Simitar Entertainment
Simitar Entertainment, Inc. was an American media company that sold music, videos, DVDs, and computer software. They had specialized in compilation albums, special interest video, and urban media. Simitar distributed its own label.
Media company | |
Industry | Media |
Fate | Bankruptcy |
Successor | Encore Software (Sereno Ventures, LLC) |
Founded | 1984[1] |
Founder | Mickey Elfenbein, Philip Kives |
Defunct | May 12, 2000 |
Headquarters | 5555 Pioneer Creek Drive, Maple Plain, Minnesota |
Key people | Mickey Elfenbein (Chairman), Ed Goetz (President), Mark Elfenbein (Vice President), Greg Glass (Director of Sales) |
Revenue | $40,000,000 (1999) |
Total assets | $19,570,059 1 |
Subsidiaries | Pickwick Records |
Footnotes / references 1 At time of bankruptcy in 2000 |
History
In 1984, Mickey Elfenbein, former president and CEO of K-Tel International, and Philip Kives (K-tel founder) started Simitar Entertainment. Simitar bought Pickwick Records. Simitar was a long-time leader in budget VHS throughout the 80s and early 90s. Reach Entertainment produced sports home video programs for Simitar. By April, 1997 Simitar was the first independent in the U.S. with DVD releases. In 1999, Simitar's revenues rose from $5 million to $40 million in just three years.
On March 9, 1999, Titan Sports, Inc.βthe parent company of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF)β and its music licensee, The Cherry River Music Co., sued Simitar Entertainment for copyright infringement relating to WWF The Music, Vol. 3 and won. Subsequently, in 2000, Simitar folded due to problems in the music division; the company's total assets were $19,570,059, with debts of $25,556,878. Simitar auctioned off its assets later that year, including its film library, which sold to Brentwood Communications, Inc. (BCI) for $215,000. Ed Goetz and Greg Glass went to BCI to start a DVD division. In October/November 2003, BCI was purchased by Navarre Corporation. Naverre's assets have since been sold to Speed Commerce in 2012,[2] then to WYNIT Distribution in 2014.[3] Following the bankruptcy of WYNIT in 2017[4], Sereno Holdings acquired most of the company assets and relaunched Navarre Distribution as "Encore Software",[5][6] and it is currently this "new" Encore which owns Simitar and the other former BCI labels.
Simitar releases
- 5th Day of Peace, American Bullfighters 1 & 2
- Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe
- Anima Mundi
- Awesome Rides
- Bleeders
- BMX Freestyle
- Body Armor
- Body Strokes
- Canyon Dreams: Tangerine Dream
- Canyon Dreams/Desert Vision/True North
- Car Funnies
- Cartel
- Cause of Death
- The Christmas Light
- The Christmas Brigade
- Chronos
- Dead & Buried
- Fearless Hyena
- Frankenhooker
- God Told Me To
- Godzilla, King of the Monsters
- Godzilla's Revenge
- (Godzilla vs.) Monster Zero
- Godzilla vs. Mothra (DVD / VHS)
- Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (VHS only)
- Grambling's White Tiger
- Greatest Hits (SWV album)
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- I Wanna be a Policeman [7]
- Jets
- Jack Frost
- Jungle Boy
- Kamikaze in Colour
- Korean War in Colour
- Laurel & Hardy Classics[8]
- Mind Meld
- Mob War
- Mysteries of the Sphinx
- Mysterious Origins of Man
- Porsche
- The Real Untouchables
- Red Scorpion
- Rush Week
- Search and Destroy
- Serial Killers
- Spplat Attack
- Surgeon
- Story of a War (Story of Iran-Iraq (1980β1988) war part1β5, P: Ramel Inc./Simitar Entertainment Inc. 1989)
- Terror of Mechagodzilla
- To Kill With Intrigue
- Two Evil Eyes
- Vampires (VHS only)
- Venom
- Vitsie Video Sitter
- Voodoo
- Wings Of Thunder
- Werewolf
- Wheels of Thunder
- Women Unchained
Bob Hope
- The Road to Rio
- The Great Lover
- The Road to Bali
- The Seven Little Foys
- How to Commit Marriage
- The Lemon Drop Kid
- Son of Paleface
- Paris Holiday
- The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell
References
- Company Page (1997 archive)
- https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2012/10/01/navarre-agrees-pay-50-million-speedfc/
- https://www.direporter.com/industry-news/wynit-acquires-navarre-speed-commerce-s-retail-distribution-unit
- https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/money/business/2017/09/14/wynit-files-ch-11-bankruptcy-owes-least-106-million/666030001/
- https://trademarks.justia.com/owners/sereno-ventures-llc-3843970/
- https://www.trademarkia.com/company-sereno-ventures-llc-4950498-page-1-2
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLqa66eFwwA
- Amazon.com