Curtis Circulation Company, LLC (abbreviated as CC[2]) is a magazine distribution company.
 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Magazines |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Joseph M. Walsh |
| Services | Distribution Retail marketing Publisher support services |
| Parent | Curtis Publishing Company (1946–1969) Perfect Film & Chemical Corporation (1969–1973) Cadence Industries (1973–1986) Hachette Distribution Services (1986–2019) Comag Marketing Group (2019–present) |
| Website | www |
History
Curtis Circulation Company began as the circulation department of the Philadelphia-based Curtis Publishing Company, publisher of The Saturday Evening Post, Ladies' Home Journal, and Holiday; Curtis Circulation became a subsidiary in 1946.[3]
Besides the publishing company's own magazines, other titles distributed by Curtis Circulation included The Atlantic and Esquire.[4] One of Curtis' most notable clients in the 1950s was Classics Illustrated, which Curtis distributed, starting first in Canada in 1948, and then nationally in the U.S. beginning in 1951.[4]
In 1969, Perfect Film & Chemical Corporation purchased Curtis Circulation from the Curtis Publishing Company.[5] Beginning in 1969 (and lasting until 1995), Curtis became the distributor of Marvel Comics[6] (Perfect Film had bought out publisher Martin Goodman—owner of Magazine Management Company, the parent of Marvel Comics in 1968).[7]
Joseph M. Walsh (1944–2016) became president of Curtis Circulation in 1970 (he also held high-ranking titles at its parent company, Cadence).
In 1973, Perfect Film renamed itself Cadence Industries.[7] In 1978, CC was the U.S.'s largest magazine distributor.[1]
In 1982, Joseph M. Walsh became Chairman and CEO of Curtis, acquiring an ownership stake.[8]
Cadence Industries was liquidated in 1986, selling Curtis Circulation to Hachette Distribution Services (a division of the Lagardère Group); Walsh retained his ownership stake.[9][3][10]
Comag Marketing Group (CMG) acquired Curtis Circulation Company, effective October 1, 2019 [11]