Background: PolyGram Records also had a television division in 1981 (first under the name of "PolyGram Television Ltd."), whose logo was similar to the PolyGram Pictures ID seen on feature films. This division managed to survive until 1987 but it was resurrected in 1993 when PolyGram Filmed Entertainment bought ITC Entertainment Group and affixed the new PolyGram Television logo on prints of ITC shows aired on British TV and elsewhere, but in America kept the ITC name and logo (operating as "ITC Distribution, Inc.") until 1997. Later that year, ITC Distribution was folded into the parent company to continue producing and distributing television shows in Britain and other countries, including the U.S., until 1999 when it was folded into Universal Television in 2000. However, the ITC library was later bought by Carlton International Media and is currently owned by ITV Global Entertainment, a subsidiary of ITV PLC. The film Rehearsal for Murder is in the public domain powered by Open Flix.
1st Logo
(1981?-82)[]
Logo: Technically a still version of its 1981 theatrical counterpart, but this time, "Television" replaces "Pictures."
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Ultra rare. Seen on a Mexican DVD of the 1982 film Missing.
2nd Logo (1981-1987)[]
Nickname: "Star Line"
Logo: On a black background, we see the name "PolyGram Television", in blue, flying from right to the center of a logo white an orange star zooms out to place itself under the "P" and makes more stars underneath the name. We later see an orange (or red) light shining across the stars to make a line.
FX/SFX: The name flying and the stars forming.
Music/Sounds: A simple synthesized tune.
Music/Sounds Variant: On the DVD of Rehearsal for Murder, the first second or so of the music is missing.
Availability: Extremely rare. It appears at the end of the long out of print DVD release of Rehearsal for Murder, and may possibly be on the 2004 Pathfinder Home Entertainment DVD of The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd. Also seen on Amazon Prime Video's print of The Five of Me, after the The Factor Newland Production Corporation logo.
3rd Logo
(1993-1997)[]
Nickname: "BANG!"
Logo: Same as the video counterpart, except with "Television" replacing "Video".
FX/SFX: Same as the 1993-1997 PolyGram Video logo.
Music/Sounds: Same as the 1993-1997 PolyGram Video logo.
Availability: Extinct, as most PolyGram shows from this era (such as The Big Easy) mostly used the short version of its theatrical counterpart. If you've seen this, you are very lucky indeed. This was primarily a distribution logo in the UK and other countries outside the U.S. It may have appeared on early episodes of Due South, but the DVD version has no evidence.
4th Logo
(September 22, 1997-1999)[]
Nicknames: "PolyGram Wing Man", "Icarus"
Logo: Same as its film counterpart, except with "TELEVISION" replacing "FILMED ENTERTAINMENT".
Variants:
- A still version with "DISTRIBUTED BY" in a blue type above the Icarus was put onto some ITC feature films and television shows.
- The print version was seen in the closing credits of the Nick Jr. cartoon Maisy.
- A version with the words "TELEVISION INTERNATIONAL" existed.
- "VISUAL PROGRAMMING" may replace "TELEVISION".
FX/SFX: Same as its film counterpart.
Music/Sounds: None or the end theme of the show.
Availability: Extremely rare. The distribution version was seen on a Showtime Networks airing of The Moderns, Netflix's print of The Tamarind Seed circa 2009, and the PolyGram VHS of Ski Patrol. The regular version is intact on the mini-series The Billionaire Boys Club (originally produced by ITC) on DVD from A&E Home Video and on some episodes of The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, including the pilot. It is also seen on the TV special Barney's First Adventure, which can be found as a bonus feature on the Barney's Great Adventure DVD, and on a 1999 MGM Contemporary Classics VHS print of The Graduate. Also appeared on Netflix's print of The Lunatics. The "VISUAL PROGRAMMING" variant can be found on Cats, and some prints of The Best Bits of Mr. Bean. It's still seen on Maisy episodes from the era (in-credit print version).