Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Famous Studios
open-in-new
<p>Famous Studios (renamed Paramount Cartoon Studios in 1956) was the first <a href="/facts/Animation/093f9nUg">animation</a> division of the film studio <a href="/facts/Paramount_Pictures/F6UIvDD9">Paramount Pictures</a> from 1942 to 1967. Famous was established as a successor company to <a href="/facts/Fleischer_Studios/c8qlRvlY">Fleischer Studios</a>, after Paramount seized control of the studio amid the departure of its founders, <a href="/facts/Max_Fleischer/DvF6aFbF">Max</a> and <a href="/facts/Dave_Fleischer/ly6WFB7V">Dave Fleischer</a>, in 1942. The studio's productions included three series started by the Fleischers—<i><a href="/facts/Popeye_the_Sailor_(film_series)/6LxSTETU">Popeye the Sailor</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Superman_(1940s_animated_film_series)/WU7hyYHb">Superman</a></i>, and <i><a href="/facts/Screen_Songs/rvbPTsq1">Screen Songs</a></i>—as well as <i><a href="/facts/Little_Audrey/wt5hLl3C">Little Audrey</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Little_Lulu/cKmpnIE4">Little Lulu</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Casper_the_Friendly_Ghost/xfLxfcGL">Casper the Friendly Ghost</a></i>, <i>Honey Halfwitch</i>, <i><a href="/facts/Herman_and_Katnip/CRhz7g7I">Herman and Katnip</a></i>, <i><a href="/facts/Baby_Huey/HqGFoYkK">Baby Huey</a></i>, and the <i><a href="/facts/Noveltoons/zGF2MXr7">Noveltoons</a></i> and <i><a href="/facts/Modern_Madcaps/TmHrPAj6">Modern Madcaps</a></i> series. </p><p>The <i>Famous</i> name was previously used by <a href="/facts/Famous_Players_Film_Company/PNesz5qV">Famous Players Film Company</a>, one of several companies which in 1912 became <a href="/facts/Famous_Players%25E2%2580%2593Lasky/Yc3HfhlY">Famous Players–Lasky Corporation</a>, the company which founded Paramount Pictures. Paramount's music publishing branch, which held the rights to all of the original music in the Fleischer/Famous cartoons, was named <a href="/facts/Famous_Music/4TEzWyGk">Famous Music</a>, and a movie theater chain in Canada owned by Paramount was called Famous Players. </p><p>The library of Famous Studios cartoons is currently divided between three separate film studios (via various subsidiaries): </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Paramount_Pictures/F6UIvDD9">Paramount Pictures</a> via <a href="/facts/Republic_Pictures/H1vVe5vC">Melange Pictures</a> (which owns the Pre-October 1950 cartoons by Fleischer and Famous Studios cartoons- outside of <i>Popeye</i> and <i>Superman</i>) and <a href="/facts/Paramount_Animation/jYVj4sU3">Paramount Animation</a> (which owns the March 1962-December 1967 cartoons);</li> <li><a href="/facts/Universal_Pictures/2xUCraUP">Universal Pictures</a> via <a href="/facts/DreamWorks_Animation/qXUu6Tmt">DreamWorks Animation</a> and <a href="/facts/DreamWorks_Classics/FRUQfjoF">Classic Media</a> (which owns the October 1950-February 1962 cartoons under <a href="/facts/Harvey_Films/yWHjclfp">Harvey Films</a>);</li> <li><a href="/facts/Warner_Bros./JRF3lhQ6">Warner Bros.</a> via <a href="/facts/Turner_Entertainment/2TfgMzsF">Turner Entertainment Co.</a> (which owns all the <i><a href="/facts/Popeye_the_Sailor_(film_series)/6LxSTETU">Popeye the Sailor</a></i> cartoons, with <a href="/facts/King_Features_Entertainment/KPWSDvm7">King Features Entertainment</a> under license for the original comics and characters); and <a href="/facts/DC_Entertainment/gvuKz3yL">DC Entertainment</a> (which owns all the <i><a href="/facts/Superman_(1940s_animated_film_series)/WU7hyYHb">Superman</a></i> cartoons).</li></ul>