T.A.T. Communications Company

Logo descriptions by Matt Anscher, Jeffrey Gray, Shadeed A. Kelly and Logophile Logo captures by Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly, V of Doom, megamanj2004, snelfu, and SaganStrikesBack Editions by Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly, and V of Doom

Background: The T.A.T. Communications Company (also spelled simply as "TAT") was formed in 1974 by Norman Lear and comedian Jerry Perenchio, a year before Yorkin ended his partnership with Lear, which produced The Jeffersons and One Day at a Time among others. In 1980, T.A.T. formed its own distribution division. On January 6, 1982, T.A.T. Communications was reincorporated as "Embassy Communications, Inc." and renamed the T.A.T. production division to "Embassy Television" with the acquisition of Avco Embassy Pictures Corporation by Lear and Perenchio, while the distribution division of this company was folded into the reorganized "Embassy Telecommunications" (the former "PITS Films"). T.A.T. stood for a Yiddish phrase pronounced "Tuchus Affen Tisch", which meant "Putting one's butt on the line".

1st Logo (January 19, 1975-October 3, 1982) TAT-The JeffersonsTAT-The Jeffersons: 1975-bTAT-The Jeffersons: 1976T.A.T. Communications/Allwhit, Inc.: One Day at a Time (December 1975 Pilot Episode)T.A.T. Communications/Allwhit, Inc.: One Day at a Time (Early 1976) TAT-Fernwood 2nite-1977T.A.T. Communications Company (1977)T.A.T. Communications Co./Filmways TelevisionT.A.T. Communications Co./Filmways Television (1976)T.A.T. Communications Company (1977) T.A.T. - MH2 IITAT-Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman-1976TAT/AW-ODAAT: 1977TAT-The Jeffersons: 1979-1980T.A.T. / Ragamuffin: 1980-1981 TAT/AW-One Day At a Time-Early 80sTAT/AW-ODAAT: 1981TAT Communications Co.-The Facts of Life-1980T.A.T. Communications Company (Blue Collar)

Logo: Depending on the show, it would just say:

A T.A.T. COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY PRODUCTION

or

A T.A.T. COMMUNICATIONS CO. PRODUCTION

But on certain shows like The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, it would read:

A (NORMAN LEAR) T.A.T. COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY (PRODUCTION) (AND) or (IN ASSOCIATION WITH) [NAME OF THE COMPANY]

Variants: • Some series would feature a copyright stamp below the text, such as on later S1 episodes of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. • Some in-credit texts would appear in shadow mode in 1979. •On The Facts of Life episode "The Affair", the text is centered at the bottom.

• On some shows like Fernwood 2nite and the final season of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, this text was also used following the "standard" T.A.T. text:

WORLD WIDE DISTRIBUTION

BY

T.A.T. COMMUNICATIONS CO.

• On early syndie broadcasts of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, this text over a blue background was used plastering the "standard" text:

A T.A.T. COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTION

WORLDWIDEDISTRIBUTION BY

• On early season 2 episodes of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, the text says:

PRODUCED BY

T.A.T. COMMUNICATIONS CO. AND PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH FILMWAYS, INC.

FX/SFX: The scrolling of the credits or superimposed. On Fernwood 2Nite, the text fades.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme from specific show.

Availability: Uncommon. It's currently seen on two episodes of The Jeffersons on TV One since the remaining has been plastered by the SPT logo, which makes it bad editing after the T.A.T. copyright stamp and seasons 1-3 of The Facts of Life on The Hub. Also seen on DVD releases of One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, The Facts of Life, and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. TV One prints of The Jeffersons omit this logo, cutting straight to the SPT logo after either the "Videotaped at Television City", "Videotaped at Metromedia Square", or T.A.T. copyright notice. (This has also happened to the Embassy Television in-credit logo on 1982-83 episodes.)

Scare Factor: None.

2nd Logo (1980-1982)

Nickname: "The Rising T.A.T. Star"

Logo: Up against a blue background, we see the following text inside a rounded black box: T.A.T.: 1980-1982

TAT COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY

The "TAT" word is made out of white lines, and the text "COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY" is in an odd white font below the black box. A white star rises from the background and places itself over the last "T" in the "TAT" word.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The Scanimated star rising from the background, which reeks of cheesiness.

Music/Sounds: An awful 12-note rising synth theme composed by John Maxwell Anderson.

Availability: Extinct. It was only seen on original syndie re-runs of One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, and CBS Late Movie airings of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. It has been spotted on a VHS tape of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, along with a few broadcasts of the show on TV Land in 2002 during the Norman Lear Marathon. Also seen in 1994 on reruns of The Jeffersons on WGN-TV.

Scare Factor: Low to high. The chrome text is extremely big and in your face, and the synth theme is rather creepy.