Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Type	Private
Founded	April 16, 1924
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California, USA (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc. The term privately held company refers to ownership of a business company in two different ways first referring to ownership by non-governmental organizations and second Events 1178 BC - A Solar eclipse may have marked the return of Odysseus, legendary King of Ithaca, to his kingdom Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The United States of America —commonly referred to as the )
Key people	Harry Sloan (Chairman and CEO)
Industry	Motion pictures
Products	Motion pictures Television programs
Owner	Providence Equity Partners (29%) TPG Capital, L.P. (21%) Sony (20%) Comcast (20%) DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) Quadrangle Group (3%) www.mgm.com
Employees	1,440 (as of 2004) www.hoovers.com
Website	http://www.mgm.com/,

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. , or MGM, is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the "Popular press" redirects here note that the University of Wisconsin Press publishes under the imprint "The Popular Press" Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic

From the end of the silent film era through World War II, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was the most prominent motion picture studio in Hollywood, with the greatest output of all of the studios: at its height, it released an average of one feature film a week, along with many short subjects and serials. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including A victim of the massive restructuring of the motion picture industry during the 1950s and 60s, it was ultimately unable to cope with the loss of its theater chain – due to the U. The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 S. Supreme Court decision United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. (1948) – and the power shift from studio bosses to independent producers and agents. United States v Paramount Pictures, Inc, 334 US 131 ( 1948) (also known as the Hollywood Antitrust Case of 1948, the Paramount A film producer is a person who creates the conditions for making movies. For other uses of the word Agent see Agent (disambiguation This is correct An Agent in Commercial Law is a person who is authorised

On April 8, 2005, the company was acquired by a partnership led by Sony Corporation of America and Comcast in association with Texas Pacific Group (now TPG Capital, L.P.) and Providence Equity Partners. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sony Corporation of America (SCA is the United States subsidiary of Japan 's Sony Corporation. Comcast Corporation ( is the largest Cable television company the second largest Internet service provider and (according to the company the fourth largest telephone TPG Capital (formerly Texas Pacific Group commonly referred to as "TPG" is a Private equity investment firm founded by David Bonderman, James TPG Capital (formerly Texas Pacific Group commonly referred to as "TPG" is a Private equity investment firm founded by David Bonderman, James Providence Equity Partners is a Private equity firm headquartered in Providence Rhode Island that focuses on investments in media and telecommunications MGM Mirage, a Las Vegas-based hotel and casino company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "MGM", is not currently affiliated with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. MGM Mirage ( is a Las Vegas, Nevada -based business engaged in the development ownership and operation of hotels and casinos throughout the world Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally A Megaresort is a type of destination resort which is of an exceptionally large size sometimes featuring large-scale attractions ( Casino, Golf course, The New York Stock Exchange ( NYSE) is a Stock exchange based in New York City.

Sony Pictures currently distributes MGM/UA and Columbia TriStar co-productions— including the recent Casino Royale—but outside of the co-productions MGM is now actively involved in acquiring worldwide film rights and distributing theatrical motion pictures in the United States. Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc ( SPE) is the television and Film production/distribution unit of Japanese Media conglomerate Sony This article is about the film studio Previously it was affiliated with a cinema chain bearing its name now owned by Regal Entertainment Group. }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company Casino Royale ( 2006) is the twenty-first film in the James Bond series; it is directed by Martin Campbell and the first to star 20th Century Fox is handling the international theatrical distribution and worldwide home video distribution of MGM titles, excepting those which Sony Pictures acts as majority partner.

Established in 1924, MGM is tied for the fifth-oldest movie studio in history with Columbia Pictures. The studio's motto, "Ars Gratia Artis", is Latin meaning "Art for art's sake. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group " Art for art's sake " is the usual English rendition of a French Slogan, from the early 19th century l'art pour l'art and expresses a philosophy "

History

Foundation

In 1924, theater magnate Marcus Loew had bought Metro Pictures Corporation (founded in 1916) and Goldwyn Pictures (founded in 1917) to provide a steady supply of films for his large theater chain, Loews, Inc. However, these purchases created a need for someone to oversee his new Hollywood operations, since longtime assistant Nicholas Schenck was needed in New York to oversee the theaters. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Marcus Loew ( May 7, 1870 &ndash September 5, 1927) was an American business magnate and a pioneer of the Motion picture Metro Pictures Corporation was an American Motion picture production company founded in late 1915 by Richard A Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Goldwyn Pictures Corporation was an American Motion picture production company founded in 1916 by Samuel Gelbfisz in partnership with Broadway Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Loews Theatres, aka Loews Incorporated, founded in 1904 by Marcus Loew, was the oldest theater chain operating in North America until it merged with Nicholas M Schenck ( 14 November 1881, Rybinsk, Russia &ndash 4 March, 1969, Florida) was a Motion picture The City of New York

Loew addressed the situation by buying Mayer Pictures on April 16, 1924. Events 1178 BC - A Solar eclipse may have marked the return of Odysseus, legendary King of Ithaca, to his kingdom Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Because of his decade-long success as a producer, Louis B. Mayer was made a vice-president of Loews and head of studio operations in California, with Harry Rapf and the twenty-five year old "boy wonder" Irving Thalberg as heads of production. Louis Burt Mayer (born Lazar Meir July 4, 1884 &ndash October 29, 1957) was an early Film producer, most Irving Grant Thalberg ( May 30, 1899 – September 14, 1936) was an Academy Award -winning American Film producer For decades MGM was listed on movie title cards as "Controlled by Loews, Inc. "

Originally, the new studio's films were presented in the following manner: Louis B. Mayer presents a Metro-Goldwyn picture, but Mayer soon added his name to the studio. Though Loew's Metro was the dominant partner, the new studio inherited Goldwyn's studios in Culver City, California, the former Goldwyn mascot Leo the Lion (which replaced Metro's parrot symbol), and the corporate motto Ars Gratia Artis ("Art for Art's Sake"). Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County California. Leo the Lion is the mascot for the Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, featured in the studio's Production logo. " Art for art's sake " is the usual English rendition of a French Slogan, from the early 19th century l'art pour l'art and expresses a philosophy

