Big Ticket Entertainment
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | October 21, 1994 |
| Founder | Larry Lyttle |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown, Hot Bench, The Drew Barrymore Show, Moesha, The Parkers, Gary & Mike, Hack, Wolf Lake, Night Stand with Dick Dietrick, Swift Justice |
| Parent | CBS Studios (under Paramount Skydance Corporation) |
Big Ticket Television, Inc.—also referred to as Big Ticket Entertainment and Big Ticket Pictures—is a U.S.-based production firm operating as a subsidiary of CBS Studios (previously known as CBS Paramount Television and CBS Television Studios), which is under the umbrella of Paramount Skydance Corporation. Established on October 21, 1994, the company gained widespread recognition for producing the syndicated sensation Judge Judy from 1996 until 2021.
History
The inception of Big Ticket Television took place on October 21, 1994, within the Spelling Entertainment Group, with Larry Lyttle—formerly an executive at Warner Bros. and Spelling—appointed to oversee the new division. Lyttle initially proposed naming the company Blockbuster Television in alignment with its parent company Blockbuster, Inc., but Viacom vetoed this idea due to Blockbuster's uncertain outlook. Since Viacom controlled Blockbuster and held a majority interest in Spelling Entertainment, it influenced the final naming decision; Lyttle ultimately selected "Big Ticket," drawing inspiration from Blockbuster’s branding.
The company specialized in producing non-drama television content, thereby complementing Spelling’s lineup, which was predominantly drama-focused. Distribution of Big Ticket’s programming was initially handled by Spelling’s syndication branch, Worldvision Enterprises, until Worldvision was absorbed into Paramount Domestic Television (which later became CBS Television Distribution and is now known as CBS Media Ventures).
Following Viacom’s acquisition of Spelling Entertainment in 1999, distribution responsibilities shifted to Paramount Domestic Television. On June 29, 2003, after Lyttle departed from Viacom, Big Ticket’s production activities were consolidated with Paramount Television’s network and syndication divisions. In 2006, Paramount Domestic Television was rebranded as CBS Paramount Domestic Television, before adopting the name CBS Media Ventures in 2007.
Productions
Among Big Ticket’s most prominent productions are the courtroom series Judge Judy (1996–2021) and Judge Joe Brown (1998–2013). After 2013, Judge Judy stood as the company’s only ongoing show, although its production was largely managed by CBS following its acquisition of Viacom’s television assets. Beginning in Fall 2014, Big Ticket launched production of Hot Bench, a three-judge court program created and executive-produced by Judge Judy Sheindlin via Queen Bee Productions.
The company’s portfolio also includes sitcoms such as Moesha and its spin-off The Parkers, the stop-motion animated comedy Gary & Mike aired on UPN, as well as dramas like Hack—created by David Koepp and starring David Morse—and Wolf Lake, developed by John Leekly and featuring Lou Diamond Phillips. Notably, only five episodes of Wolf Lake were broadcast on CBS before cancellation; however, all nine episodes eventually aired on UPN. Additionally, Big Ticket produced the syndicated talk show satire Night Stand with Dick Dietrick. For the second season of Swift Justice, production responsibilities were transferred to Big Ticket following the show’s relocation from Atlanta to Los Angeles, where it shared studio space with both Judge Judy and Judge Joe Brown.
The latest addition to Big Ticket’s slate is The Drew Barrymore Show, which debuted on September 14, 2020. As of the 2022–23 television season, Big Ticket continues to produce only two programs: Hot Bench and The Drew Barrymore Show.