Republic Pictures

Republic Pictures, once a premier "B" movie maker but out of business for the last 20 years, is returning to the silver screen in 1985, with National Telefilm Associates changing its name and resurrecting the trademark Republic eagle. The dream of seeing "the Republic eagle fly again" in film production is coming true, producer Aubrey Groskopf said after National Telefilm Associates shareholders voted during a special meeting to change NTA's name to Republic Pictures Corp.

Jack Mathis, an Illinois advertising executive and author who was the foremost authority on Republic Pictures, the Hollywood studio best known for its B westerns and cliffhanger serials, has died. He was 73. Mathis died Oct. 13 of natural causes at his home in South Barrington, Ill., said his family. Jack Mathis Advertising, which Mathis founded in Chicago in 1956, specialized in industrial advertising.

Republic Pictures Corp. is entering the children's home video market by linking up with the Children's Television Workshop to distribute such shows as "3-2-1 Contact" and "Ghostwriter" made by the prestigious television programmer. But a bigger deal for Republic may be waiting in 1995. That is when an agreement expires between CTW and Random House, which currently distributes home videos of the not-for-profit company's most famous production, "Sesame Street."

Tim Reid, always a fine actor and likable TV personality in "WKRP in Cincinnati," "Frank's Place," etc., has brought the moviegoing public a truly beautiful, insightful film in "Once Upon a Time . . . When We Were Colored." Thanks go to Republic Pictures for making it possible to view this remarkable film. I saw the picture at a Saturday matinee in Orange County. The audience was mostly white and included some families with children. I hope that the film gains a wide distribution. Contrary to narrow Hollywood views of what audiences want to see, I believe we want to see good-quality stories, about all races and locales, thoughtfully brought to the screen.

Jack Mathis, an Illinois advertising executive and author who was the foremost authority on Republic Pictures, the Hollywood studio best known for its B westerns and cliffhanger serials, has died. He was 73. Mathis died Oct. 13 of natural causes at his home in South Barrington, Ill., said his family. Jack Mathis Advertising, which Mathis founded in Chicago in 1956, specialized in industrial advertising.

In a move that gives it a toehold in Hollywood movie production, Blockbuster Entertainment Corp. disclosed Thursday that it will spend $25 million for a 35% stake in Republic Pictures. The investment is a further move by Blockbuster, the nation's largest video rental chain, to diversify into other entertainment-related fields. Blockbuster earlier bought 236 Music Plus and Sound Warehouse stores from Roy E.

Nathan (Nat) Levine, who parlayed a career as a distributor of early films that were rejected by most of the major studios into the presidency of Republic Pictures, is dead at age 89. A spokeswoman for the Motion Picture and Television Hospital said Friday that he died Sunday at the Woodland Hills facility. Levine began in the industry in 1920 when he launched an independent distributorship. Seven years later, still in his 20s, Levine formed his own production company, Mascot.

If you are, say, late thirtysomething and remember paying a quarter to see a Saturday matinee, then you knew that when the Republic Pictures eagle logo came up on the screen you were in for a good time. Republic, the fondest remembered of the B-movie studios, is recalled in a two-hour retrospective, "The Republic Pictures Story," which can be seen at 5 p.m. today and again at 10 on the American Movie Classics cable network.

Republic Pictures Seeks Merger With Orion: Republic Pictures Corp. tossed its hat into the ring to rescue troubled Orion Pictures Corp., proposing a reorganization plan under which the companies would merge. Under the proposal, Orion's creditors would receive about $400 million that is owed to Orion, a $150-million note issued by the merged company and 10% of the common stock of the combined entity.

Republic Chief Confirms He Is Leaving: Russell Goldsmith confirmed a report, published in The Times, that he will leave the company soon rather than run the combined Republic Pictures and Spelling Entertainment when the two companies are merged in a few weeks. Goldsmith said he will continue to serve as a consultant to video rental giant Blockbuster Entertainment, which will control the merged companies. Goldsmith is leaving in the wake of Blockbuster's $8.4-billion merger with Viacom Inc.

Russell Goldsmith is abruptly leaving as head of Republic Pictures, perhaps as early as this week, sources said Tuesday. In a separate Hollywood personnel change, Michael Nathanson, a longtime Columbia Pictures executive who became embroiled in controversy at the peak of the Heidi Fleiss scandal last year, is leaving the studio. He most likely will join film producer New Regency Productions, sources said. Goldsmith's move was prompted by the $8.

Republic Pictures Corp. is entering the children's home video market by linking up with the Children's Television Workshop to distribute such shows as "3-2-1 Contact" and "Ghostwriter" made by the prestigious television programmer. But a bigger deal for Republic may be waiting in 1995. That is when an agreement expires between CTW and Random House, which currently distributes home videos of the not-for-profit company's most famous production, "Sesame Street."

In a move that gives it a toehold in Hollywood movie production, Blockbuster Entertainment Corp. disclosed Thursday that it will spend $25 million for a 35% stake in Republic Pictures. The investment is a further move by Blockbuster, the nation's largest video rental chain, to diversify into other entertainment-related fields. Blockbuster earlier bought 236 Music Plus and Sound Warehouse stores from Roy E.

Here and There: Dates have been set for the eighth annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. It will be March 4-14. . . . Republic Pictures has picked up the motion picture and TV rights to two autobiographies by Chris Sizemore and plans a sequel to the story of her life that was depicted in "The Three Faces of Eve."

Here and There: Dates have been set for the eighth annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. It will be March 4-14. . . . Republic Pictures has picked up the motion picture and TV rights to two autobiographies by Chris Sizemore and plans a sequel to the story of her life that was depicted in "The Three Faces of Eve."

With an important bankruptcy court hearing looming, another possible purchaser of troubled Orion Pictures emerged Tuesday--MGM-Pathe Communications Co. The entry of MGM, owned by the French bank Credit Lyonnais, raises to three the number of bidders seeking to acquire or merge with Orion, producer of "The Silence of the Lambs," 1991's Oscar juggernaut. Orion filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December, despite a years-long string of Academy Awards.

Republic Pictures Seeks Merger With Orion: Republic Pictures Corp. tossed its hat into the ring to rescue troubled Orion Pictures Corp., proposing a reorganization plan under which the companies would merge. Under the proposal, Orion's creditors would receive about $400 million that is owed to Orion, a $150-million note issued by the merged company and 10% of the common stock of the combined entity.