Paramount Pictures

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Paramount Pictures is the second oldest-running movie studio in Hollywood (second only to Universal Pictures, which was founded eight days earlier). Paramount traces its history back to May 8, 1912, when it was originally founded as Famous Players Film Company by Hungarian-born Adolph Zukor. He had been an early investor in nickelodeons (film theaters that cost 5 cents for admission; oddly enough, Paramount owns a company named "Nickelodeon"), and saw that movies appealed mainly to working-class immigrants. With partners Daniel Frohman and Charles Frohman, he planned to offer motion pictures that would appeal to the middle class by featuring leading theatrical players of the time (leading to the slogan "famous players in famous plays"). By 1913, Famous Players had completed five films and Zukor was on his way to success. That same year, fellow aspiring producer Jesse L. Lasky opened the Lasky Feature Play Company with money borrowed from his brother-in-law Samuel Goldfish (later known as Samuel Goldwyn), founder of Goldwyn Pictures (later part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios). The Lasky company hired Cecil B. DeMille, a stage director with virtually no film experience, as their first employee; DeMille would find a suitable location site in Hollywood for his first film The Squaw Man (1914).

In 1914, Famous Players was renamed Paramount Pictures Corporation. Lasky left Paramount in 1932, with Zukor blaming him for the studio's financial issues at the time. In 1948, Paramount was taken to the United States Supreme Court. This case, known as United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc., resulted in studios being forced to divest themselves of their theater holdings and, in addition to the concurrent rise of television, would mark the beginning of the end for the old "studio system". In 1959, Adolph Zukor stepped down from running the studio and assumed the role of chairman, which he held until 1964. On March 24, 1966, Paramount was acquired by Gulf+Western Industries, which later became Paramount Communications on June 5, 1989. As part of the acquisition by Gulf+Western, Lucille Ball's Desilu Productions and the Desilu lot were brought under Paramount's control, and in 1967, Desilu was renamed Paramount Television.

On March 11, 1994, Paramount Communications was merged with Viacom. On December 31, 2005, Viacom split into two companies: one retaining its original name (inheriting Paramount, MTV Networks and BET Networks) and the other being named CBS Corporation (inheriting Paramount's television production and distribution arms, currently known as CBS Studios, CBS Media Ventures and Paramount Global Content Distribution, respectively), with both companies owned by National Amusements. Television rights to Paramount's library are currently handled by Trifecta Entertainment & Media. Paramount relaunched its Paramount Television division (now known as "Paramount Television Studios") on March 4, 2013. On August 13, 2019, it was announced that Viacom and CBS would reunite and merge to form ViacomCBS; the merger was completed on December 4, 2019. On February 16, 2022, ViacomCBS was renamed Paramount Global (or simply Paramount for short), named after the studio.


1st Logo (February 12, 1914-January 25, 1917)


Visuals: Over a black background is a mountain above a few clouds surrounded by stars. There is text over the mountain reading:

Paramount
Pictures

Variants:

  • Depending on the film, the colors are different.
  • An in-credit version exists.
    • A closing variant exists, where the print logo is at the bottom of the screen with "A Paramount Picture" overlapping over it. Below is the copyright notice reading "COPYRIGHTED [YEAR] BY FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY CORPORATION". At the center of the screen is "The End". At the top of the screen is a rectangular box with "A FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY PRODUCTION" inside.
    • A blue toned version of this also exists.

Technique: This logo is a painting filmed by a cameraman.

Audio: The closing theme of the film.

Availability: It can be seen on the earliest films under the Paramount Pictures name. Some films are still around, while others are destroyed.

  • Seen at the end of very early Paramount-era films such as The Squaw Man, The Virginian, The Bargain, The Italian, Carmen, and The Cheat.

Legacy: This marks the first use of the studio's famous mountain.

2nd Logo (January 29, 1917-June 11, 1927)

Visuals: One of the following bylines is at the top of the screen:

  • "ADOLPH ZUKOR PRESENTS" (films produced on the East Coast).
  • "JESSE L. LASKY PRESENTS" (films produced on the West Coast).
  • "ADOLPH ZUKOR AND JESSE L. LASKY PRESENT" (films produced on both coasts).
  • "JOSEPH M. SCHENCK PRESENTS" (for Buster Keaton shorts).

