Act III Productions

Background : Act III Communications is Norman Lear's current company formed on October 21, 1985, after four months and three days since Lear and Perenchio sold Tandem and Embassy Television to Coca-Cola. Operations began on January 1, 1986. His first film under the Act III name was Stand By Me and was released by Columbia Pictures. Act III was also the name of a broadcaster Norman Lear was involved in, which owned several Fox and independent stations during the early '90s (most of its stations are now owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group). On February 2, 1989, Act III Communications formed a joint-venture with Columbia Pictures Television called "Act III Television" (later "Act III Productions") to produce television and not managing. This was marked as Norman Lear's return to television after exiting television production in 1978 to focus on feature film. In 2006, Act III purchased 50% of Village Roadshow Pictures and merged his music industry "Concord Music Group". Act III didn't have a logo until 1991.

1st Logo (February 16, 1991)
Nickname: "ACT III"

Logo: We see "ACT III" in white with a shadow effect with "III" in Roman numerals. There is a white a line that is stretched out underneath the name with the word "TELEVISION" below also in white.

FX/SFX: The logo fading in.

Music/Sounds: The end of the show's theme.

Availability: Ultra rare. Seen at the end credits of All in the Family: 20th Anniversary Special right before the 1989 CPT logo. Can be found on the videocassette release of said title.

Scare Factor: None.

2nd Logo (June 22-July 7, 1991)
Nickname: "ACT III PT. II"

Logo: Same as the last logo, but it's placed on a blue background.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The end-title theme.

Availability: Extinct. Was last seen on the ultra short-lived series, Sunday Dinner.

Scare Factor: None.

3rd Logo (March 7, 1992-May 9, 1994)
Nicknames: "ACT III PT. III" "Fancy ACT III"

Logo: On a dark gray background, we see the ACT III logo fading in in chrome lettering with "ACT III" in a Roman font with the word "TELEVISION" in a stretched serif font. There are three black lines from the bottom of the Roman numeral "3" in between the words "ACT" and "TELEVISION".

FX/SFX: The logo fading in.

Music/Sounds: The end-title theme from any show.

Availability: Extinct. It was seen on the short-lived series, The Powers That Be and the ultra short-lived series, 704 Hauser.

Scare Factor: None to minimal. The darkness and design change may surprise some viewers, but it's harmless.

4th Logo (October 25, 1997-February 21, 1998)
Nicknames: "ACT III PT. IV" "ACT III & The Bird"

Logo: On a nighttime sky background we see the ACT III logo (as seen in the 1st and 2nd logos) in blue that says "ACT III PRODUCTIONS" and underneath ithas a boy wearing a tuxedo that is pointing and is flying on bird in a nighttime sky with the "Enchanté George" text on the lower right-hand, referring to Jim George's production company.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The end-title theme.

Availability: Extinct. It was only seen on the short-lived series, Channel Umptee-3.

Scare Factor: None.

5th Logo (2016- )
Nicknames: "ACT III PT. V", "The Return of the ACT III", "CGI ACT III"

Logo: On a white background, pieces of the Roman numeral "III" from the 1st, 2nd, and 4th logos rise up from the white field with a shadow effect as we pan above the logo. "ACT" then rises up one by one as we focus our view onto the logo. "PRODUCTIONS" pops up below the logo and the logo becomes 2D as the logo becomes blue.

Logo: A still version exists.

FX/SFX: The camera pan, the pieces rising up, and the transition. Nice CGI, considering the other logos don't have much (or there lack of) in animation.

Music/Sounds: The end-title theme.

Availability: Current. The animated version is seen on the miniseries, America Divided, while the still version is seen on the 2017 revival of One Day at a Time.

Scare Factor: None.