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Heron Communications was a production company, distributor and a subsidiary of Gerald Ronson's Heron International.
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Production and Distribution[1] |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Fate | Ceased operations |
| Parent | Heron International |
| Subsidiaries | Heron Home Video Media Home Entertainment Hi-Tops Video Fox Hills Video The Nostalgia Merchant |
It owned various home video companies, including Heron Home Entertainment (formerly Videoform Pictures), which had a joint venture with PolyGram Video, Channel 5 Video.[2][3]
In 1984, it bought out the American home video company Media Home Entertainment, also including The Nostalgia Merchant. In 1986, Heron expanded in the US with two new labels; children's-oriented Hi-Tops Video,[4] and sell-through oriented label Fox Hills Video (with The Nostalgia Merchant now part of Fox Hills).[5]
In 1987, Heron Communications teamed up with fledging film distributor Troma Entertainment to distribute nine films on videocassette through the Media label, and also became involved with Cox Video and executive producer Alan Landsburg to produce direct-to-video documentaries for the Fox Hills Video label.[6]
That October, it entered into an agreement with NFL Films that would make Fox Hills the exclusive distributor for NFL Films Video titles.[7] Elsewhere, Heron filed a lawsuit against American film producer/distributor The Vista Organization, charging that Vista, along with its chairman and president, with fraud and breach of contract involving Vista's then-recent merger with Carolco and subsequent transfer of video rights to Vista titles to International Video Entertainment (then partially-owned by Carolco), including Maid to Order, Fright Night Part II, and Dudes.[8]
Heron ultimately began to sell or close their video operations in the early 1990s, a side-effect of the fraud cases that took down their parent company, Heron International. Hi-Tops Video was sold to Western Publishing and integrated into their Golden Book Video label;[9][10] Media continued operations into 1993, with their final releases being distributed by FoxVideo.[11] [12][13] Other Media and Hi-Tops titles were licensed to Video Treasures for a period in the early-to-mid 1990s.[14][15]
Filmography
editAs a production company
edit- Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel (1991) ... Production Company
- The Perfect Bride (1991) (TV) ... Production Company
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989) ... Production Company (presents)
- The Adventures of Ronald McDonald: McTreasure Island (1989) (V) ... Production Company
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) ... Production Company (presents)
- The Hidden (1987) ... Production Company
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) ... Production Company (presents)
- I Am Not a Freak (1987) (TV) ... Production Company (as Heron Communications Inc.)
- The Ladies Club (1986) ... Production Company
- A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) ... Production Company (presents)
- A Stranger Is Watching (1982) ... Production Company
As a distributor
edit- Il cacciatore di squali (1979) ... Distributor (1987) (USA) (VHS)
- Flight to Mars (1951) ... Distributor (1987) (USA) (VHS)
- The Set-Up (1949) ... Distributor (1987) (USA) (VHS)
Assets
edit- Media Home Entertainment (1978–1993)
- Hi-Tops Video (1984–1993)
- The Nostalgia Merchant (1978-)
- Fox Hills Video (1986–1992)
- Channel 5 Video (joint venture with PolyGram) (1986-1992)[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c https://www.imdb.com/company/co0052823/ [user-generated source]
- ^ a b "Heron, PolyGram Set Joint Venture With Low Pricing". Variety. 1986-01-01. p. 25.
- ^ "Channel Five Moves Into Music & Kid Vid" (PDF). World Radio History. 11 July 1987. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "Heron Establishes Kidvid Label; Moss, Steingard Aboard". Variety. 1986-07-09. p. 31.
- ^ "Heron Sets Name, Product & Execs Of New Vid Branch". Variety. 1986-08-27. p. 30.
- ^ "Heron Obtains 9 Troma Films For HV And Inks With Cox For Madefors". Variety. 1987-07-22. p. 44.
- ^ Bierbaum, Tom (1987-10-21). "Fox Hills To Carry Ball For NFL; Called Biggest Sportsdeal Yet". Variety. p. 510.
- ^ "Heron Sues Vista Citing Contract Breach, Fraud". Variety. 1987-10-28. p. 40.
- ^ Lichtman, Irv (20 July 1991). "Inside Track" (PDF). Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ McCullaugh, Jim (8 August 1991). "Western Publishing On The Fast Track With Hi-Tops Slate" (PDF). World Radio History. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ McCullaugh, Jim (30 March 1991). "Parent Wants To Sell Media Home Entertainment" (PDF). World Radio History. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Goldstein, Seth (12 December 1992). "Picture This" (PDF). World Radio History. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Goldstein, Seth (30 January 1993). "Video Treasures Polishes Up; Stevens To Focus On Acquisitions" (PDF). World Radio History. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Holley, Debbie (16 November 1991). "Suppliers Step Out Of Superstar-Vid Routine & Into New Territory" (PDF). World Radio History. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Jeffrey, Don (13 March 1993). "GTS Links With Video Treasures; Distrib Pact To Bolster Tesh Label's Reach" (PDF). World Radio History. Retrieved 5 May 2024.