The Cannell Studios (formerly Stephen J. Cannell Productions and Cannell Entertainment, Inc.) is an independent television production company founded in 1979 after Stephen J. Cannell left Universal Television.
The company is notable for The Greatest American Hero, The A-Team, Hunter and Silk Stalkings.
History
Origins Stephen J. Cannell was a prominent writer who was employed at Universal Television for nearly a decade. While at Universal, he created shows such as The Rockford Files and Baretta, both of which were massive moneymakers for the networks ABC and NBC, respectively.
While still at Universal, he created Baa Baa Black Sheep, Richie Brockelman, Private Eye, The Duke and Stone.
Early years as independent company In 1979, Stephen J. Cannell left Universal and founded an independent production company of his own, initially based at Paramount Studios, with the capital of American attorney Ken Ziffren. Furthermore, Paramount Television initially held international distribution rights to the new company's early shows.
The company's first show was Tenspeed and Brown Shoe on ABC, which was a ratings flop, followed by The Greatest American Hero, which gained a minor success, was also on ABC, and lasted three seasons. Other Universal Television employees joined Cannell as well, including writers Juanita Bartlett and Frank Lupo, and supervising producer Jo Swerling Jr., as well as college intern Patrick Hasburgh, thus growing the employment base of the new company. In 1982, The Greatest American Hero was followed by The Quest, which was created by Juanita Bartlett, but also lasted only one season.
It was when The Greatest American Hero started production that the company spawned its iconic signature production logo, created by Linda Stewart of Cannell's public relations department, partially as an attempt to counter Cannell's developing perception in the press as a "TV mogul", which he was uncomfortable with. The logo consists of Stephen J. Cannell typing on a typewriter using his IBM Selectric, throwing his paper and forming a "C".
Breakout success The company's true turning point was The A-Team, which was co-produced with Universal Television under a contractual obligation fulfilled by the company after his exit from Universal in 1979 and aired on NBC for five seasons, from 1983 to 1987, instantly turning Cannell into a powerhouse and regaining NBC's ratings dominance since its ratings slump in the late 1970s.
Also in 1983, Cannell sold the syndication rights toThe Greatest American Hero to Syndivision, which initially sub-licensed the series to LBS Communications. Eventually, Syndivision was sold to Lorimar Productions in 1985. The company's success allowed Cannell to move his operations to larger facilities in Hollywood Boulevard in 1983.
The success followed with Hardcastle and McCormick, another blockbuster sensation that aired on ABC for three seasons, from 1983 to 1986. He followed it up with The Rousters, airing on NBC in 1983, but did not fare well, and it was followed by another NBC series, Riptide, which lasted for three seasons from 1984 to 1986, but had a modest following. The company's biggest success was Hunter, which starred Fred Dryer, was another blockbuster success and aired from 1984 to 1991, becoming its longest-running TV series.
In September 1985, Cannell sold North American syndication rights to Hardcastle and McCormick and Riptide to Columbia Pictures Television, outbidding Paramount Television and 20th Century Fox Television.
Expansion In 1986, the company expanded when it, along with Tri-Star Pictures and Witt/Thomas Productions, co-founded a television syndication firm called TeleVentures. In late 1988, Witt/Thomas Productions backed out of the TeleVentures venture and entered a distribution deal with Walt Disney Television.
On July 11, 1990, both Tri-Star and Cannell dissolved the TeleVentures joint venture, and Cannell formed Cannell Distribution Co.
Also in 1986, with the favorable exchange rate between the US and Canadian dollars being a win/win for US producers, Cannell decided to shoot his new series, Stingray (1985–1987) in Toronto. However, so many producers were shooting in Toronto that no crews were available to staff any additional productions. Consequently, Cannell shot the first seven episodes of Stingrays second season in Calgary with the remaining eight episodes being shot in Vancouver. His first series to entirely be shot in Vancouver was 21 Jump Street (1987–1991), the highest-rated show of the new Fox network's first season.
The company ended up operating an office in Vancouver in 1988 under North Shore Studios, used to film and tape programming. In 1989, the company ended up expanding its footprint by acquiring television stations under Cannell Communications, it owned WHNS-TV in 1989, WUAB in 1990 and KPDX in 1992. Cannell then sold WHNS-TV and KPDX to First Media Television in 1994, and then leased WUAB to Malrite Communications in 1994, before being sold to Raycom Media in 2000 due to strict FCC regulation.
In 1990, the company made its foray into first-run syndication by moving 21 Jump Street from Fox to first-run syndication in association with LBS Communications. The company then moved to direct syndication with Street Justice in 1991, followed by Renegade in 1992, which was an instant syndicated success. Also in 1991, Cannell decided to produce his next big show for CBS and USA Network, Silk Stalkings, which ended up surpassing Hunter as his longest-running show. Around that year, Cannell teamed up with ABC to produce another television series, The Commish, which was another hit.
In 1991, it expanded to game shows by partnering with Rick Rosner on Personals for CBS, followed by Caesar's Challenge for NBC. In 1995, Cannell launched a reality show for syndication, called U.S. Customs Classified, which was about actual footage and recreations to depict cases.
Sale of programs and end of production On July 31, 1995, New World Communications acquired his Cannell Entertainment production company and Cannell Distribution was then folded into Genesis Entertainment. Cannell then founded The Cannell Studios.Thompson, Robert J. Cannell, Stephen J. Museum of Broadcast Communications. One of the first shows produced by the newly established Cannell Studios was the short-lived but critically acclaimed corporate drama Profit (1996). The final new show developed by Cannell was the weekly syndicated series Two, which was for first-run syndication.
