Becker Entertainment
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2018}}
Becker Entertainment is an Australian production company.
{{Infobox company
| name = Becker Entertainment
| former_name = R.A. Becker & Co (1965–1993)
| genre = Australian entertainment company
| founded = {{Start date|1965}}
| founder = Russell Becker
| defunct = {{End date|2008}}
| successor = Prime Television
Icon Film Distribution
| hq_location_city = Sydney, New South Wales
| hq_location_country = Australia
| owner = Prime Television
| divisions = REP Distribution
PRO Films
| subsid = Dendy Films
Dendy Cinemas
}}
History
The company was founded in 1965 as R.A. Becker by Russell Becker, one of the pioneers of commercial television in Australia.{{Cite web |last=Boland |first=Michaela |date=2007-06-25 |title=Becker family sells 43% of business. |url=https://variety.com/2007/biz/news/becker-family-sells-43-of-business-1117967578/ |access-date=2023-02-17 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} 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.
In 1976, Russell's son Richard Becker bought out Fremantle International's Australian unit, who was producing several game shows to the markets of Australia and New Zealand.{{Cite web |date=1990-07-27 |title=AUSSIE FILM MAKER SETTLES DOWN IN L.A. |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/aussie-film-maker-settles-down-in-l-a-19900727-kamu6 |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}} In 1977, Richard Becker was joining the family business after four years with the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department, and helped them expand the television division.
In 1987, the company launched its subsidiary, PRO Films, to produce feature films in the Los Angeles market.
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 of PolyGram Pictures).{{Cite news |last=Kerr |first=Greg |last2=Kalina |first2=Paul |date=1991-11-01 |title=The Independents |pages=48–50 |work=Cinema Papers}}{{Cite web |last=Groves |first=Don |date=2001-09-04 |title=Becker exec will handle int’l at Hoyts distribbery |url=https://variety.com/2001/biz/news/becker-exec-will-handle-int-l-at-hoyts-distribbery-1117852147/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
The Australian box office success of Four Weddings and a Funeral fuelled the listing of Becker Entertainment Limited on the Australian Stock Exchange in 1995, with Richard Becker as Managing Director and Russell as Chairman. Around the same time, PolyGram and Becker parted ways, with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment establishing its Australian unit.{{Cite web |last=Groves |first=Don |date=1995-09-25 |title=Polygram bows Aussie distrib’n |url=https://variety.com/1995/film/features/polygram-bows-aussie-distrib-n-99129060/ |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
Subsequently, Becker Entertainment purchased the Dendy Cinema chain and became Australia's largest exhibitor of art house or limited release theatrical films.{{Cite web |author=Variety Staff |date=1997-07-30 |title=Becker picks up Dendy |url=https://variety.com/1997/film/news/becker-picks-up-dendy-1116675593/ |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} The company begin expanding its market to Indonesia, with a 10-year deal with broadcaster RCTI in 1998.{{Cite web |last=Woods |first=Mark |date=1998-04-17 |title=Becker sees bumpy future |url=https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/becker-sees-bumpy-future-1117469848/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
In the late 1990s, the company gained the rights to the 600-title library from TMS Distribution (the former incarnation of Hoyts Distribution).{{Cite web |last=Cahill |first=Phillippe |date=1999-09-15 |title=Oz’s Becker posts annual loss again |url=https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/oz-s-becker-posts-annual-loss-again-1117755667/ |access-date=2023-06-01 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} In 2003, the company expanded its holdings to include a new international sales unit Becker Films International, led by Reiko Bradley, which manages international sales of Becker's films around the world.{{Cite web |last=Groves |first=Don |date=2003-08-11 |title=Bradley to top Becker |url=https://variety.com/2003/film/news/bradley-to-top-becker-1117890708/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} A year later, the company decided to sell its stake in home video distributor Magna Pacific for $27 million.{{Cite web |last=Groves |first=Don |date=2004-10-27 |title=Becker bags a pair |url=https://variety.com/2004/film/news/becker-bags-a-pair-1117912587/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
Becker Entertainment was sold to Prime Television in 2007.{{cite journal | magazine = Encore Magazine | date = 1 July 2007 | title = Prime buys Becker stake in film biz }}{{cite news | url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/Business/Becker-aborts-film-business-sale-plans/2007/06/22/1182019321519.html | title = Prime gains control of Becker Group | date = 22 June 2007 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20131103073827/http://www.smh.com.au/news/Business/Becker-aborts-film-business-sale-plans/2007/06/22/1182019321519.html | archivedate = 3 November 2013 }} Around the same time, Becker sold off its Dendy Films and Dendy Cinemas chain to Icon Film Distribution in 2008.{{Cite web |last=George2008-02-22T12:41:00+00:00 |first=Sandy |title=Icon Film Distribution buys Australian arthouse brand Dendy |url=https://www.screendaily.com/icon-film-distribution-buys-australian-arthouse-brand-dendy/4037473.article |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Screen |language=en}}
After stepping down from Becker Entertainment in 2007,{{cite news | url = https://www.imdb.com/news/ni0216886/ | title = Becker chief to step down | date = 11 April 2006 | newspaper = The Hollywood Reporter }} Richard Becker went on to establish a new company, Becker Film Group in 2008{{cite journal | magazine = Daily Variety | date = 15 July 2008 | author = Boland, Michaela | title = Becker returning with new shingle }}{{cite news | url=https://www.screendaily.com/richard-becker-leaps-back-into-australian-distribution/4039860.article | title=Richard Becker leaps back into Australian distribution | first=Sandy | last=George | publisher=Screen Daily | date=14 July 2008 | accessdate=15 July 2019 }}
With the remaining assets owned by Prime 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.{{cite web |title=WASTAR ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD ACN 073 853 371 |url=https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/RegistrySearch/faces/landing/panelSearch.jspx?searchType=OrgAndBusNm&searchText=073853371 |website=Asic Connect |publisher=ASIC |accessdate=9 October 2018}}
Relaunch
On 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.{{cite web |title=BECKER ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD ACN 614 954 157 |url=https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/RegistrySearch/faces/landing/panelSearch.jspx?searchType=OrgAndBusNm&searchText=614954157 |website=Asic Connect |publisher=ASIC |accessdate=9 October 2018}}
This company was established as a Film and TV Production Company, and started focusing on projects in 2017 with My Day Job{{cite web |title=My Day Job |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6720804/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 |website=IMDB |accessdate=9 October 2018}} and Ravenswood.{{cite web |title=Ravenswood (2017) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5194048/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3 |website=IMDB |accessdate=9 October 2018}}
See also
{{Portal|Television|Australia}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://beckerentertainment.com.au Becker Entertainment]
{{Prime Television Limited|state=collapsed}}
{{Seven West Media}}
Category:Television production companies of Australia