Logo descriptions by Cody E. and Shadeed A. Kelly
Logo captures by Cody E.
Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly


Background: The Paramount Television Service (or PTS for short) was the name of a proposed but ultimately, unrealized "fourth television network" from Paramount Pictures (then a unit of Gulf+Western), established unofficially in 1977, but in 1981 it was folded into Paramount Television.


(1977-1981)

Nicknames: "Mountain Silhouette", "Dark Mountain", "Rising Mountain", "Paramount Television Service"

Logo: A dark mountain is seen against a pitch-black background. Suddenly, a large flash of light is seen at the mountain's peak, and several of these lights zoom in from the peak to the center of the screen. The name "Paramount," colored yellow and in the majestic script font, can be seen zooming in with the lights, which then arrange themselves in a near-circle of 22 star-like lights. An elongated orange beam also zooms in to the bottom of the screen, and once everything is arranged, the orange beam transforms into the words "Paramount Television Service."

Notes:

• The logo was actually supposed to be a television station ident; it was around this time that a fourth commercial network by Paramount was in the works, but plans eventually fell through.
• Later in 1979, new footage would be added to the beginning of the logo and the words "HOME VIDEO" would be chyroned over "Paramount Television Service" to create Paramount Home Video's second logo.

FX: The lights and the words "Paramount" and "Paramount Television Service" zooming in.

Cheesy Factor: The CGI would actually be ahead of its time if not for the film quality.

Music/Sounds: The themes from 1977-1980.

Music/Sound Variant: It has been said that this logo was once plastered over a 1976 Blue Mountain logo with the final Jerry Goldsmith music.

Availability: Extinct. It was only on a select number of shows, such as Solid Gold, to begin with.

Scare Factor: Minimal to medium; the dark atmosphere and the zooming in might give some people the shakes, but tamer than the "Blue Mountain" logo.