{{Short description|Australian TV production company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = Endemol Australia | logo = Endemol 2001.svg | former_name = {{Ubl|Hanna-Barbera Australia (1972–1983)|Taft-Hardie Group Pty. Ltd. (1983–1988)|Southern Star Group Pty, Ltd. (1988–2013)}} | type = [[Subsidiary]] | parent = [[Hanna-Barbera]] (1972–1988)<br />Hamlyn Group (1974–1978)<br />[[James Hardie Industries]] (1978–1988)<br />[[Southern Cross Broadcasting]] (2004–2007)<br />[[Fairfax Media]] (2007–2009)<br />[[Endemol]] (2009–2015) | successor = [[Endemol Shine Australia]] | founded = {{Start date and age|1972}} | founder = [[Kevin Weldon]] (as Hanna-Barbera Australia)<br />[[Neil Balnaves]] (as Southern Star Group Pty, Ltd.) | defunct = {{end date and age|2015}} | hq_location_city = [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]] | hq_location_country = Australia | key_people = Mark and Carl Fennessy (2016) | industry = [[Animation]]<br />[[Television production]] | fate = Merged with [[Shine Australia]] | products = | subsidiaries = [[Endemol Southern Star]] (2000–2009) }} '''Endemol Australia''', formerly known as '''Southern Star Group''', '''Southern Star Productions''', '''Southern Star/Hanna-Barbera Australia''' and '''Taft-Hardie Group Pty Ltd''', was a major Australian independent television production, distribution, and syndication company. On 26 July 2015, the company was merged with Shine Australia to succeed it as [[Endemol Shine Australia]].
== History == [[File:SouthernStarGroup.svg|thumb|Southern Star logo used from 1989 to 2013]] The company began in 1972 as Hanna-Barbera Pty Ltd (Australia), an Australian division of [[Hanna-Barbera]] (which was founded by [[Kevin Weldon]]). In 1974, the Hamlyn Group's Australian division managed by Kevin Weldon acquired 50% of Hanna-Barbera Australia and appointed [[Neil Balnaves]] as managing director. In 1978, [[James Hardie Industries]] acquired the Hamlyn Group, and in 1979, Balnaves was promoted to managing director of the entire Hamlyn Group.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.endemolshine.com.au/?id=1510|title = Endemol Shine Australia}}</ref>
In 1983, [[James Hardie Industries]] and Hanna-Barbera corporate parent [[Taft Broadcasting]] reorganised the division as Taft-Hardie Group Pty Ltd. In 1984, the company established a division in [[Los Angeles]] known as Southern Star Productions, founded and headed by [[Buzz Potamkin]]. Programs produced by this division would be animated at Hanna-Barbera's studios in Sydney, and carried the name Southern Star/Hanna-Barbera Australia. It co-owned [[CIC Video]]'s Australian video unit called '''CIC-Taft Video''' and launched a video label, THG Video, in 1984, then renamed to Taft Video in 1987. In 1987, it made a $42 million bid for Communications and Entertainment Limited, but it never realised.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1987-07-01 |title=Taft Hardie Venture Makes Big Bid For CEL; Oz Giant Looms |page=35 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>
In 1988, Neil Balnaves led an A$11 million [[management buyout]] of Taft-Hardie, reorganising the company as Southern Star Group. The home video division was renamed to Southern Star Video in 1989. The Sydney animation facilities were also sold to [[The Walt Disney Company]] who turned it into [[List of animation studios owned by the Walt Disney Company#Disney Animation Australia|Disney Animation Australia]], while the Los Angeles division continued to operate until 1991 when it was sold to [[Turner Broadcasting System]].
In January 2000, Endemol formed a joined venture with Southern Star Group called [[Endemol Southern Star]].
In April 2004, the company was acquired by [[Southern Cross Broadcasting]] and in 2007 by [[Fairfax Media]].
In August 2008, Southern Star Group had sold its 75% majority stake in London-based British drama production indie [[Carnival Films]] to American entertainment congolomate [[NBCUniversal]] and had it placed into its international production division NBCUniversal International Television Production (now [[Universal International Studios]]) with Southern Star Group also sold its distribution rights to Carnival's productions to the latter.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/aug/20/television.usa1 | newspaper=[[The Guardian]] | first=Tara | last=Conlan | title=NBC Universal buys Carnival | date=20 August 2008 | location=London | access-date=14 December 2016 | archive-date=2 September 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902154227/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/aug/20/television.usa1 | url-status=live }}</ref>
In January 2009, Endemol acquired Southern Star Factual from [[Fairfax Media]] in a transaction worth A$75 million,<ref>{{cite web|first=Alex |last=Prior |title=Southern Star: sold to Endemol (apart from some bits) |url=http://www.screenhub.com.au/news/shownewsarticleG.php?newsID=25119 |work=Screen Hub |date=21 January 2009 |access-date=31 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101022224/http://www.screenhub.com.au/news/shownewsarticleG.php?newsID=25119 |archive-date=1 January 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Nick|last=Tabakoff|title=Berlusconi to own Fairfax's TV producer|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/berlusconi-to-own-fairfaxs-producer/story-e6frg996-1111118619348|work=[[The Australian]]|date=21 January 2009|access-date=31 December 2013}}</ref> effective shuttering Endemol Southern Star.
