28 Facts About DIC Entertainment

1.

On 20 June 2008, DIC Entertainment was acquired by and got folded into the Cookie Jar Group.

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2.

In 1981, DIC Entertainment established a partnership with the Japanese animation studio Tokyo Movie Shinsha, as one of the overseas animation subcontractors.

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3.

DIC Audiovisuel's U S arm - DIC Enterprises, was founded in April 1982 in Burbank, California by Andy Heyward, a former story writer at Hanna-Barbera, to translate DIC productions into English.

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4.

DIC Entertainment produced television animation for both network broadcast and syndication, outsourced its non-creative work overseas, enforced anti-union policies and hired staff on a per-program basis to cut costs.

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5.

DIC Entertainment partnered with toy makers and greeting card companies for character based product lines that could be made into animated series.

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6.

Thus DIC Entertainment productions came with built in advertisers and some time financiers.

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7.

DIC Entertainment sued Saban for damages; in 1991, both companies reached a settlement.

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8.

In 1987, DIC Entertainment signed a deal with television broadcast syndicator Coca-Cola Telecommunications, to set up a kids block that was designed for the morning audience, and two different names were considered, namely Funday Sunday, or Funtastic Saturday.

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9.

Also that year, DIC Enterprises filed a lawsuit against home video distributor Family Home Entertainment, a label of International Video Entertainment, for allegedly breaching a contract to distribute cassettes of the 65-episode syndicated cartoon Dennis the Menace, and claimed that FHE signed a deal with DIC in November 1985 to distribute cassettes, and paid a non-returnable advance against royalties of $1.

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10.

Also this year, DIC Entertainment signed a deal with Golden Book Video to market titles under the DIC Entertainment Video brand.

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11.

In 1987, DIC Entertainment moved production of Dennis the Menace to a Canadian animation firm for grants and tax breaks from the Canadian government.

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12.

On September 11, 1989, DIC Entertainment launched the 26-hours-a-week Funtown programming block on the CBN Family Channel.

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13.

DIC Entertainment was to produce four specials, with the first launching on Funtown with the others, mostly holiday specials, for the fourth quarter of 1989.

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14.

Later on, in 1992, DIC entered into a strategic partnership with Rincon Children's Entertainment, a joint venture with BMG to launch two new subsidiaries DIC Tune-Time, for audio and DIC Toon-Time Video, for a home video label.

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15.

On November 21, 1993, DIC Entertainment announced they had formed a multimedia unit called DIC Entertainment Interactive.

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16.

In October 1995, DIC Entertainment announced they would be opening an animation office in France in partnership with Hampster Productions.

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17.

DIC Entertainment launched a direct to video division in April 1998 with Riley Katherine Ellis, a Caravan Pictures producer, hired as division head.

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18.

In May 1998, DIC Entertainment signed a deal to provide a children's programming block, Freddy's Firehouse, for the Pax Net television network.

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19.

In February 2001, DIC announced their return to the home video market, forming a new division titled DIC Home Entertainment and begun releasing products, starting in May 2001.

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20.

However, this was delayed due to DIC's issues in finding a distributor partner, which eventually happened in July 2001 when DIC signed a deal with Lions Gate Home Entertainment for North American distribution of DIC Home Entertainment products.

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21.

In June 2001, DIC announced they would purchase Golden Books Family Entertainment for $170 Million.

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22.

However, DIC eventually backed out of the deal due to the high costs of the purchase and the company was instead co-purchased by Random House for the book rights and Classic Media for the entertainment rights.

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23.

In 2004, Heyward purchased Bain Capital's interest in DIC Entertainment and took the company public the following year on the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market under the symbol DEKEq.

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24.

In 2005, Mexico City-based Anima Estudios considered forming a partnership with DIC Entertainment, but decided against in order to focus on its own projects.

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25.

In March 2006, DIC re-acquired the international rights to 20 of their shows from The Walt Disney Company and Jetix Europe, who had owned them since Disney bought the previous owners Saban Entertainment in 2001.

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26.

Dam counter-sued DIC Entertainment, claiming that the company financially misrepresented its ability to create and market a modern troll doll toy campaign and destroyed the image and goodwill of the doll.

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27.

Freddy's Firehouse was a children's educational programming block produced by DIC Entertainment and distributed by Buena Vista International Television, both Disney affiliates in May 1998.

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28.

DIC Entertainment was tasked with the advertising sales while the Family Channel handled distribution and marketing.

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