Also inherited from Goldwyn was a runaway production, Ben-Hur, which had been filming in Rome for months without producing much usable film. Ben-Hur was a 1925 Silent film directed by Fred Niblo. It was a blockbuster hit for newly merged Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Mayer took charge of the situation by scrapping most of what had been shot and bringing production back to Culver City. Though Ben-Hur was the most costly film made up to its time, it became MGM's first great public-relations triumph, establishing an image for the company that persisted for years. Also in 1925, with the success of both The Big Parade and Ben-Hur, MGM passed Universal Studios as the largest studio in Hollywood—a lead it kept for most of the next quarter-century. Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Big Parade is a 1925 Silent film which tells the story of an idle rich boy who joins the Army and is sent to France to fight in Ben-Hur was a 1925 Silent film directed by Fred Niblo. It was a blockbuster hit for newly merged Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American

Marcus Loew died in 1927, and control of Loews passed to his longtime associate, Nicholas Schenck. Rival mogul William Fox of Fox Film Corporation saw an opportunity to expand his empire, and in 1929, with Schenck's assent, bought the Loew family's holdings. William Fox ( January 1, 1879 &ndash May 8, 1952) was a pioneering American Motion picture executive who founded the However, Mayer and Thalberg were outraged -- despite their high posts in the company, they were not shareholders. Mayer in particular used his political connections to persuade the Justice Department to sue Fox for violating federal antitrust law. For animal rights group see Justice Department (JD The United States Department of Justice ( DOJ) is a Cabinet department During this time, in the summer of 1929, Fox was badly hurt in an automobile accident. By the time he recovered, the stock market crash in the fall of 1929 had virtually wiped out Fox's financial holdings, ending any chance of the Loews merger going through even if the Justice Department had given its blessing. The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the ’29 Crash, the Crash of 1929, the Great Crash of 1929, the Great Crash of October 1929 Schenck and Mayer had never gotten along -- in fact, Mayer reportedly called his boss "Mr. Skunk" in private. The abortive Fox merger only increased the animosity between them. Schenck blamed Mayer rather than the stock market crash for costing him an instant fortune. The animosity between the two men led to a heated rivalry between the New York and Hollywood sides of the company that lasted over 20 years, until Mayer's dismissal by Schenck in 1951.

MGM's golden age

From the outset, MGM tapped into the audience's need for glamour and sophistication. Having inherited few big names from their predecessor companies, Mayer and Thalberg began at once to create and publicize a host of new stars, among them Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, William Haines, Norma Shearer, and Joan Crawford. Greta Garbo ( 18 September 1905 &ndash 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress during Hollywood 's John Gilbert ( July 10, 1899 - January 9, 1936) was an American actor and major star of the Silent film era Charles William Haines ( January 2, 1900 &ndash December 26, 1973) was an American film actor who was one of the most notable film stars Edith Norma Shearer (August 10 1900 - June 12 1983 was an Academy Award&ndashwinning Canadian-American actress. Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; ( March 23, 1905 - May 10, 1977) Crawford was signed to a motion picture Established names like Lon Chaney, William Powell, Buster Keaton, and Wallace Beery were hired from other studios. Lon Chaney ( April 1 1883 &ndash August 26 1930) nicknamed " The Man of a Thousand Faces," was an American William Horatio Powell ( July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was a three-time Academy Award -nominated American actor noted Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton ( October 4 1895 &ndash February 1 1966) was an Academy Award -winning American Wallace Beery ( April 1, 1885 – April 15, 1949) was an American Academy Award -winning actor arguably best known They also hired top talent directors such as King Vidor, Clarence Brown, Eric von Stroheim, Tod Browning, and Victor Seastrom. King Wallis Vidor ( February 8, 1894 &ndash November 1, 1982) was an acclaimed American Film director whose career Clarence Brown ( May 10, 1890 &ndash August 17, 1987) was an American Film director. Erich von Stroheim ( September 22, 1885 &ndash May 12, 1957) was an Austrian star of the silent film age lauded for his directorial Tod Browning ( July 12, 1880 &ndash October 6, 1962) was an American motion picture Actor, director (in the United States sometimes known as Victor Seastrom) ( September 20, 1879 &ndash January 3, 1960) was a Swedish Actor The arrival of talking pictures in 1928–29 gave opportunities to other new stars, many of whom would carry MGM through the 1930s: Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Robert Montgomery, Myrna Loy, Jeanette MacDonald, and Nelson Eddy among them. Clark Gable (February 1 &ndashNovember 16) was an iconic American Actor nicknamed "The King of Hollywood" in his heyday Jean Harlow ( March 3, &ndash June 7,) was an American Film Actress and Sex symbol of the 1930s Robert Montgomery ( May 21, 1904 &ndash September 27, 1981) was an American actor and director Myrna Loy ( August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993) was an American Motion picture Actress. Jeanette MacDonald (June 18 1903 &ndash January 14 1965 was an American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier Nelson Ackerman Eddy ( June 29, 1901 - March 6, 1967) was an American singer who appeared in 19 Musical films

MGM was one of the first studios to experiment with filming in Technicolor. Technicolor is the trademark for a series of color film processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation Using the two-color Technicolor process then available, MGM filmed portions of The Uninvited Guest (1923), The Big Parade (1925), and Ben-Hur (1926), among others, in the process. The Big Parade is a 1925 Silent film which tells the story of an idle rich boy who joins the Army and is sent to France to fight in Ben-Hur was a 1925 Silent film directed by Fred Niblo. It was a blockbuster hit for newly merged Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In 1927 MGM released The Viking, the first complete Technicolor feature with sound (including a synchronized score and sound effects but no spoken dialogue). The Viking ( 1928) was the first feature-length Technicolor film in an improved process which used dye- imbibition to achieve MGM's first all-color, "all-talking" sound feature with dialogue was the 1930 musical The Rogue Song. The Rogue Song ( 1930) is a romantic Musical film which tells the story of a Russian Bandit who falls in love with a Princess In 1934 MGM introduced the first live-action film made in Technicolor's superior new three-color process, a musical number in the otherwise black and white The Cat and the Fiddle. For the nursery rhyme see Hey Diddle Diddle. For the Jerome Kern musical see The Cat and the Fiddle (musical. The studio then produced a number of three-color short subjects including 1935's musical La Fiesta de Santa Barbara, however MGM waited until 1938 to film a complete feature in the process, Sweethearts with Jeanette MacDonald. From then on, MGM regularly produced several films a year in Technicolor, The Wizard of Oz and the greatly successful film Gone with the Wind being just two of the most notable. The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical - Fantasy film mainly directed by Victor Fleming and based on the 1900 children’s Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American dramatic - romantic - War film adapted from Margaret Mitchell 's 1936 (Although Gone With the Wind was not actually filmed by MGM but by Selznick International Pictures, it had to be released by Metro if producer David O. Selznick was to get Clark Gable for the role of Rhett Butler. Selznick International Pictures was a Hollywood motion picture studio David O Selznick, born David Selznick ( May 10, 1902 &ndash June 22, 1965) was one of the iconic Hollywood producers )

In animation, MGM purchased the rights in 1930 to distribute a series of cartoons that starred a character named Flip the Frog, produced by Ub Iwerks. Flip the Frog is an animated cartoon character created by American cartoonist Ub Iwerks. Ub Iwerks, ASC ( Ubbe Ert Iwwerks) ( 24 March 1901 &ndash 7 July 1971) was a two-time Academy Award winning The first cartoon in this series (entitled Fiddlesticks) was the first sound cartoon to be produced in two-color Technicolor.

