Logos[]
1st logo: It looks just like the 1962 Revue "Blinking Negatives" 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[]
Some series such as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, the logo appears without the MCA byline, and then fades to the co-producer's card.
2nd logo: Like its then-current movie logo, the rotating globe zooms in, along with the two Van Allen radiation belts. The text:
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. This is seen on The Munsters from the Kayro-Vue logo. On the short-lived series Pistols 'n' Petticoats, this was seen before the Kayro-UTV in-credit. On The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, this logo is always seen before the Shamley Productions 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 Kayro-Vue logo and finish on the Universal logo.
- There is a variant that says "A UNIVERSAL PRODUCTION" or "A UNIVERSAL PRESENTATION" , 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 TV pilots and was seen from 1966-1969.
- On the short-lived show Court Martial, the text reads "FROM THE STUDIOS OF UNIVERSAL CITY".
3rd 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 (which that time is Eurostile Bold, the same font also used in the opening credits of Ironside), 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 a yellow Compacta BT font.
- There is also an opening variant that says "A UNIVERSAL STUDIOS PRODUCTION" or for TV movies (especially pilots of TV series) "A UNIVERSAL STUDIOS 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, such as the pilot movie of Marcus Welby, M.D., entitled "A Matter of Humanities," originally broadcast on ABC March 26, 1969, but filmed in December of 1968. This is saved on the recent DVD release of Welby.
4th logo: Same as above and the phrase once again reads:
FILMED IN UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIF., AT
UNIVERSAL
STUDIOS
MCA-TV EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR
Variants[]
This one features two other variations:
- As early as 1971, it uses the phrase "FROM UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA, UNIVERSAL STUDIOS".
- Same as above on shows co-produced by Mark VII Limited, the "IAW" version is seen.
All featuring the MCA globe bug along the company byline.
5th logo: This time, the globe is just a still picture. The shortened text 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 four other variations:
- "IN ASSOCIATION WITH UNIVERSAL STUDIOS"
- "AND UNIVERSAL STUDIOS"
- January 31, 1973?: The text "UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIF." was added below the "UNIVERSAL STUDIOS" text.
- On Emergency +4, there is in-credit text 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).
6th logo: Same backdrop as above, but the phrase was shortened again to...
FROM
UNIVERSAL
AN MCA COMPANY
or
FROM
UNIVERSAL
AN MCA COMPANY
This time, "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 right 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".
Pay Television Variants[]
- For their pay television division, the TV screen variant of the movie logo was used, with the MCA byline moved down a bit, and "PAY TELEVISION" below the "UNIVERSAL" text.
- A B&W variant of this logo exists.
- Another variant has "PAY TELEVISION" closer to "UNIVERSAL" and the MCA byline shortened and was moved to the right.
- Another variant has the standard movie logo, but with "PAY TELEVISION" cheaply chyroned underneath the MCA byline.
- Another variant has the already formed logo with "In association with" above.
- On the TV movie Portrait of a White Marriage, the still logo is used with "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" above the "UNIVERSAL" text and "PAY TV PROGRAMMING INC." and the MCA byline (designed like in the 7th logo) below it fading in.
7th 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 (though this may be due to film deterioration), 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).
- On the "AN MCA COMPANY" byline, "MCA" seems to be taller 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 in the 1984-1985 season) below the MCA byline. This was done to present the Stephen J. Cannell logo that followed it.
Variants[]
- There is also an opening variant where the globe is animated like in the movie logo, but before the globe finishes zooming, the word, "UNIVERSAL" fades in over the globe. A second later, the byline, "AN MCA COMPANY" appears under "UNIVERSAL". That has appeared at the beginning of few TV movies from that time such as the 1979 TV movie, The Seekers.
- On the 1991 TV movie Keeping Secrets, the logo fades out instead of cutting out.
8th logo: Just the end of the 1973 Universal Pictures logo used in place of the TV logo.
9th logo: It's 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 Copperplate Gothic Bold font, a detailed globe model (which were both models filmed with motion control), and an impressive-looking starfield, the TV version features a gradient "texture" on "UNIVERSAL", and a slightly less detailed globe (which are both in CGI), and starfield. Also, there is no flash at the beginning as well and the MCA byline is white.
