Nelson Entertainment

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For the unrelated company owned by Stephen Swid known as Nelson Entertainment Group, see SCS Films.
Nelson Entertainment
TypeSubsidiary of Nelson Holdings International, Ltd.
IndustryFilm
home video
PredecessorGalactic Films
Spikings Corporation
Embassy Home Entertainment
Founded1985
FoundersBarry Spikings
Richard Northcott
Defunct1991
FateRebranded as Sultan Entertainment, folded into New Line Cinema, library later purchased by Epic Productions
SuccessorCompany: New Line Cinema
Library: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
HeadquartersLos Angeles, California, United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Barry Spikings
Richard Northcott
ProductsMotion pictures
VHS
Laserdisc
ParentNelson Holdings International, Ltd. (1986–1991)
New Line Cinema (1991)
Divisions
  • Nelson Films
  • New Galactic and Tate
  • Charter Entertainment

Nelson Entertainment was a Los Angeles-based film production and home video distribution company, a subsidiary of Nelson Holdings International Ltd., a Vancouver, Canada, holding company formed in 1985 by British film producer Barry Spikings and Richard Northcott, a British financier who amassed his fortune from a chain of hardware and furniture stores.[1] The company acquired Galactic Films as well as Spikings Corporation in 1985, then later acquired distribution rights to a majority of Embassy titles after purchasing its home video division, which paid $85 million, and then signed an agreement with Columbia Pictures which enabled Nelson to finance their films for Columbia.[2] Sometime in August 1987, Embassy Home Entertainment was renamed Nelson Entertainment,[3] but retained the earlier brand as well as Charter Entertainment for sell-through products.[4] Nelson then financed a deal with Castle Rock Entertainment to co-produce their films, and in addition handle the international distribution rights. In September 1988, Orion Home Video became Nelson's sales agent; in addition, Orion Pictures would later theatrically distribute a few of Nelson's titles.[5] On February 17, 1988, Nelson Entertainment received a loan from Credit Lyonnais Bank to earn $3 million to $10 million, regarding of subsidiaries.[6] By February 1989, Orion was the official home video distributor of Nelson product.[7]

In 1991, Nelson Entertainment sold its home video division to New Line Cinema and it was rebranded as New Line Home Video.[8] The company was later renamed Sultan Entertainment and was acquired by New Line, who then later took over the rights to the library.[9] By 1994, Nelson's catalog had been acquired by Epic Productions and folded into the Alpha Library Company. After Epic's closure Crédit Lyonnais assumed responsibility of its library. The library was put up for auction by the Consortium de Realisation as the "Epic library". Credit Lyonnais later sold the Epic film library to PolyGram Filmed Entertainment in 1997,[10] then Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquired 2/3 of PolyGram's pre-April 1996 library in October 1998.[11] Therefore, MGM now owns most of the Nelson Entertainment library with the copyrights being held by Orion Pictures. Due to a previous agreement with Viacom Enterprises, Paramount Pictures via Trifecta Entertainment & Media holds the television rights to Nelson's post-January 1989 films not co-produced with Castle Rock. Castle Rock's pre-July 1994 titles are owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment, but are controlled by MGM via Orion.

Films[]

Release Date Title Co-producer Distributor
October 16, 1987 The Whales of August Alive Films
November 13, 1987 Hope and Glory Goldcrest Films Columbia Pictures
April 15, 1988 The Moderns Alive Films
April 22, 1988 A Time of Destiny Columbia Pictures
White Mischief Goldcrest Films
BBC 		Columbia Pictures
September 10, 1988 Far North Alive Films
January 27, 1989 Cohen and Tate New Galactic Tate Productions Hemdale Film Corporation
February 17, 1989 Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure Interscope Communications
De Laurentiis Entertainment Group 		Orion Pictures
April 14, 1989 Winter People Castle Rock Entertainment Columbia Pictures
July 21, 1989 When Harry Met Sally... Castle Rock Entertainment Columbia Pictures
November 17, 1989 Prancer Cineplex Odeon Films Orion Pictures
March 16, 1990 Lord of the Flies Castle Rock Entertainment Columbia Pictures
April 6, 1990 The First Power Interscope Communications Orion Pictures
September 28, 1990 Texasville Cine-Source Columbia Pictures
October 26, 1990 Sibling Rivalry Castle Rock Entertainment Columbia Pictures
November 30, 1990 Misery Castle Rock Entertainment Columbia Pictures
December 19, 1990 Hamlet Icon Productions
Carolco Pictures
Sovereign Pictures 		Warner Bros.
January 18, 1991 Eve of Destruction Interscope Communications Orion Pictures
June 7, 1991 City Slickers Castle Rock Entertainment Columbia Pictures
July 19, 1991 Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey Interscope Communications Orion Pictures
October 11, 1991 The Taking of Beverly Hills Columbia Pictures
April 29, 1994 The Favor Orion Pictures
September 23, 1994 There Goes My Baby Orion Pictures

References[]

  1. ^ Coke Will Sell Embassy Unit for $85 Million : Nelson Entertainment Gets Co-Production Deal
  2. ^ "Coke Sells EHE For $85-Mil To Nelson Ent.; Blay Suit Settled". Variety. 1986-08-06. p. 35.
  3. ^ Billboard (August 29, 1987). Embassy Logo Changed to Nelson (PDF). New York. p. 57.
  4. ^ McCullaugh, Jim (January 16, 1988). "Nelson Steps Up Sell-Through Push" (PDF). Billboard.
  5. ^ Stewart, Al (August 20, 1988). "Orion To Handle Sales Of Nelson Titles As Of Sept" (PDF). Billboard.
  6. ^ "Nelson Unit Gains $3 Mil Financing". Variety. 1988-02-17.
  7. ^ https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-03-04.pdf
  8. ^ |format=TXT |title=NIGHTMARES, TURTLES AND PROFITS |website=bloomberg.com |access-date=2019-05-03
  9. ^ "COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM INC" (TXT). Sec.gov. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
  10. ^ "New Epic librarian". 3 December 1997.
  11. ^ "Archives". Los Angeles Times.
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