Below is the title of the film and more info. Somewhere on the screen, there is a print logo consisting of a snow-capped mountain poking out of a cloud at the bottom, surrounded by a ring of stars. There is text overlapping the mountain reading:

A
Paramount
Picture

At the bottom of the screen is a box with two Paramount pseudo-logos on either side. Each has a ring of stars inside a ring, both of which read "Paramount Pictures". At the top of the box is "COPYRIGHT [YEAR]". Inside the box, there are the words "FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY CORPORATION" in a large font. Below this, there are the words "ADOLPH ZUKOR, President" (the word "President" is written in a script font) in a slightly smaller font. Below Zukor's name, there are the words "NEW YORK CITY". Below the box is, in a large font, "ALL RIGHTS RESERVED".

Variants:

  • On some films, such as His Sweetheart, Her Strange Wedding, The Secret Game, Male and Female, The Copperhead, Excuse My Dust, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Why Change Your Wife?, Forbidden Fruit, Leap Year, The Affairs of Anatol, Miss Lulu Bett, The Sheik, Moran of the Lady Letty, and Blood and Sand, omit the Paramount Pictures logo.
  • On Zaza (1923) and So's Your Old Man (1926), the "A Paramount Picture" logo is seen in a background, containing credits which overlap the logo.
  • On The False Faces, there is the print logo on the bottom right corner. On the top corner of the screen is the Thomas H. Ince Productions logo with the trademark notice below it.
  • On Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch, the box is replaced with the "A Paramount Picture" logo with the print logo on the right with the words "FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY CORPORATION" on the top of the screen.
  • On Behind the Door, there is the text "A Paramount Artcraft Special" with the Paramount Pictures and Artcraft Pictures logos on either side on each boxes.
  • On Peter Pan (1924), the "TRADE MARK" notices are below each Paramount pseudo-logos.
  • Starting with the release of You Never Know Women in 1926, the "Paramount Pictures" pseudo-logos on either side of the box are removed.
    • On Old Ironsides, there are the words "COPYRIGHT [YEAR]" on the upper-left side of the box and "ALL RIGHTS RESERVED" on the upper-right side of the box.
  • On Buster Keaton shorts, the print logo appears below, with copyright notices on either side of the logo.
  • On Moran of the Lady Letty, there is a snow-capped mountain, surrounded by a ring of stars. The logo is seen on a black background. Overlapping the logo is the text "A Paramount Picture".
  • On the opening of Manhandled (1924), the two Paramount pseudo-logos are split, containing the boxes under each Paramount pseudo-logos.
  • Sometimes, only the print logo would be present on screen.
  • Closing Titles:
    • 1st Closing Title: On Buster Keaton shorts, the title of the film is at the top of the screen. Inside the frame, there are the words "THE END". At the bottom of the screen is "Paramount-Arbuckle Comedy" inside the rectangular box.
    • 2nd Closing Title: There are the words "THE END", with the title of the film above. At the bottom of the screen is "A Paramount-Artcraft Picture" inside the rectangle-like shape. Certain films, such as Behind the Door, omit the Paramount Pictures logo.
    • 3rd Closing Title: There is a box from the opening logo at the bottom of the screen during the early variant with a drawing line with the title of the film at the top of the screen with the words "The End" at the center.
