 | It has been suggested that this article bemerged intoWarner Bros. Pictures. (Discuss) Proposed since December 2025. |
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| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film Television Music |
| Genre | Entertainment |
| Predecessor | Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. 1923–1967) Seven Arts Productions (1957–1967) |
| Founded | July 15, 1967; 58 years ago (1967-07-15)[1] |
| Defunct | December 16, 1969; 56 years ago (1969-12-16)[2] |
| Fate | Acquired by Kinney National Services Inc. and rebranded asWarner Bros. Inc. |
| Successor | Warner Bros. Inc. (1969–present) |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Benjamin Kalmenson (President) Haskel Masters (Vice-President) Jack L. Warner (Vice-Chairman of the board) Eliot Hyman (Chairman of the board) |
| Parent | Kinney National Services Inc. (July–December 1969) |
| Subsidiaries | Warner Bros.-Seven Arts Television Warner Bros.-Seven Arts Records Atlantic Records Seven Arts Productions Warner Bros.-Seven Arts Animation |
Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, Inc. was an Americanentertainment company active from 1967 until 1969.
Seven Arts Productions acquiredJack L. Warner's controlling interest inWarner Bros. Pictures for $32 million in November 1966.[3][4][5][6] The merger between the two companies was completed by July 15, 1967, and the combined company was named Warner Bros.-Seven Arts.Eliot Hyman, founder of Seven Arts, was named chairman. Warner Bros. Pictures president Benjamin Kalmenson served as president of the combined company.[7] Warner remained on the board as vice chairman.[8]Alan Hirschfield was named financial vice president in October.[9]
The head of production was Hyman's son,Kenneth Hyman. During his tenure, Hyman oversaw the production of hits likeBullitt,Girl On A Motorcycle,Rachel, Rachel andThe Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, andThe Wild Bunch, as well as George Lucas' first filmTHX1138.[10][11]
In February 1968, Warner Bros.-Seven Arts sold its 25% stake inAssociated British Pictures Corporation toElectric & Musical Industries.[12]
The acquisition includedWarner Bros. Records (which was renamed Warner Bros.-Seven Arts Records), andReprise Records.[13] Later that same year, Warner Bros.-Seven Arts also purchasedAtlantic Records.[14][15]
Within a year of the acquisition, Warner Bros.-Seven Arts was fielding merger offers.[16] By 1969, it had become a takeover target for multiple companies, includingCommonwealth United Corporation,National General Corporation, andKinney National Service.[17] However, concern over antitrust laws ultimately ruled out National General and Commonwealth, leaving Kinney as the preferred suitor.[18] Kinney sold itsAshley Famous talent agency in order to avoid any conflict of interest in the deal.[19]
Warner Bros.-Seven Arts was officially acquired byKinney National Company in July 1969. The Hymans resigned from the company andTed Ashley was named chairman of the film studio in August.[19] On December 16, 1969, Warner Bros.-Seven Arts was rebranded asWarner Bros. Inc.
The final film to be released under the Warner Bros.-Seven Arts name wasFrankenstein Must Be Destroyed, which was released in February 1970. The studio's next film,Woodstock, which was released in March, was credited as a Warner Bros. production, and this credit would be applied to all other productions from the studio afterward with Warner Bros. reestablished as a major film studio.
In September 1971, Kinney National spun off its non-entertainment assets asNational Kinney Corporation, and changed its name toWarner Communications Inc.[20][21][22] on February 10, 1972.[23]
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