Colex Enterprises

Colex Enterprises was a joint venture company between Columbia Pictures Television and LBS Communications, Inc., active from January 30, 1984, to November 24, 1986. The name of the joint venture is a portmanteau of the two companies' names (Columbia and Lexington, the latter coming from LBS' original name of Lexington Broadcast Services).[1] It came after Columbia and LBS agreed to distribute the TV show Family, which LBS distributed under license from Columbia Pictures Television.[2][3] Family was then added to Colex's roster when the company formed, and the first new show added to Colex's roster was the show Gidget. It was designed to handle syndication of barter series on an advertised-supported basis, mostly of obscure TV shows that never made it into syndication before.[4] It was also responsible for syndicating What's Happening!!, which led to the revival series as mentioned below.[5]

Colex was split into four branches in 1985, which were Colex First-Run, which distributed new material, such as The New Gidget, and two telemovies, under the Colex Premiere Movies banner, The Colex Collection, which handled distribution of newer off-network product, The Colex 3-Pack, which consisted of mini-series and The Colex Classics, which would continue distribution of several shows.[6]

The company was responsible for distributing the Screen Gems television output, as well as many of the post-1948 Bob Hope theatrical output, with the exception of Hanna-Barbera produced programs. Colex also distributed the syndicated sitcom series What's Happening Now!! and The New Gidget, which was later distributed by LBS and Coca-Cola Telecommunications on its final season.