Already a member?
Sign in
Welcome! Wikis are websites that everyone can build together. It's easy!
Filmways Television
Compiled by James Fabiano and Jude Cormier
Logo captures by Eric S. and Shadeed A. Kelly
Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly and Bob Fish
Video captures by Phasicblu, Mcy919, JohnnyL80 and ILoveClassicTV
Background: Filmways was founded in 1960 by Martin Ransohoff to produce TV shows and movies; however, it merged to Orion Pictures Corp. in 1982, being absorbed in 1983. The company didn't use a logo until 1961. Currently, all of the Filmways library except The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction (both distributed by Viacom, now CBS Television Distribution) is owned mainly by MGM.
1st Logo
(1961-1978)
Nickname: "Filmways Globe"
Logo: We start with a small globe of Earth, horizontally stretched out in the center of the screen. The globe has latitude (left to right) lines on it, and the equator extends beyond the globe, with little Richter-scale like lines on part of it. The globe is on a blue, starry background, with most of the stars clumped in the upper left and right hand corners. Now, to the action. From behind the globe, the text "A FILMWAYS", in a 3D font and curved to match the globe's position, zoom in a north-forward direction. Shortly after, the text "TELEVISION PRESENTATION" fades in below the globe. Sometimes, the Seal of Good Practice appears below.
Variants:
FX: The waves, the zooming up of "FILMWAYS" with the rest of the text.
Music/Sounds: At least on Filmways' more sucessful shows, there would be a voice over saying "This has been a Filmways presentation". Those who uttered the phrase are listed below.
Voiceover Variants: Several voiceovers who said "This has been a Filmways (television) presentation" on this logo on the shows they appeared on:
Availability: Common, seen on Beverly Hillbillies on Superstation WGN and TV Land and Green Acres and The Addams Family on TV Land as well.
Scare Factor: Minimal, mainly it can catch you off guard.
2nd Logo
(1978-1981)
Nickname: "Filmways Trail"
Logo: On a black screen, many differently-colored "Filmways" zoom up from the bottom of the screen toward a white "Filmways". All the multicolored "Filmways" merge into the white "Filmways". They are all in a rounded font called Bauhaus 93.
Later Variant: In 1980, the registered trademark symbol appears next to the name.
FX/Cheesy Factor: The "merging" of the "Filmways" is somewhat reminiscent of the 1975-1981 Filmation logo.
Music/Sounds: A 6-note synthesized orchestrated tune with xylophone scales, or the closing theme of the show.
Availability: Rare. Can be seen on Fangface (without music), and the first season of Thundarr the Barbarian (with music) on Boomerang. Also appeared after the original Hollywood Squares (with theme music played over it).
Scare Factor: Minimal, unless you never saw it before.
3rd Logo
(1981-1983)
Nickname: "Abstract F"
Logo: On a black background, a round orange glow of light appears, and in it a light blue light forms a logo. Underneath, the words "FILMWAYS TELEVISION" (in the same font as logo 2) fly back with a whitish blue light trail effect. Both the logo and the words turn solid as the lights fade, with the logo turning blue and the words white. The logo is a rounded box/maze with a stylized "F" joined with a shape that may be an upside down or backwards "F."
FX: The logo forming amid the light effects; flying of the company name.
Cheesy Factor: '80s special effects.
Music/Sounds: An orchestrated tune or the end of the show's theme.
Availability: Ultra-rare. Used until Filmways takeover by Orion in 1982. Was seen on The Best of Saturday Night reruns (60 minute syndicated cut downs) and on the first season of Cagney & Lacey. However, on reruns of the latter shown a few years ago on TNN, the Orion Television logo was plastered over all the 1st season episodes except 1 (which in turn had the Orion logo right after).
Scare Factor: Low.
Logo captures by Eric S. and Shadeed A. Kelly
Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly and Bob Fish
Video captures by Phasicblu, Mcy919, JohnnyL80 and ILoveClassicTV
Background: Filmways was founded in 1960 by Martin Ransohoff to produce TV shows and movies; however, it merged to Orion Pictures Corp. in 1982, being absorbed in 1983. The company didn't use a logo until 1961. Currently, all of the Filmways library except The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction (both distributed by Viacom, now CBS Television Distribution) is owned mainly by MGM.
1st Logo
(1961-1978)
Nickname: "Filmways Globe"
Logo: We start with a small globe of Earth, horizontally stretched out in the center of the screen. The globe has latitude (left to right) lines on it, and the equator extends beyond the globe, with little Richter-scale like lines on part of it. The globe is on a blue, starry background, with most of the stars clumped in the upper left and right hand corners. Now, to the action. From behind the globe, the text "A FILMWAYS", in a 3D font and curved to match the globe's position, zoom in a north-forward direction. Shortly after, the text "TELEVISION PRESENTATION" fades in below the globe. Sometimes, the Seal of Good Practice appears below.
