Nelvana

Origins and Early Struggles

They, along with friends Jack Christie and Peter Dewdney, initially formed a small company named Laff Arts to produce experimental films. They were joined by animator Clive A. Smith, who had previously worked on the Beatles' Yellow Submarine. Laff Arts was short lived, dissolving after being advised its name was unprofessional, which led the trio of Hirsh, Loubert, and Smith to formally found Nelvana in 1971. The early days were characterized by extreme frugality and ingenuity, operating out of a derelict apartment and using makeshift equipment, such as piling phone books to create camera zooms. Their first major project was a documentary on Canadian comic books for the CBC, followed by a travelling art exhibition, which helped establish their presence in the nascent Canadian production industry.

For its first several years, Nelvana survived on a mix of documentary work, CBC fillers, and early television specials that combined live-action and animation. Productions like Small Star Cinema and the 1975 special Christmas Two Step demonstrated the studio's focus on children's perspectives. A significant breakthrough came in 1978 when George Lucas, impressed by Nelvana's special A Cosmic Christmas, commissioned the studio to produce an animated segment for the Star Wars Holiday Special. This segment, titled "The Faithful Wookiee," featured the voices of the original film's cast and introduced the character Boba Fett to audiences, marking Nelvana's first major connection to a global franchise. The company is named after the Canadian comic book superheroine Nelvana of the Northern Lights, a choice made by the founders who had worked on a documentary about the country's comic art traditions.

The 1980s: Feature Films and Franchise Success

The 1980s began with Nelvana ambitiously choosing to produce its first feature film, Rock & Rule, instead of working on the anthology Heavy Metal. An adult oriented animated rock musical, the film took five years and eight million dollars to complete, consuming most of the studio's resources. Released in 1983 with minimal promotion, Rock & Rule was a financial failure that forced the company to refocus on television production to survive. This pivot led to work on series like The Edison Twins and the first season of Inspector Gadget, co produced with DIC Entertainment. The studio's fortunes were dramatically reversed in 1985 with the release of The Care Bears Movie, based on the American Greetings property.

The Care Bears film was a major box office success, grossing 23 million dollars in the United States and revitalizing the company's financial standing. This success spawned two sequels and a television series, solidifying the Care Bears as a key part of Nelvana's portfolio. The studio continued to expand its genre work, co producing the Star Wars inspired Saturday morning series Droids and Ewoks. It also ventured further into live action with series like T. and T. starring Mr. T, though this production nearly led to bankruptcy when its original American distributor failed. The decade closed with another major franchise success, the adaptation of Jean de Brunhoff's Babar book series, which won numerous awards and set the stage for Nelvana's strategy in the 1990s of adapting beloved literary properties.

Expansion and Literary Adaptations in the 1990s

Building on the model established by Babar, Nelvana aggressively pursued the rights to adapt other popular children's book series throughout the 1990s. This strategy yielded several long running and critically acclaimed animated series, including The Adventures of Tintin, Little Bear, The Magic School Bus, and Franklin. The acquisition of Kids Can Press in 1998, the publisher of the Franklin books, turned Nelvana into an integrated company capable of controlling a property from publishing through to animation and merchandising. The studio also produced original hits like Eek! The Cat and Dog City, a collaboration with The Jim Henson Company. Not all ventures were successful, however, as seen with the quick cancellation of Roseanne Barr's Little Rosey in 1991.

The decade was also marked by ambitious but ultimately unfulfilled plans. A 1993 deal to co produce five feature films for Paramount Pictures, including adaptations of books by E. B. White and Clive Barker, never progressed past development. In 1996, the company was nearly acquired by Golden Books Family Entertainment for 102 million dollars, but the deal fell through after two months. Nelvana expanded its technological capabilities by absorbing the computer animation company Windlight Studios in 1997. As the decade ended, the studio launched the PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch, a programming block featuring six new series based on children's books like Corduroy and George Shrinks, and entered the anime market by acquiring the North American rights to Cardcaptor Sakura.

The Corus Era and Diversification

In September 2000, media conglomerate Corus Entertainment acquired Nelvana for 540 million dollars, viewing it as a perfect complement to its children's television networks, YTV and Treehouse. This acquisition marked the beginning of a new corporate chapter. Shortly after, co founders Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith left the company. Under Corus, Nelvana continued to operate as a major producer and distributor, but its strategic focus evolved. The company expanded its publishing holdings significantly just before the acquisition, purchasing the Palo Alto based children's book publisher Klutz for 74 million dollars in April 2000, its largest buyout at the time.

This purchase was integrated with its existing Kids Can Press subsidiary to bolster its branded consumer products division. Nelvana also attempted to move into broadcasting during this period. In 2000, it filed with the CRTC to launch two digital cable channels, The Nelvana Channel and Booknet, the latter a joint venture with Corus. Although approved, neither channel launched before the licences expired in 2004. Throughout the 2000s and beyond, Nelvana's primary role shifted increasingly towards distribution and licensing its vast library of over 1,650 cumulative half hours of programming. It distributed notable series such as The Backyardigans and the first five seasons of The Fairly OddParents internationally, and the company described itself as a world leading international producer, distributor and licensor of children's content.

