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{{DISPLAYTITLE:United Productions of America (UPA)}}
{{Infobox Company
{{Infobox Company
|type2          =Yellow
|type2          =Yellow
|image          =UPA logo.jpg
|image          =UPA logo.jpg
|name            =United Productions of America
|name            =United Productions of America
|dt              =United Productions of America (UPA)
|type            =Animation studio, media distributor
|type            =Animation studio, media distributor
|status          =Defunct (purchased)
|status          =Defunct (purchased)
Line 10: Line 10:
|founded        =[[1941]]
|founded        =[[1941]]
|defunct        =[[2000]]
|defunct        =[[2000]]
|aka            =Industrial Film and Poster Service (1941-1945)
|aka            ={{bl|Industrial Film and Poster Service (1941-1945)|UPA Productions of America}}
|subsidiary      =Benedict Productions
|succeeded      =[[Classic Media]]
|succeeded      =[[Classic Media]]
}}
}}
'''United Productions of America''', typically abbreviated as '''UPA''', was an [[United States|American]] studio founded in [[1941]]. Beginning as an animation studio, UPA produced several theatrical shorts for [[Sony|Columbia Pictures]] such as the ''[[wikipedia:Mr. Magoo|Mr. Magoo]]'' series, and went on to find success with the television series ''[[wikipedia:Gerald McBoing-Boing|Gerald McBoing-Boing]]'' it produced for CBS. When UPA's financial condition declined in the 1950s and 1960s, it was purchased by producer [[Henry G. Saperstein]], who initially increased the quantity of television output it produced before turning the studio toward distribution instead. '''Benedict Productions''' {{Nihongo|ベネディクト・プロ|Benedikuto Puro}}, a subsidiary of UPA, co-produced three [[kaiju]] films with [[Japan]]ese studio [[Toho]] in [[1965]] and [[1966]]; UPA would go on to license numerous other Toho productions for release to theaters, television syndication, and home video from the 1960s{{sfn|''Boxoffice''|1964|p=W-2}} through to the 1990s.{{sfn|Sciacca|1987|p=48}}{{sfn|''Variety''|1998|p=44}}
'''United Productions of America''' ('''UPA''') was an [[United States|American]] company founded in [[1941]]. Beginning as an animation studio, UPA produced several theatrical shorts for [[Sony|Columbia Pictures]] such as the ''[[wikipedia:Mr. Magoo|Mr. Magoo]]'' series, and went on to find success with the television series ''[[wikipedia:Gerald McBoing-Boing|Gerald McBoing-Boing]]'' it produced for CBS. When UPA's financial condition declined in the 1950s and 1960s, it was purchased by producer [[Henry G. Saperstein]], who initially increased the quantity of television output it produced before turning the studio toward distribution instead.


