Paramount first tried to enter the home video market with a duplication pact with S/T Videocassette Duplicating Corp. in 1976, but their movies remained unavailable for three years. In the meantime, Paramount secured a deal with MCA Distributing Corporation to bring their library to DiscoVision in 1978. Paramount then secured a deal with Fotomat Video in 1979 to release their movies on videocassette through rental.
Paramount would form their own home video distribution arm in late 1979 and its first titles appeared on the Winter 1980 CES. Paramount would later secure deals with third-party distributors, most notably Atlantic Releasing Corporation and Skouras Pictures throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Paramount would later launch sublabels, such as Paramount Gateway Video, formed in 1982 to release mid-price titles, and Bel Canto/Paramount Home Video, formed in 1985 to release music-related titles.
Throughout the early 1990s, it was the distributor for Full Moon Entertainment, Miramax Home Video, and Skouras Home Video. In 1994, it picked up the home video distribution rights to Capital Cities/ABC Video Publishing's titles, until it was sold to Disney in 1996. In 1996, the company picked up the rights to Nickelodeon's titles, and five years later, in 2001, picked up the rights to MTV's titles. In 2004, the company picked up home video rights to Hasbro's titles, until it would later leave for Shout! Factory by the end of the decade.
In 1998, it entered the DVD market, after trying on DIVX, then entered high definition in 2006. Paramount briefly withdrew from Blu-ray in 2007, except titles directed by Steven Spielberg, only to reenter Blu-ray in 2008 after HD-DVD failed.
In 2011, it became Paramount Home Media Distribution. In 2012, the company briefly signed a deal with Warner Home Video to distribute titles, only the deal to lapse at the start of 2015.
Library
1979
For this first batch, their video titles came in large gatefold packaging akin to early Warner and MGM/UA releases, albeit thinner in width.
The only home release confirmed to have "Merry-Go-Round" by Wild Man Fischer intact, as Paramount was sued by the copyright holders for copyright infringement over this release and so had to replace it with a whistled rendition of "Sweet Georgia Brown" for all future releases.
Great Performances Live from Lincoln Center: Swan Lake From WNET New York and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
USA
1976
122 min
TBD
NR
NTSC-M
1
N/A
Color
August 23, 1989
VHS
Original broadcast funded by Exxon Corporation, Charles A. Dana Foundation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and National Endowment for the Arts.
12705
Great Performances Live from Lincoln Center: New York Philharmonic with Zubin Mehta and Leontyne Price From WNET New York and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
USA
1982
94 min
TBD
NR
NTSC-M
1
N/A
Color
August 23, 1989
VHS
Original broadcast funded by Exxon Corporation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts.
12708
Great Performances Live from Lincoln Center: Andre Watts in Concert From WNET New York and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
USA
1985
90 min
TBD
NR
NTSC-M
1
N/A
Color
August 23, 1989
VHS
Original broadcast funded by Exxon Corporation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Jr. Charitable Trust, and National Endowment for the Arts.
Same episode order as on the original October 1996 issue, but also contains the bonus episode "Tricycle Thief".
Reuses the original October 1996 labels.
836853
Rugrats: Tommy Troubles
USA
1996
TBD
1997 extended version
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
February 25, 1997
VHS
Same episode order as on the original 1996 issue, but also contains the bonus episode "The Case of the Missing Rugrat".
Reuses the original October 1996 labels.
837793
A Rugrats Vacation
USA
1997
51 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
July 8, 1997
VHS
Also includes the bonus episodes Ice Cream Mountain and '’Graham Canyon.
837863
Rugrats: Return of Reptar
USA
1997
57 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
February 25, 1997
VHS
Copyright year for the Paramount Pictures copyright notice on the face label says 1996.
837883
Rugrats: Grandpa's Favorite Stories
USA
1997
58 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
February 25, 1997
VHS
Copyright year for the Paramount Pictures copyright notice on the face label says 1996.
838323
A Rugrats Chanukah
USA
1997
33 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
October 7, 1997
VHS
Also includes the bonus episode Moving Away.
838333
A Rugrats Thanksgiving
USA
1997
47 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
October 21, 1997
VHS
Also includes the bonus episodes Chuckie is Rich and Home Movies.
The Turkey Who Came to Dinner was a direct-to-video episode, and it did not premiere on television until November 1998.
