The Kushner-Locke Company
The Kushner-Locke Company was an American independent film and television production company associated with live-action, animated, and made-for-television projects.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Kushner-Locke Company was an American independent motion-picture and television production company established on March 12, 1983, by producer Donald Kushner and sales agent and producer Peter Locke. The company operated outside the dominant Hollywood studio system and developed a broad catalogue spanning theatrical films, television movies, animated features, family entertainment, and television programming. Its credits included The Adventures of Pinocchio, Liberace: Behind the Music, Basil, But I'm a Cheerleader, Freeway, Nutcracker: The Motion Picture, and Teen Wolf, as well as animated projects such as The Brave Little Toaster, The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue, The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars, Rover Dangerfield, Dorothy Meets Ozma of Oz, and Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw. Kushner brought production experience from projects including Tron, while Locke had previously co-founded the Channing/Debin/Locke Company with Stockard Channing and David Debin. Their new venture pursued a mixed business model: originating and producing projects, working with outside financiers and distributors, licensing titles internationally, and participating in television production. This model allowed the company to handle both commercially oriented family properties and more specialized or adult-oriented films. The company expanded its corporate relationships during the late 1980s. In January 1987, Atlantic Entertainment Group purchased a minority interest, leading to the temporary Atlantic/Kushner-Locke name. That year, the companies also explored combining with television syndicator All American Television in a transaction intended to create a public company without a conventional underwritten initial public offering. The proposed combination was not completed. Atlantic sold its interest back in July 1988, after which the business returned to the Kushner-Locke name. Kushner-Locke continued to seek strategic combinations in the early 1990s. A proposed merger with Rysher Entertainment in 1992 collapsed after the parties could not resolve control of the proposed combined company. The company also developed affiliated production structures, including a telemovie-oriented operation launched by Patricia Clifford in December 1992 after her departure from Interscope Communications. In 1997, Pascal Borno became head of Kushner-Locke International, and the international division entered picture-pact arrangements with film companies and television networks in multiple territories in 1998. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001 and continued operating under bankruptcy protection. Later that year, Artisan Entertainment obtained North American sales rights to more than 300 Kushner-Locke titles. Artisan was subsequently acquired by Lionsgate. In 2013, Multicom Entertainment acquired the Kushner-Locke library from Lionsgate, transferring control of the catalogue to a specialist content-library company. The available reference material does not establish a later operating structure, current corporate status, or continuing production activity for The Kushner-Locke Company itself.
History
The Kushner-Locke Company was founded in 1983 by Donald Kushner and Peter Locke. Kushner was a producer associated with Tron, while Locke had worked as a sales agent and had co-founded the Channing/Debin/Locke Company with Stockard Channing and David Debin. The new company was designed as an independent film and television operation, combining production activity with sales, licensing, and relationships with outside distributors. During the 1980s and 1990s, Kushner-Locke assembled a varied catalogue. Its work included theatrical titles, made-for-television films, animated features, and television projects. The company's best-known associated properties included The Brave Little Toaster and its sequels, The Adventures of Pinocchio, Teen Wolf, Freeway, But I'm a Cheerleader, Liberace: Behind the Music, and Nutcracker: The Motion Picture. The animation slate also included Rover Dangerfield, Dorothy Meets Ozma of Oz, and Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw. Kushner-Locke additionally co-produced later episodes of the 1980s revival of Divorce Court with Storer Communications, with Blair Entertainment serving as distributor. The company pursued corporate expansion and possible combinations with other entertainment businesses. In January 1987, Atlantic Entertainment Group bought a minority interest, and the company temporarily operated under the Atlantic/Kushner-Locke name. Kushner-Locke and Atlantic also attempted to combine with All American Television in a transaction intended to create a public company without a conventional underwritten initial public offering. The proposed deal, reportedly structured around a single $36 million transaction, was not completed. Atlantic sold its interest in July 1988, restoring the Kushner-Locke name. In 1992, Kushner-Locke explored a merger with Rysher Entertainment. Negotiations ended when the parties failed to agree on control of the proposed combined company. Later that year, Patricia Clifford established an affiliated production company focused on telemovies after leaving Interscope Communications. The international business was strengthened in the second half of the decade: Pascal Borno was appointed head of Kushner-Locke International in April 1997, and the division announced picture-pact arrangements with film companies and television networks in various countries in March 1998. Kushner-Locke filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001. Rather than immediately disappearing, it continued operating under bankruptcy protection. In November 2001, Artisan Entertainment acquired North American sales rights to more than 300 titles. Artisan later became part of Lionsgate. In 2013, Multicom Entertainment acquired the Kushner-Locke library from Lionsgate. This transaction separated the principal catalogue from the company's earlier production and corporate activities. The available source does not provide enough information to determine whether the original company remains active, has been formally dissolved, or survives only through rights and catalogue arrangements.