Like its rivals, MGM produced fifty pictures a year. Loew's theaters were mostly located in New York and the Northeastern United States, so MGM made films that were sophisticated and polished to cater to an urban audience. The Northeast is a region of the United States. As defined by the U As the Great Depression deepened, MGM could make a claim its rivals could not: it never lost money. It was the only Hollywood studio that continued to pay dividends during the 1930s.

MGM stars dominated the box office in the '30s, and the studio was credited for inventing the Hollywood star system as well[1]. MGM contracted with The American Musical Academy of Arts Association, now the International Academy of Music Arts and Sciences, to handle all of their press and artist developement. The AMAAA's main function was to develope the budding stars and to make them appealing to the masses. ^[1] Stars like Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, and Greta Garbo all reigned as not only the top three figures at the studio, but in Hollywood itself. Edith Norma Shearer (August 10 1900 - June 12 1983 was an Academy Award&ndashwinning Canadian-American actress. Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; ( March 23, 1905 - May 10, 1977) Crawford was signed to a motion picture Greta Garbo ( 18 September 1905 &ndash 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress during Hollywood 's Garbo started losing her American audience after Queen Christina (1933), as a contract dispute kept her out of Hollywood for two years[2], and other MGM sex symbol actress Jean Harlow now had a big break and became one of MGM's most admired stars as well[3]; despite Jean Harlow's gain, Garbo still was a big star for MGM after she returned from her absence[4]. Queen Christina is a American pre-code Historical drama film directed by Rouben Mamoulian. Shearer was still a top money maker despite screen appearances becoming scarce, and Joan Crawford continued her box office power up until 1937. MGM would also receive a boost through the man who would become the "king of Hollywood" Clark Gable[5]; Gable's career took off to new heights after he won an Oscar for the 1934 Columbia film It Happened One Night. ^[2] By 1943, all three had left the studio. Joan Crawford moved to Warner Brothers where her career took a dramatic upturn for the better, Shearer and Garbo never made another film after leaving MGM. Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; ( March 23, 1905 - May 10, 1977) Crawford was signed to a motion picture Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and

Mayer and Irving Thalberg's relationship was lukewarm at best; Thalberg preferred literary works to the crowd-pleasers Mayer wanted. Thalberg, always physically frail, was removed as head of production in 1932. Mayer encouraged other staff producers, among them his son-in-law David O. Selznick, but no one seemed to have the sure touch of Thalberg. David O Selznick, born David Selznick ( May 10, 1902 &ndash June 22, 1965) was one of the iconic Hollywood producers As Thalberg fell increasingly ill in 1936, Louis Mayer could now serve as his temporary replacement. Rumors flew that Thalberg was leaving to set up his own independent company; his early death in 1936, at age thirty-seven, cost MGM dearly. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

As a result of Thalberg's death, Mayer became head of production as well as studio chief, becoming the first million-dollar executive in American history. The company remained profitable, although a change toward "series" pictures (Andy Hardy, Maisie, the Thin Man pictures, et al. The Thin Man was the first of six comic detective Films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, a hard-drinking ) is seen by some as evidence of Mayer's restored influence. Also playing a huge role was Ida Koverman, Mayer's "right hand woman".

In 1933, Ub Iwerks cancelled the unsuccessful Flip the Frog series and MGM began to distribute its second series of cartoons, starring a character named Willie Whopper, that was also produced by Ub Iwerks. Willie Whopper is an animated cartoon character created by American cartoonist Ub Iwerks. In 1934, after Iwerks' distribution contract expired, MGM hired animation producers/directors Hugh Harman and Rudolph Ising to produce a new series of color cartoons. Hugh Harman ( August 31, 1903 &ndash November 25, 1982) and Rudolf "Rudy" Ising ( August 7, 1903 &ndash Harman and Ising came to MGM after breaking ties with Leon Schlesinger and Warner Bros., and brought with them their popular Looney Tunes character, Bosko. Leon Schlesinger ( May 20, 1884 – December 25, 1949) was an American Film producer, most noted for founding Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros Animated cartoon series which ran in many movie theatres from 1930 to 1969 These were known as Happy Harmonies and in many ways resembled the Looney Tunes' sister series, Merrie Melodies. Happy Harmonies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and produced by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros The Happy Harmonies regularly ran over budget, and MGM dismissed Harman-Ising in 1937 to start its own animation studio. The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio was the in-house division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM motion picture studio in Hollywood California, responsible for producing After the resulting struggles with a poorly-received series of Captain and the Kids]] cartoons, the studio re-hired Harman and Ising in 1939, and Ising created the studio's first successful animated character, Barney Bear. However, MGM's biggest cartoon stars would come in the form of the cat-and-mouse duo Tom and Jerry, created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera in 1940. Tom and Jerry is a series of theatrical Short subjects (cartoons created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer William Denby "Bill" Hanna (July 14 1910 – March 22 2001 was an influential American Animator, director, producer, Joseph Roland "Joe" Barbera (; March 24 1911 – December 18 2006 was an influential American Animator, director, producer The Tom and Jerry cartoons won seven Academy Awards between 1943 and 1953. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. In 1941, Tex Avery, another Schlesinger alumnus, joined the animation department. Frederick Bean "Fred/Tex" Avery ( February 26, 1908 &ndash August 26, 1980) was an American It was Avery who gave the unit its image, with successes like Red Hot Riding Hood, Swing Shift Cinderella, and the Droopy series. Red Hot Riding Hood is an Animated cartoon Short subject, directed by Tex Avery and released Swing Shift Cinderella is an Animated cartoon Short subject, directed by Tex Avery and released in 1945 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Droopy is an Animated Cartoon character, an Anthropomorphic Dog (supposedly a Basset hound) with a droopy face hence the name

