Logo descriptions by Sean Beard and Eric S.
Logo captures by Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly, V of Doom, and Bob Fish
Editions by Bob Fish, V of Doom, SeanElGatoTV2k8, Shadeed A. Kelly, and kidinbed
Video captures courtesy of Eric S. and SeanElGatoTelevision
Background: American International Pictures created its own television division as "American International Television" (also known as "American International Productions Television" or "AIP-TV") in 1964 to distribute all AIP film releases and produce various television shows. In 1979, AIP was acquired by Filmways, Inc. and American International Television became Filmways Television in 1980. The AIP library, with some exceptions, is today owned by MGM Holdings Inc.
1st Logo
(1964-1966)
Nicknames: "Capitol Building", "AIP Car Plate", "AIP Skyline"
Logo: On a skyline background, we see the American International Pictures logo of the era (the words AMERICAN and INTERNATIONAL side by side a drawing of the Capital Building in SF American Dreams Extended font), except that the word "TELEVISION" is in place of "PICTURES".
Variant: An in-credit text saying "An American International Television Release" still appears on the first two seasons (1964-1966) of the cartoon series The Adventures of Sinbad Jr.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: The theme from the AIP logo. On some shows/TV movies that have the logo superimposed over the opening/ending shots, the logo would have the opening/ending theme of the program or have the AIP theme (sloppily) tacked on.
Availability: This was on early syndicated rerun prints of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (before Ozzie Nelson took over distribution in the late 1960s). It can still be found on old prints of Hercules and the Captive Women, and the Mexican Samson (El Santo) films dubbed into English by K. Gordon Murray.
2nd Logo
(1966-December 31, 1968)
Nicknames: "Capitol Building II", "AIP Button"
Logo: We see on a gray (or skyline) BG, an image of the Capitol Building inside a two-layer circle, resembling a coat button, with the words "American International Television" appearing below the Capitol Dome.
Variant: Appears as "An AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION Production" as an in-credit text at the end on some TV shows.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: The 1966 AIP logo theme first. Starting in 1967, series would have a loud, battling horn, flute and drum/tympani fanfare (the fanfare from the Shochiku logo) dubbed onto it; the English dub of The X From Outer Space (a.k.a. Uchû Daikaijû Girara) was one example. In other cases, the opening/closing theme is used or is silent.
Availability: Ultra rare. It appeared on some syndicated programs including early AIP films. Also, the late Samuel Z. Arkoff retained ownership of the earliest AIP films and licensed them to Teleworld for distribution, so this no longer appears. The Shochiku fanfare variant is still retained on the Orion VHS release of The X From Outer Space (explained above). It was also seen on Prince Planet on MGM's online platform "MGM Digital Media."
3rd Logo
(January 1, 1969-1973)
Nicknames: "Capitol Building III", "Capitol AI", "Creepy AI", "The Capitol Dome/Creepy AI Combo", "The Avengers Logo"
Logo: Over a black background (or superimposed over real action BG), we see a color-changing circle with a line drawing of the Capitol Building inside. Then, it zooms into place as part of the American International Pictures logo, which is now an abstract lettering design consisting of the initials "AI", to the right of the screen. After the circle moves into place, the bottom segment of the "A" and then the "I" fade into place forming the complete logo. The phrase "American International Television Presents" then fades in below the logo after it forms.
Later Variants:
- From 1972-73, the word "Inc." was added next to the company's name.
- There is also a short version.
FX/SFX: Colors changing, the circle zooming to the right and the rest of the logo forming.
Music/Sounds: The same fanfare from the 2nd logo, the opening theme of the show, or movie.
Availability: Extremely rare. Appeared on the original U.S. syndication prints of The Avengers, on the US print opening of Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot right after the 1984 Orion Pictures logo, and TV prints of AIP produced and dubbed films. The in-credit logo was retained on Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot on MGM Digital Media's YouTube account. The rights to The Avengers were sold to Weintraub Entertainment Group in 1990, and the show is now owned by Canal+, so aside from tapes of 1990s A&E repeats, this is long gone. Expect the Orion (or MGM) logo to precede the AIP logo on feature films. The short version is retained on public domain prints of The Magic Serpent.
4th Logo (1973-1974)
Nickname: "Creepy AI II", "Creepy AI in the Sky"
Logo: Over a cloudy sky backdrop, we see the familiar abstract AI logo in yellow inside a 2-layered circle border of the same color. In blue text, the words "American International Television Inc. presents" fades in below the logo.
Variant: There is a black & white version of this logo for movies from the 1950s-early 1960s.
FX/SFX: The moving clouds, the fading in of the text.
Music/Sounds: None, or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Extinct. Appeared on a fair amount of American International films and TV series, most notably on the AIP dub of Assignment Terror.
5th Logo (1974-1980)
Nicknames: "AiTV", "The Other Creepy ai"
Logo:
- Opening: On a blue background, we see 4 white angular letters spelling "AiTV" popping onto the screen one by one; the last two overlapping the letters "Ai" on top. Then the phrase "AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION, INC. presents" pop in near the "Ai" section of the logo,which then changes color to red. The complete logo fades out about a second before the empty screen fades to black.
- Closing: A still shot of the complete logo, with a yellow background, a brown logo and lettering, this time reading "Distributed by AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION, INC.". Sometimes, the logo would be superimposed.
FX/SFX: The lettering and words popping into place, changing color as the sequence plays out. None for the closing variant
Music/Sounds: An ascending horn and string fanfare (actually stock music, composed by William Loose); rather sedate compared with its predecessor. The closing variant is silent, with the theme playing out over it on some shows.
Availability: Extinct. Appeared on US prints of Lorne Greene's New Wilderness, Star Maidens, Twiggy's Jukebox, and TV syndication prints of AIP films. Lorne Greene's New Wilderness remained available to TV stations from Orion Television until the mid-1980s with the AiTV logo still present. Outside of tapes (or any future MGM International Television Distribution reissues), this logo is gone.