Lyrick Studios

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"Lyrick" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Lyric.

Lyrick Studios
TypePrivate
Founded1988; 33 years ago (1988) (as The Lyons Group)
1994; 27 years ago (1994)
DefunctAugust 31, 2001; 19 years ago
FateAcquired by and folded into HIT Entertainment
SuccessorHIT Entertainment
HeadquartersAllen, Texas
ProductsBarney & Friends
Number of employees
650 (1997)
Subsidiaries
  • Big Feats! Entertainment
  • Lyons Partnership
Websitewww.lyrickstudios.com

Lyrick Studios (formerly The Lyons Group in 1988-1992) was an American video production and distribution company based in Allen, a Dallas suburb. The company was known for producing and distributing television shows, home videos, audio products and children's books and toys, particularly for their flagship property Barney & Friends. In August 2001, the company was acquired by and later folded into HIT Entertainment.

History[]

The company traces its origins to 1988, when The Lyons Group was formed as a division of DLM, Inc (Developmental Learning Materials), an educational company owned by Richard C. Leach.[1] Lyons began producing and distributing a direct-to-video series titled Barney and the Backyard Gang, which was created by Sheryl Leach, the daughter-in-law of Richard. Three years after the home video series debuted, Barney caught the attention of PBS executives, and the concept was subsequently revamped for television. Barney & Friends began airing on the Public Broadcasting Service on April 6, 1992.[2]

Lyrick Studios was formed in 1994, and the Lyons Group became a division of the new company under the name Lyons Partnership. The company developed the Wishbone series for PBS in 1995. This series was produced by Big Feats! Entertainment, another Lyrick division, and was primarily filmed on a studio backlot in Allen.[3] In the late 1990s, Lyrick acquired the distribution rights for VeggieTales and The Wiggles and also distributed book publishing and video gaming rights for some Humongous Entertainment video game characters like Putt-Putt, Freddi Fish, and Pajama Sam.[3] On February 9, 2001, the company was acquired by HIT Entertainment for $275 million and folded on August 31.[4] The home video division of the company was rebranded under the HIT Entertainment name and remained trading until 2006, when HIT shuttered the division and began to release products in the United States through outside third-parties instead.

Distribution[]

Programs[]

Name First year Final year Notes
Barney & Friends 1992 2001 Flagship series
Wishbone 1995 2001
Joe Scruggs 1997 1997
Francesco's Friendly World 1997 2001
Groundling Marsh 1998 2001 US distribution
VeggieTales 1998 2001 Mass market distribution
Shelley Duvall's American Tall Tales & Legends 1998 2001
The Wiggles 1999 2001 US distribution
Bob the Builder 2001 US Home Video distribution
Kipper 2001 US Home Video distribution
Angelina Ballerina 2001 US Home Video distribution

Movies/TV Films[]

Name Year Notes
Kids for Character 1996 Includes scenes from The Puzzle Place, Barney & Friends, Scholastic's The Magic School Bus, Lamb Chop's Play-Along, Nick Jr.'s Gullah Gullah Island, and Babar
Kids for Character: Choices Count 1997 Includes scenes from Bananas in Pyjamas, The Big Comfy Couch, and Wishbone
Shelley Duvall's Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme 1998
Wishbone's Dog Days of the West 1998
Barney's Great Adventure: The Movie 1998 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment & Universal Pictures

References[]

  1. ^ Labov, William; Browne, Ray Broadus; Browne, Pat (2001). The Guide to United States Popular Culture. ISBN 9780879728212. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  2. ^ Genzlinger, Neil. "The Blame for 'Barney'? I'm a Little Guilty". Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Tanner, Lisa (September 5, 1999). "Lyrick Studios expanding". Dallas Business Journal.
  4. ^ Billings, Claire. "HIT acquires US rival Lyrick Studios in $275 million deal". Retrieved June 24, 2017.

External links[]

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