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Norman Lear Companies
Compiled by Matt Anscher, Jeffrey Gray, and Shadeed A. Kelly
Images by Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly and V of Doom
Editions by Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly and V of Doom
Video captures by MrFonny61 and joecool85
Tandem Productions, Inc.
Background: Tandem Productions was formed in 1963 by former writers Alan David "Bud" Yorkin and Norman Lear to produce movies joining forces with United Artists, Paramount Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and Warner Bros. Pictures originally, but in 1971, they started to produce television shows starting with All in the Family. In 1985, Tandem Productions and Embassy Television were both sold to Coca-Cola for $485 million. When Diff'rent Strokes was cancelled in 1986, Tandem Productions was abandoned and was merged with Embassy Television and Embassy Telecommunications to from Embassy Communications.
(1971-1985)
Logo: Tandem Productions never had a real on-screen logo. In the ending credits of shows like All in the Family and Sanford and Son, the text would scroll up at the end:
After 1978, Archie Bunker's Place, Diff'rent Strokes, and Sanford would have a text that reads:
Variants:
FX: Seen on closing sequences with crawl screens. Others would appear superimposed after the credits.
Music/Sounds: Closing theme from the specific show.
Availability: Common, currently seen on All in the Family and Sanford and Son on TV Land, Good Times on TV Land and TVOne, and Diff'rent Strokes and Sanford on BET since it's an in-credit notice. It's also on DVD releases of All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Good Times, Diff'rent Strokes, Maude, and Archie Bunker's Place.
Scare Factor: None.
Final Note: After the sale of Tandem to Embassy Television and both to Coca-Cola in 1985, then Tandem in-credit notice was replaced in favor of the Embassy Television logo on the final season of Diff'rent Strokes.
_______________________________________________________________
T.A.T. Communications Co.
Background: T.A.T Communications Company was formed in 1975 by Norman Lear and Jerry Perenchio after Yorkin ended his partnership with Lear. The same thing went with T.A.T. Communications, which produced The Jeffersons and One Day at a Time among others, being renamed as Embassy Television in 1982 when Lear purchased Avco Embassy Films. T.A.T. stood for a Yiddish phrase pronounced "Tokas-adamn-tokin," which meant "Putting one's butt on the line".
(1975-1982)
Logo: It would just say:
But on One Day at a Time and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, it would read:
Variants:
FX: The crawl screens again or superimposed.
Music/Sounds: Closing theme from specific show.
Availability: Since it's an in-credit disclaimer, it's only common on The Jeffersons on TV Land. Also seen on DVD releases of One Day At a Time, The Jeffersons, and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.
Scare Factor: None.
_______________________________________________________________
PITS Films
Background: PITS Films was a television distribution arm of Tandem Productions launched in 1978 to distribute Sanford and Son, Maude, and Good Times, all of which were produced by Norman Lear, being renamed as Embassy Telecommunications in 1982 when Lear purchased Avco Embassy Films Corp.
(1978-1982)
Nicknames: "PITS Stars", "Cheesy Stars"
Logo: Against a blue background reads the following text:
And in the three spaces of the letters come some white stars, one by one, that seem to be "coming at you," and then settle in their spaces. As it fades out, it reads:
FX: The stars "growing". All Scanimate effects.
Cheesy Factor: Very high. The entire logo is done with cheap chyron, and the stars look terrible.
Music/Sounds: A weird synth tune that ascends and descends repeatedly, ending in a strange fanfare composed by John Maxwell Anderson.
Availability: Extinct. Not even the Good Times DVD Box Sets have it. It's gone for good outside of tape trading.
Scare Factor: Medium to high. The music can scare many people, but it's mostly just annoying.
_______________________________________________________________
Bud Yorkin Productions, Inc.
Background: Bud Yorkin Productions was a company founded by Bud Yorkin after ending his partnership with Norman Lear in 1975. However, the series like What's Happening!! would have Yorkin's copyright stamp on the show.
(1975-1977)
Logo: Just an in-credit disclaimer saying:
TOY Productions
Background: TOY Productions was a partnership between TV producers Saul Turteltaub, Bernie Orenstein, and Bud Yorkin.
(1976-1982)
Logo: The company didn't use a logo until 1977. A ball with the stylized text: TOY in it, and under it the text: TOY PRODUCTIONS or A TOY PRODUCTION. It scrolls in with the credits of a show, much like the Tandem Productions and T.A.T. Communications credits. Sometimes the empty space is colored in a very tacky shade of orange, white, or burnt gold. From 1976-1977, the company used an in-credit disclaimer saying:
But later changed to...
Variant: An animated rendition of this logo consists of the round ball, and the T and Y sliding from the left and right side of the ball. The O pops in afterward, right before the company name zooms in from the bottom of the screen.
FX: Just scrolling or superimposed in the credits.
Music/Sounds: Closing theme of show.