- "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 filmed 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 "Film-O-Vision" and the MCA byline is shifted up a little.
- 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.
- Since then, during the 1996-1997 season, the logo became bylineless, in observance to the studio's acquisition by Seagram and Sons and MCA, Inc. was reincorporated into Universal Studios during that time. Also, the "®" symbol has shifted up on the top right end of "UNIVERSAL", though Spy Game kept the byline thru July on the first 9 episodes. The 1994 MCA TV logo and the 1994 Multimedia Entertainment logo were replaced with the 1990-1997 Universal Pictures logo, which was also bylineless.
- On some shows such as Sliders, American Gothic, and M.A.N.T.I.S. (excluding the pilot episode), there was a still version of the logo, but "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" has been replaced by a small black rectangular box with "DISTRIBUTED THROUGH" in it at the top of the globe. Plus, the starfield background is stretched more vertically.
- A French version with "DISTRIBUE PAR" appears on the French dubbing of American Gothic of the variant above exists.
- This logo was shown on the left alongside with the 1992 Warner Bros. Television logo on the right, as seen on Family Dog.
- On The Rockford Files TV movie Friends and Foul Play, the logo is slowed down, but the music still plays normally.
- For shows by Action Pack, this logo has "PRESENTS" replacing "TELEVISION". Plus, it fades in after the logo forms instead of sliding in with "UNIVERSAL".
- On S8 and some S9 episodes of Murder, She Wrote, as well as the unaired TV pilot of Darkman: The Series and some S9 episodes of Coach, the text "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" isn't displayed above the logo.
- On some French-dubbed shows such as New York Undercover, "EN ASSOCIATION AVEC" appears on a blue bar.
10th logo: A near-still shot of the 1997 Universal Pictures logo used in motion pictures (with the globe still rotating and the glow shining). It looks nearly the same, and you can still see a glow from behind it. Text will appear below the logo, as listed below:
- 1997-1998: "UNIVERSAL TELEVISION ENTERTAINMENT" (formerly MTE)
- 1997-1998: "IN ASSOCIATION WITH UNIVERSAL TELEVISION" (seen on co-produced programs from that era)
- 1997-1998: "UNIVERSAL TELEVISION ENTERPRISES, INC. EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR" (formerly MCA TV)
- 1998-2000: "UNIVERSAL WORLDWIDE TELEVISION"
- 1997-2000: Like the movie logo, a small copyright appears at the bottom-right. That variant was used for the first three text variants until 1998 while it was still used for the fourth text variant until 2000.
- 2000-2004: "www.universalstudios.com"
- 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[]
- Sometimes, the logo doesn't feature the URL underneath the globe. Plus, the logo fades in and out.
- On some TV movies from 1997-1998 such as The Rockford Files TV movie Murder and Misdemeanors, there is a filmed version of the Universal Television version. Plus, the name is already there and is a bit bigger.
- On season 4 of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and season 3 of Xena: Warrior Princess, the word "PRESENTS" in spaced-out letters, fades in under the "UNIVERSAL" text. The copyright is intact.
- Sometimes for Universal Television Enterprises and Universal Worldwide Television and mostly for Universal Television Entertainment, there is a longer version of the logo, starting out with the "UNIVERSAL" name making its way to the front of the globe, and the name appears below the logo after it before the logo finally zooms back to its position before the copyright appears.
- On some episodes of the first two seasons of Monk, as well as widescreen reruns of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, the tail end of the movie logo, which features the globe zooming back, is shown.
- On the 2002-2004 variants, the text's shadow is not there.
- For a 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" with "E.T." in it's own movie logo font, are featured under the globe.
- There is also a B&W variant for classic Revue/MCA/Universal shows in B&W.
- On early S4 episodes of The Steve Harvey Show and Just Shoot Me!, the logo (minus the text and the URL) is seen on the right with the 1995 Brillstein-Grey Entertainment logo on the left inside a white outline box against a gray stone spotlight background.
- On later episodes of The Steve Harvey Show and Just Shoot Me! since season 4, the logo (minus the text and the URL) is seen on the bottom along with the Brad Grey Television logo above.
