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Metromedia Producers Corporation
Logo descriptions by Nicholas Aczel and Eric S.
Logo captures by Eric S., Bob Fish, and V of Doom
Editions by mr3urious and Shadeed A. Kelly
Video captures courtesy of Eric S.
Background: Metromedia opened a TV production and distribution company called Metromedia Producers Corporation (MPC) in 1968 to produce and syndicate various programs and TV movies. When it closed in 1986, all MPC releases were later transferred to 20th Century Fox Television, following Murdoch's acquisition of MPC. These programs are now distributed worldwide by 20th Television. Except for The Merv Griffin Show, which MPC handled co-production and distribution from 1972 to 1983, which was later transferred to King World Productions (now CBS Television Distribution) and then Columbia Pictures Television (now Sony Pictures Television) in 1986.
1st Logo
(1968-1974)
Nickname: "MPC (of Doom)"
Logo: On a dark cyan (or blue, green, or even purple, depending on the quality of the print) background, the yellow, white, or orange words "METROMEDIA PRODUCERS CORPORATION" zoom up to the right. The letters M, P, and C fly from underneath in a flipping manner to the left, binding together to form the logo with M on top, P to the right, and C on the bottom.
Variant: There is an opening variant with the word "PRESENTS" would flip up under the logo.
FX/SFX: The words zooming, the letters flying, flipping, and binding.
Cheesy Factor: The letters look like paper cutouts, and the flipping and binding effects is typical '70s animation.
Music/Sounds: A very loud and dramatic five-note fanfare. In some cases, it used only the closing theme of the show.
Music/Sound Variants:
Availability: Extremely rare; shows that used to have this logo are not seen much on video or in syndication. The logo survives on a few Alpha Video DVD prints of Dusty's Trail, and on Fox Movie Channel's prints of Honor Thy Father and It's Good to Be Alive. The opening variant is rare, being seen originally on the movie Tales from the Crypt.
Scare Factor: Depending on the logo variant:
2nd Logo
(1974-1980)
Nickname: "MPC"
Logo: Against a blue background, we see the shapes that resembles the "MPC" logo. Then it fills with a bright star into orange. The letters "METROMEDIA"; "PRODUCERS" and "CORPORATION" fades one by one.
Variant: Sometimes, this logo would be superimposed on the ending credits.
FX/SFX: The filling of the logo and the letters appearing. In other cases, none, or the scrolling of the credits.
Cheesy Factor: Simple '80s animation.
Music/Sounds: A string melody ending with a pizzicato note, or the closing theme of the show/TV movie.
Music/Sound Variant: On The Merv Griffin Show, an announcer (Arthur Teacher/Chet Gould) says "This is Arthur Teacher/Chet Gould. The Merv (Griffin) Show is a Merv Griffin Production, in association with (and is distributed by) Metromedia Producers Corporation.
Availability: Extremely rare; the in-credit logos would remain intact on certain television films like Terror on the 40th Floor, nightly syndicated The Merv Griffin Show game shows like The Cross-Wits. Recently, the in-credit version has been sighted on the Where Have All the People Gone? and Terror on the 40th Floor on Fox Movie Channel. It may also show up on other Metromedia TV movies from this era when FMC airs them.
Scare Factor: Depending on the logo variant:
3rd Logo
(1981)
Nickname: "Wiping Lines"
Logo: On a blue background, we see four yellow lines wiping, the one of the top and the second of the middle wipes from right to
left, and the second and fourth line wipes from left to right, all in order. Then, the letters "DISTRIBUTED BY" appears on the top, under the first line, appears "METROMEDIA" (in larger), between the second and the third line, appears "PRODUCERS", and between the third and forth line, appears "CORPORATION".
FX/SFX: The lines wiping.
Cheesy Factor: Very simple '80s animation.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Extremely rare; the logo only appeared on a few TV movies of the era, and also on the pilot episode of Dynasty, which haven't been seen in years.
Scare Factor: None to low.
4th Logo
(1982-1986)
Nickname: "The Rainbow M Ribbon"
Logo: On a black background, a rainbow-colored ribbon flies onscreen and folds into a cursive "M." The words "Distributed by"
appear above the logo and "METROMEDIA PRODUCERS" below.
FX/SFX: The ribbon flying and twisting into the "M".
Cheesy Factor: Simple animation, again.
Music/Sounds: A majestic string fanfare.
Availability: Extremely rare; the programs on which this logo appeared haven't been seen in years. This appeared on the first season of Small Wonder (but was plastered with the 1982 20th Century Fox Television logo on repeats from 1986 on).
Scare Factor: Minimal to medium; the music and the ribbon animations might shock some.
Logo captures by Eric S., Bob Fish, and V of Doom
Editions by mr3urious and Shadeed A. Kelly
Video captures courtesy of Eric S.