Southern Star Productions' founder, Buzz Potamkin, died from [[pancreatic cancer]] on 22 April 2012, at the age of 66.<ref name="VarietyObit">{{Cite news |last=Variety Staff |date=May 8, 2012 |title=Marshall 'Buzz' Potamkin Dies at 66 |work=Variety.com |publisher=Reed Elsevier |url=https://variety.com/2012/film/news/marshall-buzz-potamkin-dies-at-66-1118053691/ |url-status=live |access-date=9 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612040832/http://variety.com/2012/film/news/marshall-buzz-potamkin-dies-at-66-1118053691/ |archive-date=12 June 2015}}</ref>
On 11 December 2013, Southern Star announced it would rebrand as Endemol Australia, completing the rollout by February 2014. The change was brought about by [[CEO|Chief Executive Officer]], Janeen Faithfull.<ref name=rebrand>{{cite web|title=Southern Star Entertainment to become Endemol Australia| date=27 December 2013 |website= Endemol Distribution| url=http://www.endemoldistribution.com/content/readnews.aspx?id=1763 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227011833/http://www.endemoldistribution.com/content/readnews.aspx?id=1763 | archive-date=27 December 2013 | url-status=dead | access-date=27 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Nancy|last=Tartaglione|title=Australia's Southern Star Names TV Industry Vet Janeen Faithfull To CEO Post|url=https://deadline.com/2012/02/australias-southern-star-names-tv-industry-vet-janeen-faithfull-to-ceo-post-234456/|work=Deadline|date=22 February 2012|access-date=31 December 2013}}</ref>
On 15 November 2016, Mark and Carl Fennessy were appointed joint CEOs of Endemol Australia as well as its parent company, [[Endemol Shine Australia]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bulbeck |first=Pip |date=2015-05-28 |title=Endemol Shine Names Fennessy Brothers as Joint Heads of Australian Unit |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/endemol-shine-names-fennessy-brothers-798769/ |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>
Southern Star Group's founder, Neil Balnaves, died on 21 February 2022 in a boating accident, at the age of 77, while holidaying with his wife, Diane, in [[Tahiti]].<ref name=limelight>{{cite web | last=Litson | first=Jo | title=Neil Balnaves has died | website=Limelight | date=23 February 2022 | url=https://limelightmagazine.com.au/news/neil-balnaves-has-died/ | access-date=27 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Ciccarelli | first=Raffaella | title=Former television executive Neil Balnaves dies in boating accident | website=[[Nine News|9News]] | date=22 February 2022 | url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/neil-balnaves-dead-television-executive-and-philanthropist-dies-in-boating-accident/074b1343-ee92-48ab-9a71-43127a76fac4 | access-date=27 April 2022}}</ref>
Hanna-Barbera Pty Ltd (Australia)'s founder, Kevin Weldon, died peacefully 'content to have lived a full, lucky and blessed life', surrounded by family and loved ones, on 9 November 2023, at the age of 89.
