CBS Eye Animation Productions
TypeDivision
IndustryTelevision animation
PredecessorsTerrytoons
FoundedOctober 2018 (2018-10)
HeadquartersTelevision City, Los Angeles, California
Key people
Alec Botnick
OwnerParamount Global
ParentCBS Studios
DivisionsLate Night Cartoons, Inc.

CBS Eye Animation Productions is an American animation studio, division of CBS Studios owned by Paramount Global. The studio is closely associated with the Star Trek franchise with its first projects, Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy. CBS reinstated it as an animation division in late 2018 before its re-merger with Viacom in late 2019.[1][2]

Background

In the 1950s, CBS began to invest further into television programs, creating many live shows as I Love Lucy and Captain Kangaroo. However, in 1955 CBS purchased Terrytoons from Paul Terry under CBS Films. After the deal's closure in 1956, CBS placed Terrytoons under the management of UPA's Gene Deitch (whom had already secured a contract with CBS). Deitch would soon produce animated Tom Terrific shorts for Captain Kangaroo in 1957. Terrytoons would continue animation under CBS until its closure in 1972 after the corporate spin-off of the original Viacom International.

Despite the change of operations, CBS would continue to air many animated programs such as Terrytoons (which they still owned) and Hanna-Barbera Productions through the 1970s and mid-1980s. Throughout the late 1980s and '90s, they acquired broadcasting rights to multiple series from different studios such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Garfield and Friends (both now owned by parent company Paramount Global), Muppet Babies (now owned by Disney), as well several toy-based shows.

The network would continue with broadcast syndication cartoons from several companies (such as Nelvana) up until the late 1990s. In the 2000s, CBS (now merged with Westinghouse) switched to licensing more educational shows. Viacom had also acquired CBS as it agreed to air Nickelodeon/Nick Jr. on CBS until 2006 (after Viacom & CBS' split).

CBS would later resume airing animated programs by launching Cookie Jar TV until 2013.

History

In late 2018, CBS Studios unveiled CBS Eye Animation Productions to produce animated content for CBS All Access (now Paramount+). Star Trek: Lower Decks would become the first animated television series, followed by Star Trek: Prodigy (a co-production with sister studio Nickelodeon Animation Studio). Initially, the studio would only create shows based on the Star Trek franchise but has invested in other shows such as The Harper House and Showtime's Our Cartoon President, as well as critically acclaimed live-action/animated news program, Tooning Out the News.

On September 29, 2022, the CBS Eye Animation Productions employees formed a union with Animation Guild IATSE Local 839 to publicly submit a letter for voluntary recognition.

Late Night Cartoons, Inc.

The Late Show host Stephen Colbert founded Late Night Cartoons, Inc., an animation studio that has collaborated with developers of Adobe Character Animator to produce real-time interactive animations for broadcast. Their topical productions range from a live interview with an animated cartoon version of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016 to several animated series including; Showtime's Our Cartoon President, Tooning Out the News, Fairview, as well as upcoming series Washingtonia.

List of CBS Eye Animation Studios productions

TV series

# Title Creator(s) / Developer(s) Years Co-production with Network Notes
2020s
1 Star Trek: Lower Decks Mike McMahan 2020–present CBS Studios
Secret Hideout
Important Science
Roddenberry Entertainment
Titmouse, Inc.
CBS All Access
(2020)
Paramount+
(2021–present)
2 The Harper House Brad Neely 2021 CBS Studios
Neely Comics
219 Productions
Titmouse, Inc.
Paramount+
3 Star Trek: Prodigy Kevin and Dan Hageman 2021–present Nickelodeon Animation Studio
CBS Studios
Secret Hideout
Roddenberry Entertainment
Brothers Hageman Productions
Paramount+ (2021–2022)
Nickelodeon (2021–2022)
Netflix (2024)
[3]
Upcoming
4 Among Us Owen Dennis TBA CBS Studios
Innersloth
Titmouse, Inc.
TBA [4]

TV specials

# Title Year Co-production with Network Notes
1 Reindeer in Here 2022 CBS Studios
The Tiny Toons Co.
Jam Filled Entertainment
CBS Based on a children's book.[5]

Late Night Cartoons, Inc.

# Title Creator(s) / Developer(s) Years Co-production with Network Notes
2010s
1 Our Cartoon President Stephen Colbert, Chris Licht,
Tim Luecke, R. J. Fried,
and Matt Lappin
2018–2020 Spartina Productions
Licht Media Solutions
CBS Television Studios
Showtime Networks
Showtime
2020s
2 Tooning Out the News Stephen Colbert, R. J. Fried,
Chris Licht, Tim Luecke,
Zach Smilovitz, and Mike Leech
2020–2023 Spartina Productions
Licht Media Solutions
RJ Fried Worldwide
CBS Studios
CBS All Access
(2020)
Paramount+
(2021)
Comedy Central
(2022–2023)
3 Fairview R. J. Fried, Stephen Colbert
Chris Licht, Tim Luecke
Kim Gamble, Grant Gish
Mike Leech, and Zach Smilovitz
2022 Spartina Productions
Licht Media Solutions
RJ Fried Worldwide
CBS Studios
MTV Entertainment Studios
Comedy Central

See also

References

  1. "CBS TV Studios Names New Head of Animation; Will Supervise Star Trek Animated Series". Daily Star Trek News. October 14, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  2. "New Trek Animated Series Announced". Star Trek. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  3. Barker, Andrew (October 13, 2021). "'Star Trek: Prodigy' Aims to Introduce the Series to a Younger Audience". Variety. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  4. Otterson, Joe (June 27, 2023). "'Among Us' Animated Series in the Works at CBS Studios From 'Infinity Train' Creator Owen Dennis (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  5. "CBS Unwraps First Look at Holiday Original 'Reindeer in Here'". September 16, 2022.
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