Carsey-Werner Productions (in some incarnations, Carsey-Werner-Mandabach Productions) is an independent production company founded in 1981 by former ABC writer/producer duo Marcy Carsey and
Tom WernerThomas C. "Tom" Werner is the Chairman of the Boston Red Sox, as well as an American television producer and businessman....
(co-owner of the
Boston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since , the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. The "Red Sox" name originates from the iconic uniform feature....
baseball franchise).
Caryn MandabachCaryn Mandabach is an American television producer.Mandabach has served as producer or executive producer on such television series as The Cosby Show, Roseanne, A Different World , Grace Under Fire , Cybill , 3rd Rock from the Sun , That '80s Show , That '70s Show , and Grounded for Life...
was made a partner in the firm in 2001 (she joined in 1984), but left in 2004 to embark on her own production deal.
Carsey-Werner has had its own production and distribution facilities since the mid/late 1990s.
Carsey-Werner Productions (in some incarnations, Carsey-Werner-Mandabach Productions) is an independent production company founded in 1981 by former ABC writer/producer duo Marcy Carsey and
Tom WernerThomas C. "Tom" Werner is the Chairman of the Boston Red Sox, as well as an American television producer and businessman....
(co-owner of the
Boston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since , the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. The "Red Sox" name originates from the iconic uniform feature....
baseball franchise).
Caryn MandabachCaryn Mandabach is an American television producer.Mandabach has served as producer or executive producer on such television series as The Cosby Show, Roseanne, A Different World , Grace Under Fire , Cybill , 3rd Rock from the Sun , That '80s Show , That '70s Show , and Grounded for Life...
was made a partner in the firm in 2001 (she joined in 1984), but left in 2004 to embark on her own production deal.
Carsey-Werner has had its own production and distribution facilities since the mid/late 1990s. Prior to controlling their own distribution,
Viacom EnterprisesViacom Enterprises was a television distribution company formed in 1971 as the successor to CBS Films, and spun off in 1973 due to now-repealed FCC bylaws prohibiting networks from syndicating their own shows....
, and later
Paramount Domestic TelevisionParamount Domestic Television was the television distribution arm of American television production company Paramount Television, once the TV arm of Paramount Pictures...
, syndicated their programming for them. In 2002 they announced a deal with
Paramount PicturesParamount Pictures Corporation is a Worldwide American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is the world's oldest existing American film studio; it is also the last...
to develop feature films through the studio.
As of February 22, 2007, Carsey-Werner has begun removing videos off YouTube regarding
That '70s ShowThat '70s Show is an American television sitcom that centered on the lives of a group of teenagers living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 1976 to 12:00 AM, January 1, 1980. It debuted on the FOX television network on August 23, 1998 and ran for eight consecutive...
with the copyright claim being the only explanation; it is unknown if other Carsey-Werner series were affected. Carsey-Werner now has its own YouTube channel.
Sale of studio
In 2004, Carsey and Werner mulled over the prospect of selling the studio, including its profitable catalog of shows, with UBS as their underwriter. Companies, most notably Viacom and
Time WarnerTime Warner Inc. is the world's largest entertainment conglomerate , as well as the world's fourth largest media conglomerate, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City...
, expressed interest in buying the firm to exhibit their content on their cable networks. But the deal did not materialize and Carsey-Werner stayed independent.
Series
- Oh Madeline (1983-1984)
- The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, first airing on September 20, 1984 and running for eight seasons on the NBC television network, until April 30, 1992...
(1984-1992)
- A Different World
A Different World is an American television sitcom which aired for six seasons on NBC . It was a spin-off series from The Cosby Show originally centered on Denise Huxtable and the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional historically Black college in the state of Virginia...
(1987-1993)
- Roseanne
Roseanne is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC from 1988 to 1997 starring Roseanne Barr.The series reached #1 in the Nielsen Ratings becoming the most watched television show in the United States from 1989 to 1990, and remained in the top four for six of its nine seasons, and in the top twenty for...
(1988-1997)
- Chicken Soup
Chicken Soup is a short-lived sitcom that aired on ABC, starring Jackie Mason and Lynn Redgrave. It followed the number one primetime series Roseanne, but was canceled due to low ratings and controversy over inflammatory remarks by Mason during the New York City Mayoral elections.-Overview:The...
(1989)
- Grand
Grand was a half-hour situation comedy that aired on the NBC network in 1990. The series featured an ensemble cast including Pamela Reed, Bonnie Hunt, Michael McKean, John Randolph, Andrew Lauer, John Neville, Joel Murray and Sara Rue. It was created by Michael Leeson, executive produced by...
