Becker Entertainmentis anAustralianproduction company.
| Formerly | R.A. Becker & Co(1965–1993) |
|---|---|
| Genre | Australian entertainment company |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Founder | Russell Becker |
| Defunct | 2008 |
| Successor | Prime Television Icon Film Distribution |
| Headquarters | , Australia |
| Owner | Prime Television |
| Divisions | REP Distribution PRO Films |
| Subsidiaries | Dendy Films Dendy Cinemas |
History
editThe company was founded in 1965 asR.A. Beckerby Russell Becker, one of the pioneers of commercial television in Australia.[1]Becker was Australia's first independent distributor of television programs. It went on to become a major producer of Australian versions of numerous American game shows.[2]
In 1976, Russell's son Richard Becker bought outFremantle International's Australian unit, who was producing several game shows to the markets of Australia and New Zealand.[2]In 1977, Richard Becker was joining the family business after four years with theCommonwealth Attorney-General's Department,and helped them expand the television division.[2]
In 1987, the company launched its subsidiary, PRO Films, to produce feature films in theLos Angelesmarket.[2]
The company expanded into theatrical film distribution around the same time as REP (standing for Richard Entertainment Partners) after Russell Becker's son Richard and his two friends Richard Sheffield and Richard Guardian who collaborated with him on the move into film. Richard Sheffield ran REP as a Becker employee until he left to establish the Australian office ofPolyGram Pictures).[3][4]
The Australian box office success ofFour Weddings and a Funeralfuelled the listing of Becker Entertainment Limited on theAustralian Stock Exchangein 1995, with Richard Becker as Managing Director and Russell as Chairman. Around the same time, PolyGram and Becker parted ways, withPolyGram Filmed Entertainmentestablishing its Australian unit.[5]
Subsequently, Becker Entertainment purchased theDendy Cinemachain and became Australia's largest exhibitor of art house or limited release theatrical films.[6]The company begin expanding its market to Indonesia, with a 10-year deal with broadcasterRCTIin 1998.[7]
In the late 1990s, the company gained the rights to the 600-title library from TMS Distribution (the former incarnation ofHoyts Distribution).[8]In 2003, the company expanded its holdings to include a new international sales unitBecker Films International,led by Reiko Bradley, which manages international sales of Becker's films around the world.[9]A year later, the company decided to sell its stake in home video distributorMagna Pacificfor $27 million.[10]
Becker Entertainment was sold toPrime Televisionin 2007.[11][12]Around the same time, Becker sold off its Dendy Films andDendy Cinemaschain toIcon Film Distributionin 2008.[13]
After stepping down from Becker Entertainment in 2007,[14]Richard Becker went on to establish a new company, Becker Film Group in 2008[15][16]
With the remaining assets owned byPrime Television Limited,the company was eventually delisted from the Australian Stock Exchange and the remaining rights absorbed into Prime Television Limited. Prime went on to rename the company WASTAR ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD ACN 073 853 371.[17]
Relaunch
editOn 22 September 2016, Daniel Becker and RJ Brent successfully lobbied ASIC to register a new trading entity of BECKER ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD ACN 614 954 157.[18]
This company was established as a Film and TV Production Company, and started focusing on projects in 2017 withMy Day Job[19]andRavenswood.[20]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^Boland, Michaela (25 June 2007)."Becker family sells 43% of business".Variety.Retrieved17 February2023.
- ^abcd"AUSSIE FILM MAKER SETTLES DOWN IN L.A."Australian Financial Review.27 July 1990.Retrieved1 June2023.
- ^Kerr, Greg; Kalina, Paul (1 November 1991). "The Independents".Cinema Papers.pp. 48–50.
- ^Groves, Don (4 September 2001)."Becker exec will handle int'l at Hoyts distribbery".Variety.Retrieved16 June2023.
- ^Groves, Don (25 September 1995)."Polygram bows Aussie distrib'n".Variety.Retrieved1 June2023.
- ^Variety Staff (30 July 1997)."Becker picks up Dendy".Variety.Retrieved1 June2023.
- ^Woods, Mark (17 April 1998)."Becker sees bumpy future".Variety.Retrieved16 June2023.
- ^Cahill, Phillippe (15 September 1999)."Oz's Becker posts annual loss again".Variety.Retrieved1 June2023.
- ^Groves, Don (11 August 2003)."Bradley to top Becker".Variety.Retrieved16 June2023.
- ^Groves, Don (27 October 2004)."Becker bags a pair".Variety.Retrieved16 June2023.
- ^"Prime buys Becker stake in film biz".Encore Magazine.1 July 2007.
- ^"Prime gains control of Becker Group".The Sydney Morning Herald.22 June 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 3 November 2013.
- ^George2008-02-22T12:41:00+00:00, Sandy."Icon Film Distribution buys Australian arthouse brand Dendy".Screen.Retrieved16 June2023.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^"Becker chief to step down".The Hollywood Reporter.11 April 2006.
- ^Boland, Michaela (15 July 2008). "Becker returning with new shingle".Daily Variety.
- ^George, Sandy (14 July 2008)."Richard Becker leaps back into Australian distribution".Screen Daily.Retrieved15 July2019.
- ^"WASTAR ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD ACN 073 853 371".Asic Connect.ASIC.Retrieved9 October2018.
- ^"BECKER ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD ACN 614 954 157".Asic Connect.ASIC.Retrieved9 October2018.
- ^"My Day Job".IMDB.Retrieved9 October2018.
- ^"Ravenswood (2017)".IMDB.Retrieved9 October2018.