Availability: Seen throughout What's Happening!!. It is still seen there as it is attached to the credits. The animated version was seen on the short-lived 1981 NBC sitcom Me and the Boys with Mickey Rooney.
Scare Factor: None.
_______________________________________________________________
ACT III Television/Productions
Background: Act III Television was Norman Lear's 3rd production company formed in 1986, one year after Lear sold Tandem/Embassy Television to Coca-Cola. His first film under the Act III name was Stand By Me and was released by Columbia Pictures. Act III was also the name of a broadcaster Norman Lear was involved in, which owned several Fox and independent stations during the early '90s (most of its stations are now owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group). Act III Television didn't have a logo until 1990.
(1990-1994/1997-1998)
Nickname: "ACT III"
Logo: On a blue background, we see "ACT III" in white with a shadow effect with "III" in Roman numerals. There is a white a line that is streatched out underneath the name with the word "TELEVISION" below also in white.
Variant: There is a variant that says "ACT III Productions" in blue and underneath it has a bird of some sort wearing a hat flying in a nighttime sky with "Enchanté George" by it.
FX: None. It's a still logo.
Music: The end title theme from any show.
Availability: Extinct. Was last seen on Sunday Dinner and Channel Umptee-3 among others.
Scare Factor: None.
Images by Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly and V of Doom
Editions by Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly and V of Doom
Video captures by MrFonny61 and joecool85
Tandem Productions, Inc.
Background: Tandem Productions was formed in 1963 by former writers Alan David "Bud" Yorkin and Norman Lear to produce movies joining forces with United Artists, Paramount Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and Warner Bros. Pictures originally, but in 1971, they started to produce television shows starting with All in the Family. In 1985, Tandem Productions and Embassy Television were both sold to Coca-Cola for $485 million. When Diff'rent Strokes was cancelled in 1986, Tandem Productions was abandoned and was merged with Embassy Television and Embassy Telecommunications to from Embassy Communications.
(1971-1985)
Logo: Tandem Productions never had a real on-screen logo. In the ending credits of shows like All in the Family and Sanford and Son, the text would scroll up at the end:
A
BUD YORKIN-NORMAN LEAR
TANDEM PRODUCTION
BUD YORKIN-NORMAN LEAR
TANDEM PRODUCTION
After 1978, Archie Bunker's Place, Diff'rent Strokes, and Sanford would have a text that reads:
A
TANDEM PRODUCTION
- Some series would feature a copyright stamp below the notice. Such as All in the Family from 1971-1972 and always on Sanford and Son.
- Some in-credit disclaimers would appear in shadow mode in 1975 on Sanford and Son, Good Times in 1978, and the others in 1979.
FX: Seen on closing sequences with crawl screens. Others would appear superimposed after the credits.
Music/Sounds: Closing theme from the specific show.
Availability: Common, currently seen on All in the Family and Sanford and Son on TV Land, Good Times on TV Land and TVOne, and Diff'rent Strokes and Sanford on BET since it's an in-credit notice. It's also on DVD releases of All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Good Times, Diff'rent Strokes, Maude, and Archie Bunker's Place.
Scare Factor: None.
Final Note: After the sale of Tandem to Embassy Television and both to Coca-Cola in 1985, then Tandem in-credit notice was replaced in favor of the Embassy Television logo on the final season of Diff'rent Strokes.
_______________________________________________________________
T.A.T. Communications Co.
Background: T.A.T Communications Company was formed in 1975 by Norman Lear and Jerry Perenchio after Yorkin ended his partnership with Lear. The same thing went with T.A.T. Communications, which produced The Jeffersons and One Day at a Time among others, being renamed as Embassy Television in 1982 when Lear purchased Avco Embassy Films. T.A.T. stood for a Yiddish phrase pronounced "Tokas-adamn-tokin," which meant "Putting one's butt on the line".
(1975-1982)
Logo: It would just say:
A
T.A.T. COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
PRODUCTION
A
T.A.T. COMMUNICATIONS CO.
PRODUCTION
T.A.T. COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
PRODUCTION
or
A
T.A.T. COMMUNICATIONS CO.
PRODUCTION
But on One Day at a Time and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, it would read:
A
NORMAN LEAR
T.A.T.
COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
PRODUCTION
NORMAN LEAR
T.A.T.
COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
PRODUCTION
Variants:
- In 1977, some shows like Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and Fernwood 2nite would have afterwards:
WORLD WIDE DISTRIBUTION
BY
T.A.T. COMMUNICATIONS CO.
- Appears in shadow mode in 1979.
FX: The crawl screens again or superimposed.
Music/Sounds: Closing theme from specific show.
Availability: Since it's an in-credit disclaimer, it's only common on The Jeffersons on TV Land. Also seen on DVD releases of One Day At a Time, The Jeffersons, and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.
Scare Factor: None.
