CBS/Fox Video

CBS/Fox Video was a major American home-video distributor created in June 1982 as a joint venture between 20th Century Fox and CBS. It succeeded the 20th Century-Fox Video operation, which had grown out of Fox's ownership of Magnetic Video, and combined Fox's film library and distribution infrastructure with CBS's television, specials, and other programming assets. The company operated during the formative period of the prerecorded home-video business, when studios were shifting from rental-oriented videocassettes toward direct consumer sales. Its catalog was broad. Releases included 20th Century Fox theatrical films, CBS television programs and specials, children's and family programming, and licensed third-party material. The business also marketed catalog and niche programming through labels such as Key Video and Playhouse Video. Key Video concentrated on older, collector-oriented, and lower-priced titles, drawing on libraries associated with CBS, Fox, Lorimar, ITC, United Artists, and other suppliers. Playhouse Video focused on children's and family entertainment, including Muppet-related material, Shirley Temple films, selected CBS properties, and other youth-oriented programming. CBS/Fox participated in the industry's response to the economics of video rental. Under Larry Hilford, who became president in 1983, the company raised cassette prices and encouraged retail purchasing rather than relying exclusively on rental outlets. It developed direct-sales arrangements with retailers including Toys "R" Us and Child World, anticipating the sell-through model that later became central to home entertainment. The company also used distinctive large-format packaging for some early releases, a presentation remembered by collectors as the "Fox Box." In March 1991, Fox obtained greater control of the venture's operations. Distribution functions were transferred to the newly formed Fox Video, while CBS increasingly used the CBS Video name for its own releases and CBS/Fox retained certain third-party and non-theatrical distribution relationships. Bob DeLellis led Fox Video during this transition and introduced lower sell-through prices for selected family titles, including Home Alone, to stimulate ownership and repeat viewing. The CBS/Fox identity remained part of a broader restructuring after Fox Entertainment Group acquired CBS's interest. On March 16, 1995, the operation was renamed Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, ending CBS/Fox Video as the principal corporate identity. The successor business later became an important distributor of DVDs, Blu-ray discs, television seasons, digital releases, and third-party catalogs. Its subsequent history included major home-video releases such as the original Star Wars trilogy, Independence Day, and television series including The Simpsons and The X-Files. CBS/Fox Video is therefore best understood as a historical home-entertainment distribution brand rather than a current standalone company. Its significance lies in the transition from studio-controlled rental cassettes to retail sell-through, the expansion of home video beyond feature films, and the development of specialized labels and catalog strategies that influenced the later structure of Fox's home-entertainment business.

The roots of CBS/Fox Video lay in the relationship between 20th Century Fox and Magnetic Video, an independent home-video distributor founded by Andre Blay and Leon Nicholson. Magnetic Video distributed Fox titles under an earlier arrangement, and 20th Century Fox acquired the company in March 1979. In late 1981, Fox renamed Magnetic Video Corporation as 20th Century-Fox Video and continued operating it from Farmington Hills, Michigan. Steve Roberts, a telecommunications executive, took charge after Blay's departure. The early Fox operation released selected films primarily for rental, including theatrical titles and well-known library properties. Its packaging included large boxes for some sale and rental cassettes, while rental-library editions used black clamshell cases. These practices reflected a market still dominated by video stores and relatively high-priced prerecorded tapes. In June 1982, 20th Century Fox and CBS created CBS/Fox Video. The joint venture gave Fox a route to distribute its film library while adding CBS's television inventory and corporate resources. Larry Hilford, formerly associated with Columbia Pictures, became president in January 1983. Although he had criticized the rental model, he worked within the emerging market and helped the company respond to the commercial pressure created by rental retailers. CBS/Fox and other distributors raised cassette prices during this period and promoted direct consumer purchase. The company negotiated direct retail arrangements with Toys "R" Us and Child World in July 1985, helping establish a sales channel separate from traditional video-store rental. This approach anticipated the later dominance of sell-through pricing, in which popular titles were sold at prices intended to encourage household ownership. The company broadened its portfolio through specialist labels. Key Video, introduced in April 1984, used CBS/Fox's sales and marketing organization to offer older films, catalog properties, and selected material from libraries such as Lorimar, ITC, and United Artists. Its programming was aimed at collectors and titles expected to remain on shelves for long periods. Playhouse Video followed in February 1985, replacing the short-lived CBS/Fox Children's Video label and concentrating on children's and family content. It released material associated with the Muppets, Shirley Temple, the Planet of the Apes films, CBS specials, Dr. Seuss programs, and Peanuts productions. Both labels were inactive by 1991, although the Key name briefly returned in the 2000s as Key DVD. A major restructuring occurred in March 1991. Fox transferred CBS/Fox's distribution functions to Fox Video and gave that operation exclusive distribution of 20th Century Fox products. CBS began using CBS Video for its own branded releases, while CBS/Fox retained some non-theatrical and third-party distribution relationships, including relationships involving BBC Video and NBA programming. Bob DeLellis, a longtime CBS/Fox executive, became president of Fox Video. In June 1991, Fox lowered suggested prices for selected family titles, including Home Alone, as part of an effort to move consumers from rental to ownership and increase repeat viewing. Fox Entertainment Group's acquisition of CBS's interest completed the separation of the two companies' interests. On March 16, 1995, the operation was renamed Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. The successor entity expanded beyond the VHS business into DVD, Blu-ray, digital distribution, television-season releases, and outside-label distribution. Its later accomplishments included strong catalog and franchise releases, early adoption of television box sets, and participation in the transition to high-definition disc formats. The CBS/Fox Video brand consequently disappeared as a principal operating identity, but its distribution infrastructure and market practices continued through Fox Video and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. In 2019, Disney acquired most of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets, and in 2020 the Fox home-entertainment operation was renamed 20th Century Home Entertainment and folded into Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. Those later changes belong to the successor business rather than to CBS/Fox Video itself.

