Large merger between Concord and BMG featured the ‘Golden Era’ studio that worked on ‘Citizen Kane’ — yet it was not mentioned at all

RKO: Hollywood’s Overlooked Studio

RKO has often been sidelined in the narrative of Hollywood history, even though it was the force behind some iconic films like “Citizen Kane,” “King Kong,” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” The studio had its share of luminaries during the Golden Age, including Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Fred Astaire, and Ginger Rogers.

Unfortunately, RKO’s legacy has dimmed over the years, primarily because, apart from a few unsuccessful attempts to revive it, it has been largely dormant since Howard Hughes sold it to General Tire and Rubber Company in 1955.

It’s a bit disheartening that, amid the recent significant merger between BMG and Concord, RKO’s participation was hardly acknowledged—almost like an afterthought. Page Six Hollywood even reached out to a BMG spokesperson to confirm that RKO was included in that deal.

In case you missed it, Concord surprisingly acquired RKO last summer. Ted Hartley had owned the studio since 1991 until his passing, alongside his actress wife, Dina Merrill, who died in 2017. During Hartley’s three decades at the helm, RKO primarily became known for its 1998 remake of “Mighty Joe Young,” featuring Charlize Theron. His last film effort was the 2015 video comedy “Barely Lethal.”

With BMG taking ownership of Concord, RKO finds itself under new corporate management once again. Previously, ownership has included Hughes, General Tire, and others like Six Flags and RCA. Once the deal is finalized in the latter half of this year, the new company will be roughly 67% owned by Bertelsmann, with affiliates of Great Mountain Partners holding about 33%.

Under Concord, which is known for its extensive music catalog, RKO will operate within the company’s original division, overseen by co-presidents Sophia Dilly and Mary Beth O’Connor. Officials indicated that BMG’s plans for RKO remain on track, with seven different projects currently in development. The first one? A fresh take on RKO’s classic stage musical “Top Hat.”

RKO is also remembered for other timeless films like “Notorious,” “Bringing Up Baby,” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Robert Mitchum once commented on his experiences with the studio, humorously noting, “RKO made the same movies with me for 10 years. They looked so similar that I wore the same suit in six of them and the same Burberry trench coat.”