UPA became defunct in [[2000]] following Saperstein's death in [[1998]], and was sold to [[Classic Media]], itself acquired by DreamWorks in [[2012]] and then by [[Universal Pictures]] in [[2016]].
UPA licensed numerous Toho productions for release to theaters, television syndication, and home video from the 1960s{{sfn|''Boxoffice''|1964|p=W-2}} through to the 1990s.{{sfn|Sciacca|1987|p=48}}{{sfn|''Variety''|1998|p=44}} Among these were ''[[Invasion of Astro-Monster]]'' (1965), ''[[The War of the Gargantuas]]'' (1966), and ''[[All Monsters Attack]]'' (1969), the first two of which were co-produced with Saperstein's [[Benedict Pictures Corporation]]. UPA became defunct in [[2000]] following Saperstein's death in [[1998]], and was sold to [[Classic Media]], which was itself acquired by DreamWorks in [[2012]] and then by [[Universal Pictures]] in [[2016]].
{{TOC}}
{{TOC}}
==Selected productions==
==Selected filmography==
===Benedict Productions===
===Production company===
*''[[Frankenstein vs. Baragon]]'' (1965) [with [[Toho]]]
*''[[Invasion of Astro-Monster]]'' (1965) [with Toho]
*''[[The War of the Gargantuas]]'' (1966) [with Toho]
===United Productions of America===
*''[[Invasion of Astro-Monster|Monster Zero]]'' (1970) [American version;{{sfn|''Boxoffice''|1966|p=10}} released by Maron Films]<ref name="Variety '70">{{harvnb|''Variety''|1970|p=6}}</ref>
*''[[Invasion of Astro-Monster|Monster Zero]]'' (1970) [American version;{{sfn|''Boxoffice''|1966|p=10}} released by Maron Films]<ref name="Variety '70">{{harvnb|''Variety''|1970|p=6}}</ref>
*''[[The War of the Gargantuas]]'' (1970) [American version; released by Maron Films]{{R|Variety '70}}
*''[[The War of the Gargantuas]]'' (1970) [American version; released by Maron Films]{{R|Variety '70}}
*''[[All Monsters Attack|Godzilla's Revenge]]'' (1971) [American version; released by Maron Films]
*''[[All Monsters Attack|Godzilla's Revenge]]'' (1971) [American version; released by Maron Films]
==Selected releases==
===Distributor===
*''Retreat from Kiska'' (TV 1973)
*''[[Terror of Mechagodzilla]]'' (TV 1978){{#tag:ref|UPA's version of ''Terror of Mechagodzilla'' was produced for and distributed to television. UPA sold its theatrical rights to the film to Bob Conn Enterprises, which subsequently released a differently-edited version as ''The Terror of Godzilla''; UPA would distribute the theatrical version, re-titled ''Terror of Mechagodzilla'', to television and home video beginning in the 1980s.{{sfn|Ryfle|1998|pp=204, 205}}|group="note"}}
*''[[Terror of Mechagodzilla]]'' (TV 1978){{#tag:ref|UPA's version of ''Terror of Mechagodzilla'' was produced for and distributed to television. UPA sold its theatrical rights to the film to Bob Conn Enterprises, which subsequently released a differently-edited version as ''The Terror of Godzilla''; UPA would distribute the theatrical version, re-titled ''Terror of Mechagodzilla'', to television and home video beginning in the 1980s.{{sfn|Ryfle|1998|pp=204, 205}}|group="note"}}
*''[[ESPY]]'' (TV 1980s)
*''[[ESPY]]'' (TV 1980s)
*''[[Evil of Dracula]]'' (TV 1980s)
*''Evil of Dracula'' (TV 1980s)
*''[[Lake of Dracula|The Lake of Dracula]]'' (TV 1980s)
*''[[wikipedia:Lake of Dracula|The Lake of Dracula]]'' (TV 1980s)
*''[[Prophecies of Nostradamus|The Last Days of Planet Earth]]'' (TV 1980s)
*''[[Prophecies of Nostradamus|The Last Days of Planet Earth]]'' (TV 1980s)
In addition to the aforementioned films, UPA held the U.S. television and home video rights to the following Toho films:
In addition to the aforementioned films, UPA held the U.S. television and home video rights to the following Toho films:
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*''[[Rodan (film)#U.S. release|Rodan]]{{R|Broadcasting}}
*''[[Rodan (film)#U.S. release|Rodan]]{{R|Broadcasting}}
*''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla#U.S. release|Godzilla vs. Mothra]]''{{R|Broadcasting}}
*''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla#U.S. release|Godzilla vs. Mothra]]''{{R|Broadcasting}}
*''[[The Explosion#U.S. release|High Seas Hijack]]''{{R|Broadcasting}}
*''High Seas Hijack''{{R|Broadcasting}}
==Notes==
==Notes==
{{Notelist}}
{{Notelist}}
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*{{cite magazine|title=New Recording System Used For 'Astro-Monsters' Film|magazine=Boxoffice|date=6 June 1966|publisher=Boxoffice Media LP|ref={{harvid|''Boxoffice''|1966}}}}
*{{cite magazine|title=New Recording System Used For 'Astro-Monsters' Film|magazine=Boxoffice|date=6 June 1966|publisher=Boxoffice Media LP|ref={{harvid|''Boxoffice''|1966}}}}
*{{cite magazine|title=Pair Toho Monsters; May Take $3-Mil; Maron Presses His Luck In New Duo|magazine=Variety|date=2 September 1970|ref={{harvid|''Variety''|1970}}}}
*{{cite magazine|title=Pair Toho Monsters; May Take $3-Mil; Maron Presses His Luck In New Duo|magazine=Variety|date=2 September 1970|ref={{harvid|''Variety''|1970}}}}
*{{cite book|last=Ryfle|first=Steve|authorlink=Steve Ryfle|title=[[Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of "The Big G"]]|publisher=ECW Press|date=1 April 1998|isbn=1550223488}}
*{{cite magazine|title=NATPE 87: Westin Canal Place exhibitors|magazine=Broadcasting|volume=112|issue=3|date=19 January 1987|publisher=Broadcasting Publications|ref={{harvid|''Broadcasting''|1987}}}}
*{{cite magazine|title=NATPE 87: Westin Canal Place exhibitors|magazine=Broadcasting|volume=112|issue=3|date=19 January 1987|publisher=Broadcasting Publications|ref={{harvid|''Broadcasting''|1987}}}}
*{{cite book|last=Ryfle|first=Steve|authorlink=Steve Ryfle|title=[[Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of "The Big G"]]|publisher=ECW Press|date=1 April 1998|isbn=1550223488}}
{{Companies}}
{{Companies}}
{{Comments}}
{{Comments}}

Latest revision as of 01:32, 1 March 2024

United Productions of America
UPA

Type Animation studio, media distributor
Status Defunct (purchased)
Led by Robert "Bobe" Cannon, John Hubley, Henry G. Saperstein
Founder(s) Zack Schwartz, David Hilberman, Stephen Bosustow
Founded 1941
Defunct 2000
Also known as
  • Industrial Film and Poster Service (1941-1945)
  • UPA Productions of America
Succeeded by Classic Media

United Productions of America (UPA) was an American company founded in 1941. Beginning as an animation studio, UPA produced several theatrical shorts for Columbia Pictures such as the Mr. Magoo series, and went on to find success with the television series Gerald McBoing-Boing it produced for CBS. When UPA's financial condition declined in the 1950s and 1960s, it was purchased by producer Henry G. Saperstein, who initially increased the quantity of television output it produced before turning the studio toward distribution instead.

UPA licensed numerous Toho productions for release to theaters, television syndication, and home video from the 1960s[1] through to the 1990s.[2][3] Among these were Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), The War of the Gargantuas (1966), and All Monsters Attack (1969), the first two of which were co-produced with Saperstein's Benedict Pictures Corporation. UPA became defunct in 2000 following Saperstein's death in 1998, and was sold to Classic Media, which was itself acquired by DreamWorks in 2012 and then by Universal Pictures in 2016.

Selected filmography

Production company

Distributor

In addition to the aforementioned films, UPA held the U.S. television and home video rights to the following Toho films:

Notes

  1. ↑ UPA's version of Terror of Mechagodzilla was produced for and distributed to television. UPA sold its theatrical rights to the film to Bob Conn Enterprises, which subsequently released a differently-edited version as The Terror of Godzilla; UPA would distribute the theatrical version, re-titled Terror of Mechagodzilla, to television and home video beginning in the 1980s.[6]

References

This is a list of references for UPA. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]

  1. ↑ Boxoffice 1964, p. W-2.
  2. ↑ Sciacca 1987, p. 48.
  3. ↑ Variety 1998, p. 44.
  4. ↑ Boxoffice 1966, p. 10.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Variety 1970, p. 6
  6. ↑ Ryfle 1998, pp. 204, 205.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Broadcasting 1987, p. 182

Bibliography

  • "Hank Saperstein Obtains 'Giant Moth' From Toho". Boxoffice. Boxoffice Media LP. 1 June 1964.
  • Sciacca, Tom (23 September 1987). "Godzilla, Japan's Monster Hit". Variety. Cahners Publishing.
  • "Obituaries: Henry G. Saperstein". Variety. Cahners Publishing. 29 June 1998.
  • "New Recording System Used For 'Astro-Monsters' Film". Boxoffice. Boxoffice Media LP. 6 June 1966.
  • "Pair Toho Monsters; May Take $3-Mil; Maron Presses His Luck In New Duo". Variety. 2 September 1970.
  • Ryfle, Steve (1 April 1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of "The Big G". ECW Press. ISBN 1550223488.
  • "NATPE 87: Westin Canal Place exhibitors". Broadcasting. Vol. 112 no. 3. Broadcasting Publications. 19 January 1987.

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Publishing companies
Home video & streaming
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