Touchstone Television
The second incarnation of Touchstone Television (formerly known as Fox 21 Television Studios) was an American television production company that is a subsidiary of Disney Media Networks' Walt Disney Television owned by The Walt Disney Company.[2] It was founded in 2014 from the merger of Fox Television Studios and Fox 21, and given its second name in mid-2020 following the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney.
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| Formerly | Fox 21 Television Studios (2014–2020) |
|---|---|
| Type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Television Production |
| Fate | Merged with 20th Television |
| Predecessors |
|
| Successor | 20th Television |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founder | David Madden |
| Defunct | December 1, 2020 |
Key people | Bert Salke (president) |
| Parent | Disney Television Studios (Walt Disney Television) |
| Footnotes / references [1] | |
In December 2020, Disney announced the label would be folded into 20th Television.[3]
Predecessors
Fox Television Studios
Fox Television Studios (FTVS) was formed in 1997 alongside 20th Century Fox Television and 20th Television[4] under executive David Grant.[5] The studio was created to house smaller production units, starting with the Greenblatt-Janollari Studio (G-JS). Greenblatt-Janollari started producing shows in the 1998–1999 season with 3 comedy series for ABC and CBS. While funded by Fox, G-JS was presented as an "independent mini-studio".[4] With Fox Entertainment Group holding a 20% stake in New Regency Production's parent corporation, Fox Studios formed a joint venture, Regency Television, by 2000, managed by Gail Berman.[4][5] Another production unit formed was Fox Television Studios Productions (FTSP) under Lisa Berger. Early output by the individual units, or "pods" were FTSP's Son of the Beach for FX, The Hughleys by G-JS and Regency had Malcolm in the Middle.[5]
The pod model evolved into five divisions: alternative, scripted, international, Fox World and Regency Television:
- The alternative division was responsible for Talkshow with Spike Feresten and The Wanda Sykes Show, along with E!'s The Girls Next Door franchise. In mid-2002, Fox Alternative Productions was formed by Fox TV Studios and headed by David Martin with its first show to be "The Coach".[6]
- The scripted division produced The Shield, along with a number of television films and miniseries.[5]
- Fox World division, formed in 2001, had acquired rights to "The Coach" in early 2002 from France's TF1 and its Quai Sud production entity. The company produced reality television programs such as Joe Millionaire and Temptation Island. The company was shut down by FTVS in 2005.
Eventually the only division operating was the scripted unit. Next FTVS attempted international co-productions of direct-to-series broadcast series. The company had a hit with Burn Notice on USA Network. In August 2010, Dave Madden was appointed to head the unit, where he evenly increased its production slates until he was appointed as president of entertainment for Fox Broadcasting in August 2014.[5]
Fox 21
Fox 21 was formed in 2004 by 20th Century Fox Television executives Dana Walden and Gary Newman to develop and back smaller-budgeted but unique and daring shows. Fox 21's first executive was Jane Leisner. The unit's early hits were the FX series Sons of Anarchy and The CW reality series Beauty and the Geek.[5]
After originally being passed over for programming the new network, MyNetworkTV, Fox 21 was in consideration along with Twentieth Television and independent producers as of December 2006 in a potential reprogramming from telenovela to low-cost reality and game shows.[7]
Bert Salke, who moved from his Brancato/Salke production company based at ABC Studios, took charge of the unit in 2010 and led an increase in show productions starting with the Showtime series Homeland.[5] In early 2015, Mythology Entertainment signed a first look deal with the company and its sister studio 20th Century Fox Television while announcing the head of its TV division.[8]