Increasingly, before and during World War II, Mayer came to rely on his "College of Cardinals"—senior producers who controlled the studio's output. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The College of Cardinals (verbose Sacred College of the Holy Roman Church, Sancta Romana Ecclesia, S This management-by-committee may explain why MGM seemed to lose its momentum, developing few new stars and relying on the safety of sequels and bland material. A sequel is a work in Literature, Film, or other media that portrays events following those of a previous work Production values remained high, and even "B" pictures carried a polish and gloss that made them expensive to mount, and artificial in tone. A B movie is a motion picture made on a low or modest budget Originally the term was used for films intended for distribution as the less-publicized second half of a Double After 1940, production was cut from fifty pictures a year to a more manageable twenty-five features per year. It was during this time that MGM released very successful musicals with players such as Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and Frank Sinatra, to name just a few. The musical film is a Film genre in which several Songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10 1922 – June 22 1969 was an American actress and singer Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 &ndash June 22, 1987) was an American Academy Award Eugene Curran “Gene” Kelly ( August 23, &ndash February 2,) was an American Dancer, Actor, Singer, director Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor

As audiences drifted away after the war, MGM found it difficult to attract audiences. While other studios backed away from the popular musicals of the war years, MGM increased its output to as many as five or six each year, roughly one-quarter of its annual output. Such pictures were expensive to produce, requiring a full staff of songwriters, arrangers, musicians, dancers, and technical support, and releasing so many each year affected the company’s finances. By the late forties, as MGM's profit margins decreased, word came from Schenck in New York: find "a new Thalberg" who could improve quality while paring costs. Mayer thought he had found this savior in Dore Schary, a writer and producer who had had a couple of successful years running RKO. Isidore 'Dore' Schary ( August 31, 1905, Newark New Jersey - July 7, 1980, New York City) was an American motion picture

Mayer's taste for wholesomeness and "beautiful" movies conflicted with Schary's preference for gritty message pictures. A message picture is a Motion picture that in addition to or instead of being for entertainment intends to communicate a certain message or ideal about society In August 1951, after a period of friendly antagonism with Schary, Mayer was fired. One report says that Mayer called Schenck and New York with an ultimatum—"It's him or me". Mayer tried to stage a boardroom coup to oust his old nemesis, but failed. A boardroom coup is the sudden overthrow of the management or governing body of a Corporation by an individual or small group of individuals usually from within the company

Gradually cutting loose expensive contract actors (perhaps most famously, Judy Garland in 1950), Schary managed to keep the studio running much as it had through the early 1950s. The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive Under Schary, MGM produced some well-regarded musicals, among them An American in Paris, Singin' in the Rain and The Band Wagon. An American in Paris is a MGM Musical film inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition by George Gershwin. Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 Comedy Musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds For the musical see The Band Wagon (musical. The Band Wagon ( 1953) is a Musical comedy film that many critics rank (along However, it was a losing fight, as the mass audience preferred to stay home and watch television. An American in Paris and Singin' in the Rain, as well as the 1951 Technicolor Show Boat (begun while Mayer was still in power), were box office smashes; The Band Wagon was a modest success. Show Boat ( 1951) is a film based on the musical by Jerome Kern (music and Oscar Hammerstein II (script and lyrics and the novel by But the 1954 film version of Brigadoon, and 1955's Kismet, both filmed in cinemascope, were flops. Brigadoon is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. Kismet is an American Musical film in Cinemascope and Eastman Color released by MGM in 1955. CinemaScope was a Widescreen movie format used from 1953 to 1967 On the other hand, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers , also made in Cinemascope, and released in 1954, became not only a huge critical success but a box office hit that is shown on television often to this day. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is a Musical film released in 1954.

In 1954, as a settlement of the government's restraint-of-trade action, U.S. vs. Paramount Pictures, et al., Loews, Inc. United States v Paramount Pictures, Inc, 334 US 131 ( 1948) (also known as the Hollywood Antitrust Case of 1948, the Paramount gave up control of MGM. It would take another five years before the interlocking arrangements were completely undone, by which time both Loews and MGM were sinking.

The lion loses its roar

As the studio system faded in the late 1950s and 1960s, MGM's prestige faded with it. The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 In 1957 (by coincidence, the year L. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) B. Mayer died) the studio lost money for the first time in its 34-year history. Cost overruns and the failure of the 1957 big-budget epic Raintree County prompted the studio to release Schary from his contract. Raintree County is a novel by Ross Lockridge Jr. It tells the story of a small-town Midwestern teacher and poet named John Shawnessy who in his younger Schary's reign at MGM had been marked with few bona-fide hits, but his departure (along with the retirement of Schenck in 1955) left a power vacuum that would prove difficult to fill. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) By 1960, MGM had released all of its contract players, with many either retiring or moving on to television. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Television, thought to be a passing fad, increasingly dominated entertainment, and at the urging of Leonard Goldenson, longtime head of Paramount's theater chain who now ran ABC, MGM made a few feeble moves into the new medium. Leonard H Goldenson ( December 7 1905 &ndash December 27 1999) was President of ABC. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. Like those of the other studios, MGM's first attempts at programming were either glorified trailers (The M-G-M Parade), or based on past movie successes like The Thin Man. MGM Parade was the title of a documentary television series produced by the MGM studio and broadcast by the ABC network during the 1955-56 season (Years later, they would produce highly successful TV series, like The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and the sitcom version of The Courtship of Eddie's Father). The Man from UNCLE is an American television series that was broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1964, to January The Courtship of Eddie's Father is an American Television Comedy-drama based on the popular 1963 movie of the same name

The year 1957 also marked the end of MGM's animation department, as the studio determined it could generate the same amount of revenue by reissuing older cartoons as it could by producing and releasing new ones. ^[3] William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, by then the heads of the MGM cartoon studio, took most of their unit and made their own company, Hanna-Barbera Productions, a successful producer of television animation.

However, there were several major exceptions to this downslide and loss of prestige. In 1956, MGM sold the television rights for The Wizard of Oz to CBS, which scheduled it to be shown in November of that year. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. In a landmark event, Oz became the first theatrical film to be shown complete in one evening on prime time television over a major American commercial network. Prime Time is the major News analysis current affairs and Politics programme broadcast on Radio Telefís Éireann in Ireland (Olivier's version of Hamlet was shown on prime time network TV a month later, but split in half over two weeks). Laurence Kerr Olivier Baron Hamlet is a British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, directed by and starring Sir Laurence Olivier. With its second showing on CBS in 1959, The Wizard of Oz became an annual tradition, drawing huge audiences in homes all over the U. The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem acc of traditio which means "a giving up delivering up surrendering" and is used in a number of S. and earning additional profits for the studio. The studio was all too happy to see Oz become, through television, one of the two or three most famous films MGM has ever made, and one of the few films that nearly everybody in the U. S. has seen at least once.

