Sony bought MGM in 2004, and according to this article http://videoeta.com/news/1757 "receives control of MGM's immense library of 4,100 films". Did that not include the MGM shorts for some reason?
MGM/UA does not own the "classic MGM" library. -
1986, Turner Entertainment bought from MGM/UA...
- The pre-1986 MGM library, the pre-1950s Warner Brothers features and shorts library (which had been purchased by UA in the '50s), the RKO and Monogram/Allied libraries (which were acquired by UA back in the early '60s), most of the AAP cartoon library which consisted of cartoons that UA purchased during the late '50s, e.g., the pre-1948 color Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes, and Paramount's complete Fleischer/Famous "Popeye" filmography.
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1996, Turner Entertainment was purchased by Time-Warner.
Since 1996, the MGM Healy/Stooges films have been owned and distributed by Warner Brothers... as well as the rest of the "classic MGM" library.
The 2004 MGM/UA and Sony deal is a completely separate matter...
The aforementioned MGM/UA library of 4100 films referred to United Artists,
post-1985 MGM, various independent film companies purchased by UA over the years, e.g., Orion Pictures, Polygram, etc., and several television series owned by UA.
Sony was one of a consortium, which bought a 20% stake in MGM/UA. MGM/UA remains a stand-alone corporation, with its own management.
A year after the buy-in, MGM/UA was unhappy with Sony's lack of attention to their film library. MGM/UA partnered with Fox Home Entertainment for DVD distribution. Sony still has an ownership stake in MGM/UA, like any other stockholder, but no longer has a say in how MGM/UA manages its film library.