Variants:
- On the 1962-1964 seasons of The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction, the Filmways logo would fade to the text "Produced in association with the CBS TELEVISION NETWORK" and has the Seal of Good Practice near the text.
- On the 1964-1965 season of the shows mentioned above, the logo is still, with the Filmways on the top left of the background, and the CBS mention on the bottom right.
FX: The waves, the zooming up of "FILMWAYS" with the rest of the text.
Music/Sounds: At least on Filmways' more sucessful shows, there would be a voice over saying "This has been a Filmways presentation". Those who uttered the phrase are listed below.
Voiceover Variants: Several voiceovers who said "This has been a Filmways (television) presentation" on this logo on the shows they appeared on:
- Petticoat Junction: Kate Bradley (played by Bea Benaderet)
- Green Acres: Lisa Douglas (played by Eva Gabor) says it with "Dahhling".
- Beverly Hillbillies: Jed Clampett (played by Buddy Ebsen; seasons 1-3); Ellie May Clampett (played by Donna Douglas; seasons 4-9)
- Mr. Ed: Alan "Rocky" Lane (voice of Mister Ed)
- Addams Family: It usually had it silent, but on a few episodes, the usual phrase was said in a deep baritone voice. It could've been Ted "Lurch" Cassidy, but if so, he did not say it in his usual "Lurch" voice.
- On the second episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, the same voiceover says "This has been a Filmways production".
Availability: Common, seen on Beverly Hillbillies on Superstation WGN and TV Land and Green Acres and The Addams Family on TV Land as well.
Scare Factor: Minimal, mainly it can catch you off guard.
2nd Logo
(1978-1981)
Nickname: "Filmways Trail"
Logo: On a black screen, many differently-colored "Filmways" zoom up from the bottom of the screen toward a white "Filmways". All the multicolored "Filmways" merge into the white "Filmways". They are all in a rounded font called Bauhaus 93.
Later Variant: In 1980, the registered trademark symbol appears next to the name.
FX/Cheesy Factor: The "merging" of the "Filmways" is somewhat reminiscent of the 1975-1981 Filmation logo.
Music/Sounds: A 6-note synthesized orchestrated tune with xylophone scales, or the closing theme of the show.
Availability: Rare. Can be seen on Fangface (without music), and the first season of Thundarr the Barbarian (with music) on Boomerang. Also appeared after the original Hollywood Squares (with theme music played over it).
Scare Factor: Minimal, unless you never saw it before.
3rd Logo
(1981-1983)
Nickname: "Abstract F"
Logo: On a black background, a round orange glow of light appears, and in it a light blue light forms a logo. Underneath, the words "FILMWAYS TELEVISION" (in the same font as logo 2) fly back with a whitish blue light trail effect. Both the logo and the words turn solid as the lights fade, with the logo turning blue and the words white. The logo is a rounded box/maze with a stylized "F" joined with a shape that may be an upside down or backwards "F."
FX: The logo forming amid the light effects; flying of the company name.
Cheesy Factor: '80s special effects.
Music/Sounds: An orchestrated tune or the end of the show's theme.
Availability: Ultra-rare. Used until Filmways takeover by Orion in 1982. Was seen on The Best of Saturday Night reruns (60 minute syndicated cut downs) and on the first season of Cagney & Lacey. However, on reruns of the latter shown a few years ago on TNN, the Orion Television logo was plastered over all the 1st season episodes except 1 (which in turn had the Orion logo right after).
Scare Factor: Low.
Latest page update: made by BobFish
, Today, 2:42 AM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by BobFish
5 words added
1 word deleted
view changes
- complete history)
Edited by BobFish
5 words added
1 word deleted
view changes
- complete history)
Keyword tags:
Filmways Pictures
MGM Holdings Inc.
MGM Television
Orion Television
More Info: links to this page
| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadeed329 | Two more announcers (Petticoat Junction) | 0 | Jun 4 2008, 10:06 PM EDT by Shadeed329 | |
 |
Thread started: Jun 4 2008, 10:06 PM EDT
Watch
On the early two seasons of "Petticoat Junction", there was a male announcer and a different female announcer. Does anyone know or remember who they are?
Do you find this valuable?
Keyword tags:
MGM Holdings Inc.
MGM Television
Orion Television
|
|||