Viacom Pictures (formerly known as Ben Fisher Entertainment from 1976 to 1988) was an American film production company owned by Viacom. The studio was in operation from 1988 to 1995, when it was folded into Paramount Pictures following its 1994 acquisition by Viacom.
History[]
In 1988, after Viacom acquired two animation studios Games Animation and Zaiden Fischer Productions (which was renamed to Viacom Animation), Viacom was looking to expand their film production. It acquired Ben Fisher Entertainment, which was established by film producer Ben A. Fisher in 1975, and the studio was renamed to Viacom Pictures. Many employees of Jennings Lang Productions and Jaffe/Lansing Productions were hired to run the film production company.
On July 7, 1994, Paramount Communications Inc. was sold to Viacom following the purchase of 50.1% of Paramount's shares for $9.75 billion. At the time, Paramount's holdings included Paramount Pictures, its animation division, Madison Square Garden, the New York Rangers, the New York Knicks, and the Simon & Schuster publishing house. Most of Viacom's films in development were transferred to Paramount Pictures. The last film, Future Legend was released on June 30, 1995, grossing $456 million worldwide on a $65 million budget. Afterwards, Viacom Pictures was now folded into Paramount, which now owns the company's library.
Films[]
Theatrical films[]
Release date | Title | Distributor | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
as Ben Fisher Productions/Ben Fisher Entertainment | |||
June 17, 1975 | Jailbreak | Paramount Pictures | |
November 10, 1976 | Kids Don't Learn a Thing | Paramount Pictures (U.S.) 20th Century-Fox (International) |
|
February 18, 1977 | Lost in the Forest | Warner Bros., Inc. | |
May 6, 1977 | Meet Your Own Life | Universal Pictures | |
September 14, 1977 | One Man's Meat | Paramount Pictures | |
December 25, 1977 | Works: Invention of the Technology | Universal Pictures | |
May 3, 1978 | The Dark Planet | 20th Century-Fox | |
September 6, 1978 | Art of War | United Artists (U.S./Canada) Cinema International Corporation (International) |
with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
November 11, 1978 | Endless Vacaton | Universal Pictures | |
December 22, 1978 | Bad News for Outlaws | Columbia Pictures | |
April 20, 1979 | Haunted | Paramount Pictures | |
June 1, 1979 | EPS: Energy, Power and Sweat | Warner Bros., Inc. | with First Artists |
October 2, 1979 | Amelia Bedelia | Universal Pictures | |
December 25, 1979 | The Monsters from the Past | Universal Pictures (US/home video rights) Columbia Pictures (international/television rights) |
|
March 21, 1980 | Fireworks | Universal Pictures | |
June 6, 1980 | Dear, Tara | ||
August 1, 1980 | Beachers | Warner Bros., Inc. | with Orion Pictures |
December 12, 1980 | The Runner | Paramount Pictures | |
March 20, 1981 | Music Connection | Warner Bros., Inc. | with The Ladd Company |
July 17, 1981 | The Book of Evil | Paramount Pictures | |
October 30, 1981 | High Speed Getaway | Universal Pictures | with PolyGram Pictures |
February 19, 1982 | Go Freddy Go! | Paramount Pictures | |
April 30, 1982 | Victoria | Columbia Pictures | |
September 24, 1982 | Eva's Party | Warner Bros., Inc. | with CBS Theatrical Films |
December 10, 1982 | Another Dilemma | Universal Pictures | |
April 29, 1983 | Family Dreams | MGM/UA Entertainment Co. | |
August 26, 1983 | Rewind 3-D | Paramount Pictures | |
December 16, 1983 | Underground | 20th Century-Fox | with Sherwood Productions |
April 20, 1984 | The Soccer Players | Universal Pictures | |
July 20, 1984 | My Own Summer Vacation | Tri-Star Pictures | |
December 21, 1984 | Thunder | Paramount Pictures | |
April 12, 1985 | Far Enough | 20th Century Fox | with ABC Motion Pictures |
August 9, 1985 | Pranksters | Paramount Pictures | |
January 10, 1986 | The Lost Defender | Warner Bros., Inc. | with The Guber-Peters Company and Silver Pictures |
