Happy Madison Productions
{{Short description|Media production company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Happy Madison Productions, Inc.
| logo = File:Happy Madison Productions logo.svg
| logo_caption = Logo used since 2005
| type = Private
| industry = {{Plainlist|
}}
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1999|12|10}}
| defunct =
| founder = Adam Sandler
| location = {{Plainlist|
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S. (parent company)
}}
| key_people = {{Plainlist|
- Adam Sandler (CEO)
- Allen Covert
- Jack Giarraputo (president)
- Tim Herlihy
- Heather Parry
- Scott Sandler
- Barry Bernardi
- Steve Koren
- Mark O'Keefe
- Seth Gordon
- Timothy Dowling
}}
| owners =
| divisions = Madison 23 Productions (2007–2009)
Scary Madison Productions (2009)
| parent = Happy Madison, Inc.
}}
Happy Madison Productions, Inc. is an American film and television production company founded in 1999 by Adam Sandler,{{Cite web|title=Adam Sandler|url=https://variety.com/exec/adam-sandler/|url-status=live|website=Variety|date=13 October 2013|language=en|access-date=8 July 2021|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190137/https://variety.com/exec/adam-sandler/}}{{Cite web|date=2018-10-16|title=100% Fresh Trailer Teases Adam Sandler's Netflix Variety Special|url=https://screenrant.com/adam-sandler-100-percent-fresh-trailer-netflix/|access-date=2021-07-08|website=Screen Rant|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184636/https://screenrant.com/adam-sandler-100-percent-fresh-trailer-netflix/amp/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Locke|first=Taylor|date=2019-12-07|title=Adam Sandler on being fired from 'Saturday Night Live' in 1995 before achieving massive success|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/07/adam-sandler-on-being-fired-from-saturday-night-live-in-1995.html|access-date=2021-07-08|website=CNBC|language=en|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185758/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/07/adam-sandler-on-being-fired-from-saturday-night-live-in-1995.html|url-status=live}} which is best known for its comedy films. Happy Madison takes its name from the films Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison, written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy, and distributed by Universal Pictures.
In addition to various Sandler-produced films, the company has also released films produced by others, such as Steven Brill, Dennis Dugan, Frank Coraci, Fred Wolf, Tom Brady, Peter Segal, Nicholaus Goossen, and Tyler Spindel.
The 1998 films The Waterboy and The Wedding Singer helped jump start Sandler's movie career and production company. He produced The Waterboy and co-wrote the script with Tim Herlihy. The film was extremely profitable, earning over $160 million in the United States alone and made Sandler a successful actor with The Waterboy becoming his second $100 million film in a year, along with The Wedding Singer.
The company's production offices were formerly located in the Judy Garland Building on the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City but the company left after completion of Sandler's final contracted film for the studio, Pixels. Happy Madison, Inc., the parent company of Happy Madison Productions, is run by Adam Sandler's brother Scott, and is located in Manchester, New Hampshire.{{Cite web |url=https://quickstart.sos.nh.gov/online/BusinessInquire/BusinessInformation?businessID=5174 |title=New Hampshire Secretary of State Corporate Information for Happy Madison, Inc. |access-date=2020-12-10 |archive-date=2021-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305003423/https://quickstart.sos.nh.gov/online/BusinessInquire/BusinessInformation?businessID=5174 |url-status=live }}
In 2002, the company expanded its operations onto television with a pilot commitment at The WB.{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Michael |date=2002-10-04 |title=Frog leaps on laffer from Sandler shingle |url=https://variety.com/2002/scene/markets-festivals/frog-leaps-on-laffer-from-sandler-shingle-1117873751/ |access-date=2023-09-16 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} After fifteen years, head Doug Robinson left the company to start its own at Sony Pictures Television.{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=2017-07-17 |title=Doug Robinson Leaves Happy Madison for Overall Deal at Sony TV, Launches New Production Company |url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/happy-madison-doug-robinson-sony-tv-1202497611/ |access-date=2023-09-16 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
The company also had a short-lived subsidiary called Madison 23 Productions, which was aimed at the drama genre. It only produced two films: Reign Over Me and Funny People, both of which starred Sandler. Another subsidiary was Scary Madison Productions, which was aimed at the horror genre and only produced the film The Shortcut.
