Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation (shortened to MGM Animation) was an American animation division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, that specializes in animated productions for theatrical features and television, and based in Hollywood, California. It was founded in 1993 and primarily involved in producing children's entertainment based upon MGM's ownership of intellectual properties, such as The Pink Panther, The Lionhearts, The Secret of NIMH, and All Dogs Go to Heaven.
The studio's founders, Paul Sabella and Jonathan Dern, left the studio in 1999 and founded SD Entertainment. The studio has been dormant since 2002, following the 2000 release of their last production Tom Sawyer.
Filmography Theatrical Release date Title Notes March 29, 1996 All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 co-production with MGM/UA Family Entertainment
Direct-to-video Release date Title Notes March 4, 1997 MGM Sing-Alongs: Searching for Your Dreams MGM Sing-Alongs: Friends MGM Sing-Alongs: Having Fun MGM Sing-Alongs: Being Happy October 14, 1997 Babes in Toyland co-production with MGM/UA Family Entertainment November 17, 1998 An All Dogs Christmas Carol co-production with MGM Family Entertainment December 22, 1998 The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue April 4, 2000 Tom Sawyer
TV series Title Year(s) Network Notes The Pink Panther 1993–1995 Syndication co-production with Mirisch-Geoffrey DePatie-Freleng and United Artists All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series 1996–1998 Syndication (1996–1998)Fox Family Channel (1998) RoboCop: Alpha Commando 1998–1999 Syndication co-production with Fireworks Entertainment and Orion Picturessyndicated by The Summit Media Group The Lionhearts 1998
Miscellaneous productions Title Year Notes The Adventures of Hyperman 1995 Video game
Unproduced projects Title Release date Type Notes The Betty Boop Movie 1993 Feature film There were plans for an animated musical feature film of Betty Boop to be MGM Animation's first theatrical animated film, but the plans were later canceled. The musical storyboard scene of the proposed film can be seen online.Moore Studios The finished reel consists of Betty and her estranged father performing a jazz number together called "Where are you?" Jimmy Rowles and Sue Raney provide the vocals for Betty and Benny Boop. Later, All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 became MGM Animation's only theatrical animated film. Stargate: The Young Explorers 1997 A proposed direct-to-video film based on MGM's Stargate franchise that was announced to be in development alongside Babes in Toyland and The Secret of NIMH II. While the movie was never produced it's possible some of the concepts were incorporated into the animated series Stargate: Infinity. Noah 1998 According to Animation Magazine, MGM Animation had plans to do a theatrical animated film adaption of comedian Bill Cosby's famous stand up sketch of his take of Noah's Ark with Cosby producing, co-writing the script with Charles Kipps and as the voice of God, while Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Jonathan Winters were in talks to voice Noah. However the project was canceled after Cosby's previous films were both commercial and critically failures and more people were becoming aware of Cosby's sex abuse cases.
See also List of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer theatrical animated feature films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio MGM Animation/Visual Arts SD Entertainment
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