Republic Pictures

Republic PicturesThis is a featured page

Logo descriptions by Logoboy95 and Eric S. Logo captures by Logoboy95, Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly, V of Doom, snelfu, and Gilblitz112 Editions by mr3urious, Shadeed A. Kelly, V of Doom, Eric S., and Bob Fish Video captures courtesy of Eric S., WizardDuck,Logo Archive and Peakpasha

Background: Republic Pictures Corporation (first known as "Republic Pictures Productions") was a movie production/distribution corporation with studio facilities, best known for its specialization in quality B pictures, westerns and movie serials, that was established in 1934 by Herbert J. Yates, a longtime investor in film and music properties and founder and president of Consolidated Film Industries, result of a union of six smaller Poverty Row studios (Monogram, Mascot, Liberty, Majestic, Chesterfield, and Invincible), closing its doors in 1959 and sold all its film library to National Telefilm Associates (now "CBS Television Distribution"). Ironically in 1966, Republic Pictures was shortly revived by NTA as in-name-only by producing various edited movies to television from classic Republic movies and serials. By 1985, film partners bought NTA and transformed it into the resurrected Republic Pictures Corporation a year later. After a 30-year hiatus, Republic Pictures returned to active production with a number of movies, series for television including the CBS series Beauty and the Beast, and TV movies, although they did produce few independent theatrical films including Freeway. In 1993, Republic won a landmark legal decision reactivating the copyright on Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life (they had already owned the film's negative, music score, and the story on which it was based, The Greatest Gift). In 1994, Spelling Entertainment acquired Republic and shortly thereafter, Spelling consolidated its many divisions, reducing Republic Pictures to an in-name-only distribution company and reincorporating it as "Republic Entertainment, Inc.", its last name. In 1994, Viacom bought controlling interest in Spelling Entertainment Group and later acquired 100% interest in 2000. Republic was then made an in-name-only unit of Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom; however, after the 75th Anniversary of Republic Pictures, Viacom folded Republic Pictures into Paramount Pictures and created a new holding company called "Melange Pictures, LLC" as the holder of the Republic film library. As for the TV library, most of it is currently owned by CBS Corporation through CBS Television Distribution and Spelling Television Inc., all of them controlled by National Amusements, Inc.

1st Logo (1935-1938) Republic Pictures (1936)Republic Pictures PresentRepublic Pictures (1936, The End)

Nickname: "The Shield"

Logo: We see a black WB-like shield on a white background with a black stripe. The words:

REPUBLIC

ICTURES

with the stem of the "P" extended appears on a gray stripe behind the shield. Sometimes, "PRESENT" appears below. At the end of the movie, we see the words "The End", in script, over the shield.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: None.

Music/Sounds: The opening and closing themes of the movie.

Availability: Extremely rare. Can be seen on John Wayne movies produced by this company on Turner Classic Movies.

Scare Factor: None.

2nd Logo (1938-1947) Republic Pictures (1930's, C)Republic Productions (1939)Republic Pictures Corporation (1947)

Nickname: "The City Tower"

Logo: A city tower with a bell ringing fades in the middle of the screen behind a sunburst. Then the words:

A

REPUBLIC

PRODUCTION

with "REPUBLIC" in an arc, fade in on the bottom as the opening credits begin.

Variant: In later years, a different version with a different tower design and font was sometimes used. The logo was still, and only had the text "A REPUBLIC PRODUCTION" on romantic lettering fading in.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The zooming effects. The fade-in for the later variant.

Music/Sounds: A bell chiming followed by a fanfare. In other cases, it uses the opening theme.

Availability: Preserved on their movies whenever somebody decides to air them.

Scare Factor: None.

3rd Logo (1945?-1947) Republic Production (1947)Republic Pictures (1945, with the British Lion byline)

Nickname: "The City Tower II"

Logo: We see the same city tower as in the 2nd logo, but this time, the tower is moved to the left of the screen, and "A REPUBLIC PRODUCTION", in a white serif font, is moved to the middle-right, slightly slanted. Meanwhile, the sunburst is replaced with clouds and a different sunburst.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Same as before.

Music/Sounds: The beginning of the movie's theme song.

Availability: Seen on some Republic movies when syndicated on TV.

Scare Factor: None.

4th Logo (1947-1950)

Republic Productions (1947)A Republic Serial

Nickname: "The Bald Eagle"

Logo: On a cloudy background, 3 rows of words, "A", "REPUBLIC", and "PRODUCTION", are written on a wall at the bottom of the screen in a blocky font. Above is a bald eagle with its wings spread out, facing right, standing on it. A bright glare is shown at the top-right of the screen.

Variants: • A color version is also available as well. • If serials are shown, the text "A REPUBLIC SERIAL" was used instead.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: None.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Appears on their movies from the era including Angel and the Badman (which is colorized when seen on the Hallmark Channel).

Scare Factor: None.