11th logo: We zoom out from a Western Hemisphere view of a detailed globe with some clouds. As we pan out, a sunburst appears and shines in the northeastern arc of the globe. A bluish/purple starfield with a few nebular clouds appear in the background. The white text "UNIVERSALTELEVISION" without a space between and with an abstract arc above is vertically wiped in front of the Earth globe with a translucent line once we are at a comfortable distance.
12th logo: Against the bluish starfield background that's almost similar to the one from the previous logo with some nebular clouds, we see the much more detailed Earth globe zooming from the front right to the center which is now rotating forwards this time like the other Universal logos. As the globe reaches to the center, the sunburst appears flashing on the top-right part of the globe. As this happens, the text "UNIVERSALTELEVISION", in the same font as before with the abstract arc above it, appears rotating in from the left and making a stop in front of the globe as the sunburst dims down a bit and a couple light rays are seen behind the globe and some of the nebular clouds are seen moving in front of the logo. The byline "A Division of NBCUniversal" appears under the logo.
Variants[]
- There is one version of the logo where the "UNIVERSALTELEVISION" text, along with the abstract arc above, appears wiping in vertically like the previous logo instead of rotating in as the globe goes into the center. Plus, a couple of light rays are gone.
- In 2013, the logo was enhanced, with darker tones and a dimmer sun. This version is bylineless, presumably to reflect the new 100% Comcast ownership.
Music/Sounds[]
1st logo: Same as the 1960 Revue logo theme. A sped-up version of the short 1960 Revue jingle was heard when Hallmark Channel reran The Virginian due to time compressing.
2nd logo:
- 1964-1965: Same as above.
- 1965-1967: A re-arranged version of the two previous jingles, done by Jack Marshall.
- September 14, 1967-1969: Another long version by Marshall.
Music/Sounds Variants[]
- From September 17, 1966-1967, a short version of the first Marshall theme was sometimes used. Played on some made-for-TV movies through the 1967-68 season, including the first Columbo movie Prescription: Murder.
- A short version of the 1967 theme was used in 1967-1968.
- From 1968-1969, another re-arranged short version was done by Marshall. There is a warped version of this theme that was heard on The Virginian due to time compressing when it was aired on Hallmark Channel years ago.
- The opening variant uses the opening theme of the TV movie or it's silent.
3rd logo:
- Jack Marshall's infamous 1967 long version theme (IAW-Universal Television starting January 1969).
- Marshall's 1968 standard theme (starting in January 1969).
- Pete Rugolo's re-arranged themes (standard and long versions starting in September 1969).
- TV movies would have either the opening theme or none.
4th logo:
- The same theme from the last logo.
- Later on, it was a re-arranged and shortened jingle with ten notes by Pete Rugolo.
5th logo: Changed depending on the year, all arranged by Quincy Jones.
- 1971-1972: Composed on strings, doesn't lean on Wilson/Esquivel, Marshall, or Rugolo's versions.
- 1972-1973: A bit slower than the first, composed on horns.
- September 26, 1973: Another slow theme using horns.
6th logo:
- 1973-1974: Same as the 6th logo from September 1973.
- 1974-1975: Two more re-arranged jingles done by Quincy Jones. These arrangements vary upon years.
- 1974: A rearranged theme almost the same as the 1973 version.
Music/Sounds Variants[]
- Series like Switch and Ironside among others would have different variants.
- The Pay Television variants were either silent or used an announcer until the early/mid-'80s, when it started sometimes using Miklos Rozsa's re-recording of the 1936 Universal Pictures theme (originally recorded for Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid).
- The Pay Television Programming and "IAW" Pay Television variants used the quick organ variant from the 7th logo.
- At least 2 episodes of the 1st season of The Rockford Files,"The Case is Closed", Parts I & II, use this logo with the 1978-1980 Universal jingle.
7th logo: A new 5-note fanfare that retains the first four elements of the classic Revue theme and also similar to the Viacom "V of Doom" music, 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. All were arranged by Robert Price.
- 1975-1976: The first theme uses a timpani roll mixed underneath the fanfare. The first notes are on horns with orchestration on the final note, maintained on all other themes.
- 1976-1978: A second version of the fanfare, using a bass drum roll on the final note.
- 1977-1981: A third version of the fanfare.
