Predecessor: Cohn-Brandt-Cohn (CBC) Film Sales Corporation (1918–1924)
Founded:

• June 19, 1918 (as Cohn-Brandt-Cohn (CBC) Film Sales Corporation)

• January 10, 1924 (as Columbia Pictures)
  Founders: Harry Cohn, Jack Cohn, Joe Brandt
  Parent: Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group

Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., commonly known as Columbia Pictures, is an American film production and distribution company that operates under the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Entertainment's Sony Pictures. It is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, a multinational conglomerate. The studio was founded on June 19, 1918, by brothers Jack and Harry Cohn, along with their business partner Joe Brandt, as Cohn-Brandt-Cohn (CBC) Film Sales Corporation. It adopted the name Columbia Pictures on January 10, 1924, and went public two years later, eventually choosing the image of Columbia, the female personification of the United States, as its logo.

Initially a minor player in Hollywood, Columbia Pictures began to grow in the late 1920s through a successful collaboration with director Frank Capra. The studio became known as a home for screwball comedies, including the popular Three Stooges series. In the 1930s, stars like Jean Arthur and Cary Grant helped boost its profile, while in the 1940s, Rita Hayworth emerged as the studio's premier star, propelling its success well into the 1950s. Columbia also featured stars like Rosalind Russell, Glenn Ford, and William Holden during this period. The studio was one of the "Little Three" among Hollywood's major studios during its Golden Age and has since grown to become the third-largest major film studio globally

Columbia Pictures played a key role in distributing Disney's Silly Symphony series and the Mickey Mouse cartoons from 1929 to 1932. The studio has been headquartered at the Irving Thalberg Building on the former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (now Sony Pictures Studios) lot in Culver City, California, since 1990. As a member of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), Columbia is one of six live-action labels under Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, alongside TriStar Pictures, Affirm Films, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Classics, and Stage 6 Films. Its most commercially successful franchises include Spider-Man, Jumanji, Bad Boys, Men in Black, The Karate Kid, Robert Langdon, and Ghostbusters. The studio's highest-grossing film worldwide is Spider-Man: No Way Home, which earned $1.92 billion at the box office.

Early years as CBC

The studio was founded on June 19, 1918, as Cohn-Brandt-Cohn (CBC) Film Sales by brothers Jack and Harry Cohn and Jack's best friend, Joe Brandt. It released its first feature film, More to Be Pitied Than Scorned, on August 20, 1922. Produced on a budget of $20,000, the film was a success, generating $130,000 in revenue for the company. Brandt served as president of CBC Film Sales, overseeing sales, marketing, and distribution from New York, along with Jack Cohn, while Harry Cohn managed production in Hollywood. In its early years, the studio produced low-budget short subjects, including Screen Snapshots, the Hallroom Boys series featuring vaudeville duo Edward Flanagan and Neely Edwards, and films starring the Charlie Chaplin imitator Billy West. Operating as a start-up, CBC leased space at a Poverty Row studio on Hollywood’s Gower Street, known for its low-rent reputation. Due to its modest beginnings, Hollywood insiders jokingly referred to "CBC" as standing for "Corned Beef and Cabbage."

Reorganization and new name

CBC was reorganized as Columbia Pictures Corporation on January 10, 1924, by brothers Harry and Jack Cohn and their friend Joe Brandt. Harry Cohn became president in 1932 and also served as head of production, consolidating significant power within the company. He ran Columbia for 34 years, marking one of the longest tenures of any studio chief in Hollywood history (Jack L. Warner of Warner Bros. served longer but did not become CEO until 1956). Columbia became notorious for nepotism, with many of Harry and Jack's relatives holding high-ranking positions. This led humorist Robert Benchley to nickname it the "Pine Tree Studio," commenting that it had "so many Cohns."

Brandt eventually tired of dealing with the Cohn brothers, and in 1932 sold his one-third stake to Jack and Harry Cohn, who took over from him as president.

Columbia Pictures' product line initially consisted of moderately budgeted features and short subjects, such as comedies, sports films, serials, and cartoons. Over time, the studio transitioned to producing higher-budget films, eventually joining the second tier of Hollywood studios alongside United Artists and Universal. Like these studios, Columbia was horizontally integrated, controlling production and distribution without owning any theaters.

Columbia's rise was significantly aided by the arrival of director Frank Capra, who joined in 1927. Capra continually pushed Harry Cohn for better scripts and larger budgets. His efforts culminated in a string of hits throughout the early and mid-1930s that solidified Columbia's status as a major studio. The breakthrough came with "It Happened One Night" (1934), which nearly swept the Oscars and elevated Columbia's reputation. Subsequent Capra-directed successes, including "Lost Horizon" (1937) and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939), further cemented Columbia's position in Hollywood and made James Stewart a major star.

