Johnson, Weinsteins go top tier.(Robert L. Johnson to launch a movie studio, Our Stories Films, and appoints Tracey E. Edmonds as chief executive)

Robert L. Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television who's launching the first mainstream movie studio principally owned and operated by African-Americans, has hired producer Tracey E. Edmonds as the studio's prexy-chief exec.

Johnson and minority partners Harvey and Bob Weinstein jointly announced Edmonds' hiring Monday, saying she "will be responsible for driving the vision of the new film studio and all operations."

The studio, christened Our Stories Films, plans to produce only family-friendly comedies--a la "Barbershop" and "Hitch," rated PG or PG-13--featuring prominently, though not exclusively, African-American talent.

Edmonds will identify and execute projects from development to production. First up, though: assembling a team of execs to foster the studio's vision. Exec is the estranged wife of Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and is known for her connections in the business.

The studio is Johnson's bid for a place in movie history as well as a profit.

He has already lined up JPMorgan Chase to raise $175 million to underwrite operations. He has "crossed every 't' and dotted every 'i' in a distribution agreement," Johnson said, with the Weinsteins' Dimension Films. And with Edmonds' hiring, Johnson is establishing studio headquarters in Los Angeles (with offices in Gotham).

Look for the shop to open "around the end of this year or the beginning of next," said Johnson.