Anchor Bay Entertainment (formerly Video Treasures) was an American home entertainment and production company. It was a subsidiary of Starz, Inc. which would be acquired by Lions Gate Entertainment in 2016. Formed in 1995 from the merger of budget video labels Video Treasures and StarMaker by the Handleman Company, Anchor Bay marketed and sold films, as well as children's and special interest releases. In 2004, Anchor Bay agreed to have its movies distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and renewed their deal in 2011.
Anchor Bay also had a film studio known as Anchor Bay Films which mainly distributed direct-to-video or independent films.
It distributed US VHS and DVD releases for the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends series from 1995 to 2008 in conjunction with The Britt Allcroft Company, Gullane Entertainment and HiT Entertainment. Lionsgate fully took over this role in 2009. Anchor Bay also had a Canadian branch by the name of HGV Video Productions.
On 30 June 2016, Lionsgate agreed to acquire Anchor Bay's parent company Starz Inc. for $4.4 billion in cash and stock. The merger was completed on 8 December 2016. Not long after, Lionsgate folded Anchor Bay into their home entertainment division.
Anchor Bay has distributed the most Thomas & Friends VHS and DVD releases for the American market than any other company to date.
Contents
Releases
Originals
1995
1996
1997
1998
- Thomas and His Friends Get Along
- Thomas Comes to Breakfast and Other Thomas Adventures
- A Big Day for Thomas
1999
- Thomas' Useful Stories
- Cranky Bugs and Other Thomas Stories
- Races, Rescues and Runaways and Other Thomas Adventures
- 10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
2000
- Spills and Chills and Other Thomas Thrills
- Make Someone Happy and Other Thomas Adventures
- Thomas' Christmas Wonderland and Other Thomas Adventures
2001
2002
- Best of James
- Salty's Secret and Other Thomas Adventures
- Thomas' Magical Musical Ride
- Thomas' Fan Favorite Adventures
2003
- Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures
- James and the Red Balloon and Other Thomas Adventures
- Thomas' Snowy Surprise and Other Adventures
- Best of Gordon
- Fun With Thomas
- Thomas' Sodor Stories
- Two Thomas Adventures
2004
- New Friends for Thomas and Other Adventures
- Thomas and the Jet Engine and Other Adventures
- The Early Years
2005
- Hooray for Thomas and Other Adventures
- Percy Saves the Day and Other Adventures
- Quarry Adventures on Sodor
2006
- Thomas and the Really Brave Engines and Other Adventures
- On Site with Thomas and Other Adventures
- Thomas' Halloween Adventures
2007
2008
Re-releases
1995
- Thomas Gets Tricked and Other Stories
- James Learns a Lesson and Other Stories
- Trust Thomas and Other Stories
- Thomas Gets Bumped and Other Stories
- Thomas, Percy and the Dragon and Other Stories
- Daisy and Other Thomas Stories
- James Goes Buzz Buzz and Other Thomas Stories
- Percy's Ghostly Trick and Other Thomas Stories
1996
Canadian releases
All titles are VHS format.
- Thomas Gets Tricked (1995)
- James Learns a Lesson (1995)
- Trust Thomas (1995)
- Thomas Gets Bumped (1995)
- Thomas, Percy and the Dragon (1995)
- Daisy (1995)
- James Goes Buzz Buzz (1996)
- Percy's Ghostly Trick (1996)
- Thomas' Christmas Party (1996)
- Rusty to the Rescue (1996)
- Thomas and the Special Letter (1995)
- Thomas and His Friends Help Out (1996)
- Gallant Old Engine (1996) (Light Blue Variant)
- Sing Along Songs (1997)
- Thomas Meets the Queen (1997)
- Thomas and His Friends Get Along (1998)
- Thomas Comes to Breakfast (1998)
- A Big Day for Thomas (1998)