Background: Metromedia opened a TV production and distribution company called Metromedia Producers Corporation (MPC) in 1968 to produce and syndicate various programs and TV movies. When it closed in 1986, all MPC releases were later transferred to 20th Century Fox Television, following Murdoch's acquisition of MPC. These programs are now distributed worldwide by 20th Television. Except for The Merv Griffin Show, which MPC handled co-production and distribution from 1972 to 1983, which was later transferred to King World Productions (now CBS Television Distribution) and then Columbia Pictures Television (now Sony Pictures Television) in 1986.
1st Logo
(1968-1974)
Nickname: "MPC (of Doom)"
Logo: On a dark cyan (or blue, green, or even purple, depending on the quality of the print) background, the yellow, white, or orange words "METROMEDIA PRODUCERS CORPORATION" zoom up to the right. The letters M, P, and C fly from underneath in a flipping manner to the left, binding together to form the logo with M on top, P to the right, and C on the bottom.
Variant: There is an opening variant with the word "PRESENTS" would flip up under the logo.
FX/SFX: The words zooming, the letters flying, flipping, and binding.
Cheesy Factor: The letters look like paper cutouts, and the flipping and binding effects is typical '70s animation.
Music/Sounds: A very loud and dramatic five-note fanfare. In some cases, it used only the closing theme of the show.
Music/Sound Variants:
- There were two music variations for this, one with an extended version of the familiar theme (seen, for example, at the front of the 1971 TV movie The People), and one with different music (seen on the 1972 film version of Tales from the Crypt).
- A "spoofed" variant of this logo uses the PTV 1980 theme, being seen on '80s prints of That Girl.
Availability: Extremely rare; shows that used to have this logo are not seen much on video or in syndication. The logo survives on a few Alpha Video DVD prints of Dusty's Trail, and on Fox Movie Channel's prints of Honor Thy Father and It's Good to Be Alive. The opening variant is rare, being seen originally on the movie Tales from the Crypt.
Scare Factor: Depending on the logo variant:
- Medium to high; the connecting letters on a dark background and the unnerving music would make this logo a major fear factor for unsuspecting viewers.
- Low to medium for the opening variant.
(1974-1980)
Nickname: "MPC"
Logo: Against a blue background, we see the shapes that resembles the "MPC" logo. Then it fills with a bright star into orange. The letters "METROMEDIA"; "PRODUCERS" and "CORPORATION" fades one by one.
Variant: Sometimes, this logo would be superimposed on the ending credits.
FX/SFX: The filling of the logo and the letters appearing. In other cases, none, or the scrolling of the credits.
Cheesy Factor: Simple '80s animation.
Music/Sounds: A string melody ending with a pizzicato note, or the closing theme of the show/TV movie.
Music/Sound Variant: On The Merv Griffin Show, an announcer (Arthur Teacher/Chet Gould) says "This is Arthur Teacher/Chet Gould. The Merv (Griffin) Show is a Merv Griffin Production, in association with (and is distributed by) Metromedia Producers Corporation.
Availability: Extremely rare; the in-credit logos would remain intact on certain television films like Terror on the 40th Floor, nightly syndicated The Merv Griffin Show game shows like The Cross-Wits. Recently, the in-credit version has been sighted on the Where Have All the People Gone? and Terror on the 40th Floor on Fox Movie Channel. It may also show up on other Metromedia TV movies from this era when FMC airs them.
Scare Factor: Depending on the logo variant:
- Minimal; seems tamer than its predecessor.
- None for the superimposed and in-credit variants.
3rd Logo
(1981)
Nickname: "Wiping Lines"
Logo: On a blue background, we see four yellow lines wiping, the one of the top and the second of the middle wipes from right to
left, and the second and fourth line wipes from left to right, all in order. Then, the letters "DISTRIBUTED BY" appears on the top, under the first line, appears "METROMEDIA" (in larger), between the second and the third line, appears "PRODUCERS", and between the third and forth line, appears "CORPORATION".FX/SFX: The lines wiping.
Cheesy Factor: Very simple '80s animation.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Extremely rare; the logo only appeared on a few TV movies of the era, and also on the pilot episode of Dynasty, which haven't been seen in years.
Scare Factor: None to low.
(1982-1986)
Nickname: "The Rainbow M Ribbon"
Logo: On a black background, a rainbow-colored ribbon flies onscreen and folds into a cursive "M." The words "Distributed by"
appear above the logo and "METROMEDIA PRODUCERS" below.FX/SFX: The ribbon flying and twisting into the "M".
Cheesy Factor: Simple animation, again.
Music/Sounds: A majestic string fanfare.
Availability: Extremely rare; the programs on which this logo appeared haven't been seen in years. This appeared on the first season of Small Wonder (but was plastered with the 1982 20th Century Fox Television logo on repeats from 1986 on).
Scare Factor: Minimal to medium; the music and the ribbon animations might shock some.
VofDoom |
Latest page update: made by VofDoom
, Oct 27 2009, 6:28 PM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by VofDoom
10 words added view changes - complete history) |
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Keyword tags:
20th Century Fox Television
Metromedia
MPC
News Corporation
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