In 1958, MGM released what is generally considered their last great musical, Arthur Freed's wide-screen color production of Gigi, starring Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, and Louis Jourdan. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Arthur Freed ( September 9, 1894 - April 12, 1973) was born Arthur Grossman Not to be confused with Gigli. Gigi is a 1958 motion picture musical set in Paris France. Leslie Claire Margaret Caron (lɛsli kaʁɔ̃ (born 1 July 1931 is a two-time Academy Award-nominated French Film actress and Dancer. Maurice Auguste Chevalier ( September 12, 1888 &ndash January 1, 1972) was a French Actor, Singer, and This article is about the French actor for the Musician see Louis Jordan. It was adapted from the novel by Colette, and written by the team of Lerner and Loewe, who also wrote My Fair Lady and Camelot. Colette was the pen name of the French Novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette ( January 28 1873 &ndash August 3 Lerner and Loewe are the American Musical comedy writing team of Lyricist and Librettist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Gigi was a box-office and critical smash that won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and from it came several hit songs, including Thank Heaven For Little Girls, I Remember It Well, the Waltz at Maxim's, and the Oscar-winning title song. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to artists working The film was the last MGM musical to win a Best Picture Oscar, an honor that had previously gone to The Broadway Melody (1929), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), and An American in Paris (1951). The Broadway Melody is a 1929 musical Motion picture and the first Sound film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture The Great Ziegfeld ( 1936) is a Musical film produced by MGM. This article is about the Gershwin composition For the 1951 musical starring Gene Kelly see An American in Paris (film.

In 1959, MGM enjoyed one of its most spectacular successes of later years, with the release of its nearly four-hour Technicolor remake of Ben-Hur. The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Technicolor is the trademark for a series of color film processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation A " remake' " is a term used to described something that has been done again sometimes with better Quality, and usually with more features Starring Charlton Heston in the title role, the film would go on to win 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, a record that held until Titanic matched it in 1997 (and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King again in 2003). Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4 1923 &ndash April 5 2008) was an American Actor of Titanic is a 1997 Disaster film directed written co-produced and co-edited by James Cameron about the sinking of the RMS ''Titanic'' This article is about the live-action movie which shares a title with a book, video game, and animated film. Ben-Hur was an immense success both critically and at the box office.

In 1961, MGM resumed releasing new Tom and Jerry shorts, and production moved to Rembrandt Films in Czechoslovakia, under the supervision of Gene Deitch. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Eugene Merril "Gene" Deitch (born August 8, 1924 in Chicago Illinois) is an American Academy-Award winning Illustrator Deitch's Tom and Jerry cartoons are noteworthy as being very distant from the original Hanna and Barbera style of animation. In 1963, the production of Tom and Jerry returned to Hollywood under Chuck Jones and his Sib Tower 12 Productions studio (later absorbed by MGM and renamed MGM Animation/Visual Arts). Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Charles Martin "Chuck" Jones ( September 21, 1912 &ndash February 22, 2002) was an American Animator, MGM Animation/Visual Arts was an Animation Studio established in 1962 by Animation director/producer Chuck Jones and producer Les Goldman MGM Animation/Visual Arts was an Animation Studio established in 1962 by Animation director/producer Chuck Jones and producer Les Goldman Jones' group also produced its own works, winning an Oscar for The Dot and the Line, as well as producing the classic television version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (with Theodor Geisel). "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. The Dot and the Line A Romance in Lower Mathematics (ISBN 1-58717-066-3 is a book written and illustrated by Norton Juster, first published by Random House How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is one of the best-known children's books by Dr Theodor Seuss Geisel (ˈsɔɪs ˈɡaɪzəl March 2 1904 – September 24 1991 was an American Writer and Cartoonist, better known by his pen name Tom and Jerry folded in 1967, and the animation department continued with television specials and one feature film, The Phantom Tollbooth. A television special is a Television program, typically a Short film or Television movie, which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally The Phantom Tollbooth is a Live-action/animated film based on Norton Juster's 1961 Children's book The Phantom Tollbooth

MGM fell into a habit in this period that would eventually sink the studio: an entire year's production schedule relied on the success of one big-budget epic each year. This policy began in 1959, when Ben-Hur was profitable enough to carry the studio through 1960. The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. However, later attempts at big-budget epics failed, among them four films which, in addition to Ben-Hur, were also remakes - Cimarron (1960), King of Kings (1961), Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1961), and most notoriously, the 1962 Mutiny on the Bounty. Cimarron is a 1960 Western film based on the Edna Ferber novel Cimarron, featuring Glenn Ford and Maria For the 1927 Cecil B DeMille film see The King of Kings King of Kings ( 1961) is a American Motion For the 1921 film version see The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (film. Mutiny on the Bounty is a 1962 film starring Marlon Brando, based on the novel Mutiny on the "Bounty" by Charles One other epic that was a success, however, was the MGM-Cinerama co-production How the West Was Won, with a huge all-star cast. Cinerama is the trademarked name for a Widescreen process which works by simultaneously projecting images from three synchronized 35 mm projectors onto a huge deeply-curved How the West Was Won is a 1962 epic Western film which follows four generations of a family (starting as the Prescotts as they move ever King of Kings, while a commercial and critical flop at the time, has since come to be regarded as a film classic. In 1965, MGM would create another box-office smash, Doctor Zhivago. Doctor Zhivago ( Russian: Доктор Живаго, Doktor Zhivago) is a 20th century Novel by Boris Pasternak. [6]

As MGM sank (along with the other mainline studios), a series of studio heads came and went, along with a succession of corporate managers, all hoping to bring back the studio's glory days.