5th Logo (1948?-1957?) Republic Productions (1941)Republic Pictures (1948)Republic SerialRepublic ProductionA Republic Production (1948)Republic Serial "Eagle" (1950s)

Herbert J. Yates PresentsRepublic Pictures Corporation (with British Lion Film Corporation byline, 1950)Republic Pictures Corporation (1956)Republic ProductionRepublic Production (1954)Republic Serial (Colorized) Republic PresentationRepublic PresentationRepublic Pictures (1956)Republic (1956)Republic Pictures (1957)Republic Pictures (Widescreen, 1958)Republic Productions (1954, The End)Republic (1956)Republic Pictures (1957)

Nickname: "The Bald Eagle II"

Logo: On a background with dark red clouds, we see the bald eagle standing on what appears to be a volcano, facing the right. The words:

A

REPUBLIC

PRODUCTION

in a blocky font with small "grooves" cut across them, are seen underneath.

Variants: • If serials are shown, the text "A REPUBLIC SERIAL" was used instead. • "(A) REPUBLIC PRESENTATION" and "A REPUBLIC PICTURE" were used as well. •Later films used the text "REPUBLIC PICTURES PRESENTS"

• Later closing logos had the eagle swooping over a blue sash with golden edges on a cloud background. Inside the sash read "THE END" with the text "(A) REPUBLIC PRODUCTION" dissolving in a few seconds later. This appeared most notably on Johnny Guitar.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: None.

Music/Sounds:There are two versions; one is a very patriotic, drum driven fanfare. Another one is a triumphant horn sounder.On exceptional cases used the opening theme of the movie

Availability: Is still retained on Republic movies from this period, including The Quiet Man, Rio Grande, and Johnny Guitar.

Scare Factor: Minimal.

6th Logo (1957?-1959, 1966) Republic Pictures PresentsRepublic Pictures (1960's)

Nicknames: "The Bald Eagle III", "The Bald Eagle in the Sky"

Logo: On the same cloudy background, we see the same bald eagle. Below it, the words "REPUBLIC PICTURES", in a slightly different font from before, and in a more orangish color, fly at the bottom of the screen. No sun is visible in the logo.

Variants: • On some movies, the word "Presents" would fade in below the logo, in a script font. • There is also a B&W variant for classic Republic movies, serials, and edited TV movies in B&W.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The company name flying up.

Music/Sounds: Silent or the opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Extremely rare. It's usually replaced with the current logo.

Scare Factor: Low.

7th Logo (1986-1987) Republic Pictures (1986)Republic Pictures Presents

Nicknames: "The Bald Eagle IV", "The Bald Eagle in the Sky II"

Logo: Same as the previous logo, but this time, the logo is computerized.

Variant: On some movies, the word "Presents" would fade in below the logo, in a script font.

FX/SFX: The clouds moving, the company name flying up.

Cheesy Factor: The computer effects used are outdated.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the movie, or none.

Availability: Extremely rare. It's seen on some Republic Pictures movies. The "Presents" version appears on Gun Battle at Monterey on Encore Westerns.

Scare Factor: Low.

8th Logo (1987-1990)

Nicknames: "The Bald Eagle V", "The Restored Bald Eagle"

Republic Pictures (1987)Logo: On a sky background, we see the bald eagle from the previous logos (not including the Castle Republic Pictures logos). The words REPUBLIC PICTURES fly up.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The company name flying up.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Very rare. Appears on some Republic Pictures videos from the late 80s.

Scare Factor: Low.

9th Logo (1990-1994)

Republic Pictures (1992)Republic (1993)

Nicknames: "The Bald Eagle VI", "The Restored Bald Eagle II"

Logo: On a blue sky background, we see the bald eagle standing on a mountain with the words "REPUBLIC PICTURES" below. White clouds are also shown at the bottom.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The company name fading in or none.

Music/Sounds: A re-orchestrated version of the patriotic fanfare from the 50s. In most cases, the opening theme of the movie, or none.

Availability: Very rare. Appears on some Republic Pictures movies from the early 90s.

Scare Factor: Low.

10th Logo (1994-2010)

Republic Pictures (Bylineless): 1995Republic Pictures (1994, rare)Republic Pictures (1995)

Nicknames: "The Bald Eagle VII", "CGI Bald Eagle"

Logo: We start with a white cloud background. Then the sky and the clouds disperse, revealing the old view of the Republic Pictures bald eagle, redone in CGI. At the bottom-right is the rock. "REPUBLIC PICTURES", in white fades-in underneath and until 2006, the respective company byline appears below the company name.

Bylines: • 1994-1995: "A Unit of Spelling Entertainment, Inc." • 1995-2006: "A Subsidiary of Spelling Entertainment Group, Inc." •2006-2010: Bylineless

Variants: • There is also a "60th Anniversary" variant. • There is also a still variant.

FX/SFX: The camera panning to show the Republic bald eagle.

Cheesy Factor: Looks as if they didn't put any effort into this. They make a bald eagle perched on top of a volcano seem boring than anything else.

Music/Sounds: A wind blowing effect, followed by a dramatic string tune. The still variant uses the second half of the jingle.

Availability: Uncommon. It appears on the VHS edition of The Tin Soldier and the remastered version of It's a Wonderful Life. The current bylineless variant was seen on the mini-series The Stand, as well as the DVDs of Freeway and Bound. You can also find this logo on Two-Bits & Pepper. It could also be seen on video/DVD releases of their material through Artisan Entertainment, as well as releases through Lionsgate Home Entertainment.

Scare Factor: Low.