# MTM Enterprises

MTM Enterprises (also known as MTM Productions) was an American independent production company established in 1969 by Mary Tyler Moore and her then-husband Grant Tinker to produce The Mary Tyler Moore Show for CBS. The name for the production company was drawn from Moore's initials.
With MTM, Moore would become one of the first women to own a television production company. MTM became very successful, producing a number of successful television programs during the 1970s and 1980s. Since 2019, The Walt Disney Company has owned all of the company's programs through its subsidiary 20th Television.

## History

In 1969, MTM Enterprises was organized by both Mary Tyler Moore and Grant Tinker, and hired James L. Brooks and Allan Burns to create her sitcom. Brooks' show Room 222 has even been credited by the Television Academy Foundation for breaking the "new narrative ground" which developed MTM Enterprises' "major sitcom factories of the 1970s."
In 1971, co-founder Grant Tinker was forced to quit 20th Century Fox Television due to conflicts with how to run MTM, in order to maintain a full-time job at the company.
In 1976, MTM teamed up with Metromedia Producers Corporation to start a variety show, a first for first-run syndication. Earlier that year, the company had hired Bud Rifkin to launch a syndicated division.
In 1977, Ed. Weinberger, James L. Brooks, David Davis, Allan Burns, and Stan Daniels left MTM Enterprises for Paramount Pictures and started the John Charles Walters Company.
Tinker oversaw MTM's operation until leaving the company.
In 1981, Tinker became the chairman of NBC. Lawyers backing NBC's then-owner RCA convinced Tinker to sell his remaining shares of MTM. Moore and Arthur Price, her business manager and company vice president, bought Tinker's shares; Price subsequently was elevated to president. Tinker later regretted leaving MTM, believing that the company started to decline without him.
Most of MTM's programs aired on CBS. For many years, MTM and CBS co-owned the CBS Studio Center in Studio City California, where a majority of their programs were filmed and videotaped.
In 1986, MTM launched its own syndicated arm MTM Television Distribution, to handle off-net syndication of the MTM shows, and subsequently courted to continue its relations with syndicator Jim Victory to sell off-network rights to MTM's shows like Hill Street Blues and WKRP in Cincinnati, all the way up until the late 1980s as part of a contract settlement. In 1988, MTM was sold to UK broadcaster and independent station for the South and South East of England TVS Entertainment for $320 million. A year afterwards, MTM Television Distribution began producing its own programming for the first-run syndication market.
After TVS lost its franchise to broadcast on the ITV network to Meridian Broadcasting, a number of American companies (and to a lesser extent, Meridian) were interested in acquiring MTM, with Pat Robertson's International Family Entertainment making the first offer. A small number of shareholders, including Julian Tregar, rejected the offer from IFE. In November, TCW Capital made a bid, but withdrew it a few weeks later after reviewing the accounts of TVS. IFE increased its offer to £45.3M, but continued to be opposed by Julian Tregar, who blocked the deal on technical grounds, alleging that the offer was too low. IFE finally increased the offer to appease the remaining shareholders, and on January 23, 1993, their offer of £56.5M was finally accepted. The deal went into effect on February 1, 1993 (the month after Meridian began its first broadcast).
In 1995, Michael Ogiens, formerly running CBS, as well as his production company Ogiens/Kane Company, joined MTM to serve as president of the company in hopes that MTM would be restored to its independent production glory. The following year, Josh Kane, fellow partner of the Ogiens/Kane Company joined MTM as vice president for the East Coast offices. In 1997, MTM hit layoffs at the syndication unit after the cancellation of the show The Cape.
In 1997, International Family Entertainment was sold to News Corporation, and folded into its subsidiary Fox Kids Worldwide, eventually renamed to Fox Family Worldwide (a joint venture between Fox and Saban Entertainment). MTM's library assets however, were transferred over to 20th Television who retained them, even after Fox Family Worldwide was sold to The Walt Disney Company in 2001. Until then, The Pretender and Good News were the last surviving shows to be produced by MTM, as 20th Century Fox Television inherited both shows in 1997 (when News Corporation purchased MTM) and 1998 (when MTM ceased operations) respectively. MTM's library became property of Disney following its acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. Disney holds the rights of most of MTM's shows.
MTM Enterprises also included a record label, MTM Records — distributed by Capitol Records — which was in existence from 1984 to 1988.