In 1933, Columbia Pictures hired Robert Kalloch as its chief fashion and women's costume designer, marking the studio's first contract costume designer. Kalloch's appointment was significant as it led to the establishment of Columbia's wardrobe department. His hiring also demonstrated to leading actresses that Columbia was committed to investing in their careers, further enhancing the studio's reputation in the industry.

In 1938, B. B. Kahane was appointed vice president at Columbia Pictures and oversaw the production of films such as Charles Vidor's Those High Grey Walls (1939) and The Lady in Question (1940), which featured the first collaboration between Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. Kahane later became President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1959, a position he held until his death the following year.

Columbia Pictures, constrained by budgetary limitations, often borrowed stars from other studios, earning it the nickname "Siberia" at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where Louis B. Mayer used the loan-outs as a form of punishment. Despite this, Columbia signed notable talents such as Jean Arthur in the 1930s, who became a major comedy star after The Whole Town's Talking (1935), and Ann Sothern, whose career took off after she signed in 1936. Cary Grant joined Columbia in 1937 but soon had his contract modified to a non-exclusive arrangement shared with RKO.

Recognizing the appeal of westerns, Columbia Pictures catered to this genre by signing its first cowboy star, Buck Jones, in 1930. Over the next two decades, the studio released numerous westerns featuring stars like Tim McCoy, Ken Maynard, and Charles Starrett, who became Columbia's most popular cowboy, starring in 131 western features over 17 years.

Short subjects

In 1934, Columbia signed the Three Stooges, who had been rejected by MGM but went on to produce 190 shorts for Columbia until 1957. The studio's short-subject department also employed comedians like Buster Keaton and Charley Chase. Columbia's two-reel comedies were widely released on television between 1958 and 1961, and all of the Stooges' and other comedians' shorts have been made available on home video.

Columbia entered animation in 1929 by distributing Krazy Kat cartoons and later took over the Mickey Mouse series. By 1933, Columbia established Screen Gems, which produced cartoon series such as Krazy Kat, Scrappy, and The Fox and the Crow. Although Screen Gems was the last major studio to produce black-and-white cartoons, it continued to release them until 1949. In 1948, Columbia began distributing animated shorts from United Productions of America, which were critically acclaimed. By 1957, Columbia also distributed Hanna-Barbera cartoons, including Loopy De Loop until 1967, when the Hanna-Barbera deal expired and was not renewed.

Under studio chief Harry Cohn, Columbia prioritized serials, starting in 1937 and continuing until 1956. Famous Columbia serials included adaptations of comic-strip and radio characters such as Mandrake the Magician, The Shadow, and Superman.

Columbia also produced musical shorts, sports reels often narrated by Bill Stern, and travelogues. The studio's "Screen Snapshots" series, showcasing behind-the-scenes footage of Hollywood stars, was a staple of Columbia's output, maintained through 1958 by producer-director Ralph Staub.

1940s

In the 1940s, Columbia Pictures saw significant growth, partly due to the increase in audiences for their films during World War II and the popularity of its biggest star, Rita Hayworth. The studio maintained a robust roster of contractees well into the 1950s, including Glenn Ford, Penny Singleton, William Holden, Judy Holliday, The Three Stooges, Ann Miller, Evelyn Keyes, Ann Doran, Jack Lemmon, Cleo Moore, Barbara Hale, Adele Jergens, Larry Parks, Arthur Lake, Lucille Ball, Kerwin Mathews, and Kim Novak.

Harry Cohn was known for closely monitoring film budgets and maximizing the use of expensive sets, costumes, and props by recycling them across multiple productions. As a result, many of Columbia's low-budget "B" pictures and short subjects appeared more lavish than their cost might suggest. Cohn was initially hesitant to spend substantial amounts on even major projects, and it wasn’t until 1943 that he approved the use of three-strip Technicolor for a live-action film. Columbia was the last major studio to adopt this costly color process. The studio's first Technicolor feature was the western The Desperadoes (1943), starring Randolph Scott and Glenn Ford. Technicolor was quickly utilized again for Cover Girl (1944), a successful Hayworth vehicle, and A Song to Remember (1945), a biography of Frédéric Chopin featuring Cornel Wilde. When The Jolson Story (1946) was initially filmed in black-and-white, Cohn was so impressed with the project that he scrapped the footage and insisted on refilming it in Technicolor.

