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Universal Television

Written and Complied by Jason Jones and Matt Williams
Logo captures by Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly, mr3urious and V of Doom
Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly, V of Doom, mr3urious and Mr. Logo Lord
Video captures courtesy of meesterfonnyboy, JohnnyL80, mcy919, digitalvideo1982, korranus, Eric S., and Shadeed A. Kelly

PLEASE; THIS VERSION CONTAINS MORE TRUE

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, SO PLEASE DON'T DELETE IT. THANKS

Newave

Background: Universal Television was formed in 1962 after MCA bought Universal Pictures and renaming Revue Studios to the then-current name by 1963. Uni TV co-produced many shows with Jack Webb's Mark VII Limited such as Adam-12 and a revival of the 1951 series Dragnet in 1967. In 1990, Uni TV began the Law & Order franchise. In 1996, MCA was reincorporated as Universal Studios. The same time around, Universal was acquired by Joseph A. Seagram and Sons and later acquired the USA Networks and Multimedia Entertainment. In 1997, the company formed Universal Worldwide Television. In 1998, Universal sold off its USA Networks and Universal Television to Barry Diller and renamed it to Studios USA. In 1999, Seagram bought PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, which included PolyGram Television and the post-1996 film library (plus some of the pre-1996 films). The deal closed in 2000 and quickly adapted PolyGram to the Universal name. In 2001, Vivendi Universal acquired Studios USA and made Diller as CEO of VU Entertainment fully reforming Universal Television. On May 12, 2004, GE acquired 80% of Universal Studios and merged the company with NBC to form "NBC Universal, Inc." and merged the two television companies to form NBC Universal Television. However, the company decided to keep the NBC and Universal Television names in the end credits from any series by NBC or Universal.

1st Logo
(1962-1963)

Nickname: "Rotating Globe"

Logo: We see a model of a globe rotating, starting on the Pacific and ending on the Atlantic. The words "Universal International

Television" are seen over the globe.

Trivia: This was an early TV division of Universal Pictures, formed prior to their partnership with MCA, Inc.

FX: The globe rotating.

Music/Sounds: Most likely it had the end theme of the show.

Availability: Extinct; hardly seen on television again.

Scare Factor: Low; the scratchy prints or the music may startle someone.

2nd Logo
(1963-1964)

Nickname: "Blinking Negatives"

Logo: It looks just like the Revue logo, without the additional animation. The company name flickers 6 times, during the first 5 bars of the fanfare and makes a stop during the rest of the jingle. The phrase is "Filmed at UNIVERSAL City. MCA-TV Exclusive Distributor" with a small MCA logo bug next to the distributor's byline (which was outside the logo as always). The color version has a wallflower-type background in red with white 60s-type star designs over it. The filmstrip blocks were red and blue, the background of the tubular border was light blue, and all the block colors revert to black and white over and over. The B&W variation of the logo was the same as the B&W version of the Revue logo, but the only block colors that flicker are the black and white ones.

Variant: On some shows, the logo sometimes appears without the MCA byline, and then fades to the co-producer's card.

FX/Cheesy Factor: Those blinking blocks were fairly simple.

Music/Sounds: A sped-up version of the short 1958 Revue jingle.

Availability: Extremely rare; the B&W version is currently seen on The Alfred Hitchcock Hour on Chiller.

Scare Factor: Low to medium, because of the Revue theme.

3rd Logo
(1964-1969)

Revue/Universal Television Entertainment - CLG Wiki

Nickname: "Zooming Globe I"

Logo: Like its then current movie logo, the rotating globe zooms in on us, along with the two asteroid belts. The phrase:

FILMED AT THE STUDIOS OF

UNIVERSAL
CITY

MCA-TV EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR

is superimposed simultaneously. The text, in the same font as the then-current movie logo (minus the texture), will usually appear in the normal near-yellow font with a shadow effect, but a bronze/brown or white color appears sometimes. The MCA union bug appears with the byline.

Variants:

The logo would either appear in color or B&W.
On some shows, the MCA byline is not present below the Universal City name. This happens on most co-productions, notably Mark VII shows, and The Munsters from the Kayro-Vue logo.
Some shows (mainly those produced by Jack Webb's Mark VII, like Dragnet) would have a shot over the globe saying "In Association With (UNIVERSAL TELEVISION)" centered in the same font (and sometimes color) used in the closing credits. This text would then fade out, the globe would zoom and appear as usual. This text may or may not be written in all-caps.
On early Dragnet episodes in '67, the "Universal Television" text was not shown.
Some shows would feature this logo after a Revue logo (as seen on McHale's Navy) or a Kayro-Vue logo (as seen on The Munsters). The theme would start on the Revue/Kayro-Vue logo and finish on the Universal logo.
There is a variant that says "A UNIVERSAL PRODUCTION," in the same style (but not in the same font) as the then-current movie logo. This was usually only seen on made-for-TV movies and was seen from 1966-1969.

