Video Treasures

Video Treasures was a home video distributor founded in March 1985 by George Port. Initially, the company distributed public domain titles, including cartoon compilations. In the spring of 1987, the company started making licensing deals with many distributors, such as Vestron Video, Media Home Entertainment, Color Systems Technology, Active Home Video, Orion Pictures, The Samuel Goldwyn Company, Virgin Vision, Trans World Entertainment, Hal Roach Studios, Saban International, etc.

From the start of the company to 1989, its releases were sold through Video Cassette Sales. In late 1986, Video Cassette Sales was acquired by Handleman Company. Four years later, Handleman Company acquired Video Treasures for $10 million.

Media Home Entertainment, which has been owned by Heron International since 1984, ceased final operations in the late summer of 1993. During the time, the label's final set of titles on videotape were being distributed by The CBS/Fox Company, while LaserDisc releases were distributed by Image Entertainment. In the meantime, Heron International sold its North American branch, including the Media Home Entertainment label, to Handleman Corporation. Since then, distribution of most of the Media Home Entertainment catalog, excluding titles sold off to other distributors before the acquisition, was handled through Video Treasures.

In May 1995, both Starmaker Entertainment and Video Treasures were merged into Anchor Bay Entertainment. The name, "Anchor Bay" originated from a school district based in Michigan, where Handleman Company was also based in. Both labels still remained in use until the summer of 1998.

Spring 1987
This month of 1987 was when the company started making licensing deals with many distributors.

Under the Burbank Video label

 * Burbank Video