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| Industry | Home video |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1985; 40 years ago (1985) |
| Defunct | 1995; 30 years ago (1995) (self-distribution) 2001; 24 years ago (2001) (company) |
| Fate | Distribution unit folded intoSony Wonder; entertainment catalog later purchased byClassic Media |
| Successor | Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (back catalog) |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | United States and Canada |
Golden Book Video was a line of animated and live-action videos for children marketed byWestern Publishing, which began during the holiday season of 1985. They featured characters and stories from Western's print publications, such asLittle Golden Books, and were originally released onVHS video cassette for under $10.[1]
The videos made use oflimited animation techniques to add motion to original illustrations from Western's print books; Western called this approach "bringing storybooks to life".[2]
Random House andClassic Media (nowDreamWorks Classics) bought out Golden Books Family Entertainment in 2001.[citation needed]
In July 1991,Western Publishing acquiredHeron Communications' Hi-Tops Video label[3] and 60 of their upcoming titles,[4] includingMadeline specials,The Real Story of... andA Bunch of Munsch fromCINAR Films and future installments in theBaby Songs series. In 1993, Western Publishing acquired home video rights to the first season of theMadeline TV series and short films created by John Clark Matthews forChurchill Films;[5] Western also commissioned Matthews to produce two new direct-to-video specials for them.
Western Publishing experienced continued financial losses as the 1990s went on, and accumulated $250 million in long-term debt; as a result, Western closed its home video distribution arm in 1995. On May 8, 1996, Western Publishing's shareholders approved the sale of the company to Golden Press Holdings LLC, a company formed byWarburg Pincus and ex-Simon & Schuster executiveRichard E. Snyder trading as Golden Books Family Entertainment. Golden Books purchased programming previously owned byGeneral Electric, Alan Enterprises, Wrather Corporation, andTotal Television fromBroadway Video on July 31.
On December 27, 1997, Golden Books signed an agreement withSony Wonder to release their programming on video and DVD starting in spring 1998.[6]Family Home Entertainment's rights to the pre-1974Rankin/Bass Productions holiday specials andFrosty Returns (acquired by Golden Books in theBroadway Video purchase) reverted to Golden Books and Sony Wonder that same year.
On August 16, 2001, Classic Media andRandom House agreed to jointly purchase the assets of Golden Books Family Entertainment. Classic acquired Golden Books' entertainment assets[7] and their home entertainment distribution agreement with Sony Wonder, allowing Sony to release other titles managed by Classic Media.