Pictures Corporation was an American company that produced movies from 1978 until 1998

The inexperienced new leadership of UA, anxious to show that they could make quality pictures too, agreed to back Michael Cimino's pet project, a big-budget western, Heaven's Gate. Michael Cimino (ˈtʃamɪnəʊ born February 3, 1939, New York City) is an American, Academy Award-winning film director Heaven's Gate is a 1980 Western movie depicting the Johnson County War, a dispute between land barons and European immigrants in Wyoming After a tumultuous two-year gestation, the picture turned out to be a colossal box office bomb, angering critics and alienating audiences. The phrase box office bomb refers to a Film for which the production and Marketing costs greatly exceeded the Revenue retained by the movie The publicity about runaway costs far overshadowed any appeal the film might have. United Artists recorded a major loss for the year; to Transamerica, it was only a blip on a multi-billion dollar balance sheet, but it soured the relationship forever. To the greater Hollywood community, it also signaled that this was a company that could no longer produce bankable pictures.

MGM, led by Kirk Kerkorian, made an unsolicited bid for UA by estimating that MGM would pay UA $350 Million in distribution fees if the expiring distribution deal was renewed and used the estimated amount to offer the $350 Million[1] to Transamerica to buy United Artists. Kerkor "Kirk" Kerkorian (born June 6, 1917) is an Armenian-American Billionaire, and president/ CEO of Tracinda Transamerica said yes and MGM absorbed UA. Film editors replaced UA logos on some prints to remove any reference to former owner Transamerica (like the "T" stripped-logo and the "A Transamerica Company" byline, though in most cases, both were retained). Very rarely are existing film prints altered to reflect change in corporate governance or legal requirements.

Despite the financial ruin, UA's blockbuster franchise films (Pink Panther, James Bond, and eventually Rocky) were emphasized more heavily than the financially unsuccessful films. The Pink Panther is a series of comedy films featuring the bumbling French police detective Jacques Clouseau that began in 1963 with the release of James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story Rocky is a 1976 Film written by and starring Sylvester Stallone and directed by John G

In 1975, Harry Saltzman sold UA his 50% stake in Danjaq, LLC, the holding-company for the Bond films. Harry Saltzman ( October 27 1915 - September 28 1994) was a theatre and Film producer best known for his mega-gamble which resulted Danjaq LLC (formerly Danjaq SA) is the holding company responsible for the copyright and trademarks to the characters elements and other material related to James Bond UA was to remain a silent partner, putting up money, while Albert Broccoli took producer credit. Albert Romolo Broccoli, CBE (Hon ( April 5 1909 &ndash June 27 1996) nicknamed "Cubby" was an American

Danjaq and UA have remained the public co-copyright holders for the Bond series ever since, and the 2006 Casino Royale release shares the copyright with Columbia Pictures, part of the consortium that now owns MGM/UA. }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company

United Artists opening logo, 1981-1987. This logo also would replace the Transamerica "T" in most pre-1981 prints.
United Artists opening logo, 1981-1987. This logo also would replace the Transamerica "T" in most pre-1981 prints.

Under Kerkorian, United Artists became a shell. The studio, which was essentially bankrupt following the disaster of Heaven's Gate, cut its production schedule sharply. MGM and UA were merged into MGM/UA Entertainment Co. from 1981 to 1987. UA was essentially dormant after 1989, releasing no films for several years. In part this was due to the continuing turmoil at MGM/UA; bought by Ted Turner in 1986, he could not get financial backing to complete the deal and, seventy-four days later, re-sold UA and the MGM trademark to Kerkorian, while keeping the MGM/UA library for himself (with the exception of those MGM/UA releases by United Artists). Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American Media proprietor and philanthropist. (See below for a note on the film library. )

