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Commonwealth United Entertainment

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Commonwealth United Entertainment
IndustryFilmed entertainment
Defunct1971; 53 years ago (1971)
FateBroken up and sold
SuccessorLibrary:
Paramount Pictures
(through Melange Pictures)
Key people
Milton T. Raynor
OwnerMilton T. Raynor (–1967)
ParentCommonwealth United Corporation (1967–1971)

Commonwealth United Entertainment (generally referred to as Commonwealth United; abbreviated as CUE), formerly known as Television Enterprises Corporation (abbreviated as TEC), was an American film & TV production and distribution company active to 1971. It was headed by Milton T. Raynor.[1]

The company was sometimes considered one of the "instant majors" of the late 1960s.[li 1] Its parent company briefly operated a record label, Commonwealth United Records (abbreviated as CUR),[2] as well as a TV production & distribution company, Commonwealth United Television (abbreviated as CUT).[3] It produced films through its in-house film studio, Commonwealth United Productions (abbreviated as CUP),[4] which would eventually become Commonwealth United Pictures (abbreviated as CUP).[5]

History

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Commonwealth United Corporation
IndustryEntertainment
PredecessorReal Properties Corporation
Founded1965 (1965)
Defunct1971; 53 years ago (1971)
FateDissolved
DivisionsCommonwealth United Entertainment
Commonwealth United Television
Commonwealth United Records
Commonwealth United Pictures

Commonwealth United Corporation (abbreviated as CUC) was originally a real estate holding company formed in 1961 as the Real Properties Corporation. It changed its name to CUC in 1965.[6] In 1967, CUC acquired TEC.[li 1] Milton T. Raynor moved to California and became vice-president at TEC. Later, Raynor took over ownership.[1]

Commonwealth United Entertainment

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In 1967, CUC acquired The Landau-Unger Company, with Ely Landau becoming president and CEO and Oliver A. Unger as executive vice-president.[7] It also acquired TEC[li 1] and was renamed Commonwealth United.[1] In 1967, Commonwealth United produced 17 theatrical films and purchased publishing and recording interests.[li 1] The Max Factor family financed That Cold Day in the Park, a movie directed by Robert Altman that Commonwealth United released in 1969.[li 2] By 1971, Commonwealth United was $80 million in debt. The company's film rights, foreign and domestic, were acquired by National Telefilm Associates and American International Pictures respectively.[li 1]

Select Credits

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References

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  1. ^ a b c (24 April 2002). Milton Raynor obituary. Variety. accessed September 22, 2012.
  2. ^ "Commonwealth United Records USA". A division of Commonwealth United Corporation
  3. ^ International Television Almanac. Quigley Publishing Company. 1972. Commonwealth United Television , Inc. ( A division of Commonwealth United Corp- oration . )
  4. ^ Goudsouzian, Aram (2004). Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon. Univ of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-2843-4. Producer: Ely Landau, Commonwealth United Productions
  5. ^ "Billboard" (PDF).
  6. ^ Slide, Anthony The New Historical Dictionary of the American Film Industry Routledge, 25 Feb 2014
  7. ^ "Commonwealth Buy of Landau-Unger To Give Show Biz Accent to Holding Co". Variety. August 9, 1967. p. 7.
  1. ^ a b c d e Page 10.
  2. ^ The Auteur Cinema. Page 89.
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