MTM Enterprises
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
MTM Enterprises was an independent production company established in 1969 by Mary Tyler Moore and her then-husband Grant Tinker to produce The Mary Tyler Moore Show for CBS. It was sold in 1990 to TVS Entertainment plc, which was in turn acquired by Pat Robertson's International Family Entertainment in late 1992. IFE along with MTM was sold to Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation in 1996. MTM ceased operations and was folded into 20th Century Fox Television in 1998.
For many years MTM, with CBS, co-owned the CBS Studio Center in Studio City, California, where a majority of their programs were filmed and videotaped.
Contents |
[edit] CBS connection
MTM programs appeared almost exclusively on CBS until the early 1980s, when Grant Tinker assumed the additional role of president of NBC. Soon, NBC picked up a number of MTM shows, and Tinker stepped down as head of MTM to avoid a conflict of interest. His intention was to leave NBC after 5 years (in 1986) and return to MTM, taking over the reins from interim MTM president Arthur Price. However, Price fired many of the key players in the company's ranks, and by 1986 they had few shows left on the schedules (Hill Street Blues, St. Elsewhere and Remington Steele were all nearing the ends of their runs, leaving Newhart as the sole entrant on the schedule).
[edit] Mimsie the Cat
The company is also remembered for its mascot, Mimsie the Cat, who was an obvious parody of MGM's Leo the Lion. In each MTM production, Mimsie (also known as "Dick Turpin" and "Dick Marino") would arrive in a different disguise as its closing logo, corresponding to the style and theme of a certain show. For example:
-Hill Street Blues: Mimsie is in a police uniform.
-St. Elsewhere: Mimsie is seen in medical scrubs and a surgical mask.
-The White Shadow: Mimsie is replaced by a calico cat dribbling a basketball.
-Remington Steele: Mimsie dressed as Sherlock Holmes.
-The New WKRP: The "meow" is replaced with Les Nessman exclaiming "oooooOOOOooooh!"
-Newhart: The "meow" is voiced by Bob Newhart. In the last episode, instead of meowing, Mimsie yells "QUIET!" (which was two Darryls' first and only word, spoken in the finale).
-Xuxa: Voice-over says "Ciao!"
-Mary Tyler Moore: At the end of episode #71, Mary appears saying "That's all Folks!", parodying Porky Pig.
-The Duck Factory: The "meow" is replaced by a voice asking "Where's the cat?", followed by Mimsie quacking.
-Graham Kerr: Mimsie wears a chef's hat.
-The Steve Allen Show: Mimsie wears Allen's glasses and says "Schmuck."
-MTM Home Video releases show Mimsie holding a remote control and, after meowing, stepping on the remote to "rewind" and meow a second time.
[edit] Programs
Among its various productions included:
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-77), CBS
- The Bob Newhart Show (1972-78), CBS
- Paul Sand in Friends & Lovers (1974), CBS
- Rhoda (1974-78), CBS
- Doc (1975-76), CBS
- Phyllis (1975-77), CBS
- The Tony Randall Show (1976-78), CBS
- Lou Grant (1977-82), CBS
- The Betty White Show (1977-78), CBS
- The White Shadow (1978-81), CBS
- WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-82), CBS
- Paris (1979-80), CBS
- Six O'Clock Follies (1979), CBS
- The Last Resort (1979), CBS
- Hill Street Blues (1981-87), NBC
- Remington Steele (1982-87), NBC
- Cagney & Lacey (1982-88), CBS
- St. Elsewhere (1982-88), NBC
- Newhart (1982-90), CBS
- Capital News (1990), ABC
- Bay City Blues (1983), NBC
- The Duck Factory (1984), NBC
- Beverly Hills Buntz (1987-88), NBC
- The New WKRP in Cincinnati (1991-93), Syndicated
In addition to the above shows, MTM has distributed programs such as:
- The Steve Allen Show
- Graham Kerr
- Xuxa
- America's Funniest Home Videos
- Evening Shade
- Rescue 911
- Peter Gunn
- Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
[edit] Films
- A Little Sex (1982)
- Just Between Friends (1986)
- Clara's Heart (1988)
[edit] External links
 |
This corporation or company article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