In 1981, United Artists Classics, a speciality film division for UA, was created by Michael Barker, Tom Bernard, and Marcie Bloom, who would later go on to form Orion Classics and Sony Pictures Classics. Orion Classics was the division of Orion Pictures, headed by Michael Barker Tom Bernard and Marcie Bloom that acquired independent and foreign films Sony Pictures Classics is one of two specialty film divisions of Sony Pictures Entertainment, the other being Screen Gems (which produces more genre-specific fare The label mostly released foreign and independent films such as Ticket to Heaven and The Grey Fox, and occasional first-run reissues from the UA library, such as director's cuts of Joan Micklin Silver's Head Over Heels (1979 film) and Ivan Passer's Cutter's Way. Ticket to Heaven is a 1981 Canadian film about the recruiting of a man into a group portrayed to be a Cult, and his life in the group until forcibly The Grey Fox is a 1982 Canadian film written by John Hunter and directed by Phillip Borsos. Joan Micklin Silver (b May 24, 1935) is an American director She was born in Omaha Nebraska and received her B Chilly Scenes of Winter (also Head Over Heels is a 1979 romantic comedy film written and directed by Joan Micklin Silver. Ivan Passer, (b July 10, 1933) Czech-born film director & screenwriter Cutter's Way (also known as Cutter and Bone) is a 1981 thriller directed by Ivan Passer. When the three founders left to form Orion Classics, the label was briefly rechristened MGM/UA Classics before it was finally shut down in the late '80's. Orion Classics was the division of Orion Pictures, headed by Michael Barker Tom Bernard and Marcie Bloom that acquired independent and foreign films

The 1990s-2000s

In 1990 came the farcical sale to the Italian promoter Giancarlo Parretti. Giancarlo Parretti is an Italian financier He formerly owned the movie studio Pathé and in 1989 took over Cannon Film Group Inc Having bought MGM/UA by wildly overstating his own financial condition, within a year Parretti had defaulted to his primary bank, Crédit Lyonnais, which foreclosed on the studio in 1992, also resulting in the sale or closure of MGM/UA's string of US theaters. See also LCL (Le Crédit Lyonnais Crédit Lyonnais is a historic French Bank. In an effort to make MGM/UA salable, Credit Lyonnais ramped up production, reviving two long-running franchises, the Pink Panther and James Bond films. MGM was sold in 1997, again to Kirk Kerkorian.

During the 2000s, UA was repositioned as a boutique or specialty studio. MGM had just acquired The Samuel Goldwyn Company, which had been a leading distributor of arthouse films, and after that name was retired, UA assumed SGC's purpose. The Samuel Goldwyn Company was an Independent film company founded by Samuel Goldwyn Jr The distributorship, branding, and copyrights for UA's main franchises (James Bond, Pink Panther, and Rocky) were moved to MGM, although select MGM releases (notably the James Bond franchise co-held with Danjaq, LLC and the Amityville Horror remake) carry a United Artists copyright. Danjaq LLC (formerly Danjaq SA) is the holding company responsible for the copyright and trademarks to the characters elements and other material related to James Bond The Amityville Horror is a 2005 Horror film directed by Andrew Douglas for United Artists and Dimension Films.

UA (re-christened United Artists Films) distributed a few "art-house" films, among them Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine; 2002's Nicholas Nickleby and the winner of that year's Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, No Man's Land; and 2004's Hotel Rwanda, a co-production of UA and Lions Gate Films. Michael Francis Moore (born April 23 1954 is an Academy Award -winning American filmmaker author and liberal Political commentator. Bowling for Columbine is a 2002 American Documentary film written directed produced by and starring Michael Moore. Nicholas Nickleby is a 2002 British / American Drama film with comedic undertones written and directed by Douglas The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars handed out annually by the U No Man's Land ( Ničija zemlja) is a Tragicomedy war drama that is set in the midst of the Bosnian war in 1993. Hotel Rwanda is a Historical drama film about the hotelier Paul Rusesabagina (played by Don Cheadle) during the Rwandan Genocide Lionsgate redirects here For other meanings see Lions' Gate (disambiguation‎.

On April 8, 2005, a partnership of Comcast, Sony and several merchant banks bought United Artists and its parent, MGM, for a total of $4. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Comcast Corporation ( is the largest Cable television company the second largest Internet service provider and (according to the company the fourth largest telephone is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest Media conglomerates with The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 8 billion.

In March 2006, MGM announced that it would return once again as a distribution company domestically. Striking distribution deals with The Weinstein Company, Lakeshore Entertainment, Bauer Martinez and other independent studios, MGM distributes films from these companies. The Weinstein Company is an independent American Film studio founded by Harvey and Bob Weinstein in 2005 after the pair left Lakeshore Entertainment Group is an American Independent film Production company founded in 1994 by Tom Rosenberg and Ted Tannebaum (1933-2002 MGM continues funding and co-producing projects that are released in conjunction with Sony's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group on a limited basis and is producing "tentpoles" for their own distribution company MGM Distribution.

