Nelvana
Logo used since July 12, 2016 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| TSX: NEL (until 2000) Nasdaq: NELV (until 2000) | |
| Industry |
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| Predecessor | Laff Arts |
| Founded | May 29, 1955 (As Laff Studios) July 30, 1971 |
| Founders | |
| Headquarters | , Canada |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
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| Products | Consisting mainly of children's animation; see also list of Nelvana programs |
| Revenue | C$600 million (2001) |
Number of employees | 200+ (2021) |
| Parent | Corus Entertainment |
| Website | www |
Nelvana Enterprises, Inc. (/nɛlˈvɑːnə/; also known as Nelvana Limited, Nelvana International or Nelvana Digital; commonly known as Nelvana; stylized nelvana in all lowercase) is a Canadian animation studio and entertainment production company owned by Corus Entertainment since 2000. Founded in 1971 by Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert, and Clive A. Smith, it was named after Nelvana of the Northern Lights, the first Canadian national superhero, who was created by Adrian Dingle. The company's production logo is a polar bear looking at Polaris, the North Star.
The company is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and it maintained international offices in France, Ireland, and Japan, as well as smaller offices in the top three cities in the United States. Many of its films, shows and specials were based on licensed properties and literature, but original programming was also part of its roster. Although the company specializes in children's media, Nelvana has also co-produced adult animations like Clone High, John Callahan's Quads!, Bob & Margaret, Family Dog or Committed.
Nelvana International distributes five shows―Taina, the first five seasons of The Fairly OddParents, The Backyardigans (a co-production with Nick Jr.), Mr. Young, and the first season of Horrid Henry from February 22, 2007, to February 2008. As of 2001, its library comprised more than 1,650 cumulative half-hours of original programming.