Celebrity Home Entertainment
Celebrity Home Entertainment (also known as simply Celebrity Video), founded by Noel C. Bloom in 1985, 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 very popular at the time of its original release, including BraveStarr, Filmation's Ghostbusters, COPS and the 1987 G.I. Joe movie.
Formerly | Celebrity Video Celebrity Just For Kids Celebrity Home Video |
|---|---|
| Incentive | |
| Industry | Home Video Entertainment |
| Fate | Reincorporated under Sterling Entertainment Group |
| Founded | 1985 United States |
| Founder | Noel C. Bloom |
| Defunct | 2001 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Media distributed by Celebrity Home Entertainment |
| Total assets | US$6.6million |
| Owner | Sterling Entertainment Group (50%) |
| Parent | Sterling Entertainment Group (1999-2006) |
They were perhaps best known (such as they were) for their "Just For Kids" 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. Among their most notable offerings were Japanese anime, such as the RAI/TMS joint productions Sherlock Hound and Tottoi (The Secret of the Seal). European productions distributed on this label included the French animated series Clémentine, the BBC's Postman Pat, Jannik Hastrup's Samson & Sally, Vuk (The Little Fox), Bibifoc (Seabert), and the Dutch-produced The Bluffers. Some Russian productions had also found release through the company, including The Adventures of Buratino (released as The All New Adventures of Pinocchio) and Maria, Mirabela (released as Maria & Marabella).
In addition to their animated offerings, the company licensed a share of Japanese tokusatsu productions (all dubbed by Sandy Frank), including five of the eight entries of Daiei's Gamera films from the Shōwa era.
However, most of these productions reflected the times, being edited to reflect U.S. broadcast standards. Further, some, though not all, TV series releases were edited into one or two compilation films (ex: the aforementioned Clémentine, plus Wee Wendy (Tongari Boushi no Memoru). Some series were never even finished, and the videos themselves usually only contained selected episodes. The "Just for Kids" videos were hosted by Noel C. Bloom's son, Noel Bloom Jr.
Celebrity Home Entertainment filed for bankruptcy protection in 1991, and it closed down completely in 2001.[1] All of their releases are now out of print (although some can still be bought new), while some has been reprinted by other companies; for example, The All New Adventures of Pinocchio was re-released on VHS and DVD by Warner Home Video and The Adventures of Scamper the Penguin is currently distributed by Feature Films for Families.
Bloom's son, Noel Bloom Jr. made appearances in the beginning of every Celebrity Home Entertainment video, giving advice to the viewers on how to adjust the tracking on the TV. He also made appearances in giving introductions to the upcoming previews of the videos.
Media distributed by Celebrity Home Entertainment
| Year | Title | Original Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-1985 | Sherlock Hound | Japanese | |
| 1992 | Tottoi | Japanese | Released as The Secret of the Seal |
| 1990 | Clémentine | French | |
| 1981–1996 | Postman Pat | English | |
| 1984 | Samson & Sally | Danish | |
| 1981 | Vuk | Hungarian | Released as The Little Fox |
| 1985 | Bibifoc | French | Released as Seabert |
| 1986 | The Bluffers | Dutch | |
| 1959 | The Adventures of Buratino | Russian | Released as The All New Adventures of Pinocchio |
| 1981 | Maria, Mirabela | Romanian | Released as The Magical Forest |
| 1983 | Serendipity the Pink Dragon | Japanese | |
| 1981 | GoShogun | Japanese | Released as Macron 1 |
| 1986 | Oliver Twist | Run time: 60 minutes | |
| 1986-1990 | Kissyfur | English | |
| 1958-1962 | Bozo: The World's Most Famous Clown | English | |
| 1995 | Happy Ness: Secret of the Loch | English | |
| 1985-1986 | It's Punky Brewster | English | |
| 1984 | Noozles | Japanese | |
| 1985 | Magical Princess Minky Momo | Japanese | Released as Gigi and the Fountain of Youth |
| 1979 | Manxmouse | Japanese | Released as The Legend of Manxmouse |
| 1985-1986 | Bumpety Boo | Japanese | |
| 1972-2016 | Calimero | Italian | Released as Calimero the Shorts Series |
| 1977 | Mattie the Goose-boy | Hungarian | Released as The Adventures of Matt the Gooseboy |
| 1984 | John the Fearless | Belgian | Released as The Heroic Adventures of John the Fearless |
| 1987-1988 | Ovide and the Gang | English | Winner of the prestigious Gemini Award for Best Animated Series |
| 1983-1984 | Mrs. Pepper Pot | Japanese | |
| 1989 | Rude Dog and the Dweebs | English | |
| 1987-1988 | Ox Tales | Japanese | |
| 1987-1988 | Bravestarr | English | |
| 1997 | Animaland | English | See David Hand |
| 1983-1984 | Dallos | Japanese | Released as Battle for Moon Station Dallos |
