Concluding my celebration of my 100th blog by
looking at famous production companies. All week we looked at some of the more
famous companies. for my last article today I plan on showcasing several
different companies.
Mozark Productions was founded in 1982. first known as
"Linda Bloodworth Productions" and later "L.J. Bloodworth
Productions" by writer Linda Joyce Bloodworth-Thomason. In July 1983,
Bloodworth married Harry Thomason, the duo created "Mozark
Productions", named after their home states: "MO" for Missouri
& "ARK" for Arkansas and an allusion of the overlapping Ozarks
region. Of course, the main show that came out of this was:
Designing Women
I have had some hard words for this show, but the truth is
it could be pretty funny. Of course the premise was four designers in Atlanta.
It seemed like they spent more time talking than designing, but that’s me. The
show had Dixie Carter, Annie Potts, and Jean Smart but it was Delta Burke who
really put this show on the map. Her character of Suzanne Sugarbaker was
outspoken and opinionated, and fans loved her. Unfortunately. Delta Burke
fought with the producers and wound up leaving the show. When she left so did
the audience, as the quality went downhill from there. I never really liked
this show because it got a little preachy, it seemed on this show women
(especially if they were from Atlanta) are perfect and everyone is inferior.
Never liked that.
Mozark also did the John Ritter/Markie Post comedy Hearts
Afire, Evening Shade which was the Burt Reynolds vehicle I hated, and Women of
the House which was a horrible Designing Women spin-off starring Delta Burke
This week we have looked at five production companies, but
of course there were many others. Here now are a few other notable companies:
Ubu Productions. This was Gary David Goldberg’s production
company. It produced Family Ties and Spin City. However, the famous thing about
this was the logo. Every time the picture of the dog appeared, so did Gary
David’s voice saying “Sit Ubu, sit. Good dog.” I know it’s hard to believe, but
back in the 80’s networks actually allowed the credits to roll uninterrupted.
This logo became famous, and it still gets quoted by people from time to time.
Bright/Kaufman/Crane who brought us Friends also created Joey,
Jesse, and Veronica’s Closet. Well, at least they have Friends to their credit.
Charles Burrow Charles-This was Charles Burrows. This was
used in Cheers most notably.
Grub Street
Productions founded by David Angell,
Peter Casey
and David Lee which gave us Wings and Frasier.
Michael Jacobs gave us Boy Meets World, Dinosaurs, Charles
in Charge, and My Two Dad’s
Wind Dancer Productions created founded by Matt Williams and
David McFadzean was responsible for Home Improvement among others.
John Charles Walters. Who? Let me explain. The John Charles Walters Company was a
production company formed in 1978 by four former employees of MTM Enterprises:
James L.
Brooks, David Davis, Stan Daniels
and Ed Weinberger.
The company existed from 1978 until 1983 and produced the TV shows Taxi and The
Associates. It had a very memorable logo, in fact when I think Taxi it’s one of
the first things I remember, where we see Mr.Walters leaving his office
grumbling to his secretary.
Other non-sitcom production companies include Dick Clark
Productions, Carson Productions, Jim Henson which is a subject for another day,
Harpo (anyone not know this one?).
Stephen J Cannel Productions gave us Greatest American Hero,
Hunter, Stingray, Riptide, Wiseguy, Hardcastle & McCormick, The Commish, 21
Jump Street, and of course The A-Team. Stephen J Cannel was one of the finest
writers/producers of his time, almost everything he touched tuned to gold.
Well, Ok there was that horrible show Palace Guard, but mostly everything else
was gold! The logo for his production company is another classic, showing him
typing and tossing the paper way :
Gracie Films has one of my favorite logos. Created by James
L Brooks it is responsible for The Simpsons, The Tracy Ullman Show, Phenom,
Sibs, and many movies.
David Letterman’s Worldwide Pants was in part responsible
for Everybody Loves Raymond. It also gave us The Bonnie Hunt Show and Ed. Not
to mention the Late Late Show.
Steven Spielberg has Amblin Entertainment. Aside from dozens
of movies they have also produced TV show such as Amazing Stories, SeaQuest, ER
(with Constant C. Productions), Young Indiana Jones, and animated shows such
Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, and Pinky and the Brain.
Then there’s Castle Rock. What episode of Seinfeld would be complete
without this little title shot?
Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock has done dozens of TV shows and
movies, but Seinfeld may be there huge claim to fame. They also produced The
Single Guy, Thea, and many other shows which never went anywhere. Seems
Seinfeld is the one TV property they have that worked.
There are also cartoon companies such as Filmation which
produced Star Trek:The Animated Series, Blackstar, Gilligan’s Planet, He-Man,
She-Ra, The Original Ghostbusters and many others. Film Roman, Walt Disney, and
of course, we have Hanna-Barbara which made almost every cartoon ever made for
awhile there. Or at least it seemed to.
Finally, let’s jump into the wayback machine for a little
history lesson. Ever heard of Desilu?
Way back in the 1950’s, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz formed
their own production company, called Desilu. They owned the company until they
divorced. Before it was absorbed by Paramount this studio was behind some great
classic shows
I Love Lucy
Not really the first sitcom ever, but it seems like it
sometimes. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz created a format which would be copied
over and over again. The images from this series as iconic, even if you’ve
never seen this show you recognize the classic moments it produced.
Some of the shows produced include Mission Impossible, The
Untouchables, The Lucy Show, and……
Yep, the classic Star Trek! In fact it was the Desilu
executives who believed in the show enough to order a second pilot. I always
found it amazing that if it weren’t for Lucille Ball there may never have been
Star Trek. Who would’ve made that connection?
Many of the shows filmed at Desilu studios, though produced
by others, include The Dick Van Dyke Show, That Girl, and I Spy. Before being
sold and becoming Paramount, Desilu was a force in television. Of course, it
was run by Lucille Ball. what would you expect?
The companies I have featured this week are only a drop in
the bucket of course. I am leaving out lots of others. There are so many I
could be here all day listing them. I hope you have enjoyed this series of
articles, thanks for reading. Now, what should I do for my 200th
blog…….
One last blast from the past before I go :
Man, does that take me back!!!!
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