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Becker Entertainment

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Becker Entertainment is an Australian production company.

Becker Entertainment
FormerlyR.A. Becker & Co (1965–1993)
GenreAustralian entertainment company
Founded1965 (1965)
FounderRussell Becker
Defunct2008 (2008)
SuccessorPrime Television
Icon Film Distribution
Headquarters
Sydney, New South Wales
,
Australia
OwnerPrime Television
DivisionsREP Distribution
PRO Films
SubsidiariesDendy Films
Dendy Cinemas

History

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The company was founded in 1965 as R.A. Becker by Russell Becker, one of the pioneers of commercial television in Australia.[1] Becker was Australia's first independent distributor of television programs. It went on to become a major producer of Australian versions of numerous American game shows.[2]

In 1976, Russell's son Richard Becker bought out Fremantle International's Australian unit, who was producing several game shows to the markets of Australia and New Zealand.[2] In 1977, Richard Becker was joining the family business after four years with the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department, and helped them expand the television division.[2]

In 1987, the company launched its subsidiary, PRO Films, to produce feature films in the Los Angeles market.[2]

The company expanded into theatrical film distribution around the same time as REP (standing for Richard Entertainment Partners) after Russell Becker's son Richard and his two friends Richard Sheffield and Richard Guardian who collaborated with him on the move into film. Richard Sheffield ran REP as a Becker employee until he left to establish the Australian office of PolyGram Pictures).[3][4]

The Australian box office success of Four Weddings and a Funeral fuelled the listing of Becker Entertainment Limited on the Australian Stock Exchange in 1995, with Richard Becker as Managing Director and Russell as Chairman. Around the same time, PolyGram and Becker parted ways, with PolyGram Filmed Entertainment establishing its Australian unit.[5]

Subsequently, Becker Entertainment purchased the Dendy Cinema chain and became Australia's largest exhibitor of art house or limited release theatrical films.[6] The company begin expanding its market to Indonesia, with a 10-year deal with broadcaster RCTI in 1998.[7]

In the late 1990s, the company gained the rights to the 600-title library from TMS Distribution (the former incarnation of Hoyts Distribution).[8] In 2003, the company expanded its holdings to include a new international sales unit Becker Films International, led by Reiko Bradley, which manages international sales of Becker's films around the world.[9] A year later, the company decided to sell its stake in home video distributor Magna Pacific for $27 million.[10]

Becker Entertainment was sold to Prime Television in 2007.[11][12] Around the same time, Becker sold off its Dendy Films and Dendy Cinemas chain to Icon Film Distribution in 2008.[13]

After stepping down from Becker Entertainment in 2007,[14] Richard Becker went on to establish a new company, Becker Film Group in 2008[15][16]

With the remaining assets owned by Prime Television Limited, the company was eventually delisted from the Australian Stock Exchange and the remaining rights absorbed into Prime Television Limited. Prime went on to rename the company WASTAR ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD ACN 073 853 371.[17]

Relaunch

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On 22 September 2016, Daniel Becker and RJ Brent successfully lobbied ASIC to register a new trading entity of BECKER ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD ACN 614 954 157.[18]

This company was established as a Film and TV Production Company, and started focusing on projects in 2017 with My Day Job[19] and Ravenswood.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Boland, Michaela (25 June 2007). "Becker family sells 43% of business". Variety. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "AUSSIE FILM MAKER SETTLES DOWN IN L.A." Australian Financial Review. 27 July 1990. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  3. ^ Kerr, Greg; Kalina, Paul (1 November 1991). "The Independents". Cinema Papers. pp. 48–50.
  4. ^ Groves, Don (4 September 2001). "Becker exec will handle int'l at Hoyts distribbery". Variety. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  5. ^ Groves, Don (25 September 1995). "Polygram bows Aussie distrib'n". Variety. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  6. ^ Variety Staff (30 July 1997). "Becker picks up Dendy". Variety. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  7. ^ Woods, Mark (17 April 1998). "Becker sees bumpy future". Variety. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  8. ^ Cahill, Phillippe (15 September 1999). "Oz's Becker posts annual loss again". Variety. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  9. ^ Groves, Don (11 August 2003). "Bradley to top Becker". Variety. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  10. ^ Groves, Don (27 October 2004). "Becker bags a pair". Variety. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Prime buys Becker stake in film biz". Encore Magazine. 1 July 2007.
  12. ^ "Prime gains control of Becker Group". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 June 2007. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013.
  13. ^ George2008-02-22T12:41:00+00:00, Sandy. "Icon Film Distribution buys Australian arthouse brand Dendy". Screen. Retrieved 16 June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Becker chief to step down". The Hollywood Reporter. 11 April 2006.
  15. ^ Boland, Michaela (15 July 2008). "Becker returning with new shingle". Daily Variety.
  16. ^ George, Sandy (14 July 2008). "Richard Becker leaps back into Australian distribution". Screen Daily. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  17. ^ "WASTAR ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD ACN 073 853 371". Asic Connect. ASIC. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  18. ^ "BECKER ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD ACN 614 954 157". Asic Connect. ASIC. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  19. ^ "My Day Job". IMDB. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  20. ^ "Ravenswood (2017)". IMDB. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
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