The award-winning television body of work known as the Ellis Library, from Canadian independent producers Stephen Ellis and his father, Ralph C. Ellis, is ready for worldwide re-release through their new venture, Stellis Media Inc. The Ellis Library consists of close to 600 titles of primarily factual content in the genres of natural history, science, history, and family entertainment.
Originally produced for premieres on TV networks in Canada, the US, UK and Germany over the past four decades, including the (CBC, Global TV, and domestic and international Discovery Channels and Animal Planet), the programs have been seen in over 100 countries in multiple languages, and been recognized with over 100 international awards.
The cornerstone of the Library is the Profiles of Nature series of over 200 half hour and one hour episodes and specials. Natural history accounts for three quarters of the catalogue, but a wide range of subjects rounds it out, reflecting the ongoing growth of the global appetite for factual entertainment.
Hit examples of that diversity include the definitive Baby Human 6-part series on infant develop-ment; the ground-breaking Mysterious Ruins – Cape Breton, exploring Ming Dynasty connections with the east coast of Canada; one of the top-rated Canadian family series of all time, the 26 episode Adventures in Rainbow Country; the half hour mockumentary series Buck Staghorn’s Animal Bites in 26 half hours; as well as, Tank Overhaul, the 8-part anthology reconstructing battle tanks from bygone wars.
Stephen Ellis, President of the new enterprise, said, “our productions have an evergreen quality simply because they were both domestically and internationally market driven, and not dependent on direct Canadian government equity investment.”
Ralph C. Ellis, Chairman Emeritus of the new company, and a Member of both the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario, said of the new release, “it’s been a delightful 91st birthday present to see the library I started, now available in the burgeoning digital marketplace.”
The Ellis Entertainment group of companies was founded in 1964 and operated for 47 years – Canada’s longest operated independent production and distribution house. The newly founded Stellis Media recently acquired back the Ellis Library assets from a group of interested parties following an incomplete series of mergers and acquisitions.
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