TriStar Television, Inc. (first spelled Tri-Star, and abbreviated as TT) was an American television production studio that was a division of Sony Pictures Television, a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. TriStar Television was launched in March 1986 by TriStar Pictures, and remained a joint-venture between Columbia Pictures, CBS, and HBO until it was acquired by Sony, the parent of both Columbia and TriStar. After a purchase by Sony Pictures Entertainment, both companies Columbia Pictures Television and TriStar Television merged and formed Columbia TriStar Television on February 21, 1994. The television studio was relaunched twice, most recently as a specialty label for Sony Pictures Television. The entity was originally a sister company of Columbia Pictures Television, which was shut down in 2001.
History From formation to merger with Columbia/Embassy Television (1986–1988) The studio was formed when Tri-Star Pictures joined forces with Stephen J. Cannell Productions and Witt/Thomas Productions and created a television distribution company called TeleVentures. Scott Siegler was immediately hired as president of the studio. As the Tri-Star Television studio rolled around, the company inked overall deals with various personnel, like Ron Samuels, Richard Leder, Michael Jacobs, Larry Tucker, Donald P. Bellisario, Jim Green and Larry Epstein to help develop projects for the studio and decided that they would be involved in various television movies.
By December 1987, Coca-Cola owned 80% of Columbia Pictures Entertainment until January 1988, when it was reduced down to 49% and Tri-Star Television was then merged with Columbia/Embassy Television into the reorganized Columbia Pictures Television (CPT), although TeleVentures was retained to handle sales of the existing Tri-Star programs that were inherited under contract to CPT, which would continue as a separate sales and distribution company from the CPT unit. Scott remained president of the studio until he left in 1993. Columbia Pictures Entertainment was sold in November 1989 to Sony of Japan.
In late 1988, Witt/Thomas Productions withdrew from the TeleVentures venture, ceding it to Walt Disney Television, and sold its shares to Cannell. On July 11, 1990, both Tri-Star and Cannell dissolved the TeleVentures joint venture and Tri-Star sold its shares to Stephen J. Cannell Productions and TeleVentures became Cannell Distribution Co. Most of the series and the Tri-Star film packages that were distributed by TeleVentures were taken over by Columbia Pictures Television Distribution.
The first relaunch to the merger with Columbia TriStar Television (1991–1999) CPT would continue on under Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), but TriStar Television was reestablished in October 1991 after CPT acquired some of the assets of New World Television. Jon Feltheimer, who was president of New World Television became the new president of TriStar Television. On March 15, 1993, star Larry Hagman had signed a deal with the studio to develop projects for the 1993–1994 television season. On February 21, 1994, TriStar Television merged with Columbia Pictures Television and formed Columbia TriStar Television (CTT). Feltheimer heads new Columbia TriStar TV Broadcasting via Ebsco Host Connection, Retrieved on December 18, 2012 In 1997, most new shows, and some existing TriStar shows like Early Edition, shifted from TriStar Television to CTT, and also in January 1997, changed monikers from Sony Television Entertainment to Columbia TriStar Television Group.
When TriStar Television's productions were folded into Columbia TriStar Television in 1999, Early Edition (a joint production with CBS) retained the TriStar copyright until 2000. The final season of Malcolm & Eddie was later produced by CTT and TriStar Television operated in-name-only. On October 25, 2001, Columbia TriStar Television and Columbia TriStar Television Distribution merged to become Columbia TriStar Domestic Television. On September 16, 2002, SPE retired the Columbia and TriStar names from television, renaming CTDT as Sony Pictures Television.Sony Pictures Entertainment Renames Television Operations; Domestic and International Divisions Take Sony Name, prnewswire.com
The second relaunch to the shutdown (2015–2024) On May 28, 2015, TriStar Television was re-launched as a boutique production label for Sony Pictures Television. Until her death in March 2018, TriStar Television was run by Suzanne Patmore-Gibbs after being in-name-only for 15 years.Sony Eyes Relaunching TriStar Television Banner Run By Suzanne Patmore Gibbs Nellie Andreeva deadline.com, Retrieved on May 28, 2015 The first new series was Good Girls Revolt and was piloted for Amazon Prime Video on November 5, 2015.
On May 31, 2024, Sony announced they would shut down its TriStar Television boutique label, folding it into its drama department. The move was announced after the departures of Nicole Norwood and Jennifer Turner. Newer projects in development were taken over by Sony Pictures Television.