- 2013
Library transferred to Multicom
[1]Multicom Entertainment acquired the Kushner-Locke library from Lionsgate.
- 2001
Chapter 11 filing
[1]The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and continued operations under bankruptcy protection.
- 2001
Artisan obtained North American catalogue rights
[1]Artisan Entertainment acquired North American sales rights to more than 300 Kushner-Locke titles.
- 1998
International picture-pact expansion
[1]Kushner-Locke International entered picture-pact arrangements with film companies and television networks in multiple international markets.
- 1997
International division leadership appointed
[1]Pascal Borno was named head of Kushner-Locke International.
- 1992
Rysher merger attempt failed
[1]A proposed merger with Rysher Entertainment collapsed over unresolved control issues.
- 1988
Return to the Kushner-Locke name
[1]Atlantic sold its interest back to the company, ending the Atlantic/Kushner-Locke naming period.
- 1987
Atlantic minority investment and proposed public-company combination
[1]Atlantic Entertainment Group acquired a minority interest, while a separate proposed combination with All American Television failed to proceed.
- 1983
Company founded
[1]Donald Kushner and Peter Locke established The Kushner-Locke Company as an independent film and television production business.
Products and positioning
An independent entertainment producer and content owner with a catalogue covering theatrical films, television movies, animation, family programming, and international distribution.
Animated film
The Brave Little Toaster
An animated feature associated with Kushner-Locke's family-entertainment catalogue. Its success supported follow-up television or home-entertainment projects, including The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue and The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars.
Live-action family film
The Adventures of Pinocchio
A family-oriented motion picture based on the Pinocchio story and one of the company's cited live-action film properties.
Live-action film
Teen Wolf
A live-action entertainment property listed among the company's notable film credits.
Live-action film
Freeway
A live-action feature from Kushner-Locke's film catalogue, illustrating the company's work beyond family and animated entertainment.
Live-action film
But I'm a Cheerleader
A live-action feature associated with the company and representative of its involvement in independently oriented film projects.
Television film
Liberace: Behind the Music
A television film among the company's cited productions, reflecting Kushner-Locke's involvement in made-for-television entertainment.
Television production
Divorce Court revival episodes
Kushner-Locke co-produced later episodes of the 1980s revival of Divorce Court with Storer Communications. Blair Entertainment distributed the resulting television programming.
Brand decisions
2013
Transfer of the Kushner-Locke library to MulticomM&ABackground
The company's catalogue had previously been tied to Artisan Entertainment and then Lionsgate through the acquisition of Artisan.
Action taken
Multicom Entertainment acquired the Kushner-Locke library from Lionsgate.
Aftermath
Control of the principal content library passed to Multicom, while the current status of the original company remains unclear from the available source.
2001
Chapter 11 restructuringStrategyBackground
The company faced financial distress and sought protection under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.
Action taken
Kushner-Locke filed for Chapter 11 and continued operating under bankruptcy protection.
Aftermath
Artisan Entertainment acquired North American sales rights to more than 300 titles later in 2001, while the company catalogue eventually moved to Multicom through Lionsgate.
1992
Attempted merger with Rysher EntertainmentM&ABackground
The companies explored a merger to combine their entertainment operations.
Action taken
Negotiations were abandoned because the parties could not agree on who would control the combined company.
Aftermath
Both businesses continued separately, and no combined Kushner-Locke-Rysher entity was created.
1987
Pursuit of a combination with All American TelevisionM&ABackground
Kushner-Locke and Atlantic Entertainment Group sought to combine with television syndicator All American Television as a route to creating a public company without a traditional underwritten initial public offering.
Action taken
The parties pursued a proposed transaction reportedly involving a single $36 million payment, but the merger discussions did not result in a completed deal.
Aftermath
Kushner-Locke remained independent, while Atlantic later sold its minority interest back to the company.
Proposed transaction value. (1987)
Sources1 sources
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