Turner Broadcasting System's founder, [[Ted Turner]], died at his home in [[Lamont, Florida]],<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.philanthropy.com/news/ted-turner-who-dared-fellow-billionaires-to-give-dies-at-87/|title = Ted Turner, Who Dared Fellow Billionaires to Give, Dies at 87|work = Chronicle of Philanthropy |quote = "He died on Wednesday at his home in Lamont, Fla."|date = May 6, 2026|accessdate = May 6, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/state/2026/05/06/ted-turner-cnn-founder-died-at-his-ranch-near-tallahassee/89960712007/|title = Ted Turner, CNN founder, died at his ranch near Tallahassee|last = Call|first = James|work = [[Tallahassee Democrat]]|quote = Ted Turner, the media mogul who created CNN and other lodestars of cable TV, died at his ranch in Jefferson County, Florida|date = May 6, 2026|accessdate = May 6, 2026}}</ref> on 6 May 2026, at the age of 87.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=May 6, 2026 |title=Brash CNN founder Ted Turner dies |url=https://www.npr.org/2026/05/06/nx-s1-3059290/ted-turner-obituary-cnn |access-date=May 6, 2026 |work=NPR |language=en}}</ref><ref name="NYT-obit">{{cite news |last=Kandell |first=Jonathan |date=May 6, 2026 |title=Ted Turner, Creator of CNN and the 24-Hour News Cycle, Dies at 87 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/06/business/media/ted-turner-dead.html |access-date=May 6, 2026 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name=CNNobit>{{Cite news |author1=Ann O’Neill |author2=Brian Stelter |date=May 6, 2026 |title=CNN founder Ted Turner, a pioneer of cable TV news, dies at 87 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/06/us/ted-turner-death |access-date=May 6, 2026 |work=[[CNN]] |language=en}}</ref>
The Hanna-Barbera Pty Ltd (Australia)/Taft-Hardie Group Pty Ltd. library is currently distributed by [[Warner Bros. Discovery]] through [[Warner Bros. Animation]].
== Programs == === Prime-time drama === ==== As Hanna-Barbera Pty Ltd / Taft-Hardie Group Pty Ltd ==== * ''[[Deadline (1982 film)|Deadline]]'' (1982, TV movie) * ''[[Return to Eden]]'' (1983–1986) * ''[[Remember Me (1985 film)|Remember Me]]'' (1985, TV movie) * ''[[The Last Frontier (miniseries)|The Last Frontier]]'' (1986, TV miniseries) * ''[[Shark's Paradise]]'' (1986, TV movie) {{div col|colwidth=22em}}
==== As Southern Star ==== * ''[[Party Tricks]]'' * ''[[Offspring (TV series)|Offspring]]'' * ''[[Return to Eden]]'' * ''[[Love My Way]]'' * ''[[The Surgeon (TV series)|The Surgeon]]'' * ''[[Blue Heelers]]'' * ''[[The Secret Life of Us]]'' * ''[[Always Greener]]'' * ''[[Water Rats (TV series)|Water Rats]]'' * ''[[Marking Time]]'' * ''[[Police Rescue]]'' * ''[[Murder Call]]'' * ''[[Rescue: Special Ops]]'' * ''[[Wild Boys]]'' * ''[[Rush (2008 TV series)|Rush]]'' * ''[[Young Lions (TV series)|Young Lions]]'' * ''[[Blue Murder (miniseries)|Blue Murder]]'' * ''[[Dangerous (TV series)|Dangerous]]'' * ''[[Out of the Blue (2008 TV series)|Out of the Blue]]'' * ''[[Fireflies (Australian TV series)|Fireflies]]'' * ''[[Spirited]]'' * ''[[Rain Shadow (TV series)|Rain Shadow]]'' * ''[[The Alice (TV series)|The Alice]]'' * ''[[Tangle (TV series)|Tangle]]'' * ''[[Puberty Blues (TV series)|Puberty Blues]]'' * ''[[Bed of Roses (TV series)|Bed of Roses]]'' * ''[[Big Sky (Australian TV series)|Big Sky]]'' * ''[[Howzat! Kerry Packer's War]]'' * ''[[McLeod's Daughters]]'' (2001–2009) * ''[[City Homicide]]'' * ''[[Echo Point]]'' * ''[[The Beautiful Lie (TV series)|The Beautiful Lie]]'' * ''[[Cody (TV series)|Cody]]'' * ''[[Which Way Home (miniseries)|Which Way Home]]'' * ''[[Good Vibrations (miniseries)|Good Vibrations]]'' * ''[[Gallipoli (miniseries)|Gallipoli]]'' * ''[[Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo]]'' * ''[[Paper Giants: Magazine Wars]]'' * ''[[Children of the Dragon]]'' * ''[[Beaconsfield (film)|Beaconsfield]]'' (TV movie) * ''[[Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War]]'' * ''[[Police Crop: The Winchester Conspiracy]]'' (TV movie) * ''[[On the Beach (2000 film)|On the Beach]]'' (TV movie) * ''[[Joh's Jury]]'' (TV movie) * ''[[Dripping in Chocolate]]'' * ''[[Hard Knox]]'' * ''[[Do or Die (miniseries)|Do or Die]]'' * ''[[Police State (1989 film)|Police State]]'' (TV movie) * ''[[A Difficult Woman]]'' * ''[[Marshall Law (TV series)|Marshall Law]]'' * ''[[Ring of Scorpio]]'' * ''[[Secret Men's Business]]'' (TV movie) {{div col end}}
