Lyrick Studios, Inc. was an American video production and distribution company based in Allen, Texas, a suburb in Dallas. They were known for producing and distributing shows like Barney and Wishbone, as well as videos and albums from two music artists, Joe Scruggs and The Wiggles. They also had book rights to Humongous Entertainment characters like Putt-Putt, Freddi Fish, and Pajama Sam. They paired with Big Idea for mass market distribution of prints and reprints of VeggieTales home videos, as well as rights to VeggieTales plush toys. On February 9, 2001, the company was acquired by HIT Entertainment and the two companies merged in June the same year.
History
changeBefore Lyrick Studios (1988-93)
changeIn 1988, The Lyons Group was formed as a division of DLM, Inc., an educational company owned by Richard C. Leach.[1] Lyons began producing and distributing a direct-to-video pilot series titled Barney & the Backyard Gang, which was created by Leach's daughter-in-law, Sheryl Leach. Three years after the home video series debuted, Barney caught the attention of executives at PBS, and the concept was then changed for television as Barney & Friends. The show started broadcasting on the organization's flagship television service on April 6, 1992.[2]
The Acquisitions and Expansion Era (1994-2000)
changeLyrick Studios was formed in 1997, and became a division of a new company under the name Lyons Partnership. The company logo made its debut on Tuesday, March 11, 1997.
The company made the series Wishbone for PBS in 1995. This series was produced by Big Feats! Entertainment, another division of the company, and was primarily filmed on a studio backlot in Allen, Texas.
In the late 1990s, Lyrick got the distribution (selling) rights for VeggieTales and The Wiggles. They also had book and video game distribution rights for some Humongous Entertainment video game characters, such as Putt-Putt, Freddi Fish, and Pajama Sam.[3]
The HIT Entertainment Acquisition Era and Aftermath (2001)
changeAccording to Phil Vischer, he chose the company to release the videos since Lyrick Studios' founder and former chairman Richard C. Leach was a committed Christian, and the company let the religious tones on the shows remain intact, unlike other distributors Big Idea had asked beforehand. The company was acquired by HiT Entertainment on February 9, 2001, shortly before Richard C. Leach died.
Distribution
changePrograms
changeTelevision
change| Name | First release date | Final release date | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wishbone | April 29, 1997 | December 7, 1997 | PBS | Big Feats! Entertainment Originally aired from October 9, 1995 to December 7, 1997. |
| Barney & Friends | May 6, 1997 | August 31, 2001 | Flagship franchise Originally aired from April 6, 1992 to August 31, 2001. | |
| Barney & the Backyard Gang | September 16, 1997 | July 18, 2000 | VHS[a] | Direct-to-video pilot series to Barney & Friends Originally released from August 29, 1988 to August 1, 1991. |
| Tall Tales & Legends | June 16, 1998 | August 4, 1998 | Originally aired from September 25, 1985 to August 4, 1998. | |
| Groundling Marsh | June 23, 1998 | September 8, 1998 | Disney Channel (1998) | Originally aired from June 27, 1994 to November 28, 1997. |
| The Wiggles | October 12, 1999 (music) August 1, 2000 (video)[b] |
August 31, 2001 | Fox Family (1999-2000) VHS (2000-01) |
US home video distributions |
Direct-to-Video
change| Name | First release date | Last release date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Scruggs | March 11, 1997 | He was previously guest starred in the second season of Barney & Friends. Two specials were originally released only on VHS from 1989 to 1992. Co-distributed by Shadow Play. | |
Religious Series
change| Name | First release date | Last release date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Faithful Revolution: Vatican II | 1997 | Sole non-children's video release by Lyrick Studios. | |
| Francesco's Friendly World | July 1, 1997 | September 16, 1997 | |
| VeggieTales | December 16, 1997 (promotional release only) March 31, 1998 |
March 27, 2001 | Mass-market distribution[c] |
Movies
changeTheatrical
change| Name | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Barney's Great Adventure | 1998 | PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Universal Pictures |
Television
change| Name | Release date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wishbone's Dog Days of the West | March 13, 1998 | Big Feats! Entertainment |
| Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme | June 16, 1998 | The television movie was originally aired on Disney Channel in May 19, 1990. |
Public Service Announcements
change| Name | Release date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kids for Character | April 23, 1996 | Includes scenes from The Puzzle Place, Barney & Friends, The Magic School Bus, Lamb Chop's Play-Along, Gullah Gullah Island, and Babar |
| Kids for Character: Choices Count | October 14, 1997 | Includes scenes from Bananas in Pyjamas, The Big Comfy Couch, and Wishbone |
Notes
change- ↑ Reissued with Waiting for Santa and Barney in Concert.
- ↑ The #1 preschool band collaborated Barney the purple dinosaur's national stage show tour "Barney’s Musical Castle" in America and Canada from January 19, 2000 to February 25, 2001.
- ↑ Originally distributed in Christian bookstores.
References
change- ↑ Browne, Ray Broadus; Browne, Pat (2001). The Guide to United States Popular Culture. Popular Press. ISBN 978-0-87972-821-2.
- ↑ Genzlinger, Neil (2017-04-07). "The Blame for 'Barney'? I'm a Little Guilty". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
- ↑ Tanner, Lisa (Sep 5, 1999). "Lyrick Studios expanding". Dallas Business Journal. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
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