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'''Logo:''' Over the years, the logo has been tweaked numerous times, but the basic concept remains: An "{{
'''Trivia:'''
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'''Variants:'''
First here are the little differences in the logo, along with dates in which they were used:
*September 19, 1970-March 2, 1974: One "{{
*September 18, 1971-1982: The "{{
*September 12, 1977-April 21, 1982: Company now identified as "MTM Productions Inc.". The "{{
*1982-1990: Company identified as "MTM Enterprises, Inc.". The "{{
*September 17, 1990-May 22, 1993: Same as above, but "{{
*1992-May 19, 1998: All letters are {{
*1995-1996: 25th Anniversary logo; on a white background is a black "25," with a similarly colored MTM under that. The kitten appears in the rounded part of the "5". This is likely only a print version.
* A still version of this logo did turn up in the movies, notably the Orion Pictures release of ''Just Between Friends'' and possibly more. This is a still of the "Red/Blue Letters" version of the logo, and is shrunk to a considerably small size. No music, animation, or "meow" is present. Mimsie's head is turned away, pre-meowing.
*Another still version of this logo appeared at the beginning of a FamilyNet (now The Cowboy Channel) rerun of the season 8 ''Newhart'' episode "Don't Worry, Be Pregnant," the logo is the same as the later International version, except the letters "{{
*''Fresno'' has the "{{
*The appearance of the circle varies amongst logos. The most common one kind of "iris-in's." In others, usually ones where there's special animation or a different cat, the circle just appears.
*Sometimes the letters don't animate, as seen in the ''Carlton'', ''White Shadow'', and "Abogast" variants. Everything is up there at once.
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*''The New WKRP in Cincinnati'': Dubbed with Les Nesman Jr. exclaiming "Ooh!".
*''Newhart'': Each episode (except the pilot) featured Mimsie meowing... in Bob Newhart's voice. On the season 1 episode "No Room At the Inn", a pink Christmas wreath (similar to the one used on The Bob Newhart Show, and Rhoda) is featured in place of the MTM ribbon. On the final episode, the cat yells "QUIET!" (the two Darryls' first and only word).
*''Remington Steele'': Mimsie wears a Sherlock Holmes deerstalker cap and meerschaum pipe. As she begins to meow, the pipe drops out of her mouth and falls in front of "{{
*''St. Elsewhere'': Mimsie is wearing a scrub suit and a surgical mask, which is animated to look like her mouth is moving underneath when she meows. At least two episodes feature a different meow soundtrack. On the final episode, she (possibly portrayed by another cat) is hooked on life support on a hospital bed throughout the last credit roll. The credits run as usual over a picture of the MTM circle, with life support equipment attached on either side. You can hear the beeps of the heart monitor over the end theme, too. After the credits complete, the company name fades in and Mimsie flatlines and dies, with a long, high-pitched beep heard. This variation is especially rare, as reruns of the series finale plastered it over with the typical credits (as a side note, the actual cat, Mimsie, died in 1988, the same year St. Elsewhere ended). According to Grant Tinker, it was not uncommon for MTM to kill off Mimsie in their logo whenever a show got cancelled. (See also Texas Wheelers.)
*''The Steve Allen Show'': Mimsie (who also wears Allen's famous black rectangular-framed Ray-Ban eyeglasses) lip-syncs Allen's "Schmock!" instead of "meow!".
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MTM Enterprises, Inc. (also known as "MTM Productions, Inc.") was an independent production company established in 1969 by actress Mary Tyler Moore (hence the initials of the company) and her then-husband Grant Tinker. The company was formed as a result of an agreement with Moore and the CBS network to produce 22 episodes of a new sitcom, which would become The Mary Tyler Moore Show. In 1986, MTM launched "MTM Television Distribution". MTM titles had previously been distributed by Viacom Enterprises (now "CBS Media Ventures"), and then Victory Television. MTM was sold to TVS Entertainment (a subsidiary of now-defunct ITV franchise holder TVS) in July 1988. In 1992 after TVS lost its ITV franchise to Meridian Broadcasting, it was then sold to International Family Entertainment, Inc., owners of The Family Channel, which in turn was sold and merged into Fox Family Worldwide (now "ABC Family Worldwide") in 1997. MTM ceased operations the following year, and its library assets were folded into 20th Century Fox Television (now "20th Television"). Today, most of its library assets (with some exceptions) are owned by The Walt Disney Company after acquiring 20th Century Fox in 2019.
Logo: Over the years, the logo has been tweaked numerous times, but the basic concept remains: An "M" flies backward from off screen, then splits into two. In the space left between the two letters, two "T"'s come from the top and bottom of the screen and join to form one. This completes the initials of the company, and the letter "T" shrinks when a gold circle appears over it. Under the letters are the words "ENTERPRISES, INC.", "ENTERPRISES", "PRODUCTIONS, INC.", or "PRODUCTIONS". Sometimes, the finished logo will read out "AN MTM ENTERPRISES (INC.) PRODUCTION" ("AN" appears over the first "M"). Back to the circle, it is ribbon-like and decorated with stars and the letters "MTM" on top. Inside is a live-action orange striped kitten who meows once, obviously as a parody of the MGM lion. All the text (except for the later versions) appears in the Peignot font used for the Viacom "Pinball" logo.
Trivia:
Variants: First here are the little differences in the logo, along with dates in which they were used:
Custom Variants: One thing that the MTM logo was known for was that it would often be custom made for whatever show it appeared at the end of. This means Mimsie's appearance would sometimes be different, usually involving her "wearing" a costume or saying something other than "meow". Here are those variants:
Unofficial Nicknames: for the non-Mimsie MTM cats...
FX/SFX: A mix of live action and cel animation.
Music/Sounds/Voice-over: None, except the end theme of the show and Mimsie meowing. Starting in 1996, a 5-note jingle was added before the "meow". This was seen and heard on some shows such as the short-lived 1997 revival of It Takes Two with Dick Clark and the 1st season of the sitcom Sparks among shows.
Music/Sounds Variants:
Availability: Fairly common. It was once a plaster victim thanks to the 20th Television logo; but not anymore.
Legacy: This is highly regarded among many for being a cute parody of the MGM logo, as well as featuring good animation for the '70s, a neat design, multiple custom variations, and surprisingly good video quality of Mimsie. However, the St. Elsewhere series finale logo is rather infamous for its depressing nature; the Texas Wheelers finale variant may be the same way if it exists or is discovered.
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