Celebrity Home Entertainment (also known as simply Celebrity Video), founded by Noel C. Bloom in 1987, was a home video distributor specializing in mostly obscure material from around the world, as well as B-grade action films and softcore adult fare. They also distributed some material that was popular at the time of its original release, including BraveStarr, Filmation's Ghostbusters, COPS and the 1987 G.I. Joe movie. It was formed after he left International Video Entertainment, which was sold off to Carolco Pictures in 1986.[1] In 1987, the company offered the rights to the Video Gems catalog for Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, but the company had withdrawn the offer after a lawsuit.[2]
They were perhaps best known for their Just for Kids Home Video imprint. This imprint offered child-oriented and/or animated material broadcast on television in the United States as well as English-language versions of foreign programming and original acquisitions. Some, though not all, TV series releases were edited into one or two compilation films. Early titles in this imprint were introduced by Bloom's son Noel Bloom Jr., who would remind viewers to adjust the tracking, or tell them how to win a free video.
At launch, two other labels were established by Celebrity: Feature Creatures, devoted to sci-fi fare, and Let's Party, devoted to "upbeat, one-of-a-kind" titles.[3] At that time, some of former IVE and Media Home Entertainment employees have been defected to Celebrity.[4]
Celebrity Home Entertainment filed for bankruptcy protection in 1991, and it closed down completely in 2002.[5] All of their releases are now out of print, while some have been reprinted by other companies.
Artisan Entertainment - Founded in 1981 as Family Home Entertainment; changed its name to International Video Entertainment (IVE), then changed again to LIVE Entertainment Co., and in 1998 to Artisan. Operating as a subsidiary of Lionsgate as of 2003.