FX: The zooming in of the globe with the text fading in.

Music/Sounds: A re-recorded, slightly abridged version of the Revue jingle. There are several orchestrations of this theme below.

Music/Sound Variants:

1964-1965: A slower version of the 1958 Revue jingle. Again, there are two main versions. A long and short version both arranged by Wilson/Esquivel.
1965-1967: A re-arranged version of the two previous jingles done by Jack Marshall. Sometimes higher-toned.
September 14, 1967-1968: A very shortened version and another long version by Marshall. Long version lasted until 1969.
1968-1969. Two more re-arranged very shortened versions under Marshall's era. There is a warped version of this theme that was heard on The Virginian.
The opening variant uses the opening theme of the TV movie, or it's silent.

Availability: Can be found in shows like Dragnet, The Munsters and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (without the MCA byline), and McHale's Navy, as Universal's past logos are kept quite well.

Scare Factor: Low to medium, mainly based on what you think of that somewhat scary Revue theme.

4th Logo
(1969-1970)

Universal Studios Presentation (1969-1973)

Nickname: "Zooming Globe II"

Logo: Same as above, but the phrase now appears as:

FILMED IN UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIF. AT

UNIVERSAL
STUDIOS

MCA-TV EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR

The entire text is in a different font compared to the previous logo, which Universal's name was all yellow from that point on. The MCA union bug appears with the byline.

Variants:

Just like the last logo, co-productions like those by Mark VII Limited would have the phrase "IN ASSOCIATION WITH UNIVERSAL TELEVISION" in yellow.
There is also an opening variant that says "A UNIVERSAL STUDIOS PRODUCTION/PRESENTATION," in the same style (but not in the same font) as the then-current movie logo. This was seen only on made-for-TV movies from 1969-1973.

FX: The zooming in of the globe and the text fading in.

Music/Sounds: A re-arranged version of the jingle done by Pete Rugolo. A long version also existed for this logo. In the beginning, it used the 1968 theme. The music for the opening variant is the same as the previous logo.

Availability: Quite rare; near extinction. Should be saved on any Universal show of the era such as It Takes a Thief and S2 of Emergency!, although because of the short run of this logo, it may be a bit harder to find.

Scare Factor: Low to medium; it depends on what you think of the Revue jingle.

5th Logo
(1970-1971)

Nickname: "Zooming Globe III"

Logo: Same as above, but the phrase now reads:

FROM UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA

UNIVERSAL
STUDIOS

MCA-TV EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR

Trivia: This logo variation was initially made for on-location series and movies such as McCloud.

Variants: This one features two other variations:

"And Universal Studios, Universal City, Calif."
"In Association With Universal Studios, Universal City, Calif."
Sometimes, it uses the phrase "Filmed in Universal City, Calif., at Universal Studios".

...all featuring the MCA globe bug along the company byline.

FX: Same as Logo 4.

Music/Sounds: A re-arranged and shortened jingle with ten notes by Pete Rugolo.

Availability: Extremely rare. Saved on any Universal series during this era, such as Marcus Welby, M.D., Columbo, and Night Gallery.

Scare Factor: Low to medium; depends on what you think about the jingle.

6th Logo
(1971-December 1973)

Nickname: "Universal Globe I"

Logo: This time, the globe is just a still picture. The shortened phrase fades in, in the same yellow bold font from the logo above:

FROM UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA

UNIVERSAL
STUDIOS

MCA-TV EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR

Variants: This one has two other variations:

"In Association With UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, Universal City, Calif. MCA-TV Exclusive Distributor"
"And UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, Universal City, Calif. MCA-TV Exclusive Distributor"
On Emergency +4, there is an in-credit that reads:

MARK VII LIMITED

And

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIF.

MCA-TV EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR

...all sporting the MCA union bug alongside the said company byline. Was only referred to as "In Association With UNIVERSAL STUDIOS. MCA-TV Exclusive Distributor" during the 1971-72 season (the logo's first).

FX: Just the text fading in.

Music/Sounds: Three re-arranged jingles done by Quincy Jones varies by years. Other series would have different variation soundings.

Music/Sound Variants: There are three main versions of the theme:

1971-1972: First theme composed on strings that doesn't lean on the Wilson/Esquivel, Marshall, or Rugolo's versions.
1972-1973: Second theme is a bit slower from Marshall and Rugolo's versions, and is composed on horns.
1973: Another slow theme using horns.

Availability: Should still be saved on any show on TV, but uncommon. Seen on networks such as Sleuth and Chiller.

Scare Factor: Low to medium; it's based on what you think of the Revue theme.

