Type Subsidiary Owner 2929 Entertainment Founded 1991 | Industry Television syndication Founder Keith Samples Parent organization 2929 Entertainment | |
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Predecessor Bing Crosby Productions Films produced It Takes Two, Kingpin, Primal Fear, Hard Eight, Foxfire | ||
Rysher Entertainment is the owner of television and film programming content, primarily distributed around the world by CBS Television Distribution and Paramount Pictures. Select rights are also distributed by Warner Bros., Universal, Lionsgate, Fox, Columbia Pictures, MGM and other entertainment distribution companies worldwide.
The company has its roots in Bing Crosby Productions ("BCP"). Its namesake, actor-singer Bing Crosby, founded BCP in 1949, and was best known for producing the sitcom Hogan's Heroes and the medical drama Ben Casey – in succeeding years, BCP was acquired by Cox Broadcasting.
In 1993, Cox acquired Rysher Entertainment. Rysher, founded in April 1991 by Keith Samples, had been established as an independently owned company whose original sole product had been the distribution of NBC's series Saved By The Bell. In 1993, Rysher merged with Al Masini's Television Program Enterprises to form Rysher TPE, its alternate name used from 1993 to 1995. Through Rysher TPE, they produced and distributed shows such as Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (renamed Lifestyles with Robin Leach and Shari Belafonte for its final season) and Star Search. Later, they produced and distributed George & Alana, which ran for one season in 1995.
Rysher's library, today distributed by CBS Television Distribution (CTD) and Paramount Pictures (for TV series and films, respectively), includes television and feature film classics such as Hogan's Heroes (whose partial rights are held by CBS), Ben Casey, and Walking Tall, as well as more recent programs and films including Nash Bridges (1999–2001 episodes are produced by Paramount Network Television), Highlander: The Series, The Opposite of Sex (with Sony Pictures Classics), Kingpin and Big Night.
Rysher also distributes internationally through CTD several of HBO's award-winning titles including Arli$$, Oz and Sex and the City.
Rysher also produced House Arrest and Zeus and Roxanne, both of which were released by MGM and distributed by HBO Home Video for home release.