    • 4th Closing Title: There are the words "The End" or "THE END", with the title of the film above. There is a logo inside a rectangular box with the text "A Paramount Picture" above the rectangular box.
    • 5th Closing Title: Same as before, but there are the words "THE END" on the screen. At the top of the screen is the title of the film. Below the text "THE END" is the opening logo. On The Covered Wagon (1923), this variant appears superimposed on a marble-like background.
  • Closing Variants:
    • On some films, the "A Paramount Picture" logo appears after the movie ends instead. After a few seconds, the "The End" overlaps the logo and fades out or the text "THE END" fading into the logo.
    • Sometimes, the MPPDA logo is seen on the lower-left screen.
    • On It's the Old Army Game (1926), the text "The End" is omitted.
    • Sometimes, the words read "Paramount Pictures".
    • Another variant, from Stage Struck (1925), shows the "THE END" in white script with the "T" and "E" in fancy lettering. After a few seconds, the "A Paramount Picture" pseudo-logo is seen on a reddish pink background, while on Manhandled (1924), there are the words "The End" with the "T" and "E" in fancy lettering. After a few seconds, the "A Paramount Picture" logo is seen on a sepia background.
  • On some of Paramount's earlier movies, the pseudo-logo "A Paramount Picture" is nowhere to be seen in the movie's title, keeping only the two small pseudo-logos below the title. Instead, the full "A Paramount Picture" logo is seen after it. After a few seconds, the film's opening credits overlap with the logo. It can be seen on films such as Love 'Em and Leave 'Em (1926) and Running Wild (1927).
  • On the openings of Grass, Stage Struck, Moana, Dancing Mothers, It's the Old Army Game, Nell Gwyn, Fine Manners and So's Your Old Man, the credits are seen, with the print logo at the bottom shown between the two words, being similar to the Closing Titles.
    • On some films, such as The Show-Off (1926), the words "A Paramount Picture" appear below the credits, with the two small pseudo-logos between the copyright notice are shown below the title.
  • Early Variant: There are the words "A Famous Players-Lasky Super Production" or "A Paramount Picture" with the words "COPYRIGHT [YEAR]" below, all above the box. There is the Paramount Pictures logo on the left and Artcraft Pictures or the Paramount Pictures logo on the right with "TRADE MARK" notices on either side of the logos. Inside the box, there are the words "FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY CORPORATION" in a large font. Below "FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY CORPORATION" (with the word "BY" above the letter "L" in "LASKY"), there are the words "ADOLPH ZUKOR Pres. JESSE L. LASKY Producer CECIL B. DEMILLE Director General", and below that, there are the words "NEW YORK".
    • Starting with the release of The Sheik in 1921, the words "ALL RIGHTS RESERVED" appear below the box.
    • Earlier films until 1920 would have the words "COPYRIGHT [YEAR] BY" above "FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY CORPORATION".
    • On films distributed by Paramount-Artcraft, the text "A Paramount-Artcraft Picture" appears above the box.
    • Starting with the release of Blood and Sand in 1922, the word "BY" was removed, and "ADOLPH ZUKOR Pres. JESSE L. LASKY Producer CECIL B. DEMILLE Director General" was changed to "ADOLPH ZUKOR, President". Also, the text "NEW YORK" was changed to "NEW YORK CITY".
    • Some films do not have "TRADE MARK".