=== Comedy === * ''[[Bad Cop, Bad Cop]]'' * ''[[The Bob Morrison Show]]'' * ''[[Dayne's World]]'' * ''[[Legally Brown]]'' * ''[[You Have Been Watching (Australian TV program)|You Have Been Watching]]'' * ''[[Con's Bewdiful Holiday Videos]]'' {{div col|colwidth=22em}}
=== Kids & family === ==== Animation outsourced from Hanna-Barbera USA ==== * ''[[Wait Till Your Father Gets Home]]'' (1972–1974) (season 1 and some episodes of seasons 2 & 3) * ''[[The New Scooby-Doo Movies]]'' (1973) (season 2) * ''[[Valley of the Dinosaurs]]'' (1974) * ''[[Clue Club]]'' (1976) * ''[[The Robonic Stooges]]'' (1977–1978) * ''[[Wonder Wheels]]'' (1977) * ''[[The All New Popeye Hour]]'' (1978–1983) * ''[[The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone]]'' (1979, TV movie) * ''[[Casper's Halloween Special]]'' (1979, TV special) * ''[[Casper's First Christmas]]'' (1979, TV special) * ''[[The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang]]'' (1980–1981) * ''[[The Flintstones: Wind-Up Wilma]]'' (1981, TV special) * ''[[Laverne & Shirley (1981 TV series)|Laverne & Shirley in the Army]]'' (1981–1982) * ''[[Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour]]'' (1982–1983) * ''[[Yogi Bear's All Star Comedy Christmas Caper]]'' (1982, TV special) * ''[[The Dukes (TV series)|The Dukes]]'' (1983) (season 2) * ''[[Pac-Man (TV series)|Pac-Man]]'' (1983) (season 2) * ''[[Pink Panther and Sons]]'' (1984) * ''[[Snorks]]'' (1987) (season 3) * ''[[Pound Puppies (1986 TV series)|Pound Puppies]]'' (1987) (season 2) * ''[[Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers]]'' (1987) * ''[[Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats]]'' (1988)
==== As Hanna-Barbera Pty Ltd / Taft-Hardie Group Pty Ltd ==== * ''[[Famous Classic Tales]]'' (1973–1983) * ''[[The Toothbrush Family]]'' (1974) * ''[[Taggart's Treasure]]'' (1976) (unsold pilot) * ''[[The Flintstones: Little Big League]]'' (1978, TV movie)<ref>{{cite news |title=Fred's little league |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64710020/freds-little-league/ |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=15 May 1978 |location=Sydney NSW |page=25}}</ref> * ''[[Dinky Dog]]'' (1978–1981) * ''[[Drak Pack]]'' (1980) * ''[[The Kwicky Koala Show]]'' (1981–1982) * ''[[CBS Storybreak]]'' (1985–1989) {{small|(co-production with [[CBS Productions|CBS Entertainment Productions]])}} * ''[[The Berenstain Bears (1985 TV series)|The Berenstain Bears]]'' (1985–1987) * ''[[Teen Wolf (1986 TV series)|Teen Wolf]]'' (1986–1987) {{small|(co-production with [[Atlantic Entertainment Group#Clubhouse Pictures|Clubhouse Pictures]] in Season 1 and [[Atlantic Entertainment Group|Atlantic]]/[[The Kushner-Locke Company|Kushner-Locke]] in Season 2)}}
==== As Southern Star ==== * ''[[A*mazing]]'' * ''[[Foreign Exchange (Australian TV series)|Foreign Exchange]]'' * ''[[The Adventures of Sam]]'' * ''[[The Beeps]]'' * ''[[Blue Water High]]'' * ''[[Raggs|RAGGS Kids Club Band]]'' * ''[[The Sleepover Club (TV series)|The Sleepover Club]]'' * ''[[Tracey McBean]]'' * ''[[Cake Business!]]'' * ''[[The Missed Christmas Presents]]'' * ''[[The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky]]'' * ''[[Magic Mountain (TV series)|Magic Mountain]]'' * ''[[Snobs (TV series)|Snobs]]'' * ''[[Bananas in Pyjamas]]'' (co-production with [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]]) * ''[[Faireez]]'' * ''[[Ketchup: Cats Who Cook]]'' * ''[[Time Masters (game