Does any one know if Columbia is going to put out the Blondie movies in a set like they are doing with the stooges ? I miss those movies
Columbia produced the films from 1938 - 1951, under license to King Features (the newspaper syndicate) and creator Chic Young (and Estate), who have owned the characters and trademarks since the 1920s.
Television syndication rights reside with King Features. AMC showed the film series about 10 years ago, working with both King and Sony/Columbia to show the films as originally screened with original titles and credits (as opposed to the pre-packaged syndication package controlled by King Features *)... a costly licensing venture for AMC.
Sony/Columbia is aware of consumer demand for the films, and the studio owns the films... but it doesn't own the characters or trademarks. Reasonable licensing fees from both King Features and the Young Estate are a stumbling block. After licensing costs, Sony does not
currently feel it can profitably market the BLONDIE films for home video.
(* A handful of BLONDIE King Features syndicated versions, are available on two bargain-basement label DVD sets... edited copies, transferred from mediocre quality 16mm prints. Sony was not involved.)