In 1997, New World Communications was sold to News Corporation and became part of 20th Century Fox Television. However, two of Cannell's series, The A-Team and Hunter were controlled by two other studios: Universal Television and Sony Pictures Television, respectively, and were not part of the deal. Additionally, Cannell would pay Fox for international and domestic sales for his series.
On May 4, 1998, Cannell reacquired his library from Fox and regained all distribution rights to the series. In 2003, the company signed a deal with StudioWorks Entertainment to release the television series Wiseguy on DVD. In 2004, the company had signed a deal with Anchor Bay Entertainment to release its shows on DVD.
On January 24, 2006, The Carsey-Werner Company acquired distribution rights to Cannell's library. In 2009, the company had signed a deal with Mill Creek Entertainment to release its shows on DVD. In 2010, Stephen J. Cannell died. In March 2020, the Cannell estate signed a worldwide distribution deal with Shout! Factory.
List of programs
Universal Television (1976-1979) These programs were denoted by the term "A Stephen J. Cannell Production", followed by the Universal Television logo.
Television shows TitleOriginal runNetworkNotesBaa Baa Black Sheep1976-1978NBCRichie Brockelman, Private Eye1978co-production with Bucky Productions, Inc.The Duke1979mini-seriesStone1980ABCco-production with Gerry Productions
Television movies/pilots TitleAir dateNetworkNotesDr. ScorpionFebruary 24, 1978ABCThe Chinese TypewriterMarch 3, 1979CBSThe Night RiderMay 11, 1979ABCNightsideJune 8, 1980co-production with Glen A. Larson Productions
As an independent company (1979-present)
Television shows TitleOriginal runNetworkNotesTenspeed and Brown Shoe1980ABCThe Greatest American Hero1981-1983first series with the company's logo.The Quest1982The A-Team1983-1987NBCco-production with Universal TelevisionHardcastle and McCormick1983-1986ABCRiptide1984-1986NBCHunter1984-1991The Last Precinct1986Stingray1986-198721 Jump Street1987-1991Fox/Syndicationco-production with Patrick Hasburgh Productions (seasons 1-2) and LBS Communications (season 5)Wiseguy1987-1991CBSJ.J. Starbuck1987NBCSonny Spoon1988co-production with NBC ProductionsUnsub1989Top of the HillCBSBooker1989-1990FoxBroken Badges1990CBSThe 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage1991NBCco-production with Walt Disney TelevisionStreet Justice1991-1993SyndicationSilk Stalkings1991-1999CBS/USA Networkco-production with Stu Segall Productions, New World Entertainment (seasons 5-6) and 20th Century Fox Television (seasons 6-8)The Commish1991-1996ABCco-production with Three Putt Productions, ABC Productions and New World Entertainment (season 5)Palace Guard1991CBSPersonals1991-1992co-production with Rosner TelevisionThe Hat Squad1992-1993Renegade1992-1997Syndication/USA Networkco-production with Stu Segall Productions, Renegade IV Enterprises and New World Entertainment (season 5)Caesars Challenge1993-1994NBCco-production with Rosner TelevisionMissing PersonsABCco-production with Gary Sherman ProductionsCobraSyndicationTraps1994CBSco-production with CBS Entertainment ProductionsHawkeye1994-1995SyndicationMarker1995UPNU.S. Customs Confessional1995-1996Syndicationco-production with Grab Productions and New World EntertainmentProfit1996Foxco-production with Greenwalt/McNamara Productions and New World EntertainmentTwo1996-1997Syndicationco-production with Two Television Productions, Telegenic Programs Inc. and New World EntertainmentHunter2003NBCco-production with Stu Segall Productions, NBC Studios and 20th Century Fox Television
Television movies/specials/pilots TitleAir dateNetworkNotesMidnight OfferingsFebruary 27, 1981ABCBrothers-in-LawApril 28, 1985Destination AmericaApril 3, 1987ScandalsOctober 29, 1988co-production with Garen/Albrecht ProductionsLivin' LargeApril 29, 1989co-production with Grio Entertainment GroupThunberboat RowSeptember 10, 1989I Love You PerfectOctober 10, 1989co-production with Gross-Weston Productions and Susan Dey ProductionsAlways Remember I Love YouDecember 23, 1990CBSco-production with Gross-Weston ProductionsThe Great PretenderApril 14, 1991NBCLiving a LieSeptember 16, 1991co-production with Bernhardt-Friestat EntertainmentHighway HeartbreakerMarch 29, 1992CBSco-production with Gross-Weston ProductionsJonathan: The Boy Nobody WantedOctober 19, 1992NBCFirestorm: 72 Hours in OaklandFebruary 7, 1993ABCco-production with Gross-Weston Productions and Capital Cities/ABC Video EnterprisesA Place for AnnieMay 1, 1994co-production with Gross-Weston Productions, Hallmark Hall of Fame and Signboard Hill ProductionsGreyhoundsJune 24, 1994CBSco-production with Stu Segall ProductionsJake Lassister: Justice on the BayouJanuary 9, 1995NBCco-production with Big Productions and Spanish Trail ProductionsThe Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A.April 30, 1995co-production with Fred Dryer ProductionsA Child is MissingOctober 1, 1995CBSco-production with Moore-Weiss Productions and New World EntertainmentThe SurrogateOctober 22, 1995ABCWiseguyMay 2, 1996co-production with Stu Segall Productions and New World EntertainmentThemOctober 8, 1996UPNco-production with Deluxe Vancouver and New World Entertainment
Movies