Kerkorian takes over

In 1967, MGM was sold to the Canadian investor Edgar Bronfman, Sr., whose son Edgar, Jr. would later buy Universal Studios). Edgar Miles Bronfman (born June 20, 1929) is a Canadian businessman Edgar Miles Bronfman Jr (born May 16, 1955) formerly CEO of Seagram and vice-chairman of Vivendi Universal, has been CEO of Warner Music Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American Two years later, an increasingly unprofitable MGM was bought by Nevada millionaire Kirk Kerkorian. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. Kerkor "Kirk" Kerkorian (born June 6, 1917) is an Armenian-American Billionaire, and president/ CEO of Tracinda What appealed to Kerkorian was MGM's Culver City real estate, and the value of 45 years' worth of glamour associated with the name, which he attached to a Las Vegas hotel and casino. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging usually on a short-term basis A casino is in the modern sense of the word a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of Gambling activities As for film-making, that part of the company was quickly and severely downsized under the supervision of James T. Aubrey, Jr. Aubrey, known from his days as head of programming at CBS as "the smiling cobra," sold off the MGM's accumulation of props, furnishings and historical memorabilia, including Dorothy's red slippers from The Wizard of Oz. Layoff is the temporary suspension or permanent Termination of employment of an Employee or (more commonly a group of employees for Business reasons James Thomas Aubrey Jr (December 14 1918 – September 3 1994 was an American television and film executive Put up for sale was venerable Lot 3, 40 acres (160,000 m²) of back-lot property, which became an up-scale real-estate project. Under this new leadership, MGM would also create another successful film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. 2001 A Space Odyssey is a science-fiction story produced in 1968 as both a film (directed by Stanley Kubrick) and a novel (written by Arthur C ^[4]

Through the 1970s studio output slowed considerably—Aubrey preferred four or five medium-budget pictures each year, along with a smattering of low-budget fare. With output cut back so severely, Kerkorian closed MGM's sales and distribution offices in 1973, handing that duty to United Artists. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. This article is about the film studio Previously it was affiliated with a cinema chain bearing its name now owned by Regal Entertainment Group. Kerkorian now distanced himself from the operations of the studio, focusing on his casino properties. Another chunk of the back lot was sold in 1974. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. The last shooting done on the backlot was the introductory material for That's Entertainment! a retrospective documentary that became a surprise hit for the studio. That's Entertainment! is a 1974 Compilation film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to celebrate its 50th anniversary Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt in one fashion or another to " Document " reality The shoddy look of the famous MGM exteriors and back lots shown in That's Entertainment!, including the "New York" street, was startling. The studio which previously had so much glamor and expertise in making big-budget films looked as if it had been reduced to nothing more than an average low-budget studio. In addition to MGM's fast declining image, the MGM Recording Studios were sold in 1975. Cherokee Studios is a large Recording studio in Los Angeles California.

In 1979, Kerkorian declared that MGM was now primarily a hotel company, but he did commit to increased production and an expanded film library when he bought the sinking United Artists in 1981. This article is about the film studio Previously it was affiliated with a cinema chain bearing its name now owned by Regal Entertainment Group. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981

MGM/UA, Turner and Pathé

The "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer" lettering on the studio's logo was changed to reflect their acquisition of UA, now reading "MGM/UA Entertainment Co. Leo the Lion is the mascot for the Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, featured in the studio's Production logo. "—the new name for the company. UA, which was essentially bankrupt following the disaster of Heaven's Gate, cut its production schedule sharply. Heaven's Gate is a 1980 Western movie depicting the Johnson County War, a dispute between land barons and European immigrants in Wyoming

Following a failed attempt to take over CBS in 1985, the ambitious Georgia-based media entrepreneur Ted Turner bought MGM/UA. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American Media proprietor and philanthropist. But his bankers, concerned about the already heavy debt-load his companies carried, refused to back him, and exactly seventy-four days later (October 17, 1986), Turner announced he was re-selling most of MGM/UA to Kirk Kerkorian for approximately $780 million USD ($480 million for United Artists and $300 million for the MGM logo). Events 539 BC - King Cyrus The Great of Persia marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar)

Turner retained the one MGM asset he really craved, the MGM film library, as well as the United Artists Television package (excepting most shows produced by UA itself and its predecessor Ziv Television Programs, with Gilligan's Island going to Turner). Ziv Television Programs Inc was an American Television syndication and production company producer of popular syndicated TV programs in the 1950s Gilligan's Island is an American TV sitcom originally produced by United Artists Television. Kerkorian got United Artists and the rights to the MGM name and trademark. A trademark or trade mark, represented by the symbols ™ and ®, or mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual The venerable Culver City lot, home to MGM and its predecessor since 1918, was sold to Lorimar-Telepictures, a television production company. Lorimar-Telepictures was a production and Television syndication firm established in 1986 with the merger of Lorimar and Telepictures until both TV divisions

How much of MGM's back catalog Turner actually obtained was a point of conflict for a time; eventually it was determined that Turner owned all of the MGM library, dating back to pre-merger days, as well as the pre-1948 Warner Bros. catalog, the entire RKO library, and a good share of United Artists's own backlist.

Turner began broadcasting MGM films through his Turner Network Television, and caused a controversy when he began "colorizing" many black and white classics. Turner Network Television, usually referred to as TNT, is an American cable TV network created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned In 1987, the MGM/UA name continued to be utilized, but it changed its name to MGM/UA Communications Co. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) , now using MGM and UA as separate brands, and the company especially created a new MGM/UA logo for use on co-productions between MGM and UA. Productions made by MGM carried a new version of the original studio logo, which had the byline "An MGM/UA Communications Company" until 1993.

In 1990, the now disgraced Italian financier, Giancarlo Parretti, announced that he had taken control of France's Pathé Frères, and was about to buy MGM/UA. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Giancarlo Parretti is an Italian financier He formerly owned the movie studio Pathé and in 1989 took over Cannon Film Group Inc This article deals with the Pathé movie company For their music business see Pathé Records. Despite a cloudy past Parretti got backing from Crédit Lyonnais and took control of MGM/UA through a leveraged buyout, and renamed as MGM-Pathe Communications Co. See also LCL (Le Crédit Lyonnais Crédit Lyonnais is a historic French Bank. The well respected executive, Alan Ladd, Jr., a former President of MGM/UA, was brought on board by Parretti to Chair Pathe, then ultimately as CEO of MGM in 1991. Alan Ladd Jr (born October 22 1937 in Los Angeles California, USA) is an American film industry executive and producer However the same year Parretti's ownership dissolved in a flurry of lawsuits and a default by Crédit Lyonnais, and Parretti faced securities fraud charges in the United States and Europe. A security is a Fungible, Negotiable instrument representing financial value In the broadest sense a fraud is a Deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual The United States of America —commonly referred to as the On the verge of bankruptcy and failure, Credit Lyonnais took full control of MGM-Pathé and converted its name back to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Pathe was purchased by Chargeurs in 1992. Chargeurs Réunis (United Shippers was a major French company formed in 1872

