The Harvey Entertainment Company
A former American entertainment and licensing company that produced, distributed, and commercialized properties from Harvey Comics, including Casper, Richie Rich, Baby Huey, and Wendy the Good Little Witch.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Harvey Entertainment Company was the production, licensing, and media-distribution arm associated with Harvey Comics, the American publisher known for family-oriented comic-book characters such as Casper the Friendly Ghost, Richie Rich, Baby Huey, Wendy the Good Little Witch, and the Ghostly Trio. Established in 1957 as an entertainment extension of the comic-book business, the company developed and circulated animated material while maintaining commercial ties to the cartoon-production infrastructure connected with Paramount’s Famous Studios. During the late twentieth century, Harvey expanded beyond comic publishing into television syndication, home video, theatrical film, merchandising, animation production, and character licensing. A major change occurred in 1989, when Jeffrey A. Montgomery acquired the business from the Harvey family for $7.5 million. The company became part of Montgomery’s HMH Communication, was renamed Harvey Comics Entertainment, and pursued renewed exploitation of its classic character library. It syndicated older cartoons, revived comic-book publication, and licensed Richie Rich and Casper for feature-film development. Universal Pictures obtained a minority interest in the company in connection with film-production arrangements involving Casper and other Harvey properties. The company adopted the name The Harvey Entertainment Company in 1993 and entered the public market. Its most visible film projects were Richie Rich, released in 1994, and Casper, released in 1995. Although Richie Rich received poor critical notices, it achieved moderate commercial performance, while Casper became a stronger theatrical success and helped reintroduce the character to a broad international audience. Harvey also expanded its television activities through The Baby Huey Show, The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper, and a syndicated Richie Rich series. Partnerships with Universal, Saban Entertainment, Fox-related distributors, Marvel Comics, Mainframe Entertainment, Film Roman, Spümcø, Hearst Entertainment, and other companies reflected an effort to build a broad media and licensing platform around the Harvey catalog. The strategy was financially difficult to sustain. Harvey reported losses, undertook multiple restructurings, and made acquisitions and distribution commitments while trying to regain control of merchandising and licensing rights. It acquired PM Entertainment in 2000 and briefly pursued a more diversified position in film distribution and production. By 2001, however, the company was under severe financial pressure. Classic Media purchased the Harvey media library, characters, film materials, print materials, brand, and logo for $17 million. The corporate entity and PM Entertainment operations were excluded from that transaction. After the sale closed, the company was renamed Sunland Entertainment Co. and concentrated on the PM Entertainment catalog, while Classic Media created Harvey Entertainment, Inc. to hold copyrights associated with the Harvey properties. The remaining Sunland and PM Entertainment assets were later sold to investors who combined them with CineTel-related assets to form Echo Bridge Entertainment. The Harvey character library followed a separate ownership path: Classic Media was acquired by DreamWorks Animation in 2012, and DreamWorks Classics became part of NBCUniversal in 2016. Consequently, the Harvey name today primarily survives as a recognizable brand and copyright designation attached to the character library rather than as an independently operating entertainment company.