## Filmography
### Television series

| Title | Genre | First air date | Last air date | Number of Seasons | Network | Co-production company(s) | Note(s) |
| The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Sitcom | September 19, 1970 (1970-9-19) | March 19, 1977 (1977-3-19) | 7 | CBS | | |
| The Bob Newhart Show | Sitcom | September 16, 1972 (1972-9-16) | April 1, 1978 (1978-4-1) | 6 | CBS | | |
| Rhoda | Sitcom | September 9, 1974 (1974-9-9) | December 9, 1978 (1978-12-9) | 5 | CBS | | First spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show |
| The Texas Wheelers | Sitcom | September 12, 1974 (1974-9-12) | July 24, 1975 (1975-7-24) | 1 | ABC | | |
| Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers | Sitcom | September 14, 1974 (1974-9-14) | December 7, 1974 (1974-12-7) | 1 | CBS | | |
| The Bob Crane Show | Sitcom | March 6, 1975 (1975-3-6) | June 12, 1975 (1975-6-12) | 1 | NBC | | |
| Doc | Sitcom | August 16, 1975 (1975-8-16) | October 30, 1976 (1976-10-30) | 2 | CBS | | |
| Phyllis | Sitcom | September 8, 1975 (1975-9-8) | March 13, 1977 (1977-3-13) | 2 | CBS | | Second spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show |
| Three for the Road | Adventure | September 14, 1975 (1975-9-14) | November 30, 1975 (1975-11-30) | 1 | CBS | | |
| The Lorenzo & Henrietta Music Show | Musical-variety | September 13, 1976 (1976-9-13) | October 11, 1976 (1976-10-11) | 1 | Syndicated | | |
| The Tony Randall Show | Sitcom | September 23, 1976 (1976-9-23) | March 25, 1978 (1978-3-25) | 2 | ABC (Season 1) CBS (Season 2) | | |
| The Betty White Show | Sitcom | September 12, 1977 (1977-9-12) | January 2, 1978 (1978-1-2) | 1 | CBS | | |
| Lou Grant | Journalism drama | September 20, 1977 (1977-9-20) | September 13, 1982 (1982-9-13) | 5 | CBS | | Third spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show |
| We've Got Each Other | Sitcom | October 1, 1977 (1977-10-1) | January 14, 1978 (1978-1-14) | 1 | CBS | | |
| WKRP in Cincinnati | Sitcom | September 18, 1978 (1978-9-18) | April 21, 1982 (1982-4-21) | 4 | CBS | | |
| Mary | Variety | September 24, 1978 (1978-9-24) | October 8, 1978 (1978-10-8) | 1 | CBS | | |
| The White Shadow | Sports drama | November 27, 1978 (1978-11-27) | March 16, 1981 (1981-3-16) | 3 | CBS | | |
| The Mary Tyler Moore Hour | Variety | March 4, 1979 (1979-3-4) | May 13, 1979 (1979-5-13) | 1 | CBS | | |
| The Last Resort | Sitcom | September 19, 1979 (1979-9-19) | March 17, 1980 (1980-3-17) | 1 | CBS | | |
| Paris | Police drama | September 29, 1979 (1979-9-29) | January 15, 1980 (1980-1-15) | 1 | CBS | | |
| Hill Street Blues | Police drama | January 15, 1981 (1981-1-15) | May 12, 1987 (1987-5-12) | 7 | NBC | | |
| Remington Steele | Private eye drama | October 1, 1982 (1982-10-1) | February 17, 1987 (1987-2-17) | 5 | NBC | | |
| Newhart | Sitcom | October 25, 1982 (1982-10-25) | May 21, 1990 (1990-5-21) | 8 | CBS | | |
| St. Elsewhere | Medical drama | October 26, 1982 (1982-10-26) | May 25, 1988 (1988-5-25) | 6 | NBC | | |
| Bay City Blues | Sports drama | October 25, 1983 (1983-10-25) | November 15, 1983 (1983-11-15) | 1 | NBC | | |
| The Duck Factory | Sitcom | April 12, 1984 (1984-4-12) | July 11, 1984 (1984-7-11) | 1 | NBC | | |
| Mary | Sitcom | December 11, 1985 (1985-12-11) | April 8, 1986 (1986-4-8) | 1 | CBS | | |
| Fresno | Comedy | November 16, 1986 (1986-11-16) | November 20, 1986 (1986-11-20) | 1 | CBS | | miniseries |
| The Popcorn Kid | Sitcom | March 23, 1987 (1987-3-23) | April 24, 1987 (1987-4-24) | 1 | CBS | | |
| Beverly Hills Buntz | Sitcom | November 5, 1987 (1987-11-5) | April 22, 1988 (1988-4-22) | 1 | NBC | | Spin-off of Hill Street Blues |
| Eisenhower and Lutz | Sitcom | March 14, 1988 (1988-3-14) | June 20, 1988 (1988-6-20) | 1 | CBS | | |
| Annie McGuire | Sitcom | October 26, 1988 (1988-10-26) | December 28, 1988 (1988-12-28) | 1 | CBS | | |
| Tattingers | Dramedy | October 26, 1988 (1988-10-26) | April 26, 1989 (1989-4-26) | 1 | NBC | | |
