Magnetic Video
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Home video duplication, Entertainment |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Andre Blay, Leon Nicholson |
| Defunct | 1982 |
| Fate | Purchased by Fox and restructured into 20th Century-Fox Video |
| Headquarters | Farmington Hills, Michigan , United States |
Area served | United States, United Kingdom, Australia |
Key people | Andre Blay (founder and chairman) |
| Products | Pre-recorded videocassettes (Betamax, VHS), Laserdiscs |
| Parent | 20th Century Fox (from 1979) |
Magnetic Video Corporation functioned as a home video duplication enterprise from 1968 until 1982, recognized for being among the first to distribute theatrical films on Betamax and VHS formats for consumer purchase.
History
Established in 1968 by film producer and entrepreneur Andre Blay together with Leon Nicholson, Magnetic Video was based in Farmington Hills, Michigan. In 1977, it became the pioneer in acquiring licensing rights and distributing pre-recorded movies on videocassettes, forming a partnership with 20th Century-Fox, which provided fifty titles during a period of financial strain. Blay also initiated the Video Club of America, a direct-to-consumer mail order service that represented an early model for home video sales.
The company’s initial selection featured notable films including Hello, Dolly!, Patton, The French Connection, and M*A*S*H. This collection played a crucial role in establishing the home video rental industry when businessman George Atkinson acquired copies and opened a rental outlet in Los Angeles, implementing membership fees alongside daily rental charges.
Magnetic Video broadened its film catalog through key licensing deals:
- 1978: Agreements with Viacom, RBC Films/Charlie Chaplin estate, and AVCO Embassy Pictures
- 1979: Partnerships with Brut Productions, Bill Burrud Productions, and Pathé newsreels
- 1980: Contracts with ABC Pictures, ITC Entertainment (including The Muppet Movie), and American Film Theatre
- 1981: Licensing from United Artists (including pre-1950 Warner Bros. titles owned by UA), plus expansion into sports programming and laserdisc products
The company also extended its international presence by establishing subsidiaries such as Magnetic Video UK in 1978 and shortly afterward in Australia.
In March 1979, Fox purchased Magnetic Video, then a modest publicly traded firm with Blay as a significant shareholder and chairman. After Blay left in early 1982, Fox restructured Magnetic Video into 20th Century-Fox Video, adding laserdisc formats to its offerings. Later that year, Fox combined its video operations with CBS Home Entertainment to create CBS/Fox Video.
Magnetic Video was identified by a unique logo animation accompanied by announcements emphasizing its collaborations with major studios to provide both classic and contemporary films on videocassette.
References
- Articles with short description
- Entertainment companies established in 1968
- 1982 disestablishments in Michigan
- American companies disestablished in 1982
- Defunct companies based in Michigan
- Home video companies of the United States
- 20th Century Studios
- Companies based in Oakland County, Michigan
- 1968 establishments in Michigan
- American companies established in 1968
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment