FilmRise has signed a major licensing deal with Paul Brownstein Productions, the leading distributor of superstar owned series and specials, featuring iconic, classic TV programs including “This is Your Life,” “The Friars Roasts,” “The Best of Groucho,” “The Mike Wallace Interview,” and “It’s a Living.” The deal includes SVOD, AVOD and FAST worldwide rights. “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with FilmRise," Paul Brownstein said. "These programs have universal appeal and have solidly stood the test of time. Through streaming, their audience continues to grow, reinforcing their evergreen status, much like our other titles we have distributed with FilmRise, including the ‘Dick Van Dyke Show’ and 'That Girl.'"
This is the second licensing deal of its kind Filmrise has secured with Paul Brownstein Productions. The announcement was made today by Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise. “The Classic TV genre has never been more popular, especially as demand continues to grow for AVOD and FAST channels worldwide," Fisher said. "All of these programs are a big part of TV history and each uniquely paved the way for many of today’s successful programs domestically and internationally. We are confident that these titles will be enthusiastically embraced by streaming audiences around the world.”
The deal includes 89 episodes of “This is Your Life,” five specials of “The Friars Roast,” broadcast in the 60s on NBC’s “Kraft Music Hall," 30 episodes of “The Mike Wallace Interview,” 50 episodes of “The Best of Groucho,” and the entire two seasons of “It’s a Living.” The agreement was negotiated by Max Einhorn, SVP, Acquisitions & Co-Productions for FilmRise and Paul Brownstein of Paul Brownstein Productions.
The Classic TV package features high profile, internationally recognized personalities, and celebrities. Eleanor Roosevelt, Salvador Dali, Ayn Rand, Rod Serling, Kirk Douglas, Henry Kissinger, are among those featured in “The Mike Wallace Interview.”; Betty White, Kathie Lee Gifford, Joe Fazier, Gary Marshall, George Burns, and Don Rickles are a few included in the “This is Your Life” series. Among the special guest stars highlighted in “The Best of Groucho” are Candice Bergen, Phyllis Diller, Ernie Kovacs, and Frankie Avalon and; “The
Friar’s Roast Specials” guests of honor are Johnny Carson, Don Rickles, Jack Benny, Milton Berle and Jerry Lewis.