ABC Television (UK)

Logo descriptions by BigRene2, and TrickyMario7654

Logo captures by VofDoom and others

Editions by mr3urious, VofDoom, Nathan B., Shadeed A. Kelly, TrickyMario7654, and PerryLuv2001

Video captures courtesy of AnotherGaaraFan1 and OZ_Paramount87

Background : Associated British Corporation, owned by cinema chain ABPC, was the third ITV station to take to the air (after Associated-Rediffusion and ATV). It broadcast to the English Midlands and the North of England on weekends, commencing in the Midlands on 18 February 1956, and in the North of England on 5 May of the same year. After a slow start, the company became renowned for having a strong corporate identity and a large range of popular programmes, including The Avengers, Armchair Theatre, World of Sport and Britain's first teenage music show, Oh Boy!. But in the 1967 franchise round, the weekday/weekend splits in the Midlands and North of England were removed, with ATV and Granada Television going seven days in the Midlands and the North West of England respectively and the Yorkshire area passing to the new Yorkshire Television, and ABC's hopes of obtaining the London weekend franchise were dashed by David Frost's London Television Consortium, which became London Weekend Television. The Independent Television Authority however, did not want ABC to disappear from the scene, and thus arranged a "shotgun marriage" between it and Rediffusion - creating a new London weekday station, Thames Television. ABC's final day of broadcasting was 28 July 1968, with Thames commencing two days later.

1st Logo
(18 February 1956-1958)



Logo : On a black background, we see a downward-pointing triangle containing "ABC" at the top, and a bar with slanted ends across the middle of the triangle with "TELEVISION" inside it. We also see the word "presents" below the triangle.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor : None.

Music/Sounds : Three "chimes" based, perhaps unsurprisingly, on the musical notes A, B and C, followed by three drumbeats. Composed by Bob Sharples.

Availability : Extinct. Just like lots of old logos in the UK. There is a Flash remake of this on 625.uk.com.

Scare Factor : Low to medium. The music sounding out of nowhere might startle some.

2nd Logo
(1958-1964)

Nickname : "Propeller Triangle"

Logo : On a black background, three triangles drop down one-by-one at a fast pace, leaving line trails as they drop. The first triangle reveals an “A”, the second reveals a “B”, and the last one reveals a “C”. They join together to form a large white triangle with what looks like a black propeller inside. “PRESENTS” or “NETWORK” quickly unfolds below, letter-by-letter.

Variant : The closing variant was a caption slide of the logo, with "an" above the triangle and "PRODUCTION" below the "ABC".

FX/SFX : Animation that's not as bad for 1958, but…

Cheesy Factor : ...the film quality is very bad and the animation is very choppy. Then again, it was the 1950s.

Music/Sounds : Same as the 1st logo, with the "chimes" sounding as the letters are revealed after the triangles drop.

Availability : Rare. Exists on DVDs of The Avengers (the 1962 and 1963 seasons). Also has a Flash remake on 625.uk.com.

Scare Factor : Medium to high. Again, the music suddenly sounding out of nowhere may get on a few nerves. The triangle zooming in isn’t that tame either.

3rd Logo
(1964-1968)

Nicknames : "Propeller Triangle II", "Zooming Triangle"

Logo : On a black background, we have the same triangle from before zooms-in towards us and disappears. One by one, three triangles drop at a fast pace (this time, not forming trails like before). The first one reveals an “A”, the second reveals a “B”, and the last one reveals a “C” (all in a different font). They join together to form the same shape, then “presents” or “Television” (also in a different font) quickly zooms-in.

Variants :


 * In some cases, this logo appeared without "presents" zooming-in.
 * Another version seen at the end of some shows had the logo still and with "presentation" replacing either "presents" or "Television".

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor : Same as the 2nd logo.

Music/Sounds : Same as the 1st logo. Again, the "chimes" sound as the letters are revealed. The only difference is there is a shorter pause between the chimes and the drums.

Availability : Found on The Avengers '64 DVD set; the ABC Production variant is on all episodes of The Avengers from the 1964 (last Catherine Gale) and 1965 (B&W Emma Peel) seasons. Again, has a Flash remake on 625.uk.com.

Scare Factor : Same as the 2nd logo.