The company produces or had produced the USA Network series Rush, the FX series Terriers, Tyrant and The Bastard Executioner, the A&E action series Breakout Kings, the Comedy Central series Brickleberry, the WGN America series Salem, the TNT series Legends and the Lifetime series Witches of East End.[9]
History
It was announced in December 2014 that Fox 21 and Fox Television Studios would merge into Fox 21 Television Studios. This situation came as a result of FTVS' president David Madden being promoted to Fox Broadcasting Company and the fact that both units were focusing on the same market, cable TV. The combined operation is headed by Fox 21 president Bert Salke.[5]
In January 2020, Fox 21 reached a first-look deal with Marta Kauffman's studio Okay Goodnight, beginning with an adaptation of the 2019 novel The Dreamers.[10] In early-February 2020, it reached a first-look deal with the Gotham Group.[11]
On August 10, 2020, as part of a reorganization of Walt Disney Television following the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney, the studio was renamed Touchstone Television — reviving a brand dormant since the previous Touchstone Television was renamed ABC Studios in 2007. ABC Studios had also merged with the previous iteration of ABC Signature Studios to form the current iteration of ABC Signature. The renamed Touchstone Television studio retains a typewriter-styled logo similar to the previous Fox 21 Television Studios branding.[12][13]
Less than four months following this change, on December 1, 2020, Walt Disney Television head Dana Walden announced a further reorganization which will see the newly-renamed division wound up, with Salke transitioning to an overall producing deal with Disney Television Studios, and remaining operations merged into 20th Television.[3]
Programming produced
| Title | Year | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Television Studios | |||
| The Hughleys | 1998–2002 | ABC/UPN | with The Greenblatt/Janollari Studio and Willowick Entertainment |
| Maggie Winters | 1998–1999 | CBS | with The Greenblatt/Janollari Studio and CBS Productions |
| To Have & to Hold | 1998 | CBS | with The Greenblatt/Janollari Studio and CBS Productions |
| Oh, Grow Up | 1999 | ABC | with The Greenblatt/Janollari Studio |
| Malcolm in the Middle | 2000–2006 | FOX | with Satin City and Regency Television |
| Son of the Beach | 2000–2002 | FX | with The Howard Stern Production Company and Loch Lomond Entertainment |
| Soul Food: The Series | 2000–2004 | Showtime | with Water Walk Productions, Edmonds Entertainment, State Street Pictures, 20th Century Fox Television, and Paramount Network Television (Seasons 1 & 2) |
| Murder in Small Town X | 2001 | FOX | with Hoosick Falls Productions |
| The Shield | 2002–2008 | FX | with MiddKid Productions, Columbia TriStar Domestic Television, and Sony Pictures Television |
| John Doe | 2002–2003 | FOX | with Camp-Thompson Productions and Regency Television |
| The Grid | 2004 | TNT | with Groveland Pictures and Carnival Films |
| Living with Fran | 2005–2006 | The WB | with Fringe Producers, On Time and Sober, Jizzy Entertainment, Uh-Oh Productions, and Regency Television |
| The Girls Next Door | 2005–2010 | E! | with Prometheus Entertainment and Alta Loma Entertainment |
| Killer Instinct | 2005 | FOX | with Regency Television |
| Thief | 2006 | FX | with Pariah Television, Sarabrande Productions, and Regency Television |
| Windfall | 2006 | NBC | with Joyful Girl Productions and Regency Television |
| Celebrity Duets | 2006 | FOX | with SYCOtv and A. Smith & Co. Productions |
| The Riches | 2007–2008 | FX | with Maverick Television and FX Productions |
| Burn Notice | 2007–2013 | USA Network | with Flying Glass of Milk Productions and Fuse/Fabrik Entertainment |
| Saving Grace | 2007–2010 | TNT | with Grand Productions and Paid My Dues Productions |
| Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants | 2007–2008 | The CW | |
| The Return of Jezebel James | 2008 | FOX | with Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Regency Television |