show)|Time Masters]]'' * ''[[Wipeout (1999 Australian game show)|Wipeout]]'' * ''[[Marvin (comic strip)|Marvin: Baby of the Year]]'' (TV special) * ''[[Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue]]'' (TV special) * ''[[Fox's Peter Pan & the Pirates]]'' (co-production with [[TMS Entertainment]] and [[Fox Kids|Fox Children's Productions]], distributed by [[20th Television]]) * ''[[Mad Scientist]]'' * ''[[Hi-5 (Australian TV series)|Hi-5]]'' (2008–2012) (co-production with [[Nine Network]]) * ''[[Elly & Jools]]'' * ''[[Kangaroo Creek Gang]]'' * ''[[Don't Blame Me (TV series)|Don't Blame The Koalas]]'' * ''[[Pig's Breakfast]]'' * ''[[In Your Dreams (2013 TV series)|In Your Dreams]]'' * ''[[Outriders (TV series)|Outriders]]'' * ''[[Sea Princesses]]'' * ''[[Y?]]'' * ''[[A gURLs wURLd]]'' * ''[[High Flyers (Australian TV series)|High Flyers]]'' * ''[[All for Kids]]'' * ''[[Hairy Legs]]'' * ''[[Classic Tales]]'' * ''[[Sumo Mouse]]'' * ''[[Snake Tales (TV series)|Snake Tales]]'' * ''[[Skippy the Bush Kangaroo]]'' * ''[[Arthur! and the Square Knights of the Round Table]]'' * ''[[The Wayne Manifesto]]'' * ''[[Gordon the Garden Gnome]]'' {{div col end}}
{{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
=== Reality === * ''[[RPA (TV series)|RPA]]'' – (1995–2012) * ''[[Ralph (magazine)|Ralph TV]]'' – (2007) * ''[[Battlefronts]]'' – (2008) * ''[[Monster House (Australian TV series)|Monster House]]'' – (2008) * ''[[Garden Angels]]'' – (2009) * ''[[No Leave, No Life]]'' – (2009–2012) * ''[[Beauty and the Geek Australia]]'' – (2010–2011) * ''[[Drug Lords]]'' – (2010) * ''[[Real Prison Breaks]]'' – (2010–2011) * ''[[Strictly Speaking (TV series)|Strictly Speaking]]'' – (2010) * ''[[Undercover Boss Australia]]'' – (2010–2011) * ''[[Balls of Steel Australia]]'' – (2011–2012) * ''[[Big Brother (Australian TV series)|Big Brother Australia]]'' – [[Network 10]] (2001–2008) and [[Nine Network]] (2012–2014) * ''[[Don't Tell the Bride (Australian TV series)|Don't Tell the Bride]]'' – (2012) * ''[[When Love Comes to Town (TV series)|When Love Comes to Town]]'' – (2014) * ''[[Mesmerised (TV series)|Mesmerised]]'' – (2015) * ''[[Married at First Sight (Australian TV series)|Married at First Sight Australia]]'' – (2015–present) * ''[[The Hotplate (Australian TV series)|The Hotplate]]'' – (2015) {{col-2}}
=== Factual & Documentary === * ''[[Animal Emergency]]'' * ''[[Animal Lifeline]]'' * ''[[Animals Did It First]]'' * ''[[At the Zoo]]'' * ''[[Crash Test Mummies & Daddies]]'' * ''[[Elephants Empire]]'' * ''[[Forensic Investigators]]'' * ''[[Last Chance Surgery]]'' * ''[[Next Wave (TV series)|Next Wave]]'' * ''[[Saving Africa's Witch Children]]'' * ''[[Secret China]]'' * ''[[Secret Nature]]'' * ''[[Wild China]]'' * ''[[Wild Orphans]]'' * ''[[Meerkat Manor]]'' {{col-end}}
== Films == * ''[[Bedevil|beDevil]]'' (1993) * ''[[No Worries (film)|No Worries]]'' (1994) * ''[[The Sum of Us (film)|The Sum of Us]]'' (1994) * ''[[Rough Diamonds (film)|Rough Diamonds]]'' (1994) * ''[[The Well (1997 film)|The Well]]'' (1997) * ''[[Serenades]]'' (2001)
== See also == {{Portal|Television|Australia}} * [[List of film production companies]] * [[List of television production companies]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Endemol Shine Group}} {{Vivendi}} {{Disney}} {{Apollo Global Management}} {{Southern Star Entertainment}} {{Animation industry in Australia}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Endemol|Australia]] [[Category:Banijay]] [[Category:Hanna-Barbera]] [[Category:Australian animation studios]] [[Category:Television production companies of Australia]] [[Category:Australian companies established in 1972]] [[Category:Mass media companies established in 1972]] [[Category:Australian subsidiaries of foreign companies]] [[Category:Australian companies disestablished in 2015]] [[Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 2015]] [[Category:Companies based in Sydney]]