(1990)
- Davis Rules
Davis Rules is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC in 1991 and on CBS in 1992. The series was produced by Carsey-Werner Productions.-Synopsis:...
(1991-1992)
- Frannie's Turn (1992)
- You Bet Your Life (1992-1993)
- Grace Under Fire
Grace Under Fire is a television series which ran on ABC from 1993 to 1998. The show starred Brett Butler. It began on September 29, 1993. It was the highest rated new comedy of the 1993–1994 season.- Premise of show :...
(1993-1998)
- She TV (1994)
- Cybill
Cybill is an American sitcom which aired on CBS from 1995 to 1998, starring Cybill Shepherd in the lead role.-Synopsis:Shepherd portrayed the character of somewhat faded television actress Cybill Sheridan who, because of her age, had been relegated to playing character roles, bit parts and TV...
(1995-1998)
- Townies
Townies was a short-lived situation comedy broadcast in 1996 by ABC. It was set in Gloucester, Massachusetts and starred Molly Ringwald, Jenna Elfman, Bill Burr, Conchata Ferrell, Lauren Graham, and Ron Livingston.- External links :**...
(1996)
- Men Behaving Badly
Men Behaving Badly is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from 1996 to 1997. It was based on the earlier British sitcom of the same name.Set in Indianapolis, Indiana the show starred Ron Eldard, Rob Schneider and Justine Bateman. Eldard and Bateman left after the first season, and were replaced by...
(1996-1997)
- Cosby
Cosby is a situation comedy television series broadcast on CBS from September 16, 1996 to April 28, 2000. The television program starred Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashād...
(1996-2000)
- 3rd Rock from the Sun
3rd Rock from the Sun is an American sitcom that aired from 1996 until 2001 on NBC. The show is about a group of extraterrestrials on an expedition of what they consider to be the least important planet, Earth , while posing as a human family of four, to observe human beings.- Basic premise :"As...
(1996-2001)
- Damon
Damon is a US comedy series starring Damon Wayans. The show lasted for eleven episodes between March and July 1998.It was created by Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Damon Wayans and directed by John P...
(1998)
- That '70s Show
That '70s Show is an American television sitcom that centered on the lives of a group of teenagers living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 1976 to 12:00 AM, January 1, 1980. It debuted on the FOX television network on August 23, 1998 and ran for eight consecutive...
(1998-2006)
- God, the Devil and Bob
God, the Devil and Bob is a short-lived animated television series that was broadcast on NBC in March 2000. It was created by Matthew Carlson.It is currently broadcasted on the Philippine channel Maxxx...
(2000)
- Normal, Ohio
Normal, Ohio is an American television sitcom, which aired on the Fox Network in 2000. The show starred John Goodman as William "Butch" Gamble, a gay man returning to his Midwestern home town...
(2000)
- Grounded for Life
Grounded for Life is an American television sitcom that debuted on January 10, 2001 as a mid-season replacement on the FOX Network. It ran for two seasons on the network until being cancelled only two episodes into its third season...
(2001-2005)
- That '80s Show
That '80s Show was an American sitcom that aired in half-hour long episodes from January through May 2002. Despite having a similar name, show structure, and many of the same writers and production staff, it is not considered a direct spin-off of the more successful That '70s Show, as the...
(2002)
- The Tracy Morgan Show
The Tracy Morgan Show is a television sitcom that aired from December 2 2003 to March 20 2004 on NBC. The series starred Tracy Morgan and Tamala Jones. The show was cancelled in its first season after 18 episodes ....
(2003-2004)
- Whoopi
Whoopi was a short-lived television situation comedy, starring Whoopi Goldberg as "Mavis Rae", a member of the former one-hit wonder group "The Ebony Blackbirds." The series revolved around the events and people at her hotel, the Lamont Hotel, in New York City...
(2003-2004)
- Game Over
Game Over is an American computer-animated television series created by David Sacks, produced by Carsey-Werner Productions, and broadcast on UPN in 2004...
(2004)
- Good Girls Don't
Good Girls Don't is a short-lived sitcom created by Carsey-Werner-Mandabach, the production company behind That '70s Show and Roseanne.-History:The series of twenty-five minute programs ran for only eight episodes in 2004 before it was dropped....
(2004)
- The Scholar
The Scholar is a reality television show broadcast by ABC.Filmed at the University of Southern California, The Scholar is the first reality television show to offer college scholarships as prizes...