| 1988 | Les Misérables | Run time: 60 minutes | |
| 1988 | Cyborg 009 | Japanese | Released as Defenders of the Vortex |
| 1977 | The Three Musketeers | Run time: 85 minutes | |
| 1984 | Gallavants | English | |
| 1987 | Maxie's World | English | |
| 1987 | The Adventures of Candy Claus | English | Run time: 30 minutes |
| 1988-1989 | COPS | English | |
| 1988 | The Phantom of the Opera | Run time: 60 minutes | |
| 1988-1989 | Bobobobs | Spanish | |
| 1983 | Train Mice | Run Time: 40 minutes | |
| 1967-1999 | Asterix | French | |
| 1987 | Beverly Hills Teens | English | |
| 1995 | The Ketchup Vampires | Hungarian | Run time: 90 minutes |
| 1987 | Katy La Oruga | Spanish | Released as Katy and the Katerpillar Kids |
| 1986 | Lazer Tag Academy | English | |
| 1988 | David and the Magic Pearl | Polish | |
| 1982 | Arcadia of My Youth | Japanese | Released as Vengeance of the Space Pirate |
| 1989 | Ben-Hur | Run time: 60 minutes | |
| 1986 | The Adventures of Lolo the Penguin | Russian, Japanese | Released as The Adventures of Scamper the Penguin |
| 1985 | The Wild Swans | Released as Swans | |
| 1984-1985 | The Dagger of Kamui | Japanese | Released as Revenge of the Ninja Warrior |
| 1974 | The Toothbrush Family | English | |
| 1986-1988 | Foofur | English | |
| 1987 | Two Years' Vacation | Japanese | Released as The Story of 15 Boys |
| 1988-1989 | Wowser | Japanese | |
| 1989 | The Human Race Club | English | Based on the series by Joy Berry |
| 1965 | Gamera | Japanese | |
| 1966 | Gamera vs. Barugon | Japanese | |
| 1967 | Gamera vs. Gaos | Japanese | |
| 1969 | Gamera vs. Guiron | Japanese | |
| 1971 | Gamera vs. Zigra | Japanese | |
| 1986 | Ghostbusters (1986 TV series) | English | |
| 1986-1990 | Janoschs Traumstunde | German | Released as Janosch and The Big Fat Fabulous Bear |
| 1980 | The Adventures of Tom Sawyer | Japanese | Released as The All New Adventures of Tom Sawyer |
| 1991 | Tickle Tune Typhoon | English | Run time: 50 minutes |
| 1985-1986 | Lollipop Dragon | Hungarian | |
| 1984-1985 | Little Memole | Japanese | Released as Wee Wendy |
| 1989 | The BFG | English | |
| 1987 | G.I. Joe: The Movie | English | |
| 1986 | Čudesna šuma | Croatian | Released as The Elm-Chanted Forest |
| 1988 | In Der Arche Ist Der Wurm Drin | German | Released as Stowaways on the Ark |
| 1982 | Techno Police 21C | Japanese | |
| 1980-1981 | Space Warrior Baldios | Japanese | Released as Space Warriors: Battle for Earth Station S/1 |
| 1984 | Locke the Superman | Japanese | |
| 1977 | Alice, Sweet Alice | English | |
| 1987 | Chippendales | English | |
| 1976 | Kyōryū Tankentai Born Free | Japanese | Released as Return of the Dinosaurs |
| 1984 | Macross: Do You Remember Love? | Japanese | Released as Clash of the Bionoids |
| 1985 | A Journey Through Fairyland | Japanese, Korean | |
| 1980 | Phoenix 2772 | Japanese | Released as Space Firebird |
| 1988 | Az erdö kapitánya | Hungarian | Released as Captain of the Forest |
| 1994 | The Tin Soldier | English | Narrated by Sally Struthers |
| 1993 | E.Y.E.S. Of Mars | Japanese | Run time: 80 minutes |
| 1989 | The Poddington Peas | English | |
| 1998-1999 | Ketchup: Cats Who Cook | Japanese | |
| 1998 | Jungle Jamboree | English | Winner of the Film Advisory Board Award of Excellence |
| 1957 | The Snow Queen | Russian | 1993 English dub |
| 1989 | Charles Dickens' Ghost Stories From the Pickwick Papers | Run time: 60 minutes | |
| 1989 | Star Street: The Adventures of the Star Kids | Dutch | Released as Star Street: The Happy Birthday Movie |
| 1980 | Back To The Forest | Japanese | |
| 1994 | For Better or For Worse | English | Released as For Better or For Worse - The Family Album |
| 1986 | Here We Go Again | English | Narrated by Lynn Redgrave |
| 1986 | Velká Sýrová Loupez | Czech | Released as The Great Cheese Conspiracy |
| 1987 | Strit og Stumme | Danish | Released as Dreaming of Paradise |
| 1994 | The Magical Forest | Run time: 70 minutes | |
| 1987 | Dragonslayer Quark | Danish | Released as Quark the Dragon Slayer |
| 1987 | Saru No Gundan | Japanese | Released as Time of the Apes |
| 1986 | Star Wolf | Japanese | Released as Fugitive Alien |
| 1986 | Evil Laugh | English |
Other companies founded by Noel C. Bloom
- 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.
- Caballero Home Video
- Monterey Home Video
References
- "IN RE: CELEBRITY HOME ENTERTAINMENT, Nos. 98-55282, 98-55285., April 21, 2000 - US 9th Circuit | FindLaw". Caselaw.lp.findlaw.com. Retrieved 2013-04-03.
External links
- Celebrity Home Entertainment on IMDb
- A list of every title that the company ever released; also includes non-"Just For Kids" titles (from the Internet Archive)
- Reviews of a number of "Just For Kids" anime titles (last updated on October 2010)