Sony has a minority stake in MGM but otherwise MGM and UA will operate under Harry Sloan's (CEO of MGM and a minority owner himself) direction.

The Cruise/Wagner Era

On November 2, 2006, MGM announced that actor Tom Cruise and his long-time production partner Paula Wagner were resurrecting UA[4][5] (this announcement came after the duo were released from a fourteen-year production relationship at Viacom-owned Paramount Pictures earlier that year). Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Thomas Cruise Mapother IV ( born July 3 1962 better known by his screen name Tom Cruise, is an American Actor and Film producer Paula Wagner (born Paula Kauffman on 12 December 1946) is an American Film producer and film executive Viacom ( ( short for " Vi deo & A udio Com munications" is an American Media conglomerate with various worldwide interests Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. Cruise, Wagner and MGM Studios created United Artists Entertainment LLC and, today, the producer/actor and his partner own a small stake in the studio, with the approval by MGM's consortium of owners.

The deal gives them control over production, from development to the "green-lighting" of films. Wagner was named CEO of United Artists, which will have an annual slate of four films with different budget ranges, while Cruise serves as a producer for the revamped studio as well as serving as the occasional star.

On October 29, 2007, the New York Times reported that United Artists was commencing an 18-month marketing campaign including a $20 million media blitz "to reinforce and remind people of what a powerful film history and legacy a brand like United Artists has", said Paula Wagner. Paula Wagner (born Paula Kauffman on 12 December 1946) is an American Film producer and film executive

UA became the first motion picture studio granted a WGA waiver in January 2008 during the Writers Strike. The 2007&ndash2008 Writers Guild of America strike, or more commonly known as the Writers' Strike was a strike by the Writers Guild of America East [6]

In early 2008, United Artists partnered with producer Michael Nozik (Syriana, Motorcycle Diaries) and writer/director Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby) to create "Highway 61". Syriana is a 2005 geopolitical thriller Film written and directed by Stephen Gaghan, and executive produced by George The Motorcycle Diaries is a book that traces the early travels of Marxist revolutionary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, then a 23-year-old medical student Paul Edward Haggis (born March 10, 1953 in London Ontario) is an Academy Award -winning Canadian screenwriter producer Million Dollar Baby is a 2004 Film directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Eastwood Hilary Swank, and Morgan In a statement the two said, "We look forward to creating a home at Hwy61 where really gifted writers and directors can flourish". Their first film is likely to be "Ranger's Apprentice", based on the hit series by John Flanagan. John Flanagan may refer to John Jesus Flanagan, three-time Olympic champion in athletics John Flanagan (sculptor, designed the Washington

According to The New York Times, reported estimates have placed the the company's total losses due to the film Lions for Lambs at $50 million. Lions for Lambs is a 2007 film about the connection between a platoon of United States soldiers in Afghanistan, a U [7]

Historical List of Films

List of United Artists films

Film Archives

The value of film libraries has increased exponentially in recent years, even as ownership gets more fractured. List of films originally created and/or distributed by United Artists See also List of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1910s J'accuse! Few studios had the foresight or ability to maintain control over every picture they produced or released.

United Artists, through various strategic purchases, built up a substantial film library. Included were rights not only to some of UA's own releases, but to the pre-1948 Warner Bros. and RKO libraries. Having passed through numerous hands, this catalog now belongs to Time Warner's Turner Entertainment unit. Turner Entertainment Company Inc is an American media company founded by Ted Turner. However, one post-1948 WB film, the 1956 version of Moby Dick, is now owned by UA. Moby Dick is a 1956 film adaptation of Herman Melville 's novel Moby-Dick.

Since UA produced very few of the pictures it released, ownership of UA's output often rests with the individual or company producing. Some UA films of the 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s fell into the public domain, to be picked up by Republic Pictures (today part of Paramount Pictures) or small boutique houses like Castle Hill Productions (with distribution by Warner Bros. Entertainment). Republic Pictures (also known as Republic Entertainment Inc) is an independent film television and video distribution company that was originally a movie production-distribution Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. Castle Hill Productions is an independent television and film distribution company handling classic and independent films whose library spans eight decades Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and A small fraction of UA's silent output is now owned by Kino International. Kino International is a Film and Video distributor founded in 1977

A good number of United Artists' films from the 1920s through the 1940s, in the public domain, have been forgotten. Of the hundreds of fiilms distributed by UA over eighty-plus years, those which it owns outright today are its own productions from 1951 forward, plus a few pre-1951 films such as 1933's Hallelujah, I'm A Bum and Howard Hawks's Red River (1948). Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For other uses of this name see Red River. Red River is a 1948 Western film giving a fictional account of the

The Big Four (Chaplin, Pickford, Fairbanks and Griffith)

Disney, Lantz and Twentieth Century Pictures' productions

Collaborations

Films made by UA in co-production with other companies rest with several studios in certain territories or under contractual agreements.

