American International Television
Logo descriptions by Sean Beard and Eric S.
Logo captures by Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly, V of Doom, and Bob Fish
Editions by Bob Fish, V of Doom, SeanElGatoTV2k8, Shadeed A. Kelly, and kidinbed
Video captures courtesy of Eric S. and SeanElGatoTelevision
Background: American International Pictures created its own television division in 1964 to distribute all AIP film releases and various television shows. In 1979, the company merged with Filmways, Inc. and was later folded into that said company. American International Television became Filmways Television in 1980. The AIP library, with some exceptions, is today owned by MGM under the umbrella of Sony Corporation and its partners.
1st Logo
(1964-1966)
Nicknames: "Capitol Building", "AIP Car Plate", "AIP Skyline"
Logo: On a skyline background, we see the American International Pictures logo of the era (the words AMERICAN and INTERNATIONAL side by side a drawing of the Capital Building in a "Raceway"-likefont), except that the word "TELEVISION" is in place of "PICTURES".
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None. On some shows would have a bombastic fanfare ending with a mystery-like melody. Others would have the 1960 theatrical theme.
Availiability: Extinct. This was on early syndicated rerun prints of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (before Ozzie Nelson took over distribution in the late 1960s) and English-dubbed episodes of the Japanese cartoon series Prince Planet. It can still be found on old prints of the Mexican Samson (El Santo) films dubbed into English by K. Gordon Murray. An in-credit version still exists on the first two seasons (1964-1966) of the cartoon series The Adventures of Sinbad Jr.
Scare Factor: None; this AIP logo looks kinda cool really. It resembles a car nameplate from the era more than it does a film/TV production company's logo.
2nd Logo
(1966-December 31, 1968)
Nicknames: "Capitol Building II", "AIP Button"
Logo: We see on a gray (or skyline) BG, an image of the Capital Building inside a two-layer circle, resembling a coat button, with the words "American International Television" appearing below the Capital Dome.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: Originally, a '60s jingle accompanied with flute and orchestra. But on later shows would have a loud, battling horn, flute and drum/tympani fanfare (the fanfare from the Shochiku logo) dubbed onto it. In other cases, none.
Availability: Extinct. Appeared on some syndicated programs including early AIP films. Also, the late Samuel Arkoff retained ownership of the earliest AIP films and licensed them to Teleworld for distribution, so this no longer appears on TV.
Scare Factor: None for the silent version. Low to medium with the fanfare.
3rd Logo
(January 1, 1969-1973)
Nicknames: "Capitol Building III", "Capitol AI", "Creepy AI", "The Capitol Dome/Creepy AI Combo", "The Avengers Logo"
Logo: Over a black background (or superimposed over real action BG), we see a color-changing circle with a line drawing of the Capital Building inside. Then, it zooms into place as part of the American International Pictures logo, which is now an abstract lettering design consisting of the initials AI, to the right of the screen. After the circle moves into place, the bottom segment of the "A" and then the "I" fade into place forming the complete logo. The phrase "American International Television Presents" then fades in below the logo after it forms. Sometimes, "Inc." would be near the company's name.
FX/SFX: Colors changing, the circle zooming to the right and the rest of the logo forming.
Music/Sounds: The same fanfare from the 2nd logo, or the opening theme of the show or movie.
Availability: Extinct; appeared on the original U.S. syndication prints of The Avengers, on the US print opening of Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot right after the 1984 Orion Pictures logo, and TV prints of AIP produced and dubbed films. The Avengers is now owned by Canal+, so outside tapes (of certain episodes of that series from early 1990s A&E reruns) this is long gone. Expect the Orion (or MGM) logo to preceed the AIP logo on feature films.
Scare Factor: Low to medium. Some people might be put off by the logo and its fanfare.
4th Logo
(1973-1974)
Nickname: "Creepy AI II", "Creepy AI in the Sky"
Logo: Over a cloudy sky backdrop, we see the familiar abstract AI logo in yellow inside a 2-layered circle border of the same color. In blue text, the words "American International Television Inc. presents" fades in below the logo.
Variant: There is a black & white version of this logo for movies by the 50s and early 60s.
FX/SFX: The moving clouds, the fading in of the text.
Music/Sounds: None, or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Extinct. Appeared on a fair amount of American International films and TV series, most notably on the AIP dub of Assignment Terror.
Scare Factor: Low to medium. Some people might be put off by the logo design.
5th Logo
(1974-1980)
Nicknames: "AiTV", "The OTHER Creepy ai"
Logo:
- Opening: On a blue background, we see 4 white angular letters spelling "AiTV" popping onto the screen one by one; the last two overlapping the letters "Ai" on top. Then the phrase "American International Television, Inc. presents" pop in near the "Ai" section of the logo,which then changes color to red. The complete logo fades out about a second before the empty screen fades to black.
- Closing: A still shot of the complete logo, with a yellow background, a brown logo and lettering, this time reading "Distributed By American International Television, Inc.". Sometimes, the logo would be superimposed.
FX/SFX: The lettering and words popping into place, changing color as the sequence plays out. None for the closing variant
Music/Sounds: An ascending horn and string fanfare; rather sedate compared with its predecessor. The closing variant is silent, with the theme playing out over it on some shows.
Availability: Near extinction; appeared on Lorne Greene's New Wilderness, Star Maidens, Twiggy's Jukebox and TV syndication prints of AIP films. In use until AIP's 1979 merger with Filmways. American International TV was absorbed into Filmways in 1980, becoming Filmways Television. Lorne Greene's New Wilderness remained avaliable to TV stations from Orion Television until the mid-1980s with the AiTV logo still present. Outside of tapes (or any future MGM International Television Distribution reissues), the latter AITV logo is gone.
Scare Factor: Minimal; although a minor eyesore, it's fairly harmless.
http://static.wetpaint.com/img/bg/1.png?v=20091117125056
|
Latest page update: made by
, Oct 25 2009, 7:08 PM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by VofDoom
1 word added
1 word deleted
3 widgets added
3 widgets deleted
view changes
-
complete history)
|
|
|
|
|
|
The AITV logos
|
0 |
Jul 29 2008, 6:20 PM EDT by
|
|
|
Thread started: Jul 29 2008, 6:20 PM EDT
Watch
Are most of them extinct from TV or something?
out of
found this valuable.
Do you find this valuable?
|
Showing 1 of 1 threads for this page