(2005)
Specials
- Single Bars, Single Women (1984)
- Carol, Whoopi, Carl & Robin (1987)
- Outtakes from The Cosby Show (1990)
- The Brett Butler Special (1993)
DVD Distribution
In 2004, they announced deals with such companies as
20th Century FoxTwentieth Century Fox Film Corporation , also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox, is one of the six major American film studios...
and
Anchor Bay EntertainmentAnchor Bay Entertainment is an American home entertainment company and a division of Starz Media, which is a unit of Starz, LLC. It was previously owned by IDT Entertainment until 2006 when IDT was purchased by Starz Media. Anchor Bay markets and sells feature films, series, television specials...
, to distribute their catalog to DVD. This was the first time that they distributed to DVD since they allowed a limited edition of
The Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, first airing on September 20, 1984 and running for eight seasons on the NBC television network, until April 30, 1992...
to be distributed by
Columbia HouseColumbia House operates a music and DVD club, and as such is a direct seller of DVD movies and box sets, offering its selections through “club membership” agreements.-Membership:...
.
In 2005/2006, Carsey-Werner was flooded with angry letters from fans of "The Cosby Show" and "
RoseanneRoseanne is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC from 1988 to 1997 starring Roseanne Barr.The series reached #1 in the Nielsen Ratings becoming the most watched television show in the United States from 1989 to 1990, and remained in the top four for six of its nine seasons, and in the top twenty for...
", complaining about edited episodes. Carsey-Werner Distribution eventually decided that seasons 2 on of "The Cosby Show" and "Roseanne" would be released with uncut shows. "Roseanne" was decided after
John GoodmanJohn Stephen Goodman is an American actor. He is best known for his role on the television series Roseanne, as well as his film work with the Coen brothers.-Early life:...
and
Roseanne BarrRoseanne Cherie Barr is an American actress, comedian, writer, and television producer.Barr won both an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her work on Roseanne...
appeared on
Larry King LiveLarry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN. The show debuted in 1985, and is CNN's most watched program, with over one million viewers nightly.The show broadcasts from CNN's Los Angeles studios...
and a fan called in, asking why Season 1's DVDs contained edited episodes. Barr and Goodman did not know about the editing, but Roseanne said she would talk to the producers. It has apparently worked, as there has been no evidence of editing on the Season 2, 3, and 4 sets.
Films
In November 2006, the company released its first film for
Universal StudiosUniversal Studios , a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is one of the six major American movie studios. Its main motion picture production/distribution arm is called Universal Pictures. Its production studios are located at 100 Universal City Plaza Drive in Universal City, California...
, a comedy film called
Let's Go to PrisonLet's Go to Prison is an American dark comedy that was released in theatres November 17, 2006, starring Dax Shepard, Will Arnett and Chi McBride, and directed by Bob Odenkirk....
. A second film,
The Brothers SolomonThe Brothers Solomon is a comedy film released on September 7, 2007, starring Will Arnett and Will Forte.-Plot:John and Dean are two sheltered happy-go-lucky brothers who want nothing more than to please their ailing father . Deciding a grandson will do the trick, the clueless boys set out to...
was released with
Revolution StudiosRevolution Studios was a film production company founded in 2000 by Joe Roth, a former chairman of Walt Disney Studios and Twentieth Century Fox. Revolution was a strategic partner of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which distributed and marketed Revolution's films. The company shut down in October...
on September 7, 2007.
- Let's Go to Prison
Let's Go to Prison is an American dark comedy that was released in theatres November 17, 2006, starring Dax Shepard, Will Arnett and Chi McBride, and directed by Bob Odenkirk....
(2006, with Universal PicturesThis is a partial listing of films produced and/or distributed by Universal Pictures, the main motion picture production/distribution arm of Universal Studios, a subsidiary of NBC Universal.-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc...
)
- The Brothers Solomon
The Brothers Solomon is a comedy film released on September 7, 2007, starring Will Arnett and Will Forte.-Plot:John and Dean are two sheltered happy-go-lucky brothers who want nothing more than to please their ailing father . Deciding a grandson will do the trick, the clueless boys set out to...
(2007, with Revolution StudiosRevolution Studios was a film production company founded in 2000 by Joe Roth, a former chairman of Walt Disney Studios and Twentieth Century Fox. Revolution was a strategic partner of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which distributed and marketed Revolution's films. The company shut down in October...
; TriStar PicturesTriStar Pictures, Inc. is a film subsidiary of Columbia Pictures, itself a subdivision of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, which is owned by Sony Pictures...
, distributor)
External links