Production Halt and Recent Developments

In 2025, Corus Entertainment announced a major operational change, halting all new production at Nelvana Studios. This decision effectively ended the creation of new original television series and films under the Nelvana banner, though the company continues to exist as a subsidiary holding its extensive library. The move was attributed to financial pressures within the parent company and broader shifts in the children's media market. This development marked a poignant conclusion to over five decades of original content creation that had defined Canadian childhoods. The studio's final productions included involvement with the Emmy winning literacy program Storyline Online.

In a related business move, Corus Entertainment's Nelvana Limited entered into a deal to sell its Montreal based animation software business for approximately 147.5 million dollars. This sale of a specialized technology asset further indicated a strategic winding down of the studio's active production capabilities. The halt of production signifies the end of an era for one of Canada's most storied animation houses, transitioning its legacy from an active creative studio to a library and licensing entity under the Corus umbrella. The company's website continues to promote its legacy, stating it has been entertaining children for over 50 years.

Notable Productions and Artistic Range

Nelvana's production library is vast and diverse, encompassing both beloved children's series and several notable forays into adult animation. Its most well-known and enduring works are its adaptations of children's literature, which educated and entertained generations. Series like Franklin, Little Bear, and The Magic School Bus became staples of educational programming, while Babar and Rupert Bear offered more whimsical storytelling. The studio also had major commercial successes with toy based franchises, most notably the Care Bears, which began with a hit film and expanded into a long running series. Other toy based shows included Strawberry Shortcake specials and Madballs.

Beyond children's content, Nelvana periodically produced animation aimed at older audiences, a tradition that began with its first feature, Rock & Rule. In the late 1990s, it co produced the adult oriented series Bob & Margaret, based on the Oscar winning short Bob's Birthday. The studio was also involved in other adult projects such as John Callahan's Quads!, Clone High, and Delta State. This demonstrated a broader artistic range than its family friendly reputation might suggest. The studio's technical work varied from traditional hand drawn animation to early computer generated series like Rolie Polie Olie and Donkey Kong Country in the late 1990s, which illustrated its adaptation to changing technologies.

Questions about Nelvana

What happened to Nelvana studios?

In 2025, Corus Entertainment, the parent company of Nelvana since 2000, announced that it had halted all new production at Nelvana Studios. This decision means the studio is no longer creating new original television series or films. The company continues to exist, managing its extensive library of past shows and handling distribution and licensing, but the era of new Nelvana productions has ended. This move was part of broader financial restructuring within Corus Entertainment.

Who founded Nelvana and why is it called that?

Nelvana was founded in Toronto in 1971 by Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert, and Clive A. Smith. The company's name was chosen as a tribute to Nelvana of the Northern Lights, a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle during the Second World War. She is recognized as the first Canadian national superhero. The founders, who had worked on a documentary about Canadian comics, selected the name to honour this unique piece of Canadian pop culture heritage.

What are some of the most famous shows made by Nelvana?

Nelvana is responsible for a long list of well-known children's television series that defined generations. Among its most famous and enduring productions are Franklin, Little Bear, Babar, The Magic School Bus, and Care Bears. The studio also produced Rupert Bear, Beyblade, and Jacob Two Two. For adult audiences, it co produced shows like Bob & Margaret and Clone High. Its very first feature film was the cult classic rock musical Rock & Rule.

When did Corus Entertainment buy Nelvana?

Corus Entertainment acquired Nelvana in September 2000 for a purchase price of 540 million dollars. Corus, which already owned children's television networks YTV and Treehouse, saw the animation studio as a strategic asset to provide content for its channels. Following the acquisition, Nelvana's co founders Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith left the company. Nelvana has operated as a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment ever since.

Did Nelvana only make cartoons for kids?

While Nelvana specialized in and is best known for its children's programming, it also produced several projects aimed at adult audiences throughout its history. Its first feature film, Rock & Rule (1983), was an adult oriented animated rock musical. Later, the studio co produced the Emmy winning series Bob & Margaret and was involved with other adult animations like John Callahan's Quads!, Clone High, and Delta State. These projects, however, were a smaller part of its overall output compared to its vast catalogue of family friendly content.

What was Nelvana's connection to Star Wars?

Nelvana had two significant connections to the Star Wars franchise. In 1978, George Lucas commissioned the studio to create an animated segment for the Star Wars Holiday Special. This segment, "The Faithful Wookiee," featured the voices of the original film's cast and was the first appearance of the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Later, in the mid 1980s, Nelvana co produced two Saturday morning cartoon series based on the Star Wars universe: Droids (featuring C 3PO and R2 D2) and Ewoks.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-22.