• 1995

  Business becomes Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

  [1]20th Century Home Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Fox's acquisition of CBS's interest led to a new corporate identity and an expanded home-entertainment organization.

• 1991

  Fox Video takes over distribution functions

  [1]20th Century Home Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Fox reorganized the joint venture, moving distribution to Fox Video while CBS increasingly used CBS Video for its own releases.

• 1985

  Playhouse Video launches

  [1]20th Century Home Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  The label was introduced for children's and family programming, replacing the short-lived CBS/Fox Children's Video label.

• 1984

  Key Video launches

  [1]20th Century Home Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  The specialist label began releasing catalog and collector-oriented programming using CBS/Fox sales and marketing operations.

• 1982

  CBS/Fox Video is formed

  [2]CBS/Fox Video is formeden.wikipedia.org

  CBS and 20th Century Fox established the joint venture that became the central home-video brand for their combined catalog.

• 1981

  Magnetic Video is renamed 20th Century-Fox Video

  [1]20th Century Home Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Fox renamed the acquired operation and continued its home-video business from Farmington Hills, Michigan.

• 1979

  20th Century Fox acquires Magnetic Video

  [1]20th Century Home Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Fox acquired the home-video distributor that had handled Fox releases under an earlier distribution relationship.

A broad home-entertainment distributor combining the film library and retail reach of 20th Century Fox with CBS programming and selected third-party catalogs. The brand served both rental retailers and consumers buying prerecorded videocassettes, while its specialist labels targeted catalog collectors and families.

• Home video · 1982

  CBS/Fox Video VHS releases

  The core offering consisted of prerecorded videocassettes containing 20th Century Fox films, CBS programs and specials, and selected licensed material. Releases served both the video-rental trade and consumers purchasing titles for home ownership. Early packaging and pricing reflected the high-cost VHS market, while later sell-through initiatives sought to make popular films more attractive for direct purchase.

• Catalog home video label · 1984

  Key Video

  Key Video was a CBS/Fox-affiliated label established for older films, collector-oriented titles, and other programming with longer retail shelf life. Its catalog drew on CBS and Fox properties as well as material available through outside libraries and was often priced below mainstream CBS/Fox releases. The label became inactive around 1991 and later briefly reappeared under Fox as Key DVD.

• Children's and family home video label · 1985

  Playhouse Video

  Playhouse Video specialized in children's and family entertainment. Its releases included Muppet-related material, Shirley Temple films, selected Planet of the Apes films, CBS-owned specials, Dr. Seuss programs, and Peanuts movies and specials. The label operated through CBS/Fox's marketing and distribution organization and was inactive by 1991.

• 1995

  Adoption of the Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment identityStrategy

  Background

  Fox Entertainment Group acquired CBS's interest in the venture and reorganized the related home-entertainment businesses.

  Action taken

  The company was renamed Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and expanded its distribution structure.

  Aftermath

  The CBS/Fox Video name ceased to be the principal identity, while the successor business continued into DVD, Blu-ray, digital, and television distribution.

  Source

• 1991

  Fox-controlled distribution reorganizationStrategy

  Background

  Fox sought greater control over distribution of its own film products while CBS continued to issue selected programming under its own name.

  Action taken

  Fox transferred distribution functions to Fox Video, while CBS/Fox retained certain third-party and non-theatrical licensing relationships.

  Aftermath

  The restructuring reduced CBS/Fox's role as a unified joint-venture identity and led toward the later Fox home-entertainment organization.

  Source

• 1985

  Shift toward direct retail sell-throughStrategy

  Background

  The home-video market was heavily dependent on rental stores, but distributors sought greater revenue from direct consumer purchases.

  Action taken

  CBS/Fox raised cassette prices and established direct-sales arrangements with retailers including Toys "R" Us and Child World.

  Aftermath

  The initiative contributed to the broader industry shift toward sell-through videocassettes and household ownership.

  Source

1. 120th Century Home Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org
2. 2CBS/Fox Video is formeden.wikipedia.org