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Spelling-Goldberg Productions

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Spelling-Goldberg Productions
IndustryTelevision
Founded1972
FounderAaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg
Defunct1986 (1986)
FateFolded into Columbia Pictures Television
ProductsFamily
Starsky & Hutch
T. J. Hooker
S.W.A.T.
Charlie's Angels
Fantasy Island
Hart to Hart
ParentColumbia Pictures (1982–1986)

Spelling-Goldberg Productions was an American television production company established on May 1, 1972[1] by Aaron Spelling and Screen Gems' top TV executive Leonard Goldberg. They produced series during the 1970s like Family, Starsky & Hutch, T. J. Hooker, S.W.A.T., Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, and Hart to Hart. Spelling's other companies, Aaron Spelling Productions (later known as Spelling Entertainment and Spelling Television) and Thomas-Spelling Productions, co-existed at the same time period and produced other well-known shows. A majority of the series produced by Spelling-Goldberg originally aired on ABC.

History

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In 1973, Spelling-Goldberg struck a deal with Metromedia Producers Corporation to distribute the post-1973 output for off-net syndication, including TV movies and the new Chopper One.[2] It was involved in a lawsuit with Worldvision Enterprises (previously ABC Films), the very first distributor of The Rookies; following the lawsuit, domestic syndication of The Rookies would be contracted out to Viacom Enterprises, which would distribute the program through the 1990s.[3]

Spelling and Goldberg decided to part ways, and on June 27, 1977, the duo sold four of its series to Columbia Pictures Television including S.W.A.T., Starsky & Hutch, Charlie's Angels and Family.[4][5] On May 17, 1982, the company was sold to Columbia Pictures for more than $40 million.[6][7] Sony Pictures Television currently owns the Spelling-Goldberg television library (including the television series which were co-produced by Columbia Pictures Television). By May 1986, all of the Spelling-Goldberg's active operations went out of business after the last episode of T.J. Hooker aired.

In 2015, many of these series are now seen on Cozi TV.

List of programs

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TV shows

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All series today are owned and distributed by Sony Pictures Television. All series were previously distributed by Columbia Pictures Television and its successors (except for The Rookies, which was originally syndicated by Viacom Enterprises). Some programs were previously distributed outside the United States through Metromedia Producers Corporation and that company's successor, 20th Television.

Made for TV movies

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For The ABC [Insert Day] Night Movie

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See The ABC Monday Night Movie and The ABC Sunday Night Movie

Others

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Broadcasting, May 1, 1972, pg. 28
  2. ^ Broadcasting, Nov 5, 1973, pg. 43
  3. ^ 'Rookies' picked up by Viacom for sale in family hours (page 46) from Broadcasting
  4. ^ "Spelling-Goldberg puts four ABC hits in syndication". Broadcasting: 58. 1977-06-27.
  5. ^ Interview with Aaron Spelling. Archive of American Television (November 18/24, 1999).
  6. ^ Perry, pp. 28
  7. ^ "Columbia buys Spelling-Goldberg". Broadcasting: 42. 1982-05-17.
  8. ^ Fantasy Island (1978) at AllMovie
  9. ^ Broadcasting, Dec. 18, 1972, pg. 23

Bibliography

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  • Perry, Jeb H. (1991). Screen Gems: A History of Columbia Pictures Television from Cohn to Coke, 1948-1983. ISBN 0-8108-2487-6.