Viacom (original)

Viacom Inc. (short for Visual & Audio Communications) was an American media conglomerate. Effective December 31, 2005, this corporate entity changed its name to CBS Corporation. The present firm also known as Viacom was also established at that date and is a new spin-off company created during the CBS-Viacom split.

Viacom was highly profitable during the 1970s and 1980s distributing old CBS classics to syndication, including such landmark shows as I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, The Twilight Zone and All in the Family (which was later owned by Columbia Pictures Television, now called Sony Pictures Television). They also syndicated shows for others, the biggest examples being The Cosby Show and Roseanne (which were produced by Carsey-Werner Productions, who eventually began distributing their own programming).

History

The original Viacom began as CBS Films, Inc., the television syndication division of CBS established in 1952. The division was spun off and renamed Viacom in 1971, amid new FCC rules forbidding television networks from owning syndication companies (the rules were later repealed).

Originality

Originality is the aspect of created or invented works by as being new or novel, and thus can be distinguished from reproductions, clones, forgeries, or derivative works. An original work is one not received from others nor one copied from or based upon the work of others.. It is a work created with a unique style and substance. The term "originality" is often applied as a compliment to the creativity of artists, writers, and thinkers. The idea of originality as we know it was invented by Romanticism, with a notion that is often called romantic originality.

The concept of originality is culturally contingent. It became an ideal in Western culture starting from the 18th century. In contrast, at the time of Shakespeare it was common to appreciate more the similarity with an admired classical work, and Shakespeare himself avoided "unnecessary invention".

Originality in law

In law, originality has become an important legal concept with respect to intellectual property, where creativity and invention have manifest as copyrightable works. In the patent law of the United States and most other countries, only original inventions are subject to protection. In addition to being original, inventions submitted for a patent must also be useful and nonobvious.

Three Sons

Three Sons is a 1939 American drama film directed by Jack Hively using a screenplay by John Twist, based on the novel, Sweepings by Lester Cohen. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, it was released on October 13, 1939, it was a remake of an earlier RKO film, Sweepings (1933). The film stars Edward Ellis, William Gargan, J. Edward Bromberg and Robert Stanton (whose real name was Kirby Grant, which he would use for most of his career). Gargan, who plays the uncle in this film, had played one of the sons in the earlier film.

Plot summary

Daniel Pardway (Edward Ellis)a department store owner is deeply saddened to learn that none of his grown sons are interested in taking over the business he has worked so hard to build. To coerce them, he even tries giving them shares of company stock. In the end, only the youngest son shows any interest at all.

Cast

My Three Sons

My Three Sons is an American situation comedy. The series ran from 1960 to 1965 on ABC, and moved to CBS until its end on August 24, 1972. My Three Sons chronicles the life of widower and aeronautical engineer Steven Douglas (Fred MacMurray) as he raises his three sons.

The series originally featured William Frawley as the boys' live-in maternal grandfather, Bub O'Casey. William Demarest, playing Bub's brother, replaced Frawley in 1965 due to Frawley's health issues. In September 1965, eldest son Mike married and his character was written out of the show. To keep the emphasis on "three sons", a new son named Ernie was adopted. In the program's final years, Steven Douglas remarried and acquired a young stepdaughter named Dorothy (AKA "Dodie").

The series was a cornerstone of the ABC and CBS lineups in the 1960s. With 380 episodes produced, it is second only to The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet as television's longest running live-action sitcom. Disney producer Bill Walsh often mused on whether the concept of the show was inspired by the movie The Shaggy Dog, as in his view they shared "the same dog, the same kids, and Fred MacMurray".