Filmography
=Film=
=Stand-up specials=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Director ! class="unsortable"| Notes ! class="unsortable"| {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| 2018
| co-production with Netflix | {{N/A}} |
| 2024
| co-production with Irwin Entertainment and Netflix |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Network ! class="unsortable"| Notes ! class="unsortable"| {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| 2007–2013
| CBS | with Game Six Productions, CBS Television Studios, and Sony Pictures Television | |
| 2008
| The Gong Show with Dave Attell | rowspan="2" | Comedy Central | with Sony Pictures Television | |
| 2010–2011
| Nick Swardson's Pretend Time | with Culver Entertainment | |
| 2011–2012
| Fox | with Adam F. Goldberg Productions and Sony Pictures Television | |
| 2013–2023
| rowspan="3" | ABC | co-production with Adam F. Goldberg Productions (seasons 1–8), Doug Robinson Productions (seasons 5–10), Swinging Cricket Productions (season 9), Script L. Shannon, Inc. (season 9), This Episode is Entirely a Work of Fiction, LLC (season 10), and Sony Pictures Television | |
| 2017
| co-production with Adam F. Goldberg Productions, ABC Studios, and Sony Pictures Television |
| 2019–2020
| Schooled | co-production with Adam F. Goldberg Productions, Marc Firek Productions, Doug Robinson Productions, ABC Studios, and Sony Pictures Television | |
Critical reception
Happy Madison's films have, for the most part, received overwhelmingly negative reviews, with most criticism targeted towards the crude humor, excessive product placement, celebrity cameos, and sentimental endings that contradict the mostly mean-spirited tones of the films. Some drama films (Reign Over Me, Funny People, Hustle and You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah) received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with Sandler's performance garnering critical praise. The company has put out four films considered to be some of the worst ever made, while two other films have received a 0% score from Rotten Tomatoes.{{cite news|url=http://www.salon.com/2011/11/14/the_tragedy_of_adam_sandler/|title=The tragedy of Adam Sandler|work=Salon|date=2011-11-14|access-date=2013-08-23|archive-date=2013-08-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821083016/http://www.salon.com/2011/11/14/the_tragedy_of_adam_sandler/|url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/comedy-about-middle-school-statutory-rape-does-adam-sandlers-thats-my-boy-go-too-far/ |title=Comedy about middle school statutory rape? Does Adam Sandler's That's My Boy go too far? |publisher=Fox News |date=2012-04-30 |access-date=2013-12-19 |archive-date=2012-08-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831154536/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/04/30/comedy-about-middle-school-statutory-rape-does-adam-sandlers-thats-my-boy-go/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://live.drjays.com/index.php/2012/05/21/is-adam-sandler-serious-with-thats-my-boy/ |title=Is Adam Sandler Serious With That's My Boy? | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle |work=Live.drjays.com |date=2012-05-21 |access-date=2013-12-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212060031/http://live.drjays.com/index.php/2012/05/21/is-adam-sandler-serious-with-thats-my-boy/ |archive-date=2013-12-12 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://ncfm.org/2012/05/news/discrimination-against-men-news/adam-sandlers-new-movie-thats-my-boy-exploits-child-victims-of-sexual-assault-please-boycott-the-movie/ |title=Adam Sandler's new movie That's My Boy exploits child victims of sexual assault. Please boycott the movie. | National Coalition For Men |date=2 May 2012 |publisher=NCFM |access-date=2013-12-19 |archive-date=2013-12-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211215829/http://ncfm.org/2012/05/news/discrimination-against-men-news/adam-sandlers-new-movie-thats-my-boy-exploits-child-victims-of-sexual-assault-please-boycott-the-movie/ |url-status=live }}
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Year ! Film |
| 1999
| style="text-align:center;"|22% | style="text-align:center;"|30 |
| 2000
| style="text-align:center;"|22% | style="text-align:center;"|38 |
| 2001
| style="text-align:center;"|11% | style="text-align:center;"|20 |
| 2001
| style="text-align:center;"|30% | style="text-align:center;"|43 |
| 2002
| style="text-align:center;"|22% | style="text-align:center;"|24 |
