Nick at Nite Teams Up With Michael Eisner's Tornante Animation for New TV Series

Nick at Nite Teams Up With Michael Eisner's Tornante Animation for New TV Series

Greenlights Production for Stop-Motion Animated Comedy, Glenn Martin DDS.

20 Episodes of Tornante Animation's First TV Production to Premiere in 2009, Continuing Nick at Nite's Evolution to Serve Contemporary Families

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 29 /PRNewswire/ -- As TV's home for the modern-day family comedy, top-rated Nick at Nite has green-lit Glenn Martin DDS., the first television series from Michael Eisner's Tornante Animation, cuing production on 20 episodes of the original, stop-motion primetime program. Giving the American family a whole new look, the 'trailblazing' series buckles up with the Martins in their toothbrush-topped dental mobile as they leave suburbia behind in the rear-view mirror and embark on a cross-country adventure. Eisner and the newly formed division of The Tornante Company -- Tornante Animation, have enlisted Eric Fogel -- the creative force behind MTV's hit Celebrity Deathmatch -- to help design the series.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080729/NYTU076)

"Michael Eisner has been the creative architect of some of the most successful sitcoms in television history and we're very excited that the first new series from his new company will be on Nick at Nite," said Cyma Zarghami, President of Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group. "Glenn Martin, DDS is an innovative take on the modern American family and has the potential to be a definitional program in Nick at Nite's lineup of family comedies like George Lopez and Home Improvement."

For four decades, Michael Eisner has been a leader in the American entertainment industry. While at ABC, he helped take the network to number one with such iconic shows as Happy Days, Barney Miller and Roots. As President of Paramount Pictures, he turned out hit films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Saturday Night Fever. In 1984, he assumed the position of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company and, in the ensuing 21 years, transformed it from a film and theme park company with $1.8 billion in enterprise value into a global media empire valued at $80 billion. In 2005, Eisner founded The Tornante Company; a privately held company that makes investments in and incubates companies and opportunities in the media and entertainment space.

"Nickelodeon is a global brand synonymous with innovative and creative content for kids and families," said Eisner. "This network is a great fit for Glenn Martin DDS and I look forward to helping Nick at Nite grow their prime-time line up."

With its strongest showing in more than two years, Nick at Nite is total day's number-one basic cable network with Adults 18-49 (tied with TNT) and ranks second only to sister-channel Nickelodeon among total viewers in second quarter 2008 (NMR: 3/31/08-6/29/08).

Nick At Nite is Nickelodeon's nighttime programming block that also features popular hit family comedies including the Emmy Award-winning series Home Improvement, George Lopez, and Family Matters, as well as The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Roseanne. Also coming in 2009 is the hit comedy Everybody Hates Chris, from co-creator and narrator Chris Rock and inspired by his real-life childhood experiences

Nickelodeon, now in its 29th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 96 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 14 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B).

ABOUT THE TORNANTE COMPANY

Founded in 2005 by Michael Eisner, The Tornante Company is a privately held company that makes investments in and incubates companies and opportunities in the media and entertainment space. The Tornante Company's investments include Topps, Vuguru, Team Baby Entertainment, and Veoh Networks. In the summer of 2008, the company launched Tornante Animation to produce animation for television and multi media platforms.

All numbers above are based on Nielsen Media Research and Nick at Nite's total programming day unless otherwise noted. *Nick at Nite: M-Th and Sun: 9 p.m.-6 a.m.; Fr-Sat 10 p.m.-6 a.m. (ET/PT).

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: Tori.Fernandes@mtvnmix.com

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080729/NYTU076
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN7
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Nickelodeon

CONTACT: David Bittler +1-212-846-5263, or Marianne Romano,
+1-310-752-8208, both of Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group; or Adam Schiff of
The Tornante Company, +1-212-981-5216

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