7th Logo
(January 1974-1975)

Nickname: "Universal Globe II"

Logo: Same backdrop as above, but the phrase was shortened again to...

FROM

UNIVERSAL
AN MCA COMPANY

FROM

UNIVERSAL

AN MCA COMPANY

"UNIVERSAL" is in the same font as used in that era's movie logo and also appears textured (in fact, this looks like a still of the 1963-1990 movie logo, with MCA information added in afterwards). The MCA byline is also the same, although the position is a bit shifted to the left due to the MCA union bug's appearance with the byline, and the byline may be shifted closer up in some appearances. The MCA globe bug is bigger than the recent and is seen to the left of its respective byline. The top text line sometimes reads "AND" or "IN ASSOCIATION WITH".

FX: Only the text above and the byline below fading in. The Universal name was only still.

Music/Sounds: Two more re-arranged jingles done by Quincy Jones varies upon years. Other series like Switch and Ironside among others would have different sounding variations.

Availability: Can be seen on UFO. It was also seen on Kolchack: The Night Stalker, early Columbo repeats, and the first season of The Rockford Files, to name a few recent occurances. Also seen on Sleuth and Chiller.

Scare Factor: Low to medium; it depends on what you think of that Revue theme.

8th Logo
(1975-1991)

Nicknames: "Universal Globe III", "Globe from/of Hell/Doom", "Evil Globe"

Logo: Same as the 6th logo, but with a few differences from the previous logo:

The font color seems to be mainly white, ivory, or yellow, while still a bit planetary.
The "UNIVERSAL" font is different from the movie version, and is much skinnier and stretched out.
The MCA globe bug common with previous logos is no longer included with the logo (as it was moved to the copyright notice on the ending credits).
In the "AN MCA COMPANY" byline, "MCA" is in a somewhat larger font than the rest of the other letters.

The top text line had the same "FROM," "AND," and "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" lines centered in from previous logos. On The A-Team, it used the "FROM" top line and added the word "AND" (which later turned green starting on the 1985-1987 seasons) below the MCA byline. This was done to present the Stephen J. Cannell logo that followed it.

Variant: On the 1987 TV movie Keeping Secrets, the logo fades out instead of cutting out.

FX: Just the entire text fading in.

Cheesy Factor: On the first 2 seasons of The A-Team, there is a very poor-looking "wipe" effect that brings forth the Cannell logo. It would get better in later seasons, as it was replaced with a straight fade.

Music/Sounds: A new 5-note fanfare that retains the first four elements of the classic Revue theme done by Robert Prince, but does not feature the 9-note trademark fanfare used since the Revue days. There are many versions of this jingle, with the orchestration changing with each rendition. From 1975-1982, it was more of an orchestral arrangement, but this seemed to get a little more electronic as the years went by. From 1982-1991, the jingles have an electronic "warbling" under the main jingle.

Music/Sound Variants:

1975-1976: The first season theme uses a kettledrum-roll mixed under the theme.
1976-1978: Another version of the theme, but using a bass drumroll on the final note.
1978-1980: Third version to use a horn on the first notes with orchestration on the final note.
1980-1982: A much slower version that has an elevator-like sound on the first note (possibly produced by a vibraphone). Much dramatic on the final note. This also introduces the first low tone version. Simon and Simon used this until 1982.
1981-1982: Another slower version.
1982-1988: Another version by using a ascending/descending electronic tune (sounds more like a flute) of some sort mixed under the theme. Another low version is also included. This also introduces an abridged version of the low tone on Charles in Charge season 1. The low toned variant was used sometimes on Magnum P.I. and Simon and Simon in 1988.
1983/1985-1989: On the CBS TV movie and the series Still the Beaver, a quicker version of the theme was used, composed on what sounds like an organ.
1986-1991: Final versions of the theme. This time using a different electronic sound. This also includes abridged versions and introducing warp versions. On season 2 of Charles in Charge, it used an abridged 1981 theme. Miami Vice first used this in late 1986. As for the others until 1987.
In exceptional cases, generally on TV movies, it used only the closing theme of the show, being it less (or nothing) scary than all their counterparts.

Availability: Pretty common, considering the long timeframe of this logo and Universal's pleasing policy of keeping nearly all dated logos on their shows. Currenty seen on networks like Sleuth, Sci-Fi Channel, Universal HD, Hallmark Channel, and Chiller, among others, as well as Hulu, NBC Universal's online service.

Scare Factor: It can range from medium to nightmare; many have had bad dreams about this logo, and while it uses a similar Revue theme, it still sounds much more dramatic. The typeface for "UNIVERSAL" wasn't the most modern either.