Technique: This logo was a painting filmed by a cameraman.

Audio: None or the opening and closing themes of the film.

Availability: This logo was thought to have been extinct for years. Evidence of its existence was seen on a Paramount Pictures 75th Anniversary trailer on 1987 Paramount Home Video releases. However, it was kept intact on the 75th Anniversary VHS release of The Covered Wagon, as well as on that film's 1981 Magnetic Video VHS release, where it is preceded by the United Artists "Transamerica T" logo.

  • Most of Paramount's silent output featured its print logo over the opening and ending titles, while later films featured the onscreen logo fading into the film's title card.
  • This logo is retained on all extant silent-era Paramount Pictures films shown on TCM, such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Why Change Your Wife?, The Sheik, Moran of the Lady Letty, Blood and Sand, The Covered Wagon, Zaza, Manhandled, Peter Pan (1924), Too Many Kisses, The Vanishing American, Stage Struck, Dancing Mothers, It's the Old Army Game, Mantrap, The Show-Off, Love 'Em and Leave 'Em, So's Your Old Man, and Old Ironsides.
  • Like most silent films before 1927, the rest of their catalogue has been subject to deterioration or in public domain or have passed on to other companies that released versions with copyrighted music scores.
  • Most of these versions use new opening titles due to lost material for the original credits (the current version of Metropolis is an example of this); however, some films such as the restored version of Peter Pan (1924) have survived with the original Paramount tags intact.
  • A picture showing the filming of this logo can be found on page 71 of the book A Pictorial History of the Western Film.
  • The early variant of this logo was seen on His Sweetheart, Her Strange Wedding, The Secret Game, The False Faces, Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch, The Roaring Road, Male and Female, The Copperhead, Excuse My Dust, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Why Change Your Wife?, Forbidden Fruit, Leap Year, The Affairs of Anatol, Miss Lulu Bett, The Sheik, Moran of the Lady Letty, and Blood and Sand.
  • The Buster Keaton variant of this logo was seen on their films, such as Good Night, Nurse! and The Garage.
  • This logo premiered on His Sweetheart and made its final appearance on Running Wild.
  • The logo was often not shown at all on a few films, such as at the end of Old Ironsides, Too Wise Wives (which actually used the Lois Weber Productions logo instead) and films distributed by Artcraft Pictures.
  • The variants were kept intact on the DVD of Love 'Em and Leave 'Em and on the Blu-ray of Running Wild.

3rd Logo (January 22, 1927-November 28, 1953)


Visuals: There is a snow-capped mountain against a dark sky, with clouds that look like smoke. Encircling the mountain are 24 stars, accompanied by the following text in a majestic script font overlapping the mountain:

A
Paramount
Picture

At the end of the film is "The End", in script, overlapping the company name. On many movies, "The End" fades out, leaving only the logo and "A Paramount Picture".

Trivia:

  • The mountain was doodled by William W. Hodkinson during a meeting with Adolph Zukor. It is based off of Ben Lomond Mountain in Utah, which is near where Hodkinson spent his childhood. The gliding clouds and mountain are both hand-painted matte paintings, with the cloud background being slid behind the mountain.
  • 24 stars surround the mountain: one for each movie star that had a contract with the studio at the time.

Variants:

  • Sometimes, the clouds around the mountain are foggier.
  • At the end of Barbed Wire (1927), the "A Paramount Picture" logo is seen. After a few seconds, the words "The End" fade in.
  • On films starring Harold Lloyd, there is a copyright notice for Harold Lloyd Corporation below the logo.
  • On The Letter (1929), the logo is still.
  • On title cards for movies released between 1927 and 1930, the box from the previous logo appears at the bottom of the screen (with the two Paramount pseudo-logos are removed). Inside the box, there are the words "PARAMOUNT FAMOUS LASKY CORPORATION" in a large font. Below this, there are the words "ADOLPH ZUKOR, PRESIDENT" in a slightly smaller font. Below Zukor's name, there are the words "NEW YORK CITY". There are the words "COPYRIGHT [YEAR]" on the upper-left or on the left side of the box and "ALL RIGHTS RESERVED" on the upper-right or on the right side of the box.
    • On Wings, there are the words "COPYRIGHT [YEAR]" on the top of the box with "ALL RIGHTS RESERVED" omitted.
    • On Children of Divorce, the word "PARAMOUNT FAMOUS LASKY CORPORATION" is replaced by "FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY CORPORATION".
    • On some films, there are the words "COPYRIGHT [YEAR]" on the right side of the box and "ALL RIGHTS RESERVED" on the left side of the box.
    • Starting in 1928, the words "WESTERN ELECTRIC SYSTEM" appear below the box.
  • Although the same general design of this logo remained the same, there were subtle changes from 1929 to 1931, including brighter stars on some films released from 1927 to 1930, the redone version of the stars on some films released from 1930 to 1935, or the slightly different design on films from 1935 to 1939 and from 1936 to 1939, respectively. From 1937 to 1939, and from 1939 to 1942, the words "A" and "Picture" fade out a little, and the word either "ADOLPH ZUKOR PRESENTS", or "Paramount PRESENTS" fades in below "Paramount", or sometimes nothing on the logo, respectively.
  • There are also sepia variants.
  • Some films in the early 1930s features the National Recovery Administration (NRA), a new deal agency existed between 1933 and 1935, and a MPPDA card at the start, respectively, before preceded by the Paramountain logo.
  • On the infamous Koch Media widescreen DVD and Blu-ray of the 1939 animated film Gulliver's Travels, the opening Paramount logo is still on a (poorly) retouched widescreen background, then the "filmed" portion of the mountain stretches and morphs as its fades into the opening title card. The closing variant is similar to the opening version as well, morphing and all.
  • In earlier color films released from 1930 to 1939, the logo is colored in blue/purple. Starting in 1941, the logo is more colorized.
    • Some colorized versions of black and white films has the clouds colored in blue or sea blue, with mountains colored in yellow or dark colors.
    • Another colorized version of the 1936-1939 variant exists, where the clouds are colored in either denim blue, dark blue, or a sea green. The mountains are also colored either yellow shade or in dark colors, respectively.
  • Sometimes, the word "Release" replaces "Picture", although The House That Shadows Built uses the word "Program" instead.
  • On Horse Feathers and Now and Forever, the logo has 23 stars instead of 24.
  • On The Cocoanuts, there are the words "The END" fading into the closing logo.