Independent producers

The Selznick library

Pre-1986 MGM/UA library

The Beatles' films

United Artists Broadcasting

United Artists Broadcasting logo

United Artists also owned and operated television two television stations between the years of 1968 and 1977. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Legal ID's for the company would typically say "United Artists Broadcasting: an entertainment service of Transamerica Corporation," along with the Transamerica "T" logo.

UAB/Transamerica would exit the broadcasting business in 1977 following the sale of WUAB to the Gaylord Broadcasting Company. Gaylord Entertainment Company ( operates a number of Hotel, Resort, and media companies that was built by Edward Gaylord.

DMA Market Station Years Owned Known Today As Notes
17. These Cleveland - Akron - Canton WUAB 43 1968-1977 MyNetworkTV affiliate owned
by Raycom Media		 Licensed to Lorain. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Akron is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Summit County. Canton is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Stark County. WUAB, identified on-air as "My43 WUAB" is the MyNetworkTV affiliate in Cleveland Ohio. MyNetworkTV (unofficially abbreviated MyNet or MNT) is a Television network in the United States, owned by the Fox Broadcasting Company Raycom Media is a Broadcasting company based in Montgomery Alabama. Lorain is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie, at the mouth The call letters stand for United Artists Broadcasting, which founded the station.
Kaiser Broadcasting owned a minor stake from 1975-1977 following the closure of crosstown WKBF. Kaiser Broadcasting was the name of an entity that owned and operated Broadcast television stations in the United States from 1958 to 1977 This article is about the former television station in Cleveland Ohio
NR San Juan - Ponce - Mayagüez WRIK-TV 7 1970-1972? Independent station WSTE
owned by Univision		 Licensed to Ponce. San Juan (saŋ hwaŋ (from the Spanish San Juan Bautista, " Saint John the Baptist " is the Capital and largest municipality in Ponce ( IPA) officially the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce, is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Southern Coastal Plain region Mayagüez redirects here For the US ship of the same name see ''SS'' Mayagüez. Independent station is a term for a broadcast radio or Television station which is more independent in some way compared to other "dependent" WSTE is a full-power television station licensed to Ponce Puerto Rico transmitting over analog channel 7 digital 8 Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States and Puerto Rico. Operates 3
booster stations throughout
Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}}

See also

References

  1. ^ DENNIS RICE LEAVES DISNEY TO JOIN UNITED ARTISTS AS MARKETING AND PUBLICITY CHIEF April 4, 2007
  2. ^ "Dennis Rice Leaves Disney to join United Artists as marketing and publicity chief", 2007-04-04. For the company that now owns United Artists Television see United Artists. United Artists Records was a Record label founded by Max E Youngstein of United Artists in 1958 initially to distribute Soundtracks This is a list of Film production companies. The "Big Six" major film studios Fox Entertainment Group Production company refers to a company responsible for the development and physical production of Performing arts, Film, Radio or a Television program Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1581 - Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I. Retrieved on 2007-04-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans.  
  3. ^ Siklos, Richard (March 4, 2007). Mission Improbable: Tom Cruise as Mogul. New York Times
  4. ^ "Tom Cruise, producing partner cut a deal with United Artists", USA TODAY, 2006-11-02. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Retrieved on 2006-12-09. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city  
  5. ^ "MGM Puts Cruise In Charge of New United Artists", Zap2it, 2006-11-02. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Retrieved on 2006-12-09. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city  
  6. ^ "SHOCKER! WGA To Announce Side Deal With Tom Cruise's United Artists; Now Studio Moguls Mad At MGM's Sloan", Deadline Hollywood Daily, 2008-01-04. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Retrieved on 2008-01-07. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental  
  7. ^ Cieply, Michael (April 23, 2008). Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Nazi Plot That Threatens Tom Cruise and United Artists. The New York Times. The New York Times Company. The New York Times Company ( is an American media company It is Retrieved on 2008-04-29. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans.

Bibliography

External links

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