'The Cosby Show,' an NBC fave from 1984-92, will hit DVD shelves on Aug. 2.
"The Cosby Show" is coming to DVD on Aug. 2.
Just three weeks after striking a deal with Anchor Bay to release "Roseanne" and "3rd Rock From the Sun" on DVD, Carsey-Werner has signed a multi-year deal with Ventura Entertainment to handle the biggest sitcom yet to be scheduled for release on DVD, as well as its spinoff "A Different World."
The deal gives Ventura rights to all eight seasons of "Cosby" and all six of "World," which will debut on DVD in January.
Both series will be released under the Ventura label UrbanWorks Entertainment, a division appealing to urban markets.
Details of plans for bonus features on the series have yet to be determined but Bill Cosby has already provided his input, according to C-W spokesman James Anderson.
"The Cosby Show" ran on NBC from 1984-92. "A Different World," initially starring "Cosby" co-star Lisa Bonet in 1987 before she left "World" and returned to "Cosby" in 1989, starred Jasmine Guy through the end of its run in 1993.
"This agreement highlights Ventura's ongoing commitment to develop key relationships with premiere content partners," said Eric Doctorow, chief operating officer of Ventura Entertainment Enterprises.
UrbanWorks is one of several labels at the 12-year-old Ventura, which provides sales, distribution, marketing and financing services for independent producers and studios in the home entertainment marketplace. Others include youth-oriented extreme programming division StudioWorks Entertainment; Studio Latino; and the cult specialty-film label Ventura Select.
Other C-W series yet to be released on DVD include "Cybill" and "Grace Under Fire."
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