PolyGram Television

Background : PolyGram Records also had a television division in 1981 (first under the name of "PolyGram TeleVision Ltd."), whose logo was similar to the PolyGram Pictures ID seen on feature films. This division managed to survive until 1987 but it was resurrected in 1993 when PolyGram Filmed Entertainment bought ITC Entertainment Group and affixed the new PolyGram Television logo on prints of ITC shows aired on British TV and elsewhere, but in America kept the ITC name and logo (operating as "ITC Distribution, Inc.") until 1997. Later that year, ITC Distribution was folded into the parent company to continue producing and distributing television shows in Britain and other countries, including the U.S., until 1999 when it was folded into Universal Television in 2000. However, the ITC library was later bought by Carlton International Media and is currently owned by ITV Global Entertainment, a subsidiary of ITV plc. The film Rehearsal for Murder is in the public domain powered by Open Flix.

1st Logo (1981-1984)

Nickname : "P.G.T.V."

Logo : On a metallic sky-blue background, the PolyGram logo appears almost completely formed with the letters P,G,T and V in large, thick uppercase letters (but still closely matching the font used in the PolyGram print logo). As this appears, the uppercase letters spread apart revealing the rest of the company name (in thinner font, again closely matching the PolyGram print logo) and the line of stars slide into place under the company name. Streaks of glare pass over various parts of the logo.

Trivia : The beginning of PolyGram Television was known on their adverts as "The End of the War (...) We want partners, not adversaries".

FX/SFX : The line of stars zipping into place, the larger letters splitting apart, the glare streaks passing over the logo.

Cheesy Factor : The logo's near Time-Life Television levels with the crude early CGI animation (the line of stars and the "glide-in" of the rest of the company name).

Music/Sounds : Either the end theme music or none.

Availability : Extinct. Apart from a few TV movies and the few films PolyGram made between 1979 and 1982 (which were later syndicated by King Features Entertainment) plus the panel-discussion show Agronsky and Co., and the 80's remake of Queen for a Day, PolyGram in the early '80s had virtually no presence outside music. Their very limited TV output whenever aired should have this logo intact.

Scare Factor : Low to medium. Given its omnipresence in music (and familiarity from album covers and print ads), the PolyGram logo as seen on a TV screen might have been more awe-inspiring.

2nd Logo (1982)

Logo : Technically a still version of its 1981 theatrical counterpart, but this time, "Television" replaces "Pictures".

FX/SFX : None.

Music/Sounds : None.

Availability : Ultra rare. Seen on a Mexican DVD of the 1982 film Missing.

Scare Factor : None.

3rd Logo (1984-1987)

Nickname : "Star Line"

Logo : On a black background, we see the name "PolyGram Television", in blue, flying from right to the center of a logo white an orange star zooms out to place itself under the "P" and makes more stars underneath the name. We later see an orange (or red) light shining across the stars to make a line.

FX/SFX : The name flying and the stars forming.

Music/Sounds : A simple synthesized tune.

Availability : Extremely rare. It appears at the end of the now out of print DVD release of Rehearsal for Murder replacing the first logo and may possibly be on the DVD release of The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd.

Scare Factor : Low.

4th Logo (1993-1997)

Nickname : "BANG!"

Logo : Same as the video counterpart, except with "Television" replacing "Video".

FX/SFX : Same as the 1993-1997 PolyGram Video logo.

Cheesy Factor : This features the same overly simple animation as its home video counterpart, although PGTV's previous logos are rather bland compared to the 1992 PGV logo.

Music/Sounds : Same as the 1993-1997 PolyGram Video logo.

Availability : Extinct, as most PolyGram shows on this era (such as The Big Easy) mostly used the short version of its theatrical counterpart. If you've seen this, you are very lucky indeed. This was primarily a distribution logo in the UK and other countries outside the U.S. It may have appeared on early episodes of Due South, but the DVD version has no evidence.

Scare Factor : Same as its video counterpart.

5th Logo (September 22, 1997-1999)

Nicknames : "PolyGram Wing Man", "Icarus"

Logo : Same as its film counterpart, except with "TELEVISION" replacing "FILMED ENTERTAINMENT".

Variants :
 * A still version with "DISTRIBUTED BY" in a blue type above the Icarus was put onto some ITC feature films and television shows.
 * The print version was seen in the closing credits of the Nick Jr. cartoon Maisy.
 * A version with the words "TELEVISION INTERNATIONAL" existed.
 * "VISUAL PROGRAMMING" may replace "TELEVISION".

FX/SFX : Same as its film counterpart.

Music/Sounds : None or the end theme of the show.

Availability : Extremely rare. The distribution version was last seen on The Moderns on the Showtime Networks and on The Tamarind Seed when it was on Netflix.com. The regular version is intact on the mini-series The Billionaire Boys Club (originally produced by ITC) on DVD from A&E Home Video and on some episodes of The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, including the pilot. It is also seen on the TV special Barney's First Adventure, which can be found as a bonus feature on the Barney's Great Adventure: The Movie DVD. Also appeared on Netflix viewings of The Lunatics. The "VISUAL PROGRAMMING" variant can be found on Cats, and some prints of The Best Bits of Mr. Bean. It's still seen on Maisy episodes from the era (in-credit print version)

Scare Factor : Same as the 1997-1999 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment logo.