| 2002
| style="text-align:center;"|1% | style="text-align:center;"|12 |
| 2002
| style="text-align:center;"|12% | style="text-align:center;"|23 |
| 2002
| style="text-align:center;"|22% | style="text-align:center;"|29 |
| 2003
| style="text-align:center;"|42% | style="text-align:center;"|52 |
| 2003
|Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star | style="text-align:center;"|22% | style="text-align:center;"|36 |
| 2004
| style="text-align:center;"|45% | style="text-align:center;"|48 |
| 2005
| style="text-align:center;"|31% | style="text-align:center;"|48 |
| 2005
|Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo | style="text-align:center;"|9% | style="text-align:center;"|23 |
| 2006
| style="text-align:center;"|16% | style="text-align:center;"|33 |
| 2006
| style="text-align:center;"|13% | style="text-align:center;"|25 |
| 2006
| style="text-align:center;"|33% | style="text-align:center;"|45 |
| 2007
| style="text-align:center;"|64% | style="text-align:center;"|61 |
| 2007
|I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry | style="text-align:center;"|14% | style="text-align:center;"|37 |
| 2008
| style="text-align:center;"|2% | style="text-align:center;"|12 |
| 2008
|You Don't Mess with the Zohan | style="text-align:center;"|37% | style="text-align:center;"|54 |
| 2008
| style="text-align:center;"|43% | style="text-align:center;"|55 |
| 2008
| style="text-align:center;"|26% | style="text-align:center;"|33 |
| 2009
| style="text-align:center;"|33% | style="text-align:center;"|39 |
| 2009
| style="text-align:center;"|69% | style="text-align:center;"|60 |
| 2009
| style="text-align:center;"|N/A | style="text-align:center;"|N/A |
| 2010
| style="text-align:center;"|10% | style="text-align:center;"|30 |
| 2011
| style="text-align:center;"|19% | style="text-align:center;"|33 |
| 2011
| style="text-align:center;"|14% | style="text-align:center;"|30 |
| 2011
|Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star | style="text-align:center;"|3% | style="text-align:center;"|9 |
| 2011
| style="text-align:center;"|3% | style="text-align:center;"|23 |
| 2012
| style="text-align:center;"|20% | style="text-align:center;"|31 |
| 2012
| style="text-align:center;"|40% | style="text-align:center;"|40 |
| 2013
| style="text-align:center;"| 7% | style="text-align:center;"| 19 |
| 2014
| style="text-align:center;"| 14% | style="text-align:center;"| 31 |
| 2015
| style="text-align:center;"| 5% | style="text-align:center;"| 14 |
| 2015
| style="text-align:center;"| 10% | style="text-align:center;"| N/A |
| 2015
| style="text-align:center;"| 17% | style="text-align:center;"| 27 |
| 2015
| style="text-align:center;"| 0% | style="text-align:center;"| 18 |
| 2016
| style="text-align:center;"| 10% | style="text-align:center;"| 22 |
| 2017
| style="text-align:center;"| 27% | style="text-align:center;"| 39 |
| 2018
| style="text-align:center;"| 27% | style="text-align:center;"| 41 |
| 2018
| style="text-align:center;"| 0% | style="text-align:center;"| N/A |
| 2018
| style="text-align:center;"| 90% | style="text-align:center;"| N/A |
| 2019
| style="text-align:center;"| 45% | style="text-align:center;"| 38 |
| 2020
| style="text-align:center;"| 31% | style="text-align:center;"| 35 |
| 2020
| style="text-align:center;" | 52% | style="text-align:center;" | 53 |
| 2022
| style="text-align:center;" | 22% | style="text-align:center;" | 23 |
| 2022
| style="text-align:center;" | 92% | style="text-align:center;" | 68 |
| 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | 44% | style="text-align:center;" | 44 |
| 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | 21% | style="text-align:center;" | 36 |
| 2023
|You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah | style="text-align:center;" | 91% | style="text-align:center;" | 71 |
| 2023
|Leo | style="text-align:center;" | 81% | style="text-align:center;" | 65 |
| 2025
| style="text-align:center;" | 29% | style="text-align:center;" | 38 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20051118222008/http://www.adamsandler.com/index.php?section=happy Happy Madison] page on Sandler's website
{{Happy Madison Productions}}
{{Adam Sandler}}
{{Film Studio}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:American companies established in 1999
Category:1999 establishments in California
Category:Film production companies of the United States
Category:Television production companies of the United States
Category:Companies based in Culver City, California