Saperstein purchased the UPA (United Productions of America) studio from its co-founder, Stephen Bosustow, in 1960,[5] following the unsuccessful release of the Mr. Magoo feature film 1001 Arabian Nights (1959).
[5] Through his UPA studio, Saperstein curtailed industrial film production and produced the successful Mr. Magoo television series.
He followed it with The Dick Tracy Show which brought the popularity of The Untouchables TV series to children with a host of tie-in merchandising.
[6] Saperstein produced the television special Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962) written by Barbara Chain with music by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne which won the New York Critic's Award, and The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo (1964–65) television series which it spawned, as well as the animated feature Gay Purr-ee (1962).
[7] As Hammer already had American distributors, Saperstein formed a relationship with Toho and arranged for U.S. actors to appear in such films as Invasion of Astro-Monster and Frankenstein vs. Baragon (both starring Nick Adams), and The War of the Gargantuas (with Russ Tamblyn).