Technique: This logo is a painting filmed by a cameraman, with the cloud backdrop being moved behind the mountain.

Audio: The beginning or end of a movie's theme.

Audio Variant: Starting with the 1930 film Paramount on Parade, almost all films from Paramount use the fanfare of the same name (written by Elsie Janis and Jack King).

Availability: This appears on most Paramount films from The Kid Brother to Forever Female.

  • On old prints of Paramount films distributed by MCA TV through EMKA, they are usually plastered with, or preceded by, the MCA-TV logo of the time.
  • On current prints that Universal owns from the EMKA package, the 1997 Universal logo precedes it.
  • The logo also appeared at the beginning of Broadway Bill (originally a Columbia Pictures release that Paramount acquired the rights to years after they remade that film as Riding High).

Legacy: One of the most well known logos during Hollywood's golden age, and one of Paramount's most famous logos in general, given its lifespan.

4th Logo (October 12, 1934-November 7, 1949)


Visuals:

  • 1934-1936: There is a mountain shooting above a cloud deck, with a ring of 19 or 24 stars (similar to the 5th logo). In an unusual font, there are the words "A Paramount Picture".
  • 1936-1949: There is a brown mountain with a brownish sky. This is similar to the Paramount movie logo, except the word "Paramount" is slightly below the top of the mountain, which has 30 stars.

Opening Titles:

  • Popular Science: There is a cartoon airplane zooming toward the camera. After the plane passes is either "ADOLPH ZUKOR PRESENTS" or "PARAMOUNT PRESENTS" while we're looking down at the airplane. The words "POPULAR SCIENCE" are seen on the airplane's wings. At the bottom is a copyright notice and a Paramount pseudo-logo. Also present may be another copyright notice for Shields Pictures.
  • Unusual Occupations: On a shining red background is the above words, except the words "UNUSUAL OCCUPATIONS" are seen.

Technique: This logo is a painting filmed by a cameraman.

Audio:

  • Popular Science: A variation of the Paramount on Parade fanfare accompanies the sound of the airplane passing.
  • Unusual Occupations: A patriotic theme is heard, which leads into a medley of "I've Been Working on the Railroad", "Pop Goes the Weasel" and "Old MacDonald Had a Farm".

Availability: The aforementioned shorts have had barely any exposure since AMC stopped playing them over a decade ago (when they aired them under the umbrella title AMC Short Cuts). Remains intact on a GoodTimes Entertainment DVD release of Popeye: When Popeye Ruled The World, which contains a short featuring behind-the-scenes footage of a Popeye cartoon.

5th Logo (December 23, 1950-October 22, 1953)


Visuals: Similar to the third logo, but this variation looks more marble and uneven in appearance. The sky background is a bit lighter as well.

Variants:

  • Before the release of the widescreen feature Shane, the logo appears closer up.
  • A German version with a repainted mountain was spotted at the end of The War of the Worlds and at the beginning of When Worlds Collide.

