Ziv Television Programs, Inc. was an American television syndication and production company, producer of popular syndicated TV programs in the 1950s.
The company was founded by Frederick Ziv in 1948 and was a subsidiary of his successful radio syndication business, which had begun in 1937. The company produced pre-recorded programs and sold them directly to local television stations. The television syndication service proved lucrative during the late 1940s and early 1950s, as local television stations wanted to fill their schedules during hours outside of "prime time". By 1955, Ziv was producing more than 250 half-hour TV episodes a year.
As the Big Three television networks began offering programs outside of prime time, Ziv's popularity began to decline. The market for first-run syndicated television programming began to dwindle, and the company began to produce programs which aired over the networks in 1956. In 1960 the company was purchased by United Artists and merged with its own television unit to become Ziv-United Artists, but two years later, the name changed back to United Artists Television after the studio phased out Ziv Television Programs' operations.
Today most of the rights to Ziv's TV shows are distributed by MGM Television, SFM Entertainment and the Peter Rodgers Organization; some of them have fallen into the public domain.
ZIV International, on the other hand, was an unrelated producer and distributor of Americanized anime shows in the 1970s and 1980s.
Acapulco ZIV-UA, 1961, starring Ralph Taeger & James Coburn (a brief reworking of Klondike)Bat Masterson ZIV-UA, 1958–1961, starring Gene BarryBold Venture ZIV, 1959–1960, starring Dane Clark and Joan Marshall (adapted from Ziv's 1950–1952 radio program starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall)Boston Blackie ZIV, 1951–1953, starring Kent Taylor (adapted from Ziv's earlier radio version)Dial 999 ZIV, 1958–1959, starring Robert Beatty (this was a co-production with Britain's ABC, not to be confused with the US ABC)Dr. Christian ZIV, 1956–1957, starring MacDonald Carey (a "sequel" to the original 1937–1954 radio series starring Jean Hersholt)Easy Aces, ZIV, 1949–1950, starring Goodman Ace and Jane Ace (adapted from their previous radio show)The Everglades ZIV-UA-Ivan Tors, 1961–1962, starring Ron HayesHarbor Command ZIV, 1957–1958, starring Wendell CoreyHarbormaster ZIV, 1957–1958, starring Barry Sullivan & Paul BurkeHighway Patrol ZIV, 1955–1959, starring Broderick CrawfordHome Run Derby ZIV, 1959–1960, hosted by Mark ScottI Led Three Lives ZIV, 1953–1956, starring Richard CarlsonKeyhole ZIV-UA, 1962, Semi-Documentary series.King of Diamonds ZIV-UA, 1961–1962, starring Broderick CrawfordKlondike ZIV-UA, 1960–1961, starring Ralph Taeger & James CoburnLee Marvin Presents Lawbreaker UATV, 1963–1964, Semi-documentary dramatizations of real cases hosted by Lee MarvinLock-Up ZIV, 1959–1961, starring MacDonald CareyMackenzie's Raiders ZIV, 1958–1959, starring Richard CarlsonMalibu Run ZIV-United Artists-Ivan Tors starring Jeremy Slate & Ron Ely (reworking of The Aquanauts (TV Series)|The Aquanauts]])The Man Called X ZIV, 1956–1957, starring Barry Sullivan (adapted from the radio series starring Herbert Marshall)Martin Kane, Private Investigator ZIV, 1957–1958, starring William Gargan (adapted from the original NBC radio and TV series)Meet Corliss Archer ZIV, 1954, starring Ann Baker (adapted from the original CBS radio and earlier TV show)Men into Space ZIV-Ivan Tors, 1959–1960, starring William LundiganMen of Annapolis ZIV, 1957–1958, Naval anthology seriesMiami Undercover ZIV-UA, 1961, starring Lee Bowman (produced by Aubrey Schenck and Howard W. Koch)Mr. District Attorney ZIV, 1954–1955, starring David Brian (adapted from the original NBC radio and earlier ABC TV series)Ripcord ZIV-UA-Ivan Tors, 1961–1963, starring Larry Pennell & Ken CurtisScience Fiction Theatre ZIV-Ivan Tors, 1955–1957, anthology series hosted by Truman BradleySea Hunt ZIV-Ivan Tors, 1958–1961, starring Lloyd BridgesTarget ZIV, 1957–1958, anthology series hosted by Adolphe MenjouThe Aquanauts ZIV-UA-Ivan Tors, 1960–1961, starring Keith Larsen, Jeremy Slate, & Ron ElyThe Case of the Dangerous Robin ZIV, 1960–1961, starring Rick JasonThe Cisco Kid ZIV, 1950–1956, starring Duncan Renaldo & Leo Carrillo (adapted from Ziv's original radio edition)The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre ZIV, 1955, starring Eddie CantorThe Man and the Challenge ZIV, 1959–1960, starring George NaderThe Rough Riders ZIV, 1958–1959, starring Kent TaylorThe Unexpected ZIV, 1952, Suspense anthology hosted by Herbert MarshallThis Man Dawson ZIV, 1959–1960, starring Keith AndesTombstone Territory ZIV, 1957–1960, starring Pat Conway & Richard EasthamThe Troubleshooters ZIV, 1959–1960, starring Keenan WynnWaterfront ZIV, 1954–1955, starring Preston Foster (co-produced by Roland Reed)West Point Story ZIV, 1956–1957, Military anthology series.World of Giants (aka W-O-G) ZIV, 1959 (13 episodes), starring Marshall ThompsonYour Favorite Story ZIV, 1953–1954, anthology series hosted by Adolphe Menjou (adapted from Ziv's 1946–199 radio series, Favorite Story, hosted by Ronald Colman)
