Cinema Center Films

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Cinema Center Films
Company typeDivision
IndustryFilm production
Founded1967; 57 years ago (1967)
FoundersWilliam S. Paley
Frank Stanton
Gordon T. Stulberg[1]
Defunct1972; 52 years ago (1972)
SuccessorsCompany:
CBS Theatrical Films (1979–1985)
Library:
Paramount Pictures (1999–present)
Headquarters
Hollywood
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Gordon T. Stulberg[1]
ProductsMotion pictures
$10 million loss (1971 est.)[2]
OwnerCBS

Cinema Center Films (CCF) was the theatrical film production company of the

Studio City district of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley, and produced 30 films.[om 1]

History

CBS chairman William S. Paley and Frank Stanton founded the network's first film division, Cinema Center Films, in 1967, with Gordon T. Stulberg as its first chief.[1]

In February 1967 CBS had bought the studios of

Gulf & Western chairman Charles Bluhdorn, who had just acquired Paramount Pictures, in a search for a distributor, but Bluhdorn's over chumminess turned off Paley. Stulberg reported to John A. Schneider, CBS network president.[4]

The studio's first notable talent signing was with Doris Day[5] which resulted in their first movie With Six You Get Eggroll.[4] Initially, CCF was generally termed by the film community as a maker only of "fluffy films" that seemed designed for rebroadcast on CBS.[4]

Their second signing was with Bob Banner Associates, who were to make a series of projects that did not come to fruition.[6] National General Pictures agreed to distribute their films in August 1967, agreeing to provide $60 million for 22 movies.[7] They signed a four-picture deal in 1967 with Jalem, Jack Lemmon's company worth $21 million – Jalem was to produce four films, two in which Lemmon was to appear.[8] Other people who signed deals with the company include producer William Graf,[9] and actor Steve McQueen via his company Solar Productions.[10] Robert Culp's company also signed.[11]

Ogilvy Mather was hired in July 1969 to provide advertising for the division.[12] To counter-act the film community's perception of being a "fluffy films" producer Stulberg recommended making The Boys in the Band to Paley. Little Big Man was CCF's biggest hit at the box office despite a cost overrun.[4] CCF also financed a Broadway production, Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?, a Don Petersen drama that opened in February 1970.[13] Paley moved responsibility at CBS for CCF from Schneider to Goddard Lieberson, president of Columbia Records, which was then owned by CBS.[4]

Twenty-six films were produced under Stulberg until he left to work at

Snoopy, Come Home. The studio never reported a profit in any year of its operation losing money on the 20 out of 27 films for a total loss of $30 million.[4]

Postscript

Distribution of Cinema Center's films were transferred from National General Pictures to

First Artists Productions.[om 2]

CBS sold 28 CCF films to

Viacom in 1979 for $30 million.[14] Another look at Cinema Center Films found that it was profitable. Since its closure, its films had been generating income via network and pay TV ancillary markets,[15] thus CBS attempted another return to the theatrical film production business in 1982, with a unit known as CBS Theatrical Films, as well as with Tri-Star Pictures, the joint venture between CBS, HBO and Columbia Pictures. CBS closed down CBS Theatrical Films and dropped out of Tri-Star in 1985.[16]

CBS would later fall under common ownership with

CBS Entertainment Group after releasing Jexi, at the same time CBS also announced that it will re-merge with Viacom to form ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global
), reuniting CBS with Paramount.

Films

Main article: List of films produced by CBS

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Oliver, Myrna (October 18, 2000). "Gordon T. Stulberg; Studio Executive, Lawyer, Negotiator". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  2. ^ a b Gould, Jack (January 10, 1972). "C.B.S. is Dropping Its Theater Films; Paley Takes Action as Part of a Production Review". The New York Times. p. 47. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
  3. ^ "Norman Levy, 67; Fox Chairman Turned Offbeat Films Into Hits". Los Angeles Times. September 28, 2002. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  4. ^
    ISBN 9780307786715
    .
  5. ^ "Martin, Betty (May 9, 1967). Film Pact for Doris Day". Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, Calif) (1923-Current File) Page D17.
  6. ^ Martin, Betty (June 22, 1967). "Multi-Film Agreement Signed". Los Angeles Times. p. d9.
  7. ^ "National General, CBS Sign Deal for Film Distribution". Los Angeles Times. Aug 22, 1967. p. c8.
  8. ^ "CBS, Jalem Sign $21 Million Pact". Los Angeles Times. Oct 2, 1967. p. d24.
  9. ^ "Cinema Center, Graf Announce Film Plans". Los Angeles Times. Dec 10, 1968. p. 31.
  10. ^ "Film Star of Year Turns to Creative Extension: McQueen's Creative Film Kick". Los Angeles Times. Sep 21, 1969. p. u1.
  11. ^ Warga, Wayne (July 28, 1968). "Cinema by, but Not Necessarily for, Television". Los Angeles Times. p. c14.
  12. ^ "Ogilvy & Mather Gets Film Task". The New York Times. July 21, 1969. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  13. ^ Zolotow, Sam (September 7, 1968). "C. B. S. Subsidiary to Help Stage Petersen's Drama on Broadway". New York Times. p. 23. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  14. ISBN 9780810866362
    . Retrieved October 5, 2017. CBS sold Cinema Center Films to Viacom -wiki.
  15. ^ Curran, Trisha (June 28, 1981). "CBS Wants to Star In the Movies--As One of the Major Film Producers". The New York Times. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  16. ^ Brennan, Jude (July 23, 2014). "CBS Films' Presidency: And Then There Was One". Forbes. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  17. ^ Eller, Claudia (September 26, 2007). "CBS names head of movie division". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  1. ^ a b Orders of Magnitude I: Majors, Mini-majors, "Instant Majors", and Independents. Page 331-332.
  2. ^ Orders of Magnitude I: Majors, Mini-majors, "Instant Majors", and Independents. Page 308.
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