Logo descriptions by Bob Fish and Eric S.
Logo captures by Eric S. and V of Doom
Video captures courtesy of TiMeCapsule123 and Eric S.
Background[]
Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jr. decided to expand his very successful record company into film and TV production in 1967 (debuting with TCB: Takin' Care of Business, a highly-rated NBC television special starring Diana Ross and the Supremes and the Temptations). Motown also co-produced movies with Paramount (Lady Sings the Blues) and Universal (The Wiz, The Bingo Long Travelling All-Stars and Motor Kings) in the 1970s, but its logo does not appear in feature films (only in-credit mentions).
1st Logo[]
(September 11, 1971-1978)
Nicknames: "M of Doom", "Flashing M"
Logo: On a black background, An abstract, trapezoid-shaped white M from the Motown logo flashes in the center of the screen, while multicolored lines and polygons gradually converge on the M. As the colored lines fill the M, the M turns sky blue and zooms-in the reveal a blue background. Finally, the the Motown M reappears in center with the words "MOTOWN Productions Inc." with Motown in a larger font.
Variant: On Jackson 5ive (the Jackson Five's 1971-73 Saturday morning cartoon series), the logo is tinted in blue and the opening animation is speed up, with a Rankin/Bass script logo and co-production/IAW credit fading in and out.
FX/SFX: The flashing "M", the multicolored lines, the zooming "M". All are typical effects of the Scanimate era.
Music/Sounds: A somewhat dramatic disco fanfare, accompanied by "beeps" for each time the M flashes.
Availability:
- Original: Extinct.
- Jackson 5ive Variant: It is retained on the DVD/Blu-ray release of Jackson 5ive.
2nd Logo[]
(1983)
Nickname: "CGI M25"
Logo: TBA
FX/SFX: TBA
Music/Sounds: TBA
Availability: Extinct. Only seen on the Motown 25 TV special. Recordings circulate.
3rd Logo[]
(1983-1989)
Nickname: "Flying Parallelograms"
Logo: On a black background, we see nine neon parallelograms-- three red, three blue, and three green-- zoom-out toward the screen to form the Motown logo, which turns a golden color. A glowing blue square surrounds it, and "MOTOWN PRODUCTIONS" appears below in white.
FX/SFX: The parallelograms flying to form the logo; nice period computer effects. It's also reminiscent of the Avco Embassy logo.
Music/Sounds: The closing theme plays throughout.
Availability: Rare. Intact on the Lonesome Dove miniseries. Was also seen on the Motown special Yesterday, Today, Forever, which was issued on VHS by MGM/UA Home Video.
4th Logo[]
(1992)
Nickname: "Marble M"
Logo: Ee see a large, gray marble brick with the same abstract M as before with "MOTOWN Productions inc." underneath it. The marble brick simultaneously turns away from us while light is being emitted from the abstract "M".
FX/SFX: The marble brick turning, the light coming from the "M".
Music/Sounds: The closing theme plays throughout.
Availability: Only appeared on the miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream.
Final Note: In 1992, Motown Productions was merged into De Passe Entertainment.