The 1948 anti-trust decision in United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. forced Hollywood studios to divest their theater chains. Since Columbia did not own any theaters, it was positioned on equal footing with the largest studios and soon replaced RKO on the list of the "Big Five" studios.

Screen Gems

In 1946, Columbia Pictures discontinued the Screen Gems brand for its cartoon line but continued to use the name for other ancillary activities, such as a 16 mm film-rental agency and a TV-commercial production company. On November 8, 1948, Columbia revived the Screen Gems name for its television production subsidiary following the acquisition of Pioneer Telefilms, a commercial company founded by Jack Cohn's son, Ralph, in 1947. Pioneer Telefilms was rebranded as Screen Gems, which began operations in New York on April 15, 1949. By 1951, Screen Gems had evolved into a full-fledged television studio and became a significant producer of sitcoms, with notable shows including Father Knows Best, The Donna Reed Show, The Partridge Family, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, and The Monkees.

On July 1, 1956, studio veteran Irving Briskin left Columbia Pictures to establish Briskin Productions, Inc., which would release series through Screen Gems and oversee its productions. On December 10, Screen Gems expanded into television syndication by acquiring Hygo Television Films, also known as "Serials Inc.," and its affiliate United Television Films, Inc. Hygo Television Films, founded by Jerome Hyams in 1951, had acquired United Television Films in 1955, a company originally established by Archie Mayers.

In 1957, two years before Columbia Pictures dropped its association with UPA, Screen Gems entered into a distribution deal with Hanna-Barbera Productions. This deal saw the distribution of classic TV cartoons, including The Flintstones, Ruff and Reddy, The Huckleberry Hound Show, Yogi Bear, Jonny Quest, and The Jetsons, until 1967 when Hanna-Barbera was sold to Taft Broadcasting. In 1960, Screen Gems became a publicly traded company under the name Screen Gems, Inc., when Columbia spun off an 18% stake.

1950's

By 1950, Columbia Pictures had phased out most of its popular series films, such as "Boston Blackie," "Blondie," "The Lone Wolf," "The Crime Doctor," and "Rusty," with the exception of "Jungle Jim," which continued until 1955. Producer Sam Katzman played a crucial role in Columbia's success during this period, producing a range of topical feature films, including crime dramas, science-fiction stories, and rock 'n' roll musicals. Despite the decline in serials and two-reel comedies, Columbia maintained production in these areas until 1956 and 1957, respectively.

As major studios faced financial difficulties in the 1950s due to the loss of their theater chains, Columbia's position improved significantly. The studio's resilience was attributed to its avoidance of the severe income losses experienced by others. Columbia continued to produce over 40 films annually, with several notable successes, including adaptations of controversial and acclaimed novels like "From Here to Eternity" (1953), "On the Waterfront" (1954), and "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957), all of which won the Best Picture Oscar. Another significant release was the adaptation of George Orwell's dystopian novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four" (1956).

Columbia also expanded its distribution to include productions from the English studio Warwick Films, founded by Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli, and many films by producer Carl Foreman, who lived in England. Additionally, the studio distributed films made by the British company Hammer.

In December 1956, the studio's co-founder and executive vice-president, Jack Cohn, passed away. In 1958, Columbia launched its own record label, Colpix Records, initially managed by Jonie Taps and later by Paul Wexler and Lester Sill. Colpix Records operated until 1966, when Columbia entered into a joint agreement with RCA Victor, discontinuing Colpix in favor of the new label, Colgems Records.

1960s: After Harry Cohn's death

Shortly after closing its short subjects department, Columbia Pictures president Harry Cohn died of a heart attack in February 1958. His nephew Ralph Cohn, who had also been a key figure in the company, passed away in 1959, marking the end of nearly four decades of family management.

The new leadership was headed by Abe Schneider, who had started with the company as an office boy right out of high school and worked his way up through the ranks, eventually becoming a director in 1929 and later focusing on the financial aspects of the business. In 1963, under Schneider's management, Columbia acquired the music publisher Aldon Music.

By the late 1960s, Columbia Pictures was grappling with an ambiguous identity, balancing old-fashioned fare such as A Man for All Seasons and Oliver! with more contemporary offerings like Easy Rider and The Monkees. After declining the opportunity to release Albert R. Broccoli's Eon Productions James Bond films, the studio hired Broccoli's former partner, Irving Allen, to produce the Matt Helm series starring Dean Martin. Columbia also ventured into the James Bond genre with a spoof, Casino Royale (1967), produced in collaboration with Charles K. Feldman, who held the adaptation rights for the novel.