Filmography Television series Title Years Network Notes Downtown 1986–1987 CBS Co-production with Ron Samuels Productions Take Five 1987 Co-production with Imagine Television and Empire City Presentations Nothing in Common NBC Co-production with Rastar TelevisionBased on the 1986 film of the same name by Tri-Star Pictures Werewolf 1987–1988 Fox Produced by Columbia Pictures Television in 1988 My Two Dads 1987–1990 NBC Co-production with Michael Jacobs ProductionsProduced by Columbia Pictures Television from 1988 to 1990 Buck James 1987–1988 ABC Co-production with Robert E. Fuisz-William F. Storke ProductionsProduced by Columbia Pictures Television in 1988 Get a Life 1990–1992 Fox Co-production with Elliottland Productions and MirkinvisionProduced by New World Television from 1990 to 1991 The Adventures of Mark & Brian 1991–1992 NBC Co-production with Don Mischer Productions, Frontier Pictures and New World Television Charlie Hoover 1991 Fox Co-production with Ian Gurvitz Productions and Brillstein-Grey Entertainment The Fifth Corner 1992 NBC Co-production with Jon Herzfield Productions and Adelson-Baumgarten Productions The Boys of Twilight CBS Co-production with Echo Cove Productions Forever Knight 1992–1996 CBS (season 1)Syndication (season 2)USA Network (season 3) Co-production with Glen-Warren Great Entertainment (season 1), Paragon Entertainment Corporation and Tele-München The Edge 1992–1993 Fox Co-production with Mirkinvision Mad About You 1992–1999 NBC Co-production with In Front Productions and Nuance ProductionsProduced by Sony Pictures Television in 2019 Tribeca 1993 Fox Co-production with Montana Beach Productions and TriBeCa Productions Good Advice 1993–1994 CBS Co-production with In Front Productions and Itzbinso Long Productions The Nanny 1993–1999 Co-production with Sternin & Fraser Ink Inc. and Highschool Sweethearts (1995–1999) The Mighty Jungle 1994 The Family Channel Co-production with Le Sabre, Goodman/Rosen Productions and Alliance Communications TV Nation 1994–1995 NBC (season 1)Fox (season 2)BBC2 Co-production with Dog Eat Dog Films and BBC Women of the House 1995 CBS (episodes 1–8)Lifetime (episodes 9–13) Co-production with Bloodworth-Thomason Mozark Productions and Perseverance Inc. Simon 1995–1996 The WB Co-production with In Front Productions Ned and Stacey 1995–1997 Fox Co-production with Hanley Productions Can't Hurry Love 1995–1996 CBS Co-production with The Producers Entertainment Group Ltd., Axelrod-Widdoes Productions and CBS Productions Hudson Street ABC Co-production with Katie Face Productions Dead By Sunset 1995 NBC Co-production with Craig Anderson ProductionsMiniseries Matt Waters 1996 CBS Co-production with Christmas Tree Entertainment and James D. Pariott Productions Malcolm & Eddie 1996–1999 UPN Co-production with Jeff Franklin ProductionsProduced by Columbia TriStar Television from 1999 to 2000 Moloney 1996–1997 CBS Co-production with Predawn Productions and CBS Productions Love and Marriage 1996 Fox Co-production with Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions Early Edition 1996–1997 CBS Co-production with Three Characters Productions (seasons 1 and 2), Angelica Films (seasons 1 and 2) and CBS ProductionsProduced by Columbia TriStar Television from 1997 to 2000 Life... and Stuff 1997 Co-production with Sommers-Teitelbaum-David and Perrgood Productions Good Girls Revolt 2015–2016 Amazon Prime Video Co-production with Lynda Obst Productions, Annabelita Films, Farm Kid and Amazon Studios Shut Eye 2016–2017 Hulu Co-production with Peg + Les and Gran Via Productions The Last Tycoon Amazon Prime Video Co-production with Kippster Entertainment, City Entertainment, Brady American Productions, Home Run Productions, Inc. and Amazon Studios On Becoming a God in Central Florida 2019 Showtime Co-production with Smokehouse Pictures, Pali Eyes Pictures and Showtime Networks The Afterparty 2022–2023 Apple TV+ Co-production with Lord Miller Productions and Sony Pictures Television Studios Lucky Hank 2023 AMC Co-production with Afternoon Nap Productions, Ponyboy Productions, Gran Via Productions, Le Foole Inc. and AMC Studios
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