Technique: This logo is a painting filmed by a cameraman, with the cloud backdrop being moved behind the mountain.

Audio: None or the opening and closing themes of the film.

Audio Variant: On a few occasions, it uses the Paramount on Parade theme.

Availability: Still intact on Paramount color releases of the period, including Branded, When Worlds Collide, The Greatest Show on Earth, Shane, Arrowhead, and the end of The War of the Worlds (the opening of the film uses the 3rd logo), among others.

  • The last film to use this logo was Here Come the Girls.
  • It also makes a surprise appearance at the beginning of the Duckman episode "The Road to Dendron".

6th Logo (May 27, 1953-September 24, 1975)

Visuals: The mountain is more realistic than the previous logo, with canyon scenery and trees around it. The sky is more distant in depth and is very contrast. Everything else is the same as before here.

  • 1953-1968: The text on the mountain reads "A Paramount Picture" or "A Paramount Release" (written in the Paramount corporate font).
  • 1968-1975: "Paramount" (in the same font) is seen on the mountain's peak with the stars encircling the mountain. The byline "A Gulf+Western Company" appears on the bottom.
  • 1970-1975: The "Paramount" script is redrawn, with the first "P" moved slightly upwards.
  • 1974-1975: The "Paramount" script is redrawn once more, this time resembling the one that would be used from 1975 onward.

Trivia:

  • This was originally created for Paramount's 3D process "Paravision" and later modified especially for widescreen.
  • The mountain seen here is known as "Artesonraju", located in Peru.
  • The painting of the mountain was created by matte artist Jan Domela.

Variants:

  • On some films, there is a shadow behind the "Paramount" script.
  • On Paramount's first 3D film Sangaree (the first film to use this logo), the text and stars are bigger and the mountain is seen from afar. The words "A Paramount Picture" fade a few seconds later to the words "in 3 Dimension". At the end of the movie, the "The End" text appears by itself in front of the mountain, then fades to the company name a few moments later.
  • On films shot in VistaVision, the stars and text fade out, followed by the text "in", which itself fades out and is followed by a big "V" zooming in (a la the Viacom's "V of Doom"). The words "VISTA" and "ISION" appear on either side in a wiping effect. Then the words "MOTION PICTURE" appear under "VISTA", followed by "HIGH-FIDELITY" under "ISION".
    • German and Italian prints of We're No Angels have a localized version with a re-painted mountain and translated text. In the Italian version, no other text appears with "VISTAVISION".
  • On White Christmas, "Paramount proudly presents the first picture in" (with the "P" written in their corporate font) first appears over the mountain, followed by the VistaVision logo without any other text. The rest of the logo then plays as usual.
  • The logo has appeared in Spanish ("Paramount Films Presenta"), French ("C'est un film Paramount", or "Distribué par Paramount"), and German ("Ein Paramount Film", or "Im Verleih der Paramount").
  • On movie trailers, another version is used where there are the 24 stars, followed by "COMING FROM Paramount Pictures" (or "COMING FROM Paramount" since 1968) appearing one by one in the center, with the Gulf+Western byline appearing below in the latter variation. This was used until around 1977; however, the trailers for Harold and Maude use the normal version of this logo instead.
  • A variant used in 1974 that has two of the stars clipped away exists. The mountain looks the same as it does in the second version, but the stars are bigger. Also, "A Gulf+" slides in from the left and "+Western Company" from the right. The script name also had a few variations of its own. At least three movies from 1974 (The Great Gatsby, Brother Sun, Sister Moon and Death Wish) feature the TV version of this logo; the standard 1974 logo features the print variation, which remains from this day forward.
    • A version of this variant has the byline in a different font, which is seen at the end of a French print of The Godfather: Part II.
  • On the Modern Madcaps short Boy Pest with Osh, the byline was replaced with copyright beside the MPAA logo.
  • Some films such as Lady Sings the Blues and the original 1969 version of The Italian Job have a still version of this logo.
  • Sometimes, the text and stars have a more noticeable drop shadow. This version can be found on the original 1969 version of True Grit and the 2002 DVD release of Big Jake (a Cinema Center Films production).
  • On some films such as the original 1966 version of Alfie, the clouds move a bit faster than in the normal version.
  • On some films such as Barbarella, Skidoo (both 1968), The Italian Job (1969), and Lady Sings the Blues (1972), the Gulf+Western byline is slightly off-center.
  • On a German print of The Caddy, the text is in German and the stars and text are disconnected from the mountain.
  • Sometimes, the 1968 logo appears zoomed in. This variant is preserved on the 2001 widescreen DVD release of Charlotte's Web, and possibly on other films from the period.
  • A textless version also exists, which was seen on an Italian print of the 1967 film El Dorado.
  • On a May 4, 1986 Yorkshire airing of Darling Lili (1970), the 1968 variant of the logo fades into the 1982 Yorkshire Television endcap.

