Editing United Artists (section)

===MGM/UA Entertainment Company===
The merged studios became known as the MGM/UA Entertainment Company and in 1982 began launching new subsidiaries: the [[MGM Home Entertainment|MGM/UA Home Entertainment Group]], MGM/UA Classics and [[MGM Television|MGM/UA Television Group]]. Kerkorian also bid for the remaining, outstanding public stock, but dropped his bid, facing lawsuits and vocal opposition.<ref name="fu"/>

In 1981, [[Fred Silverman]] and George Reeves via InterMedia Entertainment struck a deal with the studio to produce films and television shows.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1981-10-19|title=Silverman strikes deal with UA-MGM|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/81-OCR/1981-10-19-BC-OCR-Page-0063.pdf|access-date=2021-08-18|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818024029/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/81-OCR/1981-10-19-BC-OCR-Page-0063.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=1981-11-02|title=Monitor|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/81-OCR/1981-11-02-BC-OCR-Page-0052.pdf|access-date=2021-08-18|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818024023/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/81-OCR/1981-11-02-BC-OCR-Page-0052.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

After the purchase, [[David Begelman]]'s duties were transferred from MGM to MGM/UA. Under Begelman, MGM/UA produced unsuccessful films and he was fired in July 1982. Of the 11 films he put into production, by the time of his termination only ''[[Poltergeist (film series)|Poltergeist]]'' proved to be a hit.<ref>{{cite news| last1=Harmetz| first1=Aljean| title=Begelman Removed as Chief of United Artists| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/13/business/begelman-removed-as-chief-of-united-artists.html| access-date=October 1, 2017| newspaper=The New York Times| date=July 13, 1982| archive-date=March 6, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306182920/http://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/13/business/begelman-removed-as-chief-of-united-artists.html| url-status=live}}</ref>

As part of the consolidation, in 1983, MGM closed United Artists' long time headquarters at 729 Seventh Avenue in New York City.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/31/nyregion/700-bankers-trust-workers-to-be-shifted-to-jersey-city.html |title=700 Bankers Trust Workers To Be Shifted to Jersey City |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 31, 1983 |access-date=August 17, 2015 |archive-date=May 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150524143429/http://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/31/nyregion/700-bankers-trust-workers-to-be-shifted-to-jersey-city.html |url-status=live }}</ref> MGM/UA sold the former UA music publishing division to [[SBK Records|CBS Songs]] in 1983.<ref>{{Cite magazine| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=PSQEAAAAMBAJ&q=CBS+Songs+Grows+With+MGM%2FUA+Deal&pg=PT2| last = Irv Lichtman| title = CBS Songs Grows With MGM/UA Deal| magazine = Billboard| date = 1983-01-08| access-date = October 29, 2020| archive-date = March 7, 2023| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230307172226/https://books.google.com/books?id=PSQEAAAAMBAJ&q=CBS+Songs+Grows+With+MGM/UA+Deal&pg=PT2| url-status = live}}</ref>

''[[WarGames]]'' and ''[[Octopussy]]'' made substantial profits for the new MGM/UA in 1983, but were not sufficient for Kerkorian. It did not help tha''t WarGames'' was briefly caught in a legal dispute with [[EMI Films]] concerning the film's funding and international rights.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1983-03-02|title=EMI Sues UA Over 'War Games' Distrib Rights, Territories|page=7|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> A 1985-restructuring led to independent MGM and UA production units with the combined studio leaders each placed in charge of a single unit. Speculation from analysts was that one of the studios, most likely UA, would be sold to fund the other's (MGM) stock buy-back to take that studio private. However, soon afterwards, one unit's chief was fired and the remaining executive, [[Alan Ladd, Jr.]], took charge of both.<ref name="fu" />

====Turner====
On August 7, 1985, [[Ted Turner]] announced that his [[Turner Broadcasting System]] would buy MGM/UA. As film licensing to television became more complicated, Turner saw the value of acquiring MGM's film library for his superstation [[TBS (TV network)|WTBS]].<ref name="Prince">{{cite book| last1=Prince| first1=Stephen| title=A New Pot of Gold: Hollywood Under the Electronic Rainbow, 1980 1989| date=2000| publisher=University of California Press| location=Berkeley| isbn=9780520232662| pages=14–16| edition=Paperback| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_M3nR4wI99AC| access-date=September 2, 2017| archive-date=March 7, 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307172243/https://books.google.com/books?id=_M3nR4wI99AC| url-status=live}}</ref> Under the terms of the deal, Turner would immediately sell United Artists back to Kerkorian.<ref name=nyt/>