History
The company was formed in 1957 as an entertainment spin-off of Harvey Comics. Its early role was to extend the comic publisher’s characters into animation and related media. The business retained ties to the animation ecosystem associated with Paramount’s Famous Studios and developed material connected to the Harvey character roster. In the early 1960s, it created Harvey Funnies, described as the original entertainment company involved in producing The New Casper Cartoon Show. In 1986, Harvey Films brought a trademark dispute against Columbia Pictures concerning the ghost image used in the Ghostbusters logo. Harvey argued that the image was similar to the Ghostly Trio, particularly Fatso, from the Casper property. The court dismissed the claim, distinguishing the designs and concluding that general visual association did not establish likely consumer confusion or imply a common source. Jeffrey A. Montgomery purchased Harvey from the Harvey family in 1989 for $7.5 million. The company became a subsidiary of HMH Communication in Santa Monica and was renamed Harvey Comics Entertainment. Montgomery pursued syndication of the existing animated library, reprints of Harvey comic titles, and new licensing arrangements. Casper & Friends was syndicated through Claster Television from 1990 to 1994, while Harvey Classics reintroduced older comic properties. In 1991, Richie Rich and Casper were licensed to Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures for film development. The company broadened its publishing and media activities in 1993 by creating Nemesis Comics and Ultracomics, the latter associated with Ultraman comics. That year it became publicly traded and adopted the name The Harvey Entertainment Company. The theatrical strategy produced Richie Rich in 1994 and Casper in 1995. Casper performed better commercially and critically, becoming the company’s defining modern film success. Television expansion included The Baby Huey Show, which premiered in 1994, and Universal/Harvey Animation Studios, established in 1995 with MCA and Universal Family Entertainment. The studio’s first major series was The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper, broadcast on Fox Kids from 1996 to 1999. Harvey also commissioned Saban Entertainment in 1996 to make direct-to-video Casper and Richie Rich material, with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment distributing the releases. Further projects included Casper: A Spirited Beginning, Casper Meets Wendy, and Richie Rich's Christmas Wish. In 1998, Harvey pre-sold The HarveyToons Show to Fox Family Channel. Montgomery and Greg Yulish were removed from the company in March of that year. Harvey subsequently announced a proposed slate of direct-to-video features and television programs through a business plan with Global Media Management Group. A group of investors acquired the company in April 1999 for $17.7 million. The business continued to report losses and pursued diversification. It agreed to acquire PM Entertainment from Joseph Merhi and Richard Pepin for $6.5 million plus $1.45 million in stock, with the transaction closing in January 2000. Harvey also explored online character content with Spümcø, a Harvey-themed theme-park project with Landmark Entertainment Group, international distribution, apparel through Harvey Fashion, and licensing and merchandising arrangements with Hearst Entertainment. Other announced initiatives involved Mainframe Entertainment, Studio B Productions, Film Roman, ThinkBox, and distribution of third-party film material. The expansion did not prevent a financial crisis. A proposed Classic Media purchase of a controlling stake announced in 2000 failed, and Harvey approached liquidation. In February 2001, it sold international sales rights to the PM Entertainment library to CineTel Films. On March 8, 2001, Classic Media announced the purchase of Harvey’s media library for $17 million. The transaction included the Harvey characters, film library, print materials, brand, and logo, but not The Harvey Entertainment Company or PM Entertainment. It was verified in May and closed on June 26. The following day, the company changed its name to Sunland Entertainment Co. and focused on the PM Entertainment catalog, while Classic Media established Harvey Entertainment, Inc. as the copyright-holding entity for the Harvey catalog. In 2003, Roger Burlage sold the remaining Sunland and PM Entertainment assets to investors who also acquired assets connected with CineTel Films, creating Echo Bridge Entertainment. The Harvey library continued under Classic Media. Later releases and television projects included Casper’s Scare School in 2006, DVD compilations of HarveyToons material, and a Casper television continuation that aired from 2009 to 2012. Classic Media was acquired by DreamWorks Animation in 2012 and became part of DreamWorks Classics; in 2016, DreamWorks Classics became an NBCUniversal subsidiary. The former company therefore no longer operates as an independent entertainment business, while the Harvey brand and character copyrights remain active within the broader intellectual-property portfolio.
- 2016
Library becomes part of NBCUniversal
[1]NBCUniversal became the corporate home of DreamWorks Classics and most of the Harvey library.
- 2012
Harvey library enters DreamWorks Classics
[1]DreamWorks Animation acquired Classic Media and its Harvey catalog.
- 2001
Harvey library sold to Classic Media
[1]Classic Media acquired the principal Harvey character and media assets, separating the library from the operating company.
- 2001
Company renamed Sunland Entertainment Co.
[1]After the library sale, the former operating company changed its name and focused on PM Entertainment-related assets.