| Mental | 2009 | FOX | with Kedzie Productions and Infinity Pictures |
| Kendra | 2009–2011 | E! | with Prometheus Entertainment and Alta Loma Entertainment |
| Defying Gravity | 2009 | ABC | with Parriott/Edelstein Productions and Omni Film Productions |
| White Collar | 2009–2014 | USA Network | with Jeff Eastin & Warrior George Productions |
| The Wanda Sykes Show | 2009–2010 | FOX | with Sykes Entertainment, Inc. |
| Holly's World | 2009–2011 | E! | |
| The Good Guys | 2010 | FOX | with Flying Glass of Milk Productions and Fuse Entertainment |
| Persons Unknown | 2010 | NBC | with Invisible Ink and Televisa S.A. de C.V. |
| The Gates | 2010 | ABC | with Little Engine Productions and Summerland Entertainment |
| The Glades | 2010–2013 | A&E | with Innuendo Productions and Grand Productions |
| Lights Out | 2011 | FX | with A Warren Leight Production, Fineman Entertainment, and FX Productions |
| The Killing | 2011–2014 | AMC/Netflix | with KMF Films, Fuse Entertainment, and Fabrik Entertainment |
| In the Flow with Affion Crockett | 2011 | FOX | with Foxx/King Entertainment and Tantamount Studios |
| The Great Escape | 2012 | TNT | with Profiles Television Productions, The Hochberg Ebersol Company, and Imagine Television |
| The Americans | 2013–2018 | FX | with Nemo Films, Amblin Television, and FX Productions |
| Maron | 2013–2016 | IFC | with Boomer Lives! Productions and Apostle |
| Graceland | 2013–2015 | USA Network | with Jeff Eastin & Warrior George Productions |
| Sirens | 2014–2015 | USA Network | with Middletown News and Apostle |
| Fox 21 | |||
| Beauty and the Geek | 2005–2008 | The WB/The CW | with Katalyst Films and 3 Ball Productions |
| Free Ride | 2006 | FOX | with Rob Roy Thomas Productions and Wild Jams Productions |
| Saved | 2006 | TNT | |
| Anchorwoman | 2007 | FOX | |
| Sons of Anarchy | 2008–2014 | FX | with Linson The Company, Sutter Ink, and FX Productions |
| Game Show in My Head | 2009 | CBS | |
| Terriers | 2010 | FX | with MiddKid Productions and Rickshaw Productions |
| Breakout Kings | 2011–2012 | A&E | with Matt Olmstead Productions, Blackjack Films, and Chernin Entertainment |
| Homeland | 2011–2020 | Showtime | with Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet Media Group, and Showtime Networks |
| Brickleberry | 2012–2015 | Comedy Central | with Damn! Show Productions and Black Heart Productions |
| Witches of East End | 2013–2014 | Lifetime | with 3 Arts Entertainment and Curly Girly Productions |
| Those Who Kill | 2014 | A&E | with One Two One Three Pictures, Miso Film, and Imagine Television |
| Salem | 2014–2017 | WGN America | with Beetlecod Productions and Prospect Park |
| Tyrant | 2014–2016 | FX | with Teakwood Lane Productions, Keshet Media Group, and FX Productions |
| Rush | 2014 | USA Network | with Little Engine Productions, Fancy Films, and Pine City Entertainment |
| Legends | 2014–2015 | TNT | with Paperboy Productions and Teakwood Lane Productions |
| Fox 21 Television Studios | |||
| The Comedians | 2015 | FX | with Jennilind Productions, Larry Charles Projects, Tamaroa Productions, Flying Glass of Milk Productions, Fabrik Entertainment, and FX Productions |
| Complications | 2015 | USA Network | with Flying Glass of Milk Productions |
| Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll | 2015–2016 | FX | with Apostle and FX Productions |
| The Bastard Executioner | 2015 | FX | with Sutter Ink, Imagine Television, and FX Productions |
| American Crime Story | 2016–present | FX | with Scott & Larry Productions, Color Force, Ryan Murphy Productions, and FX Productions |
| Damien | 2016 | A&E | with 44 Strong Productions and Fineman Entertainment |
| Dice | 2016–2017 | Showtime | with Olé Productions, American Work Inc., and Showtime Networks |
| Queen of the South | 2016–present | USA Network | with Frequency Films, Friendly Films, Skeeter Rosenbaum Productions, and Universal Cable Productions |
| Chance | 2016–2017 | Hulu | with Nutmegger, Kem Nunn Stories, Inc., and Groundswell Productions |