By 1966, Columbia was experiencing box-office failures, and rumors of a takeover began to circulate. The studio was relying heavily on the profits from Screen Gems, which owned various radio and television stations. On December 23, 1968, Screen Gems merged with Columbia Pictures Corporation to form Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. in a deal worth $24.5 million. Abe Schneider became chairman of the new holding company, with Leo Jaffe serving as president. Following the merger, in March 1969, CPI acquired Bell Records for $3.5 million, primarily in CPI stock, and retained Larry Uttal as the label's president.

1970s

By the early 1970s, Columbia Pictures was on the brink of bankruptcy. The studio underwent a radical overhaul to reverse its fortunes: it sold the Gower Street Studios, now known as Sunset Gower Studios, and brought in a new management team. In 1972, Columbia and Warner Bros. formed a partnership called The Burbank Studios, sharing the Warner studio lot in Burbank.

In 1971, Columbia Pictures launched Columbia Pictures Publications, a sheet music publishing division, with Frank J. Hackinson as vice president and general manager; he later became president. In 1973, Allen & Co. acquired a financial stake in Columbia Pictures Industries, leading to the appointment of Alan Hirschfield as CEO, who succeeded Leo Jaffe, who became chairman. Stanley Schneider, son of Abe Schneider (who had become honorary chairman before leaving the board in 1975), was replaced as head of Columbia Pictures by David Begelman, who reported to Hirschfield. Begelman's tenure was later marred by a check-forging scandal that significantly damaged the studio's reputation.

On May 6, 1974, Columbia Pictures rebranded its television division from Screen Gems to Columbia Pictures Television, a name suggested by David Gerber, then president of Columbia's television division. That same year, Columbia acquired Rastar Pictures, which included Rastar Productions, Rastar Features, and Rastar Television. Ray Stark later founded Rastar Films, a reincarnation of Rastar Pictures, which Columbia acquired in February 1980.

Columbia Pictures also undertook significant changes in its music and record divisions. Clive Davis was hired as a record and music consultant in 1974 and later became temporary president of Bell Records. Davis aimed to revitalize Columbia Pictures' music division and, with a $10 million investment from CPI and a reorganization of legacy labels (Colpix, Colgems, and Bell), introduced Arista Records in November 1974, with Davis holding a 20% stake. Columbia controlled Arista until 1979, when it was sold to Ariola Records. Additionally, Columbia sold its music publishing business, Columbia-Screen Gems, to EMI in August 1976 for $15 million. Both the music publishing business and Arista Records would later be reunited with Columbia Pictures under Sony ownership.

Logo

The Columbia Pictures logo, featuring the iconic Torch Lady, has undergone five major changes since its inception. The Torch Lady, a figure carrying a torch and draped in clothing symbolizing Columbia—a personification of the United States—has often been compared to the Statue of Liberty, which served as an inspiration for the logo.

History

Initially, in 1924, Columbia Pictures used a logo depicting a female Roman soldier holding a shield and a stalk of wheat. This design was based on actress Doris Doscher, who was the model for the statue on the Pulitzer Fountain and for the Standing Liberty quarter used from 1916 to 1930, though the studio's version featured longer hair. By 1928, the logo was updated to show a woman wearing a draped flag and holding a torch, styled in the manner of ancient Roman attire with a headdress, stola, and palla. The text "A Columbia Production" or "A Columbia Picture" was written in an arch above her. This version was modeled after actress Evelyn Venable, known for voicing the Blue Fairy in Walt Disney’s Pinocchio. Earlier, during the silent film era, the logo included the slogan "Gems of the Screen," inspired by the song "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean," which later influenced the renaming of Charles Mintz Studio to Screen Gems.

In 1936, the logo was redesigned to its classic form: the Torch Lady stood on a pedestal, without a headdress, and with the name "Columbia" in chiseled letters behind her. Jane Chester Bartholomew, a Pittsburgh native discovered by Harry Cohn while working as an extra at Columbia, portrayed the Torch Lady. Variations of the logo included a color version used in 1943 for The Desperadoes. By 1941, the flag was replaced with a plain drape due to a federal law prohibiting the use of the American flag as clothing. In the 1950s, the Torch Lady's robe was redrawn with a plunging neckline and an exposed slipper-clad foot, and the animation of the torch was updated to radiate light rather than flicker. From 1955 to 1963, Columbia used the 1936 Torch Lady under the Screen Gems banner, and this version of the logo was used for some Columbia releases to match the period setting of the films. The 1936 logo continued to be used in several releases, including the 1976 film Taxi Driver, before the Torch Lady was eventually revamped.