In anticipation, Kerkorian installed film producer [[Jerry Weintraub]] as the chairman and chief executive of United Artists Corporation in November 1985; former [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] executive [[Anthony Thomopoulos]] was recruited as UA's president.<ref>{{cite news| last1=Dellugach| first1=Al| title=Weintraub Is New Chief of United Artists| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-11-12-fi-5079-story.html| access-date=November 4, 2014| work=Los Angeles Times| date=November 12, 1985| archive-date=October 13, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013062646/http://articles.latimes.com/1985-11-12/business/fi-5079_1_united-artists| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/20/arts/new-head-for-united-artists.html |title=New Head For United Artists |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 20, 1985 |access-date=January 26, 2015 |archive-date=August 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831072059/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/20/arts/new-head-for-united-artists.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Weintraub's tenure at UA was brief; he left the studio in April 1986, replaced by former [[Lorimar Television|Lorimar]] executive [[Lee Rich]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-04-29-fi-2389-story.html |title=Rich Resigns From Lorimar to Become Chairman of UA |work=Los Angeles Times |date=April 29, 1986 |access-date=January 26, 2015 |first=Kathryn |last=Harris |archive-date=October 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013065026/http://articles.latimes.com/1986-04-29/business/fi-2389_1_united-artists |url-status=live }}</ref> In anticipation, during the split, SLM Production Group moved its distribution deal to United Artists, after having left MGM/UA temporarily for 20th Century Fox.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1986-01-22|title=SLM Distribution Pact Will Shift to UA After Split|page=3|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

On March 25, 1986, Turner finalized his acquisition of MGM/UA in a cash-stock deal for $1.5&nbsp;billion and renamed it MGM Entertainment Co.<ref name="Prince"/><ref name="Bart">{{cite book| last1=Bart| first1=Peter| title=Fade Out: The Calamitous Final Days of MGM| date=May 1990| publisher=Morrow| location=New York| isbn=9780671710606| pages=236–238| edition=1st| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UKVZAAAAYAAJ| access-date=September 2, 2017|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name="Turner">{{cite book| last1=Parsons| first1=Patrick R.| title=Blue Skies: A History of Cable Television| date=April 5, 2008| publisher=Temple University Press| location=Philadelphia| isbn=9781592137060| page=507| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NIFS_EqkOvYC| access-date=1 October 2017|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| last1=Stefoff| first1=Rebecca| title=Ted Turner, Television's Triumphant Tiger| date=1992| publisher=Garrett Educational Corp.| location=Ada, Oklahoma| isbn=9781560740247| page=55| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=osj3Dmmidt8C| access-date=October 1, 2017|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24900226.html?dids=24900226:24900226&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+07%2C+1986&author=Charles+Storch&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=TURNER+MAY+SELL+EQUITY+IN+COMPANY&pqatl=google |title=Turner May Sell Equity In Company |publisher=Pqasb.pqarchiver.com |date=May 7, 1986 |access-date=December 15, 2011 |first=Charles |last=Storch |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |archive-date=January 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111191625/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24900226.html?dids=24900226:24900226&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+07%2C+1986&author=Charles+Storch&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=TURNER+MAY+SELL+EQUITY+IN+COMPANY&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-06-07-ca-10151-story.html |title=Turner Sells The Studio, Holds on to the Dream |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=June 7, 1986 |access-date=December 15, 2011 |first=Morgan |last=Gendel |archive-date=February 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213144359/https://www.latimes.com/archives |url-status=live }}</ref> Kerkorian then repurchased most of United Artists' assets for roughly $480&nbsp;million.<ref name="Bart"/><ref name="Turner"/> As a result of this transaction, the original United Artists ceased to exist. Kerkorian, for all intents and purposes, created an entirely new company implementing the inherited assets; thus, the present day UA is not the legal successor to the original incarnation, though it shares similar assets.<ref name="Balio">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9EeK5s3aw44C&q=united+artists+legal+successor&pg=PA343|title=United Artists, Volume 2, 1951–1978: The Company That Changed the Film Industry|last1=Balio|first1=Tino|date=March 2, 2009|publisher=University of Wisconsin Press|isbn=9780299230135|location=Madison, Wisconsin|page=343|language=en|access-date=2 September 2017|archive-date=March 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307172219/https://books.google.com/books?id=9EeK5s3aw44C&q=united+artists+legal+successor&pg=PA343|url-status=live}}</ref> United Artists announced plans to launch its new headquarters on [[Beverly Hills, California|Beverly Hills]], which was set to take effect on November 1, 1985, shortly before the Turner deal was finalized.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1985-10-16|title=UA To Headquarter In Beverly Hills|page=5|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> On April 23, 1986, United Artists and [[Hoyts]], the Australian cinema chain and distribution company, signed a three-picture deal to co-produce films.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Galbraith|first=Jane|date=1986-04-23|title=UA, Oz's Hoyts Ink Coproduction Accord|page=7|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>