- 2000
PM Entertainment acquisition completed
[1]PM Entertainment became a wholly owned subsidiary of Harvey.
- 1995
Casper film released
[1]The live-action and computer-animated Casper feature became a major commercial success for the Harvey properties.
- 1995
Universal/Harvey Animation Studios formed
[1]Harvey partnered with MCA and Universal Family Entertainment to develop animated programming from its character library.
- 1994
Richie Rich film released
[1]The first major live-action feature under the company’s renewed film strategy reached theaters.
- 1993
Public listing and corporate renaming
[1]The company became publicly traded and adopted The Harvey Entertainment Company name.
- 1989
Acquisition by Jeffrey A. Montgomery
[1]Montgomery acquired Harvey and placed it within HMH Communication.
Products and positioning
Family entertainment and intellectual-property licensing built around a library of humorous, supernatural, and child-oriented Harvey Comics characters.
Character and media franchise · 1957
Casper
Casper the Friendly Ghost was the company’s most prominent property and its principal bridge from comic books into animation, television, theatrical film, home video, and merchandise. Harvey developed or licensed numerous Casper productions, including the 1995 theatrical film, The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper, direct-to-video projects, Casper’s Scare School, and related television material.
Character and media franchise · 1957
Richie Rich
Richie Rich was a comic character developed for cross-media exploitation through publishing, television, film, home entertainment, and consumer products. Harvey licensed the character for the 1994 live-action feature and later supported animated and direct-to-video follow-ups, including Richie Rich's Christmas Wish.
Character and television franchise · 1957
Baby Huey
Baby Huey was one of Harvey’s established comic and cartoon characters. The company used the property in syndicated programming and produced The Baby Huey Show, which combined newly made television cartoons with older Harvey animation. Harvey also explored additional direct-to-video and live-action concepts around the character.
Animated short-film library · 1960
HarveyToons
HarveyToons refers to the company’s catalog of animated shorts and related compilation programming. The material supported television syndication, home-video releases, and later DVD compilations. The HarveyToons Show was also packaged for Fox Family Channel in the late 1990s.
Film and television distribution catalog · 2000
PM Entertainment library
After acquiring PM Entertainment, Harvey owned and distributed a separate catalog of film and television material. This library became central to the renamed Sunland Entertainment Co. after Classic Media acquired the Harvey character assets, and later moved into Echo Bridge Entertainment through a subsequent asset transaction.
Comic-book imprints · 1993
Nemesis Comics and Ultracomics
Harvey established Nemesis Comics and Ultracomics in 1993 to publish material outside its traditional Harvey character line. Ultracomics was associated with Ultraman comics, illustrating the company’s attempt to broaden its publishing activity beyond the established Harvey catalog.
Marketing campaigns
- 2000Harvey Fashion
United States
Harvey launched Harvey Fashion as a joint venture intended to manufacture, market, and sell apparel collections based on classic Harvey characters.
Outcome. The initiative formed part of Harvey’s broader effort to monetize the character portfolio through consumer products.
- 1999Harvey character web-content partnership
Online · International
Harvey partnered with Spümcø to develop web-exclusive content using an assortment of Harvey characters.
Outcome. The initiative represented an early attempt to extend the catalog into online entertainment.
- 1995Casper theatrical relaunch
United States · International
Harvey worked with Universal and Amblin Entertainment on a live-action and animated theatrical adaptation of Casper.
Outcome. The film outperformed Richie Rich commercially and became the company’s strongest modern theatrical showcase for a Harvey property.
- 1995Universal/Harvey Animation Studios
United States
Harvey partnered with MCA and Universal Family Entertainment to develop new television animation based on its established characters.
Outcome. The partnership produced The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper for Fox Kids.
- 1990Casper & Friends syndication
United States
Through Claster Television, Harvey placed Casper & Friends and related animated library material with local television stations for a multi-year syndicated run.