838403
Rugrats: Bedtime Bash
USA
1997
56 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
October 7, 1997
VHS
Contains the episodes Party Animals, Under Chuckie's Bed, Tooth or Dare, In the Dreamtime and The Last Babysitter.
838783
Rugrats Volume One
USA
1997
94 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
July 8, 1997
VHS
Blockbuster exclusive VHS.
Includes the episodes from Angelica the Divine and A Baby's Gotta Do What a Baby's Gotta Do, as well as the Inside Out Boy shorts and video puzzle from the two aforementioned tapes.
838793
Rugrats Volume Two
USA
1997
TBD
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
July 8, 1997
VHS
Blockbuster exclusive VHS.
Includes the episodes from Grandpa's Favorite Stories and Tales from the Crib, as well as the Inside Out Boy shorts from the latter.
838803
Rugrats Volume Three
USA
1997
TBD
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
July 8, 1997
VHS
Blockbuster exclusive VHS.
Includes the episodes from Phil and Lil Double Trouble and Return of Reptar, as well as the The Non-Adventures of Safety Queen shorts from the former.
838813
Rugrats Volume Four
USA
1997
TBD
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
July 8, 1997
VHS
Blockbuster exclusive VHS.
Includes the episodes from Tommy Troubles and Chuckie the Brave, as well as the The Off-Beats shorts from the former.
1998
Catalog number
Title
Country of origin
Original year
Length
Version
MPAA rating
Film format
Tape count
Tape break placement (if applicable)
Color
Released
Format
Note(s)
833753
Rugrats on the Loose
USA
1998
TBD
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
April 7, 1998
VHS
Blockbuster exclusive Kidmongous release.
Includes the episodes from Mommy Mania and Diapered Duo.
833403
Rugrats: The Santa Experience
USA
1992
35 min
1996 extended version
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
September 8, 1998
VHS
Reuses the October 1996 master.
833573
Rugrats: Chuckie the Brave
USA
1994
48 min
1996 extended version
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
September 8, 1998
VHS
Reuses the October 1996 master.
833583
Rugrats: Angelica the Divine
USA
1994
47 min
1996 extended version
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
September 8, 1998
VHS
Reuses the October 1996 master.
837733
Rugrats: Diapered Duo
USA
1998
58 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
January 13, 1998
VHS
838773
Rugrats: Mommy Mania
USA
1998
57 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
April 7, 1998
VHS
839013
Rugrats: Dr. Tommy Pickles
USA
1998
58 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
January 13, 1998
VHS
Hiccups and Autumn Leaves were direct-to-video episodes, and they did not premiere on television before May 13, 1998.
839173
Rugrats: Angelica Knows Best
USA
1998
57 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
June 9, 1998
VHS
1999
Catalog number
Title
Country of origin
Original year
Length
Version
MPAA rating
Film format
Tape count
Tape break placement (if applicable)
Color
Released
Format
Note(s)
833403
Rugrats: The Santa Experience
USA
1996
35 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
November 2, 1999
VHS
Reuses the 1998 cover and October 1996 master.
835853
Rugrats: Runaway Reptar
USA
1999
57 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
August 3, 1999
VHS
Also includes the bonus episode Chuckie's Complaint.
835953
Rugrats: Make Room for Dil
USA
1999
58 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
October 5, 1999
VHS
840253
Rugrats Volume Five
USA
1999
TBD
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
October 5, 1999
VHS
Blockbuster exclusive Kidmongous release.
Includes the episodes from Runaway Reptar and Make Room for Dil.
Some copies of this issue reused the September 1998 cover.
837793
A Rugrats Vacation
USA
1997
51 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
October 3, 2000
VHS
Reuses the July 1997 master.
Some copies of this issue reused the July 1997 cover.
839503
Rugrats: Discover America
USA
2000
58 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
May 5, 2000
VHS
In Canada and other parts of the world, this video was called Babies on Board.
Also includes a behind the scenes featurette for Rugrats in Paris: The Movie at the end. That and the episode Discover America did not premiere on television before September 2000.
839583
Rugrats: I Think I Like You
USA
2000
58 min
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
January 11, 2000
VHS
839603
Rugrats Volume Six
USA
2000
TBD
TBD
NR
TBD
1
N/A
Color
May 5, 2000
VHS
Blockbuster exclusive Kidmongous release.
Includes the episodes from Discover America and I Think I Like You.