Ziv Television Programs

Logo descriptions by Logoboy95 and Eric S. Logo captures by Logoboy95, Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly, and V of Doom Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly and V of Doom Video captures courtesy of MattTheSaiyan and Eric S.

Background: Ziv Television Programs was a television production company founded by Frederick W. Ziv in 1948 and was a subsidiary of his successful radio syndication business. In 1960 the company was purchased by United Artists and merged with UA's own television company to become Ziv-United Artists Television (or "Ziv-United Artists"). During it's first two years after the merger, the company failed to sell pilots of television shows. In 1962, the name reverted back to United Artists Television after United Artists phased out Ziv Television. Today, most of Ziv's shows are owned by MGM Holdings Inc. The remainder has fallen into the public domain.

1st Logo (1950-1960)
Nickname: "The TV Tube"

Logo: We see the words “A ZIV Television Production” superimposed on a show's opening or closing scene before or after the credits with "A" and "Television Production" in a script font. There is a stylized, Screen Gems-like TV tube around “ZIV”, which is in either a blocky font or a Times New Roman Bold font.

Variants: •Sometimes, the TV tube would look more "rounded" or "boxy". •Sometimes, the logo is smaller. •On Home Run Derby, "PRESENTATION" replaces "PRODUCTION". •Another variant has the letter "A" on top of the logo rather than on the top tip of the TV tube. The letter "A" and the text "TELEVISION PRODUCTION" is in a serif font.

FX/SFX: None. Othertimes, this logo fades-in.

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

Availability: Rare. Currently seen on Bat Masterson and The Cisco Kid by Alpha Home Video (though MGM Television owns the masters of the former title). Also seen on Bat Masterson on ThisTV and Home Run Derby on ESPN Classic and DVD.

2nd Logo (1960-1962)
Nickname: "The TV Tube II"

Logo: Same as before, except “A” and “Television Production” were removed. Under “ZIV”, the words “United Artists” are written in the same font as the recent logo. The TV tube zooms-out and "ZIV-United Artists" zooms-in to meet in the center.

Variant: On the program Keyhole Program: Americans Abroad, the Ziv-UA logo appears in the same animation as the logo. Inside it has the text: "A DOCUMATIC PRODUCTION by" with "A" and "by" in the same script font as United Artists and "DOCUMATIC" in the same font as "ZIV". The text would later cross-fade to the Ziv-UA text.

FX/SFX: The zooming effects.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Ultra rare. Currently seen on Bat Masterson on ThisTV.