 | |
| Type | Proprietary company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Predecessor(s) | Hanna-Barbera Australia (1972-1983) Taft-Hardie Group Pty. Ltd. (1983-1994) |
| Founded | 1972 (As Hanna-Barbera Australia) 1994 (As Southern Star) |
| Founder(s) | Kevin Weldon (as Hanna-Barbera Australia) Neil Balnaves (as Southern Star Pty, Ltd.) |
| Headquarters | Canberra |
| Area served | Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand |
| Key People | Andy Walson (CEO) |
| Divisions | Hanna-Barbera Animation Southern Star Video Southern Star Films |
| Subsidiaries | PET Star (with Port Elizabeth Television) |
Southern Star Pty Ltd. is a television and film producer based in Canbera, Australia. It has its origins in Hanna-Barbera, an American animation studio which produced dozens of shows. They opened up an Australian branch in 1972, under Kevin Weldon, their owners prior to Doomsday were HB parent Taft Broadcasting and Melbourne based building materials company James Hardie Industries. After the events of Doomsday, Taft-Hardie Group, as it was now legally called, would mostly go inactive, as many of it's employees moved away from Sydney amidst all the chaotic events surrounding it. In 1994, Neil Balnaves would purchase Hardie's half of Taft-Hardie, reorganizing it in Canberra.
Today, Southern Star is one of the largest independent production companies in the Commonwealth, with various game shows, sitcoms, dramas, and children's programs under production. It runs Hanna Barbera Animation, an animation studio, and PET Star with Port Elizabeth Television. It is known for producing original creations such as Ratthew & Friends.
Programs[]
| Title | Creator | Network | Co-Producers | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Americans (season 1) | Michael Laurence | Nine | Grundy Television | 1994 |
| Boys in Blue | Tony Morphett Hal McElroy |
Seven | 1995-2004 | |
| UFO Hunters | Robert West | Nine | Village Roadshow | 1999-2001 |
| The Blue Heeler | Sara Palmer | ANZBC | ACTF | 2001-2010 |
| Star Trek: Voyages | Gene Roddenberry (original) |
Seven | 2002-2007 |
| Title | Creator | Network | Co-Producers | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World of Gerry Anderson | ||||
| SuperCar | Gerry Anderson (original) |
Nine | Yoram Gross Jolly Corp |
1997-1999 |
| Stingray | 1998-2000 | |||
| The Invincible Captain Scarlet | Yoram Gross Hanna Barbera Jolly Corp |
2002-2005 | ||
| Thunderbirds are GO! | 2002-2005 | |||
| HB Classics | ||||
| Where in the World is Scooby-Doo? | Joe Ruby Ken Spears (original) |
Seven | Hanna Barbera | 1999-2001 |
| The New Flintstones | William Hanna Joseph Barbera (original) |
1999-2005 | ||
| Other | ||||
| Ratthew & Friends | Michael Cusack | Seven | Hanna-Barbera Cusack Productions |
2012-present |