_______________________________________________________________
PITS Films
Background: PITS Films was a television distribution arm of Tandem Productions launched in 1978 to distribute Sanford and Son, Maude, and Good Times, all of which were produced by Norman Lear, being renamed as Embassy Telecommunications in 1982 when Lear purchased Avco Embassy Films Corp.
(1978-1982)
Nicknames: "PITS Stars", "Cheesy Stars"
Logo: Against a blue background reads the following text:
DISTRIBUTED BY
P--------I--------T--------S
FILMS
P--------I--------T--------S
FILMS
And in the three spaces of the letters come some white stars, one by one, that seem to be "coming at you," and then settle in their spaces. As it fades out, it reads:
DISTRIBUTED BY
P*I*T*S
FILMS
P*I*T*S
FILMS
FX: The stars "growing". All Scanimate effects.
Cheesy Factor: Very high. The entire logo is done with cheap chyron, and the stars look terrible.
Music/Sounds: A weird synth tune that ascends and descends repeatedly, ending in a strange fanfare composed by John Maxwell Anderson.
Availability: Extinct. Not even the Good Times DVD Box Sets have it. It's gone for good outside of tape trading.
Scare Factor: Medium to high. The music can scare many people, but it's mostly just annoying.
_______________________________________________________________
Bud Yorkin Productions, Inc.
Background: Bud Yorkin Productions was a company founded by Bud Yorkin after ending his partnership with Norman Lear in 1975. However, the series like What's Happening!! would have Yorkin's copyright stamp on the show.
(1975-1977)
Logo: Just an in-credit disclaimer saying:
BUD YORKIN
PRODUCTIONS, INC.
_______________________________________________________________ PRODUCTIONS, INC.
with a copyright stamp below it. On episode two of What's Happening!!, the text would read "A BUD YORKIN PRODUCTION".
FX: None, just the scrolling of the credits.
Music/Sounds: Just the end title theme from any show.
Availability: Seen on the Grady spin-off episode from Sanford and Son called The Family Man and the What's Happening!! episode The Birthday Present.
Scare Factor: None.
FX: None, just the scrolling of the credits.
Music/Sounds: Just the end title theme from any show.
Availability: Seen on the Grady spin-off episode from Sanford and Son called The Family Man and the What's Happening!! episode The Birthday Present.
Scare Factor: None.
TOY Productions
Background: TOY Productions was a partnership between TV producers Saul Turteltaub, Bernie Orenstein, and Bud Yorkin.
(1976-1982)
Logo: The company didn't use a logo until 1977. A ball with the stylized text: TOY in it, and under it the text: TOY PRODUCTIONS or A TOY PRODUCTION. It scrolls in with the credits of a show, much like the Tandem Productions and T.A.T. Communications credits. Sometimes the empty space is colored in a very tacky shade of orange, white, or burnt gold. From 1976-1977, the company used an in-credit disclaimer saying:
A
T.O.Y.
PRODUCTION
T.O.Y.
PRODUCTION
But later changed to...
A
TOY
PRODUCTION
TOY
PRODUCTION
Variant: An animated rendition of this logo consists of the round ball, and the T and Y sliding from the left and right side of the ball. The O pops in afterward, right before the company name zooms in from the bottom of the screen.
FX: Just scrolling or superimposed in the credits.
Music/Sounds: Closing theme of show.
Availability: Seen throughout What's Happening!!. It is still seen there as it is attached to the credits. The animated version was seen on the short-lived 1981 NBC sitcom Me and the Boys with Mickey Rooney.
Scare Factor: None.
_______________________________________________________________
ACT III Television/Productions
Background: Act III Television was Norman Lear's 3rd production company formed in 1986, one year after Lear sold Tandem/Embassy Television to Coca-Cola. His first film under the Act III name was Stand By Me and was released by Columbia Pictures. Act III was also the name of a broadcaster Norman Lear was involved in, which owned several Fox and independent stations during the early '90s (most of its stations are now owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group). Act III Television didn't have a logo until 1990.
(1990-1994/1997-1998)
Nickname: "ACT III"
Logo: On a blue background, we see "ACT III" in white with a shadow effect with "III" in Roman numerals. There is a white a line that is streatched out underneath the name with the word "TELEVISION" below also in white.
Variant: There is a variant that says "ACT III Productions" in blue and underneath it has a bird of some sort wearing a hat flying in a nighttime sky with "Enchanté George" by it.
FX: None. It's a still logo.
Music: The end title theme from any show.
Availability: Extinct. Was last seen on Sunday Dinner and Channel Umptee-3 among others.
Scare Factor: None.
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, Nov 25 2008, 10:40 PM EST
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Keyword tags:
Bud Yorkin Productions Inc.
ELP Communications
Embassy Television
PITS Films
Sony Corporation
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Television
T.A.T. Communications Co.
Tandem Productions Inc.
TOY Productions
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