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United Artists Television

From Alfawiki
United Artists Television
Company typeDivision
IndustryTelevision production and distribution
PredecessorZiv Television Programs
FoundedJanuary 1, 1958; 68 years ago (1958-01-01)
FounderUnited Artists Corporation
FateMerged into MGM/UA Television Productions
SuccessorMGM/UA Television Productions
Headquarters
United States
,
United States
Area served
United States
Key people
Herb Golden (President), Bruce Eells (Chief Executive), Mark Burnett (CEO, UAMG), Roma Downey (President, Lightworkers Media)
ProductsTelevision series production and distribution
OwnerUnited Artists Corporation; later Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; Hearst Entertainment (minority share in UAMG)
ParentUnited Artists Corporation; later Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

United Artists Television (UATV) was a U.S.-based television production and distribution company established on January 1, 1958, as a division of United Artists Corporation. Renowned for creating shows such as This Man Dawson, Stoney Burke, The Outer Limits, Gilligan's Island, The Fugitive, and The Patty Duke Show, UATV held a prominent position in the television industry. In September 2014, it briefly resumed full-scale production under the banner of United Artists Media Group (UAMG), headed by producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, before ultimately being reintegrated into MGM Television.

History

At its inception, UATV appointed Herb Golden, formerly vice president at Banker's Trust, as president, while Bruce Eells from Television Programs of America took on the role of chief executive. In 1958, UATV expanded by acquiring Associated Artists Productions (a.a.p.), which included rights to Warner Bros.' pre-1950 short films and a collection of 231 Popeye cartoons. This acquisition led to the transformation of a.a.p. into United Artists Associated (u.a.a.), serving as its distribution division.

Two years later, in 1960, UATV bought Ziv Television Programs for $20 million, acquiring the 20% shares owned by Frederick Ziv and John L. Sinn, and rebranded the entity as Ziv-United Artists. Despite this growth, the company faced difficulties securing prime-time success, with only two shows airing during the 1959–1960 season: NBC’s The Troubleshooters and CBS’s The Dennis O'Keefe Show. Following several unsuccessful pilot projects and a short-lived series run, UATV transitioned in 1962 toward collaborating with independent producers rather than relying on internal production teams. This shift led to phasing out Ziv Television Programs and reverting to the United Artists Television name.

Throughout the early 1960s, UATV produced several notable series including Stoney Burke (1962), The Patty Duke Show (1963), The Outer Limits (1963), The Fugitive (1963), and Gilligan's Island (1964). Plans for a collaboration with Aaron Spelling Productions in 1965 did not come to fruition. In 1967, Transamerica Corporation acquired UATV; a year later, United Artists Associated was renamed United Artists Television Distribution. After the cancellation of The Mothers-in-Law in 1969, UATV shifted its emphasis toward distributing its film catalog on television due to persistent challenges in producing new content.

An attempted resurgence took place in 1978 when UATV licensed its film library to Lorimar Productions for potential TV adaptations; however, this initiative failed to progress. The 1981 merger between Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and United Artists gave rise to MGM/UA Entertainment Co., which consolidated their television operations into MGM/UA Television by 1982. The United Artists Television brand was gradually discontinued around 1983 but continued producing programming until 1995. Following Turner Broadcasting’s acquisition of MGM in 1985, UATV briefly reemerged under John J. McMahon before being absorbed into MGM/UA Television Productions within a year after Turner divested MGM/UA.

Return to television

In September 2014, MGM purchased a controlling 55% interest in One Three Media and Lightworkers Media, companies managed by producers and business leaders Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. These entities were merged to form United Artists Media Group (UAMG), with Burnett appointed CEO and Downey serving as president of Lightworkers Media. Additionally, Hearst Entertainment acquired a minority share in UAMG. This transaction granted UAMG production rights to Burnett’s prominent reality TV franchises such as The Voice, Survivor, The Apprentice, and Shark Tank. When the group was reintegrated into MGM Television, this iteration of UATV concluded; however, by February 2020, MGM/UA Television had been reestablished with most new projects managed either by MGM’s digital division or directly by MGM itself.

United Artists Television (UATV)

Title Years Network Notes
World of Giants 1959 Syndication Created by Ziv Television Programs.
Tales of the Vikings 1959–1960 Syndication A production of Kirk Douglas' Brynaprod, filmed in Germany.
The Troubleshooters 1959–1960 NBC Developed by Meridian Productions.
The Dennis O'Keefe Show 1959–1960 CBS Made by Cypress Productions.
Men into Space 1959–1960 CBS Produced under Ziv Television Programs.
The Aquanauts 1960–1961 CBS Another Ziv Television Programs production.
Miami Undercover 1961 Syndication Produced by Ziv Television Programs.
Stoney Burke 1962–1963 ABC A Daystar Productions creation.
The Outer Limits 1963–1965 ABC Produced by Villa DiStefano for Daystar Productions.
The Fugitive 1963–1967 ABC Quinn Martin Productions production; rights currently held by CBS Studios International.
The Patty Duke Show 1963–1966 ABC Produced by Chrislaw Productions in conjunction with Cottage Industries Incorporated.
East Side/West Side 1963–1964 CBS A joint production between Talent Associates and CBS.
The New Phil Silvers Show 1963–1964 CBS Created by Gladasya Productions.
Hollywood and the Stars 1963–1964 NBC Produced by David L. Wolper.
Lawbreakers 1963–1964 Syndication Made by Rapier Productions.
Gilligan's Island 1964–1967 CBS Currently owned by Turner Entertainment; distributed through Warner Bros. Television.
My Mother the Car 1965–1966 NBC Produced by Cottage Industries Incorporated.
Mona McCluskey 1965–1966 NBC A McCadden Productions project.
O.K., Crackerby! 1965–1966 ABC
The Milton Berle Show 1966–1967 ABC
The Rat Patrol 1966–1968 ABC Created by Mirisch-Rich Television and Tom Gries Productions.
Hey, Landlord 1966–1967 NBC Produced under Mirisch-Rich Television Productions.
It's About Time 1966–1967 CBS Made by Gladasya and Redwood Productions.
Super 6 1966 NBC Production by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises alongside Mirisch-Rich Television.
The Mothers-In-Law 1967–1969 NBC Produced by Desi Arnaz Productions.
Super President 1967 NBC Created by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises and Mirisch-Rich Television.
Ultraman 1968–1991 Syndication A Tsuburaya Productions work.
The Pink Panther Show 1969–1979 NBC/ABC Produced jointly by Mirisch Films and DePatie–Freleng Enterprises.

United Artists Media Group (UAMG)

Title Years Network Notes
Survivor 2000–present CBS
The Apprentice 2004–2017 NBC
Shark Tank 2009–present ABC produced in partnership with Sony Pictures Television.
The Voice 2011–present NBC created jointly with Warner Horizon Television.
On the Menu 2014 TNT
Lucha Underground 2014–2018 El Rey Network
Beyond the Tank 2015–2016 ABC produced alongside Sony Pictures Television.

Television specials

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