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PolyGram Television
Logo descriptions by Sean Beard and Shadeed A. Kelly
Logo Pictures by Eric S.
Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly and V of Doom
Video captures courtesy by Phasicblu and ThatLogoDude
Background: PolyGram Records also had a television division in 1981, whose logo was similar to the PolyGram Pictures ID seen on feature films. This division managed to survive until 1987 but it was resurrected in 1993 when PolyGram Filmed Entertainment bought ITC Entertainment Group and affixed the new PolyGram Television logo on prints of ITC shows aired on British TV and elsewhere, but in America kept the ITC name and logo [operating as ITC Distribution, Inc.] until 1997. Later that year, ITC Distribution was folded into the parent company to continue producing and distributing television shows in Britain and other countries, including the U.S., until 1999 when it was folded into Universal Television (now Universal Media Studios). However, the ITC library was later bought by Carlton International Media and is currently owned by Granada International, a subsidiary of ITV plc.
1st Logo
(1981-1984)
Nickname: "P.G.T.V."
Logo: On a metallic sky-blue background, the PolyGram logo appears almost completely formed with the letters P,G,T and V in large, thick uppercase letters (but still closely matching the font used in the PolyGram print logo). As this appears, the uppercase letters spread apart revealing the rest of the company name (in thinner font, again closely matching the PolyGram print logo) and the line of stars slide into place under the company name. Streaks of glare pass over various parts of the logo.
FX: The line of stars zipping into place, the larger letters splitting apart,the glare streaks passing over the logo.
Cheesy Factor: Near Time-Life Television levels with crude early CGI animation (the line of stars and the "glide-in" of the rest of the company name).
Music/Sounds: Either the closing of the end theme music or silence.
Avaliability: Extremely rare; give yourself a round of applause if you locate this anywhere. Apart from a few TV movies and the few films PolyGram made between 1979 and 1982 (which were later syndicated by King Features Entertainment) plus the panel-discussion show Agronsky and Co., PolyGram in the early '80s had virtually no presence outside music. Their very limited TV output; whenever aired should have this logo intact folowed by the MGM Lion.
Scare Factor: Low to medium. Given its omnipresence in music (and familiarity from album covers and print ads), the PolyGram logo as seen on a TV screen might've actually inspired awe rather than fear given its look.
2nd Logo
(1984-1987)
Nickname: "Star Line"
Logo: On a black background, we see the name "PolyGram Television", in blue, flying from right to the center of a logo white an orange star zooms out to place itself under the "P" and makes more stars underneath the name. We later see an orange (or red) light shining across the stars to make a line.
FX: The name flying and the stars forming.
Music/Sounds: Simple '80s music (though it could just be the end theme of the show).
Availability: Extinct outside of tape-trading.
Scare Factor: Low.
3rd Logo (UK and International only)
(1993-1997)
Nickname: "BANG!"
Logo: Same as the video counterpart, except with "Television" replacing "Video".
FX: The same as the 1993-1997 PolyGram Video logo.
Music/Sounds: The same as the 1993-1997 PolyGram Video logo.
Cheesy Factor: The same PolyGram Video-style flipping letters and shrinking red line, the "BANG!"
Availiability: Extremely rare; if you've seen this, you were very lucky indeed. This was primarily a distribution logo in the UK and other countries outside the US.
Scare Factor: Same as its video counterpart.
4th Logo (3rd Logo for the U.S.)
(1997-1999)
Note: This is an abridged version of PolyGram's final (1997-1999) movie logo-a more complete, detailed description of which can be found in the PolyGram Filmed Entertainment section. Only the tail end of the sequence was used on television.
Nicknames: "PolyGram Wing Man", "Icarus"
Logo: On a ominous-looking darkened, cloudy skyscape, we see a winged man take flight from a steep cliff surface. As he begins his flight, he freezes still. As the Icarus stops, light streaks pass over him. The phrase POLYGRAM TELEVISION, in a stylized font and centered under the winged man, zooms into place (also with the same streaking FX). Both the Icarus and company name appear to be living crystal.
Variants:
FX: State-of-the-art CGI animation (the full version of which was never used by the television unit).
Music/Sounds: None, or the end theme music's outro.
Avaliability: Extremely rare. Was last seen on the movie The Moderns on the Showtime networks. Immediately following the merger of PolyGram and Universal Studios, PolyGram logos from most 1997-1999 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment films and television programs were deleted and replaced with the current Universal Glittering Planet TV. The Maisie credits had the PolyGram Icarus (print version) and credit replaced with the current Universal print logo (on episodes currently seen on Noggin) and a credit for Universal Visual Programming Ltd. above it. The ITC library was later sold to Carlton International Media, while the remaining pre-March 1996 PolyGram film library was sold to MGM. Outside off-air tapes of Motown Live!, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven and ITC library shows from the two years this logo was used (1997-1999), this is history.
Scare Factor: Low; the dark skyline and winged man might very well unsettle some viewers (especially if unfamiliar with the Greek fable about Icarus, the man who constructed a set of wings and tried to fly to the sun, but fell into the Aegean Sea) as well as the freeze-frame and CGI effects animation used thoughout but should be of minimal effect for those who had never seen this ID before. This remains among the best CGI logos of recent years, regardless of its dark look.
Logo Pictures by Eric S.
Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly and V of Doom
Video captures courtesy by Phasicblu and ThatLogoDude
Background: PolyGram Records also had a television division in 1981, whose logo was similar to the PolyGram Pictures ID seen on feature films. This division managed to survive until 1987 but it was resurrected in 1993 when PolyGram Filmed Entertainment bought ITC Entertainment Group and affixed the new PolyGram Television logo on prints of ITC shows aired on British TV and elsewhere, but in America kept the ITC name and logo [operating as ITC Distribution, Inc.] until 1997. Later that year, ITC Distribution was folded into the parent company to continue producing and distributing television shows in Britain and other countries, including the U.S., until 1999 when it was folded into Universal Television (now Universal Media Studios). However, the ITC library was later bought by Carlton International Media and is currently owned by Granada International, a subsidiary of ITV plc.
1st Logo
(1981-1984)
Nickname: "P.G.T.V."
Logo: On a metallic sky-blue background, the PolyGram logo appears almost completely formed with the letters P,G,T and V in large, thick uppercase letters (but still closely matching the font used in the PolyGram print logo). As this appears, the uppercase letters spread apart revealing the rest of the company name (in thinner font, again closely matching the PolyGram print logo) and the line of stars slide into place under the company name. Streaks of glare pass over various parts of the logo.
FX: The line of stars zipping into place, the larger letters splitting apart,the glare streaks passing over the logo.
Cheesy Factor: Near Time-Life Television levels with crude early CGI animation (the line of stars and the "glide-in" of the rest of the company name).
Music/Sounds: Either the closing of the end theme music or silence.
Avaliability: Extremely rare; give yourself a round of applause if you locate this anywhere. Apart from a few TV movies and the few films PolyGram made between 1979 and 1982 (which were later syndicated by King Features Entertainment) plus the panel-discussion show Agronsky and Co., PolyGram in the early '80s had virtually no presence outside music. Their very limited TV output; whenever aired should have this logo intact folowed by the MGM Lion.
Scare Factor: Low to medium. Given its omnipresence in music (and familiarity from album covers and print ads), the PolyGram logo as seen on a TV screen might've actually inspired awe rather than fear given its look.
2nd Logo
(1984-1987)
Nickname: "Star Line"
Logo: On a black background, we see the name "PolyGram Television", in blue, flying from right to the center of a logo white an orange star zooms out to place itself under the "P" and makes more stars underneath the name. We later see an orange (or red) light shining across the stars to make a line.
FX: The name flying and the stars forming.
Music/Sounds: Simple '80s music (though it could just be the end theme of the show).
Availability: Extinct outside of tape-trading.
Scare Factor: Low.
3rd Logo (UK and International only)
(1993-1997)
Nickname: "BANG!"
Logo: Same as the video counterpart, except with "Television" replacing "Video".
FX: The same as the 1993-1997 PolyGram Video logo.
Music/Sounds: The same as the 1993-1997 PolyGram Video logo.
Cheesy Factor: The same PolyGram Video-style flipping letters and shrinking red line, the "BANG!"
Availiability: Extremely rare; if you've seen this, you were very lucky indeed. This was primarily a distribution logo in the UK and other countries outside the US.
Scare Factor: Same as its video counterpart.
4th Logo (3rd Logo for the U.S.)
(1997-1999)
Note: This is an abridged version of PolyGram's final (1997-1999) movie logo-a more complete, detailed description of which can be found in the PolyGram Filmed Entertainment section. Only the tail end of the sequence was used on television.
Nicknames: "PolyGram Wing Man", "Icarus"
Logo: On a ominous-looking darkened, cloudy skyscape, we see a winged man take flight from a steep cliff surface. As he begins his flight, he freezes still. As the Icarus stops, light streaks pass over him. The phrase POLYGRAM TELEVISION, in a stylized font and centered under the winged man, zooms into place (also with the same streaking FX). Both the Icarus and company name appear to be living crystal.
Variants:
- A still version with "DISTRIBUTED BY" in small yellow/orange type above the Icarus was plastered onto some ITC feature films and television shows.
- The print version was seen in the closing credits of the Nick Jr. cartoon "Maisie".
- A version existed with the phrase "POLYGRAM TELEVISION INTERNATIONAL" under the winged man.
- "VISUAL PROGRAMMING" may replace "TELEVISION".
FX: State-of-the-art CGI animation (the full version of which was never used by the television unit).
Music/Sounds: None, or the end theme music's outro.
Avaliability: Extremely rare. Was last seen on the movie The Moderns on the Showtime networks. Immediately following the merger of PolyGram and Universal Studios, PolyGram logos from most 1997-1999 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment films and television programs were deleted and replaced with the current Universal Glittering Planet TV. The Maisie credits had the PolyGram Icarus (print version) and credit replaced with the current Universal print logo (on episodes currently seen on Noggin) and a credit for Universal Visual Programming Ltd. above it. The ITC library was later sold to Carlton International Media, while the remaining pre-March 1996 PolyGram film library was sold to MGM. Outside off-air tapes of Motown Live!, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven and ITC library shows from the two years this logo was used (1997-1999), this is history.
Scare Factor: Low; the dark skyline and winged man might very well unsettle some viewers (especially if unfamiliar with the Greek fable about Icarus, the man who constructed a set of wings and tried to fly to the sun, but fell into the Aegean Sea) as well as the freeze-frame and CGI effects animation used thoughout but should be of minimal effect for those who had never seen this ID before. This remains among the best CGI logos of recent years, regardless of its dark look.
Latest page update: made by BobFish
, Jun 27 2008, 7:53 PM EDT
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| jasonallenmatthews | 1981-87 PolyGram Television logo still wanted | 0 | Dec 29 2007, 5:57 PM EST by jasonallenmatthews | |
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Thread started: Dec 29 2007, 5:57 PM EST
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Looked for all logos now all I need is the 1981-87 PolyGram TeleVision Ltd. Logo as seen on the first broadcast of "An American Werewolf in London", does anyone on the CLG have the logo?
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Keyword tags:
polygram television ltd
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