Despite a few commercial successes, such as Thelma and Louise, Crédit Lyonnais was unable to stem the tide of red ink during the mid-1990s; putting the studio up for sale, it found only one willing bidder: Kirk Kerkorian. Thelma & Louise is a 1991 American Road movie which breaks with tradition by featuring two female leads The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 Now the owner of MGM for the third time, Kerkorian at last conceded that a solid business plan was the studio's only hope. Crédit Lyonnais then ordered Kerkorian and the Board of Directors of MGM to fire Alan Ladd, Jr. as CEO of the company and replace him with former Paramount executive, Frank Mancuso Sr. By committing to more and better pictures, selling a portion of the studio to Australia's Seven Network, and installing a professional management team, Kerkorian was able to convince Wall Street that a revived MGM was worthy of a place on the stock market. Alan Ladd Jr (born October 22 1937 in Los Angeles California, USA) is an American film industry executive and producer Frank G Mancuso (born 25 July 1933 in Buffalo New York) was the chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures between 1983 and 1991 and For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Seven Network is an Australian television network, owned by the Seven Media Group.

However, despite a few successful pictures and a rebuilt film library, it was clear that MGM could not compete in a business that required hundreds of millions in capital for even the most ordinary picture.

1997–2001

In 1997, MGM bought John Kluge's collection of film properties (Orion Pictures, The Samuel Goldwyn Company - or Goldwyn Entertainment Company - and the Motion Picture Corporation of America), substantially enlarging its catalog. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar John Werner Kluge (born September 21, 1914) is a German - American Entrepreneur and a Billionaire. Orion Pictures Corporation was an American company that produced movies from 1978 until 1998 The Samuel Goldwyn Company was an Independent film company founded by Samuel Goldwyn Jr This catalog, along with the James Bond franchise, was considered to be MGM's primary asset. James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story In the same year, the series, Stargate SG-1, was released, being owned by MGM.

Up until 2001, MGM distributed its films internationally through UIP (United International Pictures) a joint venture between MGM, Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures. United International Pictures (or UIP; now known as Paramount Pictures International) is a Joint venture of Paramount Pictures (owned by In January 2001, MGM severed its ties with UIP and began distributing films internationally through 20th Century Fox. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar.

2004

Many of MGM's competitors started to make bids to purchase the studio, beginning with Time Warner. Time Warner Inc ( is the world's largest media and entertainment conglomerate, headquartered in New York City. It was not unexpected that Time Warner would bid, since the largest shareholder in the company was Ted Turner. His Turner Entertainment group had risen to success in part through its ownership of the pre-1986 MGM library. Turner Entertainment Company Inc is an American media company founded by Ted Turner. After a short period of negotiation with MGM, Time Warner was unsuccessful.

The leading bidder, though, proved to be Sony Corporation of America, backed by Comcast and venture capital bankers Texas Pacific Group (now TPG Capital, L. Sony Corporation of America (SCA is the United States subsidiary of Japan 's Sony Corporation. Venture capital (also known as VC or Venture) is a type of Private equity capital typically provided to immature high-potential growth companies TPG Capital (formerly Texas Pacific Group commonly referred to as "TPG" is a Private equity investment firm founded by David Bonderman, James P. ) and Providence Equity Partners. Providence Equity Partners is a Private equity firm headquartered in Providence Rhode Island that focuses on investments in media and telecommunications Sony's primary goal was to ensure Blu-Ray Disc support at MGM; cost synergies with Sony Pictures Entertainment were secondary. Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc ( SPE) is the television and Film production/distribution unit of Japanese Media conglomerate Sony Time Warner made a counter-bid (which Ted Turner reportedly tried to block), but on September 13, 2004, Sony increased its bid of $11. Events 509 BC - The Temple of Jupiter on Rome 's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 25/share (roughly $4. 7 billion) to $12/share ($5 billion), and Time Warner subsequently withdrew its bid of $11/share ($4. 5 billion).

MGM and Sony agreed on a purchase price of nearly $5 billion, of which about $2 billion was to pay off MGM debt [7] [8]. Since 2005, the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group has domestically distributed films by MGM and UA

2006

MGM announced that it would return as a theatrical distribution company. }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company TriStar Pictures Inc (spelled Tri-Star until 1991 is a film subsidiary of Columbia Pictures, itself a subdivision of the Columbia TriStar Motion MGM negotiated and struck deals with The Weinstein Company, Lakeshore Entertainment, Bauer Martinez, and many other independent studios, and then announced its plans to release 14 feature films for 2006 and early 2007. The Weinstein Company is an independent American Film studio founded by Harvey and Bob Weinstein in 2005 after the pair left Lakeshore Entertainment Group is an American Independent film Production company founded in 1994 by Tom Rosenberg and Ted Tannebaum (1933-2002 Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. MGM also hoped to increase the amount to over 20 by 2007. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Lucky Number Slevin, released April 7, was the first film released under the new MGM era. Lucky Number Slevin, renamed for DVD as Lucky # Slevin (also known as The Wrong Man) is a 2006 crime Thriller Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Other recent films under the MGM/Weinstein deal include Clerks II and Bobby. Clerks II is the sequel to Kevin Smith 's 1994 movie Clerks, and his sixth feature film to be set in the View Askewniverse Bobby is a Golden Globe Award -nominated historical Drama film written and directed by Emilio Estevez. Upon the MGM/Weinstein films' release on home video, however, full distribution rights revert to Weinstein (under Genius Products). Genius Products (also known as Genius Entertainment) is a Home video company based in Santa Monica California.

On May 31, MGM announced that it would transfer home video output (MGM Home Entertainment) from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (excepting those MGM or UA and Columbia or TriStar co-productions, such as the 2006 remake of Casino Royale, where Columbia is a majority partner). Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. MGM Home Entertainment is the Home video and DVD distribution arm of MGM. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the Home video distribution arm of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is the Home video distribution arm of the 20th Century Fox film studio Casino Royale ( 2006) is the twenty-first film in the James Bond series; it is directed by Martin Campbell and the first to star ^[5][6]

MGM also announced plans to restructure its worldwide television distribution operation. ^[7] In addition MGM signed a deal with New Line Television in which MGM would handle New Line's U. New Line Television is an American television production/distribution company launched in 1988. S. film and series television syndication packages. MGM will also serve as New Line's barter sales rep in the television arena for the next two years. ^[8]

On November 2, producer/actor Tom Cruise and his production partner, Paula Wagner, signed an agreement with MGM to run United Artists. Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Thomas Cruise Mapother IV ( born July 3 1962 better known by his screen name Tom Cruise, is an American Actor and Film producer Paula Wagner (born Paula Kauffman on 12 December 1946) is an American Film producer and film executive Wagner will serve as United Artists' chief executive. Cruise will produce and star in films for UA and MGM will distribute the movies.

