Universal-International Pictures
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Background
In 1946, Universal Pictures merged with International Pictures, headed by Leo Spitz and William Goetz. This team ran the newly-formed Universal-International Pictures, while Nate Blumberg and J. Cheever Cowdin remained at the helm of Universal Pictures, the parent company.
Universal-International underwent significant expansion, with Goetz at the helm. One major move was taking on the American distribution of J. Arthur Rank's British productions, including critically acclaimed films like David Lean's Great Expectations and Laurence Olivier's Hamlet. The studio also ventured into the non-theatrical market, acquiring home-movie dealer Castle Films and offering "highlights" reels from its film library for home-movie enthusiasts and collectors. Additionally, Universal-International licensed its pre-Universal-International film library to Realart Pictures for cinema re-release, but stipulated that the films could not be shown on television. In 1948, Universal-International ordered the destruction of all remaining silent film copies to collect the silver nitrate after World War II ended.
Despite its expansion efforts, the production arm of the studio struggled to produce hits at the box office. By the late 1940s, Goetz was replaced and the studio returned to its roots of producing low-budget and series films. This included Ma and Pa Kettle, a spin-off of the 1947 hit The Egg and I, and Francis, which is about a talking mule. Abbott and Costello remained a top-grossing production for the studio, with Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein being one of its most successful films. However, after Rank lost interest, his shares were sold to investor Milton Rackmil, whose Decca Records took full control of Universal in 1952. The studio retained the Walter Lantz cartoon studio, which released its products alongside Universal-International's films.
In 1962, Music Corporation of America (MCA) purchased Decca Records and with it, Universal-International Pictures, leaving Milton Rackmil and Edward Muhl in charge, while Dr. Jules Stein (Board Chairman) and Lew Wasserman (President) guiding MCA. As a result of a consent decree with the justice department, MCA divested itself of its talent agency business. This led to Universal-International being renamed into the current Universal Pictures.
- REDIRECT Universal Pictures