9th Logo
(1991-1997)

Nickname: "CGI Globe I"

Logo: Nearly the same as its 1991 motion picture counterpart, but with a few differences:

The animation seems to be a tad cheaper than the movie logo. Whereas that logo featured shiny gold lettering for "UNIVERSAL" in Cooperplate Gothic Bold font, a detailed globe model, and an impressive-looking starfield, the TV version features a gradient "texture" on "UNIVERSAL", and a slightly less detailed globe and starfield.
"TELEVISION" appears in white, and spaced out to fit the width of "UNIVERSAL"
Like previous logos, "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" usually appears in white centered above all other text.

Variants:

This logo was made in two versions; a film version, and a videotaped version. The filmed version was more prominent at first, as most of Universal's shows were still shot primarily on film, but changed to the videotaped version as time progressed. The filmed version isn't as crisp as the taped version and features that unfortunate effect known as "Filmovision".
On some shows, one of the two alternate variations of the company's phrase fades in above the Universal name, followed by the MCA byline.
The logo appeared bylineless in the 1996-97 mid-season, in observance to the studio's acquisition by Seagram and Sons during that time. The MCA TV logo was replaced with the Universal Pictures logo, which was also bylineless.
On Sliders and American Gothic, there was a still version of the globe, but "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" has been replaced by a small black box with "DISTRIBUTED THROUGH" in it at the top of the globe.
This logo was shown on the left alongside with the 1990 Warner Bros. Television logo on the right as seen on Family Dog.

FX: The CGI of rotating globe and Universal name.

Cheesy Factor: See above.

Music/Sounds: A majestic 7-note French horn fanfare, based on Universal's long version of its 1990 jingle. A low tone was also included during the later years. All composed by James Horner.

Availability: Fairly common; as with most Universal logos, they are usually retained on any repeat broadcasts. Currently seen on networks like TNT, USA, Biography Channel, TVOne, Sleuth, and Hallmark Channel, among others. It is (probably) preserved on shows on NBC Uni's online service Hulu.

Scare Factor: Minimal; compared to the last logo, this is nothing.

10th Logo
(1997-2004)

Nicknames: "CGI Globe II", "CGI Glittering Planet TV"

Logo: A near-still shot of the current Universal logo used in motion pictures. It looks nearly the same, and you can still see a glow from behind it. A byline will appear below the logo, as listed below.

1997-1998: Universal Television Entertainment (formerly MTE)
1997-1998: In Association With Universal Television (seen on Sleuth)
1997-1998: Universal Television Enterprises, Inc. Exclusive Distributor (formerly MCA TV Exclusive Distributor)
1997-2000: Universal Worldwide Television
2000-2004: www.universalstudios.com (seen on such series like: Sitting Ducks, Xena: Warrior Princess, and first two seasons of Monk.)
2002-2004: (in association with) Universal Network Television, www.universalstudios.com
2002-2004: (in association with) Universal Domestic Television, www.universalstudios.com
2002-2004: Universal Television Distribution, www.universalstudios.com

Variants:

On some episodes of the first two seasons of Monk, the tail end of the movie logo, which features the globe zooming back, is shown.
For a very short time in late 2001 and early 2002, Universal's TV and movie departments were celebrating the 20th Anniversary of E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, with a special logo featuring E.T. and Elliot flying across the globe. The TV version's logo is similar to the normal version, except that E.T. and Elliot are flying behind the bold "UNIVERSAL" text, and the words "E.T. 20TH ANNIVERSARY" are featured under the globe.

FX: The "fire" behind the globe, the globe rotating, and the name fading in until 2000.

Music/Sounds: A short version of the movie counterpart's theme. On some shows, it's silent. Variations of the theme applies. All composed by Jerry Goldsmith.

Music/Sound Variants: There are several variations of this theme.

1997-1998: A longer version of the theme only used for Universal Television Entertainment.
1997-1998: An odd short version only heard on Roar.
1997-2004: A short version of the movie's counterpart. Standard version.
2002-2004: Another odd short version with five notes.
2003-2004: Final short version using the second half of the standard theme.

Availability: Can still be found on most, if not all Universal-produced shows of this time such as the Law & Order franchise among others. Universal's merger with NBC put an end to this logo in 2004. It is still commonplace on USA Network and Sleuth, and can be found on shows on Hulu.

Scare Factor: Minimal.

Latest page update: made by BobFish , Friday, 7:31 PM EDT (about this update - complete history)

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Universal Pictures	Island Pictures	PolyGram Television
NBC Universal Television/Universal Media Studios	NBC International Ltd.	Avco Embassy Television/Multimedia Entertainment
MTE	Revue Productions/Studios	NBC Productions/Studios/Enterprises
Universal Pictures CGI Globe #2	"Transparent" globe variation?	Universal 1963 Bylineless logo FOUND!

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