- 1980-1982: A much slower version that has an elevator-like sound on the first note, possibly produced by a vibraphone. Simon & Simon used this until 1982.
- 1981-1982, October 6, 1985, 1987-1990: Another slower version. Charles In Charge used it from 1987-1990, albeit abridged.
- 1982-July 27, 1989: Another version, using an ascending/descending electronic tune played on a keyboard (almost sounds like a flute) mixed under the theme. Though most shows dropped it by 1986, it was used sometimes on Magnum P.I. in 1988, and Simon & Simon and Coming of Age until 1989.
- Late 1986-1991: Final versions of the theme, with a different keyboard sound. Miami Vice first used it in late 1986, other shows didn't use it until 1987. Later on, the keyboard sound would get sped up.
8th logo: None.
9th logo: A majestic 7-note French horn fanfare, based on Universal's long version of its 1990 jingle. A low tone was also included starting in 1991 on Quantum Leap. All composed by James Horner.
Music/Sounds Variants[]
- In other cases, the ending theme of the show or generic network music (as on NBC and CBS starting in 1994) is used.
- On the first four season 2 episodes of Law & Order, it uses the late 1986 logo theme from the previous logo.
- On the un-aired TV pilot of Darkman: The Series, it's mostly silent.
- On The Hub airings of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, the first couple seconds of the opening theme from Action Pack is heard on the "PRESENTS" variant of the logo.
10th logo: A short version of the movie counterpart's theme. On some shows, it's silent. NBC, CBS and ABC used their generic themes. Variations of the theme applies. All composed by Jerry Goldsmith.
Music/Sounds Variants[]
- 1997-2000: A longer version of the theme used for Universal Television Entertainment and the longer version of Universal Television Enterprises and Universal Worldwide Television. It was used for the first two until 1998 while it was used for the latter until 2000.
- 1997-1998: An odd short version only heard on Roar and Sliders.
- 2002-2004: Another odd short version with four notes.
- 2003-2004: Final short version using the first three notes playing fast and the last note of the theme.
- In rare cases, the ending theme of the show/movie plays over it or none.
- On season 4 of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and season 3 of Xena: Warrior Princess, the first couple seconds of the opening theme from Action Pack is heard on the "PRESENTS" variant of the logo.
- One 1996 season 3 episode of New York Undercover has the 1991 Universal Television logo theme playing on the Universal Domestic Television logo, due to plastering.
- On the R2 release of Baa Baa Black Sheep (a.k.a. Black Sheep Squadron): The Complete First Season on DVD, the 1977 logo music is heard over the 1998 Universal Worldwide Television logo due to bad plastering.
11th logo: The closing theme of the show or NBC's generic theme with a voice over.
12th logo: A three-note orchestrated theme, consisting on the first two notes of the three-note NBC chimes jingle and a final note that sounds similar to that of the 1997 Universal Pictures fanfare, composed by Jerry Goldsmith. This jingle sounds quite similar to the NBCUniversal Television logo music.
Music/Sounds Variants[]
- On three S3 episodes of Community, the Universal Media Studios logo music is heard.
- There is also a long version of the logo theme.
Scare Factor[]
1st logo: Low to medium, mainly based on what you think of the Revue/Universal jingle.
2nd logo: Same as the previous logo.
3rd logo: See above.
4th logo: See above.
5th logo: See above.
6th logo: See above. None to low for the Pay Television variants, depending on the theme.
7th logo: Depending on the variant:
- 1975-1982: Low. The dark design and the dramatic jingle can scare some, but this is a cool logo.
- 1982-1991: See above.
- With the 1991 theme: See above.
8th logo: None.
9th logo: Depending on the logo variant:
- None for the standard variants. It's beautiful.
- Low for the variant with the late 1986 logo theme.
10th logo: Depending on the theme:
- Original variant: Minimal. This logo looks beautiful with the relaxing music and CGI.
- With the 1977 theme: Minimal. Medium. The scary music will creep out some viewers, but at least the logo itself is tame.
- With the 1991 theme: Minimal.
11th logo: None.
12th logo: None to low. It might surprise you the first time you see it if you're expecting the previous logo to appear, but it's harmless.
Gallery[]
