Lorimar Productions
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Lorimar Productions was a American television production company, active from 1968-1993. It was founded by Merv Adelson and Lee Rich, who named the company from letters in the names of their ex-wives.
Lorimar's first major hit production was The Waltons, which premiered in 1972. Throughout the 1970s, Lorimar produced several other shows as well; of these, the most popular by far was Dallas.
In the 1980s, Lorimar's output swung toward family-friendly sitcoms; among these were Perfect Strangers and Full House. In 1986, Lorimar merged with television syndication firm Telepictures, becoming Lorimar-Telepictures; later that year, they purchased the MGM lot from Ted Turner.
In 1989, Warner Bros. purchased Lorimar-Telepictures. Telepictures' distribution business was folded into Warner Bros. Television; since then, the Telepictures name has been resurrected as both a production company (circa 1990), and once again as a syndication company (1996, after the Turner merger). Lorimar continued as a production company until 1993, when it was also absorbed into Warners. As of 2004, the last series to premiere under the Lorimar name was Time Trax.
Additionally, Lorimar has owned key components of the film library of the defunct Allied Artists film studio (originally Monogram Pictures).
Notable productions:
- The Waltons (1972-1981)
- Sybil (TV movie) (1976)
- Helter Skelter (TV mini-series) (1976)
- Eight is Enough (1977-1981)
- Dallas (1978-1991)
- Knots Landing (1979-1993)
- Flamingo Road (1980-1982)
- S.O.B. (theatrical film) (1981)
- The People's Court (1981-1993)
- Falcon Crest (1981-1990)
- Love Connection (1983-1993)
- Mama's Family (1986-1990 version, distribution only)
- Perfect Strangers (1986-1990)
- Full House (1987-1995)
- Family Matters (1989-1998)