FILMWAYS

(Redirected from Filmways, Inc.)

'Filmways Inc.' was a television and film production company founded by American film executive Martin Ransohoff in 1960. It is probably best-known as the production company of CBS's "rural comedies" of the 1960s, including ''The Beverly Hillbillies'', ''Petticoat Junction'', and ''Green Acres''. Ransohoff left the company in 1972.
Filmways acquired famous companies throughout the years, such as Heatter-Quigley Productions in 1966 for (''Hollywood Squares''), syndicator Rhodes Productions in 1975 (Rhodes broke apart from the company in 1980 by becoming independent), animation studio Ruby-Spears Productions in 1978, book publisher Grosset & Dunlap, and American International Pictures in 1979.
Most productions ended with the announcment, "This has been a Filmways Presentation"-with Donna Douglas providing the voice-over for the color episodes of ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' although Green Acres featured a specialised rendition with Eva Gabor ("This has been a Filmways presentation, dahling.").

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Ownership of television properties

Ownership of television properties

In 1982 Filmways merged with Orion Pictures. Today, most of the Filmways library, including ''Green Acres'', ''The Addams Family'', ''Cagney & Lacey'', ''Death Wish II'', ''The Hollywood Squares'', and ''Mister Ed'' is owned by MGM (successor-in-interest to Orion which it purchased in 1998).
There are a few exceptions to the library. CBS holds ownership rights to ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' and ''Petticoat Junction''. Viacom (the parent of CBS from 1999-2005, actually started as CBS' syndication arm) syndicated Filmways' output through the 1970s.