Outcome. The package helped renew exposure for the classic animation library and supported Harvey’s broader character-licensing strategy.
Brand decisions
2001
Sale of Harvey media library to Classic MediaM&ABackground
After a failed proposed control transaction and severe financial pressure, Harvey needed to monetize its principal intellectual-property assets.
Action taken
Classic Media purchased the Harvey character library, film library, print materials, brand, logo, and related media assets, while excluding the operating company and PM Entertainment.
Aftermath
The transaction closed on June 26, 2001. The company was renamed Sunland Entertainment Co., and Classic Media established Harvey Entertainment, Inc. to hold the Harvey copyrights.
Library acquisition price. $17 million (Announced March 8, 2001; closed June 26, 2001)
2000
Acquisition of PM EntertainmentM&ABackground
Harvey was attempting to diversify beyond character licensing and build a broader position in film production and distribution.
Action taken
Harvey acquired PM Entertainment for $6.5 million and an additional $1.45 million in stock.
Aftermath
PM became a wholly owned subsidiary, but the expanded structure did not prevent Harvey’s later financial distress and separation of the Harvey library from the operating company.
Acquisition consideration. $6.5 million plus $1.45 million in stock (1999 agreement; completed January 2000)
1997
Reacquisition of merchandising and licensing rightsStrategyBackground
Harvey sought greater control over the commercial exploitation of Casper, Richie Rich, and other properties after earlier arrangements with Universal.
Action taken
The company reacquired full merchandising and licensing rights while continuing to collaborate with Universal on selected animation projects.
Aftermath
Harvey reported a net loss of $386,000 in March, attributing part of the pressure to the rights repurchase.
Net loss. $386,000 (March 1997)
1989
Acquisition by Jeffrey A. MontgomeryM&ABackground
Harvey was purchased from the Harvey family during a period when the company was seeking to expand its established comic properties into syndicated television, film, and licensing.
Action taken
Montgomery acquired the business for $7.5 million and placed it under HMH Communication.
Aftermath
The transaction initiated a major expansion of Harvey’s media and licensing operations, including film arrangements with Universal Pictures.
Acquisition price. $7.5 million (1989)
Recent events
- 2016
NBCUniversal becomes parent of DreamWorks Classics[1]
M&A
DreamWorks Classics became part of NBCUniversal, a Comcast division, placing most of the Harvey library within that corporate group.
- 2012
DreamWorks Animation acquires Classic Media[1]
M&A
DreamWorks Animation acquired Classic Media, bringing the majority of the Harvey character library into the DreamWorks Classics portfolio.
- 2001
Classic Media purchases Harvey media library[1]
M&A
Classic Media acquired the Harvey character and media library, brand, logo, and related materials for $17 million. The operating company itself was excluded and subsequently renamed Sunland Entertainment Co.
- 1997
Harvey re-acquires merchandising and licensing rights[1]
Other
Harvey reacquired full merchandising and licensing rights to properties including Casper and Richie Rich from Universal Pictures, but reported a net loss attributed in part to the repurchase.
- 1994
Harvey reports increased losses and declining revenue[1]
Other
The company reported a 26 percent decline in revenue and increased losses during a period of aggressive expansion into film, television, and publishing.
- 1993
The Harvey Entertainment Company enters the public market[1]
Other
The company became publicly traded on the NASDAQ Small Cap Exchange under the name The Harvey Entertainment Company.
- 1989
Jeffrey A. Montgomery acquires Harvey[1]
M&A
Jeffrey A. Montgomery purchased the company from the Harvey family, bringing it into HMH Communication and initiating a renewed licensing and media strategy.
- 1986
Harvey Films files trademark lawsuit against Columbia Pictures over Ghostbusters logo[1]
Lawsuit · Other
Harvey Films alleged that the ghost imagery used in the Ghostbusters logo infringed or improperly evoked the Ghostly Trio associated with Casper. The court rejected the claim, finding no material likelihood of consumer confusion.
Sources1 sources
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