July 11, 1986 | San Francisco Mayhem | Buena Vista Distribution | with Touchstone Films and Silver Screen Partners II |
November 14, 1986 | Ancient Night | Paramount Pictures | |
February 20, 1987 | Beyond the America | Orion Pictures | |
August 7, 1987 | Lady X | Paramount Pictures (North America)
20th Century Fox (International) |
|
November 27, 1987 | Monster Motel | Tri-Star Pictures | |
February 12, 1988 | Stalker | Paramount Pictures | |
as Viacom Pictures | |||
May 6, 1988 | Alien Unknown | Tri-Star Pictures | with Carolco Pictures |
July 15, 1988 | Toony Tales: Travel Trouble | Columbia Pictures | with Games Animation |
October 21, 1988 | A Wishing Fish | Paramount Pictures | with Viacom Animation |
December 21, 1988 | Hip, Cool, Fresh and Trendy | Orion Pictures | |
March 17, 1989 | Cavemen | Universal Pictures | |
May 19, 1989 | Grand Hotel | Paramount Pictures | |
October 13, 1989 | Dinosaurs Right Here! | with Imagine Entertainment | |
December 8, 1989 | Goldilocks and Red Riding Hood | Paramount Pictures (North America)
Universal Pictures (International) |
with Viacom Animation |
April 6, 1990 | Tiffany: The Movie | 20th Century Fox | with Nickelodeon Movies and Games Animation |
July 27, 1990 | Far Enough | Universal Pictures | |
October 5, 1990 | Cookin' | Orion Pictures | |
November 21, 1990 | Penguins in the Big City | Universal Pictures | with Viacom Animation |
January 18, 1991 | Invasion Earth | ||
March 15, 1991 | Detective Agency | ||
April 12, 1991 | Luxery Jewel Café | ||
June 7, 1991 | Danger Street | Orion Pictures | |
September 13, 1991 | Box of the Willows | Paramount Pictures | |
November 8, 1991 | Tennis Hero | 20th Century Fox | with Viacom Animation |
February 21, 1992 | Hollywood Cruise Ship | Universal Pictures | |
May 29, 1992 | The Toony Tales Movie | 20th Century Fox | with Nickelodeon Movies and Games Animation |
September 25, 1992 | Dudes and Dudettes | Universal Pictures (North America)
Orion Pictures (International) |
with KingWorld Filmed Entertainment |
November 12, 1993 | The Children of California | with Viacom Animation | |
March 19, 1993 | Grand Hotel 2 | Paramount Pictures | |
April 30, 1993 | S.W.A.T: Armored Unity | Orion Pictures | |
May 28, 1993 | Mrs. Pretty Dog | with Viacom Animation | |
July 23, 1993 | Pride Bride | Columbia Pictures | with Aerial Pictures |
October 15, 1993 | Magical! | Universal Pictures | with Imagine Entertainment |
November 24, 1993 | Adventures in the Forest | Paramount Pictures | with Games Animation |
February 25, 1994 | Quest for Silver Mountain | Universal Pictures | |
April 13, 1994 | Toony Tales: Attack of the Aliens | 20th Century Fox | with Nickelodeon Movies and Games Animation |
May 20, 1994 | The Travellers' Stories | Gramercy Pictures | |
July 22, 1994 | Tornadohunters | Universal Pictures | with WildStorm Productions |
August 5, 1994 | Pop Teen Mice | Paramount Pictures | with Viacom Animation |
October 21, 1994 | Harmonic Chaos | Universal Pictures | with Highbrow Entertainment |
February 24, 1995 | The Coyote Family | 20th Century Fox | with Nickelodeon Movies, Jim Henson Productions and Games Animation |
March 10, 1995 | The Warrior Treasures | Paramount Pictures | with The Kennedy/Marshall Company |
May 3, 1995 | Game of Rules | ||
June 30, 1995 | Future Legend | with Viacom Animation
last film |
Television films[]
Air date | Title | Broadcaster | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | Payoff | Showtime | |
January 25, 1992 | Keeper of the City | ||
July 25, 1992 | Nails | with Empress Productions Inc. | |
August 9, 1992 | The Fear Inside | ||
May 22, 1993 | Taking the Heat | ||
May 21, 1994 | White Mile | HBO | with HBO Pictures and Stonehenge Productions |
April 7, 1996 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Showtime | with Barney Cohen and Kathryn Wallack Productions, Once and Future Films, and Hartbreak Films |