Orion TelevisionThis is a featured page

Logo descriptions by James Fabiano, Jeffrey Gray, Matt Williams, and Shadeed A. Kelly
Logo captures by Eric S., Wisp2007, Shadeed A. Kelly, and V of Doom
Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly and V of Doom
Video captures courtesy of Phasicblu, JohnnyL80, and Eric S.


Background: After Orion Pictures Corp. acquired Filmways in 1982, it formed its own television division and took over Filmways Television in 1983 and began to produce and syndicate various TV shows and movies.
As a result of Orion's long-running financial troubles, its television division was sold to ABC in 1991 and became ABC Productions, although Orion continued to retain ownership of all its television output up to the time of the bankruptcy. All of Orion TV's library is now owned by MGM through Sony Corporation and its partners.


1st Logo
(1982-1996)
Orion TV: 1982-1985Orion Television (1983)Orion Television (1985)Orion Television (1985)
Orion Television (1996)Orion Television - CLG WikiTaken from "Babes in Toyland"Orion TV Syndication Presents: 1985
Orion TV SyndicationOrion TV Syn.-HS: 1985Orion TV Syn.-HS: 1989Orion Television Entertainment
Orion Television EntertainmentOrion Television (1982)Orion Television (1987)


Nicknames: "The Constellation", "Starry Sky"

Logo: Same as the
movie logo of the era, but we start at the animation where the stars spin around. The forming of "ORION" is the same, then "TELEVISION" (in white, similar font to ORION, in caps) appears below, just as wide as the "RION" segment of the above text.

Variants:
  • The font and color for "TELEVISION" may vary.
  • This logo sometimes appears without the additional "Television" text.
  • Some syndicated shows were ID'ed as a presentation of "ORION Television Syndication". Some of them had the logo superimposed over the closing credits. Others would have the phrase "PRESENTS" below in the beginning of any program.
  • A later variation (circa 1990) ID'ed the company as "ORION Television Entertainment" (This version has been sighted on the 1989 TV movie Passport to Terror, and the 1990 unsold game show pilot Gambit).
  • There is also a short version of the 1981 logo with the registered trademark symbol.
  • There is also a superimposed variant used mainly on TV movies.
  • On TV Land reruns of Green Acres, it starts out with the O flashing, then the rest of the movie's animation. The same would be for its movie version with "An" above and "PICTURES RELEASE" below.
  • There is also a variant with a blue background for the early version.
  • A variant that shows the logo (with "TELEVISION SYNDICATION" below) in blue and at the bottom left of the screen was spotted.

FX/SFX: The flashing of the "O", the rest of the logo appearing and the line being drawn on it. In other cases, it's still.


Music/Sounds:
An abridged and re-arranged version of the Orion Pictures fanfare, the ending theme of the show, or none.

Availability: Rare; was seen on the 1988 TV movie The Murder of Mary Phagan (and is retained on showings of this film on the TV station THIS), the late 1980s versions of Hollywood Squares and High Rollers, and the version with only the "Orion" text is seen on reruns of The Best of Saturday Night Live (half-hour edit-downs of SNL's 1975-79 episodes). Cagney and Lacey reruns shown a few years ago on TNN usually had this logo on (with the "TELEVISION" text). The short movie logo can also be seen on Green Acres on TV Land. Also, the superimposed variant was seen on the TV movie Babes in Toyland.
The Orion Television Syndication logos are extinct and were last seen on the 1980s versions of Hollywood Squares and High Rollers.

Scare Factor: Low.



2nd Logo
(September 7, 1998-February 3, 1999)

Orion Pictures - CLG WikiNicknames: "CGI Constellation", "CGI Starry Sky"

Logo: This is basically the 2nd half of the 1996 Orion Pictures logo starting with the "RION" wipe effect.

FX/SFX: The 2nd half of the 1996 Orion Pictures logo.

Music/Sounds: See above, but the logo theme would finish playing over the Summit Media Group logo.

Availability: Near extinction; seen on RoboCop: Alpha Commando.

Scare Factor: None.


VofDoom
VofDoom
Latest page update: made by VofDoom , Aug 26 2009, 8:30 PM EDT (about this update About This Update VofDoom Edited by VofDoom

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wisp2007 Orion Television 1 Oct 22 2007, 8:58 AM EDT by Newave
Thread started: Oct 16 2007, 5:30 PM EDT  Watch
Great job with the pictures!
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