George Schlatter Documentary Hits Digital Platforms December 8

Freestyle Digital Media will release the documentary Sock It To Me: The Legend of George Schlatter on digital video-on-demand platforms starting December 8. The company, a division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, secured North American rights for the feature-length film.

The movie chronicles the seven-decade career of Schlatter, the man behind NBC’s 1968 hit Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. That variety show launched the careers of Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin and helped establish the format for late-night television, including Saturday Night Live. Schlatter also created and produced the reality series Real People, which aired on NBC beginning in 1979. The show gave 18-year-old Byron Allen his first regular television hosting role.

Written and directed by Chris Coronado, the film uses archival clips and new interviews to examine Schlatter’s impact on comedy. Coronado has served as creative director at George Schlatter Productions since 2016. The production team includes Greg Myers and Dayna Winston. The documentary features conversations with Schlatter and a list of industry figures, including Tom Hanks, Martin Short, Billy Crystal, Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, Lionel Richie, Lisa Ann Walter, Berry Gordy, and Allen.

Schlatter, who is 96, described the project as a full circle moment because he is working with Allen’s company to distribute the film. He noted that he had previously told fans to have someone else write his story because he did not want to write an autobiography. “You bet your sweet bippy I’m excited for audiences to see it and remind them of the power of laughter!” he said.

Freestyle Digital Media negotiated the acquisition directly with the filmmakers and George Schlatter Productions.