A series of TV movies based on novels by best-selling author and politician Jeffrey Archer are to be made under a deal between Michael Braham and Jane Walmsley's UK production outfit JAM Pictures and the US' Carlton America.

JAM will develop and produce movies and mini-series for the US market under its newly-minted three-year co-production and distribution pact with Carlton America, the US arm of the UK's Carlton International Media Group. The production outfit has exclusive film and TV rights to more than 40 Archer titles.

Carlton America will deficit finance the projects, while Carlton International will oversee worldwide distribution. Carlton America will co-produce selected titles with JAM.

Walmsley, who has run her own independent production outfit since 1986, commented: "The US TV movie market is a giant. Hundreds of pictures are produced for it each year, but it is usually off-limits to UK producers because they are seldom recognised as "approved suppliers". Our partnership with Carlton America gives us access to this very wide and important customer base."

Braham, who created Endemol Entertainment UK's earlier incarnation Broadcast Communications, cited Carlton's track record on titles from outfits such as Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Films, Grossbart/Barnett and The Larry Thompson Organisation. "Recently, Harpo Films' Tuesdays With Morrie won four Emmy Awards and it is our hope that we develop and produce titles that receive similar accolades," he said.