| Feud | 2017 | FX | with Plan B Entertainment and Ryan Murphy Productions |
| Genius | 2017–present | National Geographic | with Imagine Television, Paperboy Productions, OddLot Entertainment, and EUE / Sokolow |
| The Chi | 2018–present | Showtime | with Elwood Reid Inc., Hillman Grad Productions, Freedom Road Productions, Verse Productions, Kapital Entertainment, and Showtime Networks |
| Seven Seconds | 2018 | Netflix | with KMF Films, Bender Brown Productions, and Filmtribe |
| Pose | 2018–present | FX | with Color Force, Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision, Ryan Murphy Television, and FX Productions |
| Mayans M.C. | 2018–present | FX | with Sutter Ink and FX Productions |
| Fosse/Verdon | 2019 | FX | with 5000 Broadway Productions and FX Productions |
| The Politician | 2019–present | Netflix | |
| Soundtrack | 2019 | Netflix | with Annapurna Television and 20th Century Fox Television |
| Touchstone Television | |||
| The Stranger | 2020–present | Quibi | with KMF Films |
| Barkskins | 2020–present | National Geographic | with Elwood Reid Inc. |
| Tales from the Loop | 2020–present | Prime Video | with Amazon Studios, 6th & Idaho and Indio |
| Ratched | 2020–present | Netflix | with The Saul Zaentz Company and Ryan Murphy Productions |
| Books of Blood[14] | 2020 | Hulu | television film; with Fuzzy Door Productions |
See also
- ABC Signature, formerly known as the original Touchstone Television
- Touchstone Pictures, the dormant film studio label and namesake
- 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox)
- Fox Television Stations
- 20th Digital Studio (formerly Zero Day Fox and Fox Digital Studio)
References
- "Disney and 21st Century Fox Announce per Share Value in Connection with $71 Billion Acquisition". The Walt Disney Company. March 20, 2019.
- Andreeva, Nellie (October 8, 2018). "Disney Unveils Top TV Executive Structure Post Fox Acquisition: Peter Rice, Dana Walden, John Landgraf, Gary Knell Joining". Deadline. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- Holloway, Daniel (December 1, 2020). "Dana Walden Reorganizes Disney TV Team; Karey Burke Moves to 20th as Craig Erwich Adds ABC Entertainment". Variety. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- Kunz, William M. (2007). "2". Culture Conglomerates: Consolidation in the Motion Picture and Television Industries. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 49, 50. ISBN 9780742540668. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- Andreeva, Nellie (December 4, 2014). "Fox 21 & Fox TV Studios Merging Into One Entity Headed By Bert Salk". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- Schneider, Michael (July 29, 2002). "Fox to stage real 'Coach'". Variety. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- "Fox 21 May Get Into the MyNetworkTV Mix". Broadcasting and Cable. December 31, 2006. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
- Reilly, Travis (March 12, 2015). "Mythology Entertainment Signs First Look Deal With Fox TV". The Wrap. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- Rose, Lacey (7 August 2013). "Fox 21's Bert Salke Reveals What's Next for 'Homeland' (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter.
- Low, Elaine (January 23, 2020). "Marta Kauffman's Okay Goodnight, Fox 21 TV Studios Ink First-Look Deal". Variety. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- Otterson, Joe (February 6, 2020). "Gotham Group Sets First-Look Deal With Fox 21 Television Studios". Variety. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- Andreeva, Nellie (2020-08-10). "Disney Television Studios Rebrands Its Three Units As 20th Television, ABC Signature & Touchstone Television". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
- Low, Elaine (August 10, 2020). "Disney Rebrands TV Studios, 20th Century Fox TV to Become 20th Television". Variety. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- https://deadline.com/2019/10/books-of-blood-hulu-horror-movie-anna-friel-britt-robertson-rafi-gavron-yul-vazquez-star-hulu-film-horror-anthology-brannon-braga-seth-macfarlane-produce-1202773852/