The company, whose library is owned and distributed by the Phoenix Learning Group, Inc., covered a wide range of subjects in zoology, science, geography, history and math, but is mostly remembered today for its post-World War II social-guidance films featuring topics such as dating, family life, courtesy and citizenship.

Smart established the company with his brothers Alfred and John in 1934,[2] but the first titles registered for copyright date from 1941 (beginning with Aptitudes and Occupations).

However, Coronet produced some well-made travelogues boasting good cinematography in addition to an annual quota of animal-related films.

The 1970s were a creative period for the company, despite the fact that 16mm educational films were gradually replaced by video cassettes and computers as key audio-visual classroom tools a decade later.

Sheldon Sachs became vice president in 1979 and headed a Perspective Films division to increase Coronet's distribution of outside productions, making theatrical award winners like Sparky Greene's American Shoeshine available for classroom viewing.

Shortly after merging with MTI films in 1984, Coronet and its acquisitions were taken over by Gulf and Western Industries, but Kohl bought back Centron as a separate entity to run himself.

Beginning with Shy Guy (1947), featuring an early appearance of a 19-year-old Dick York (later of Bewitched fame), the company gained considerable renewed attention for a cluster of "personal guidance" films created to instructing students in social matters.

Typical titles include Are You Popular?,[4] Everyday Courtesy and What to Do on a Date, along with the Korean War-period series Are You Ready for the Service?