Andy Heyward
{{short description|Producer, writer, CEO}}
{{distinguish|Andrew Heyward|Andy Hayward}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Andy Heyward
|image =
|caption =
|birthname = Andrew B. Heyward
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|2|19}}
|birth_place = New York City, U.S.
|occupation = Producer, writer, CEO
|years_active = 1976–present
|spouse = {{marriage|Evelyn Heyward|1981}}
|children = 4
}}
Andrew B. Heyward (born February 19, 1949) is an American media executive and animator who is currently CEO of Kartoon Studios, formerly known as Genius Brands International. He previously worked at defunct animation studio and production company DIC Entertainment as chairman and CEO.{{cite web|last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |url=https://deadline.com/2011/03/arnold-schwarzenegger-teams-with-former-dic-ceo-andy-heyward-for-tv-series-116633/ |title=Ex-Governator Partners For TV Toon Series – |date=24 March 2011|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=7 April 2011}}
Early life
Heyward was born in New York City, New York, the son of Sylvia (née Block) and Louis M. "Deke" Heyward, who was vice president of development at leading entertainment companies such as Four Star International[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2002/04/08/louis-m-heyward/b291a09b-c5f2-47f8-898a-11023397c2a8/ Obituary at The_Washington_Post 8 April 2002] accessed 28 January 2017 and Barry & Enright Productions,[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-apr-07-me-heyward7-story.html Obituary at Los_Angeles_Times 7 April 2002] accessed 28 January 2017 as well as senior vice president for defunct leading cartoon company, Hanna-Barbera.{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/1/Andy-Heyward.html |title=Andy Heyward Biography (1949-) |publisher=Filmreference.com |date=1949-02-19 |access-date=2011-04-07}}
Professional life
Andy Heyward's upbringing was robust with access to the entertainment elite, including his first start as an assistant for legendary animator Joe Barbera of Hanna-Barbera on Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics.{{cite news|title=Cartoon Producer goes digital with Stan Lee, Martha Stewart|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/entre/2010-10-09-asquared-andy-heyward_N.htm|access-date=January 28, 2017|work=Broadcasting and Cable|publisher=USA_Today|date=Oct 10, 2010}} In 1986, Heyward took the lead of DIC Entertainment after he and other investors performed a buyout of majority shares owned by the Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion (now RTL Group, owned by Bertelsmann).{{citation|title=Bertelsmann holdings and news|url=https://www.bertelsmann.com/divisions/rtl-group/#st-1|work=Entertainment Conglomerates|publisher=Bertelsmann|date=December 2016|access-date=July 1, 2020}} He subsequently bought the remaining shares owned by Jean Chalopin, founder of the French company DIC Audiovisuel.{{cite news|last=Adelson |first=Andrea |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/30/business/business-people-for-maker-of-cartoons-a-chance-to-go-public.html?scp=11&sq=the%20real%20ghostbusters&st=cse |title=BUSINESS PEOPLE – For Maker of Cartoons, A Chance to Go Public |work=The New York Times |date=1987-12-30 |access-date=2016-01-27}}{{cite news|last1=Bates|first1=James|title=Huge Debt Keeps Pressure on DIC to Keep Turning Out Animated TV Hits: Cartoon Firm Deals Way to Top|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-03-08-fi-728-story.html|access-date=May 19, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=March 8, 1988}} Heyward eventually sold a majority interest in DIC to Capital Cities/ABC in 1993, forming a limited partnership company called DIC Entertainment L.P. CC/ABC that was later purchased by The Walt Disney Company in 1996. In 2000, with two venture capital firms, Heyward re-purchased DIC Entertainment.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2000/tv/news/bain-backing-buyout-of-dic-1117786555/|title=Bain backing buyout of DIC|date=Sep 18, 2000|work=Variety|access-date=2009-08-15|first=Carl|last=DiOrio}} In 2008, Heyward sold DIC Entertainment to Cookie Jar Group.{{cite news|title=Cookie Jar, DIC Entertainment to Merge|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/programming/cookie-jar-dic-entertainment-merge/32594|access-date=November 3, 2014|work=Broadcasting and Cable|publisher=NewBay Media|date=Jun 20, 2008}}
In 2009, he founded A Squared Entertainment (A2) with his wife, Amy.{{cite news|last=Truitt|first=Brian|title=Meet Stan Lee's newest super-team, 'Super Seven' |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/comics/2010-02-22-super7-stanlee-st_N.htm |newspaper=USA TODAY|date=2010-02-22 |access-date=10 April 2014}} In 2013, the company merged with Genius Brands to form Genius Brands International (now as Kartoon Studios), with Heyward serving as CEO.{{cite web|last=Bond |first=Paul |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/genius-brands-merges-andy-heywards-656559 |title=Genius Brands Merges With Andy Heyward's A Squared Entertainment |publisher=Hollywood Reporter |date=2013-11-15 |access-date=2015-11-16}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0382375}}
- [http://www.kartoonstudios.com/ Kartoon Studios]
{{DHX Media}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heyward, Andy}}
Category:American male television writers
Category:American television writers
Category:Screenwriters from New York (state)