Editing National Lampoon (magazine) (section)

===''Animal House'' and shift of focus ===
In 1978, after the huge success of ''[[National Lampoon's Animal House]]'', the company shifted focus from the magazine to NL-produced films. According to [[Tony Hendra]], "...[[Matty Simmons]] decided this particular goose could lay larger, better quality gold eggs if it emulated what he saw as ''Animal House,'' by which he meant adolescent.... The significance of the choice that was made in 1978 cannot be underestimated."<ref name=NYT2005 /> In late 1979, now only publishing ''National Lampoon'' and ''Heavy Metal'', Twenty First Century Communications, Inc. was renamed '''National Lampoon, Inc.'''<ref>{{cite news |last=Dougherty |first=Philip H. |author-link=Philip H. Dougherty |date=12 September 1979 |title=Advertising |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/09/12/archives/advertising-mccanns-head-lists-priorities-interpublic-completes.html |work=[[New York Times]] |at=sec. D, p.12}}</ref>

From 1982 to 1985, the company produced five more National Lampoon films: ''[[National Lampoon's Class Reunion]]'' (1982), ''[[National Lampoon's Movie Madness]]'' (1982), ''[[National Lampoon's Vacation]]'' (1983), ''[[Joy of Sex (film)|National Lampoon's Joy of Sex]]'' (1984), and ''[[National Lampoon's European Vacation]]'' (1985).

National Lampoon, Inc. made itself available for sale in late 1986. Upstart video distributor [[Vestron Video|Vestron Inc.]] attempted a takeover bid in December of that year, but board members rejected the offer.<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 3, 1986|title=Natl. Lampoon Nixes Takeover By Vestron|pages=38, 40|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> A short time later, the company board "agreed to be acquired by a Los Angeles-based group of private investors in a deal valued at more than $12 million."<ref name=NYT19861212>{{cite news|department=COMPANY NEWS|title=Offer Accepted By Lampoon|date=Dec 12, 1986|work=New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/12/business/company-news-offer-accepted-by-lampoon.html?smid=url-share}}</ref> The group, calling itself "N.L. Acquisitions Inc." offered a bid of $7.25 per share (the company stock at that point trading at $6.125 a share).<ref name=NYT19861212 /> A few days later, "Giggle Acquisition Partnership No. 1," whose members included actor [[Bruce Willis]], "hinted ... that it might make a [[hostile bid]]" for the company.<ref>{{cite news|department=COMPANY NEWS|title=Group Weighs Lampoon Bid|date=Dec 17, 1986|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/17/business/company-news-group-weighs-lampoon-bid.html?smid=url-share}}</ref> Ultimately, nothing came of these bids, and Simmons remained in control of the board.

In 1989, the company produced ''[[National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation]]''.