Logo descriptions by James Fabiano
Logo captures by Eric S., Mr. Logo Lord and V of Doom
Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly and V of Doom
Video captures courtesy by iLoveClassicTV


Background: This production company was founded in 1948 as a joint venture between the television producers Mark Goodson and Bill Todman to produce game shows for television mainly. A few years after Bill Todman's death in 1979, Mark Goodson purchased the Todman estate's shares of Goodson-Todman productions, giving him full control. The first show to carry the Mark Goodson Productions name was Child's Play in 1982, and all productions would carry the logo by 1985. After Mark Goodson's death in 1992, his son Jonathan Goodson would control the company until 1995 when it was purchased by All American Television (which became Pearson Television and is now FremantleMedia). In 2002, the Mark Goodson Productions name was phased out from Family Feud and other new versions of Goodson library titles, but it was retained on The Price is Right until Bob Barker's retirement in 2007, being absorbed finally into FremantleMedia after that.


Mark Goodson/Bill Todman Productions

(1948-1984)

Logo: There is usually no production logo shown on television; many shows simply ended with the following words shown on the screen (usually superimposed):


Variants:

• On some 1970s shows, such as The Price is Right, Match Game, and Tattletales, the words would be accompanied by "asterisks" (one on top and one on the bottom) to capitalize on the success of The (New) Price is Right, which featured these flowers around its set.
• On the original 1980-82 run of Blockbusters, the words are accompanied by two starbursts, also on top and on bottom.
• Some shows like Now You See It would only have the names "MARK GOODSON BILL TODMAN" stacked on one another.

FX: None; it was an in-credit logo.

Music: Usually the closing theme from whatever show that was using it, along with an announcer who says "This is [NAME] speaking for [SHOW], a Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Production".

Availability: Common; this is still retained on many G-T shows of the era airing on the Game Show Network/GSN, though they may be somewhat obscured by split-screen credit "crunches". Can also be found on DVD releases of Match Game, Family Feud, and The Price is Right.

Scare Factor: None.
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Mark Goodson Productions

(1982-October 12, 2007)

Logo: In a television-like shape are the words:


"A" and "Production" are along the box's border.

Variants: Though an in-credit logo, it has had a few animated variations:

• On Super Password, it flies upwards (complete with sound effect).
• It spins on the 1989 version of Now You See It.
• On the 1990-91 version of To Tell the Truth, it zooms up.
• The box is sometimes colored, usually red or blue (as it was on the 80's versions of Card Sharks and Family Feud).

FX/Cheesy Factor: Usually none, as it's an in-credit logo. The animations, however, are very 80's (or, in the case of the flowers that were still used on The Price is Right, very 70's).

Music: The show's theme, accompanied by an announcer who says "This is [NAME] speaking for [SHOW], a Mark Goodson Television Production.". The "Television" text is added to keep the length/rhythm of the phrase just like the original. In 1998, during the revival of Match Game, this became "This has been a Mark Goodson Production for....," after which the Pearson logo would appear. There was no announcement when the logo appeared on 1999-2002 episodes of Family Feud and To Tell the Truth, but the original spiel continued to be used on The Price is Right until October 2007; currently, "FremantleMedia" takes the place of "Mark Goodson Television" in the "Production" phrase on that series.

Availability: Can be seen on shows of the era on Game Show Network/GSN, though they might be obscured somewhat due to split screen credits. Also found on The Best of The Price is Right DVD set.

Scare Factor: None.