2007

In April, it was announced that MGM movies would be able to be downloaded through Apple's iTunes service, with MGM bringing an estimated 100 of its existing movies to iTunes service, the California-based computer company revealed. iTunes is a proprietary digital media player application introduced by Apple Inc The list of movies included the likes of modern features such as Rocky, Ronin, Mad Max and Dances with Wolves, along with more golden-era classics such as Lilies of the Field and The Great Train Robbery. Rocky is a 1976 Film written by and starring Sylvester Stallone and directed by John G A was a Samurai with no lord or master during the Feudal period (1185–1868 of Japan. Mad Max is a 1979 Australian apocalyptic action thriller Film directed by George Miller and written Dances with Wolves is a 1990 Epic film which tells the story of a United States Lieutenant who travels to the American Frontier to find a military post Lilies of the Field is a 1962 book by William Edmund Barrett which was made into a 1963 film and adapted for the musical stage with the title ^[9]

In October, the company launched MGM HD on DirecTV, offering a library of movies formatted in Hi Def. MGM HD is a High definition television channel available via DIRECTV and Dish Network in the United States and N satellite service DirecTV (trademarked as "DIREC' TV' " is a Direct broadcast satellite (DBS service based in El Segundo California, USA, that was founded

MGM's library today

As of the present day, the Turner Entertainment Co. unit of Time Warner owns the rights to the pre-1986 MGM film library with Warner Bros. handling distribution. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and

Material owned by MGM:

• Nearly all of its own post-1986 library;
• Most of the post-1952 United Artists catalog (although it also includes a tiny fraction of pre-1952 UA material);
• The post-1981 Orion Pictures film and television library (which includes material from predecessors American International Pictures, Heatter-Quigley Productions, and Filmways);
• The pre-1997 Samuel Goldwyn library;
• The pre-1996 Motion Picture Corporation of America library;
• The theatrical rights to most of the Granada International catalog, including their inherited ITC Entertainment (The Return of the Pink Panther, Capricorn One, On Golden Pond, etc. This article is about the film studio Previously it was affiliated with a cinema chain bearing its name now owned by Regal Entertainment Group. Orion Pictures Corporation was an American company that produced movies from 1978 until 1998 American International Pictures was a Film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Heatter-Quigley Productions was an American Television production company that was launched in 1960 by two former television writers Merrill Heatter and Filmways Inc was a Television and Film production company founded by American film executive Martin Ransohoff in 1960 Samuel Goldwyn ( ca. July 1879 &ndash 31 January 1974) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning producer Granada Productions is one of Europe 's leading commercial television production and distribution companies The Incorporated Television Company (ITC is a British television company largely involved in production and distribution The Return of the Pink Panther is the fourth film in the Pink Panther series released in. Capricorn One is a 1978 thriller movie about a Mars landing Hoax. On Golden Pond is a 1981 American Drama film directed by Mark Rydell. ) library;
• The Cannon Films library (King Solomon's Mines, That Championship Season, etc. The Cannon Group Inc was a group of companies including Cannon Films which produced a distinctive line of low to medium budget films from 1967 to 1993. King Solomon's Mines was a 1985 comedy - Adventure film loosely based on the novel King Solomon's Mines (1885 by H That Championship Season is a 1972 play by Jason Miller. The play made its off-Broadway debut at the Estelle Newman Theatre on May 2 1972 where it ran for 144 performances , with few exceptions, including certain co-productions with Warner Bros., the television rights to Lifeforce--those stand with MGM cousin company Sony Pictures Television, and most territorial rights to Surrender and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace);
• The Epic Productions library. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and Lifeforce is a 1985 Science fiction film directed by Tobe Hooper from a screenplay by Dan O'Bannon and Don Jakoby, from the novel Sony Pictures Television Inc (SPT is an American Television production /distribution company Surrender is the title of a 1987 Film starring Sally Field and Michael Caine. Superman IV The Quest for Peace is a 1987 Superhero film, the last of the Superman theatrical movies starring Christopher Reeve as the
• Most of the pre-1996 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment library;
• Selected Nelson Entertainment properties (including the pre-Turner-merger Castle Rock Entertainment library with the exception of co-productions with Columbia Pictures) and Embassy Pictures properties (with the exception of two films co-produced and co-distributed by Columbia);
• Those of other smaller defunct studios, including Atlantic Releasing Corporation, Scotti Bros. PolyGram Filmed Entertainment ( PFE) (aka PolyGram Films and PolyGram Pictures) was a London -based Anglo - Dutch Castle Rock Entertainment is a film and television Production company founded in 1987 by Martin Shafer, director Rob Reiner, Andy Scheinman, }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company Embassy Pictures Corporation (previously known as Avco Embassy Pictures and later Embassy Film Associates) was an independent studio and distributor responsible for Atlantic Releasing Corporation was an Independent film distributor that lasted from 1981 until 1988. Pictures and Hemdale Film Corporation - itself incorporated into the Orion library. Hemdale Film Corporation (sometimes called Hemdale Releasing Corporation or Hemdale Pictures Corporation) known as Hemdale Communications after

See also

• List of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
• Leo the Lion, the MGM mascot
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation
• MGM Mirage, the Las Vegas, Nevada-based hotel development company. This is a selected list of feature films originally created and/or distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (include MGM/UA Entertainment Co Leo the Lion is the mascot for the Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, featured in the studio's Production logo. The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio was the in-house division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM motion picture studio in Hollywood California, responsible for producing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation, or MGM Animation for short is a division of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM motion picture studio in Hollywood California MGM Mirage ( is a Las Vegas, Nevada -based business engaged in the development ownership and operation of hotels and casinos throughout the world Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally
• MGM Television
• MGM Worldwide Television
• MGM HD
• Six Flags

References

External links

• Official site
• MGM Animation at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• International Academy of Music Arts and Sciences
• MGM's Super 8 Home Movie catalog from 1978