| FM | Sitcom | August 17, 1989 (1989-8-17) | June 28, 1990 (1990-6-28) | 1 | NBC | | |
| Rescue 911 | Reality | September 5, 1989 (1989-9-5) | August 27, 1996 (1996-8-27) | 8 | CBS | Arnold Shapiro Productions | U.S. distribution only, produced by CBS Entertainment Productions |
| America's Funniest Home Videos | Clip | November 26, 1989 (1989-11-26) | Present | 32 | ABC | | distribution for pre-2001 episodes only; currently distributed by sister company Disney Entertainment Distribution |
| City | Sitcom | January 29, 1990 (1990-1-29) | June 8, 1990 (1990-6-8) | 1 | CBS | CBS Entertainment Productions | |
| Capital News | Journalism drama | April 9, 1990 (1990-4-9) | April 30, 1990 (1990-4-30) | 1 | ABC | | |
| The Trials of Rosie O'Neill | Legal drama | September 17, 1990 (1990-9-17) | May 30, 1992 (1992-5-30) | 2 | CBS | | |
| Evening Shade | Sitcom | September 21, 1990 (1990-9-21) | May 23, 1994 (1994-5-23) | 4 | CBS | CBS Entertainment Productions, Bloodworth-Thomason Mozark Productions and Burt Reynolds Productions | distributed outside of U.S. television by Paramount Global Content Distribution |
| You Take the Kids | Sitcom | December 15, 1990 (1990-12-15) | January 12, 1991 (1991-1-12) | 1 | CBS | CBS Entertainment Productions and Paul Haggis Productions | |
| The New WKRP in Cincinnati | Sitcom | September 14, 1991 (1991-9-14) | May 22, 1993 (1993-5-22) | 2 | Syndicated | | |
| Graham Kerr's Kitchen | Cooking | September 30, 1992 (1992-9-30) | March 19, 1995 (1995-3-19) | 3 | Syndicated | | distribution only |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Western | January 1, 1993 (1993-1-1) | May 16, 1998 (1998-5-16) | 6 | CBS | The Sullivan Company | U.S. TV distribution only; produced by CBS Productions |
| Xuxa | Educational | September 13, 1993 (1993-9-13) | December 31, 1993 (1993-12-31) | 1 | Syndicated | Lynch Entertainment | |
| Christy | Drama | April 3, 1994 (1994-4-3) | August 2, 1995 (1995-8-2) | 2 | CBS | The Rosenzweig Company | |
| Snowy River: The McGregor Saga | Adventure | September 23, 1994 (1994-9-23) | May 24, 1998 (1998-5-24) | 4 | The Family Channel | | aired on Nine Network in Australia |
| Boogies Diner | Sitcom | September 17, 1994 (1994-9-17) | January 1, 1995 (1995-1-1) | 1 | Syndicated | Franklin/Waterman and King Street Entertainment | |
| Family Challenge | Game show | October 2, 1995 (1995-10-2) | September 7, 1997 (1997-9-7) | 2 | The Family Channel | Woody Fraser Enterprises and Maple Palm Productions | |
| Sparks | Sitcom | August 26, 1996 (1996-8-26) | March 2, 1998 (1998-3-2) | 2 | UPN | The Weinberger Company | |
| The Cape | Adventure | September 9, 1996 (1996-9-9) | May 19, 1997 (1997-5-19) | 1 | Syndicated | Zaloom-Mayfield Productions | |
| The Pretender | Science fiction | September 19, 1996 (1996-9-19) | May 13, 2000 (2000-5-13) | 4 | NBC | NBC Studios | season 1 only; distributed outside the U.S. by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios |
| Bailey Kipper's P.O.V. | Sitcom | September 14, 1996 (1996-9-14) | December 14, 1996 (1996-12-14) | 1 | CBS | Kipper Productions and Victoria Productions | |
| Shopping Spree | Game show | September 30, 1996 (1996-9-30) | December 26, 1997 (1997-12-26) | 2 | The Family Channel | Jay Wolpert Enterprises | |
| Wait 'Til You Have Kids | Game show | September 30, 1996 (1996-9-30) | January 31, 1997 (1997-1-31) | 1 | The Family Channel | Jay Wolpert Enterprises | |
| It Takes Two | Game show | March 10, 1997 (1997-3-10) | May 30, 1997 (1997-5-30) | 1 | The Family Channel | Mark Phillips Philms & Telephision | |
| Good News | Sitcom | August 25, 1997 (1997-8-25) | May 19, 1998 (1998-5-19) | 1 | UPN | The Weinberger Company | |
* 1 2 3 No longer distributed by 20th Television

### Television specials

| Title | Genre | Original air date | Network | Co-production company(s) | Note(s) |
| Carlton Your Doorman | Animated comedy | May 21, 1980 (1980-5-21) | CBS | | Pilot for proposed spin-off of Rhoda |