Technique: This logo is a painting filmed by a cameraman, with the cloud backdrop being moved behind the mountain. Cel animation from Famous Studios is also included in the VistaVision variant.

Audio: Usually silent or the opening/ending music of a film.

Audio Variants:

  • On films shown in VistaVision, the logo has a majestic fanfare composed by Nathan Van Cleave (which wasn't used on VistaVision films such as Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Strategic Air Command and Vertigo, which used their respective opening themes).
  • The VistaVision fanfare was sometimes specially rearranged for films such as The Desperate Hours (Gail Kubik and Daniele Amfitheatrof), The Tin Star (Elmer Bernstein) and Artists and Models (Walter Scharf, also in a lower pitch).
  • On White Christmas, the VistaVision fanfare segues into the final notes of the Paramount on Parade fanfare, which itself trails into the opening theme.
  • For the "COMING FROM" variant, a rhythmic timpani sound is heard for each word that appears, followed by a drum beat.
  • On Money from Home, a different brass fanfare is heard, composed by Leigh Harline.
  • Some TV movies such as Seven in Darkness have an extended version of the 1969 Paramount Television theme from the era.
  • On Charlotte's Web, a 13-note orchestra fanfare featuring part of the opening song "Deep in the Dark" is heard (the music starts before the logo fades in and finishes when the logo fades out).

Availability: Again, preserved on most Paramount releases of the period.

  • The version without the VistaVision logo was first seen on Paramount's first 3D film Sangaree.
  • The VistaVision version is often seen on Western films (such as Last Train from Gun Hill, the Magnetic Video release of which preserves the logo in its entirety; also on the film's Starmaker Video VHS release) and is also seen on White Christmas (the first film to use the VistaVision variation) and Vertigo.
  • It was plastered by the 1963 Universal logo at the beginning of four Alfred Hitchcock films that Paramount merely released: The Trouble with Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo, and Rear Window.
    • However, recent remastered prints of those films restore the Paramount logo on their current DVD and Blu-ray releases.
  • Psycho, another Hitchcock production released by Paramount, also preserves this logo on its initial MCA Videocassette release, as well as all releases from 1989 onward.
    • It is unknown whether this logo and/or the Universal logo is preserved on the DiscoVision release.
  • This logo is also seen at the beginning of the first four Indiana Jones films (with the Gulf+Western byline from the 6th logo added in) and Big Top Pee-wee.
  • The 1968-74 variation first debuted on The Odd Couple, and among the notable releases of this variant were The Godfather (at least on the 1990 VHS release; most prints have either newer Paramount logos or none at all), Catch-22, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Charlotte's Web, Paint Your Wagon, Harold and Maude, and Rosemary's Baby.
    • It is also seen at the end of the 2001 DVD release of The Godfather Part II and Chinatown, which had the 2nd logo at the beginning.
    • It was also seen at the beginning of Escape from Zahrain (1962) when it was streamed on the Paramount Vault YouTube channel in 2016; it is unknown if it plastered the 1953-69 version.
  • BBC One UK airings of the original 1969 version of The Italian Job retains the logo, sometimes after The Wonderful World of Disney intro.
  • Original theatrical prints of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory contained the 1968-74 logo, but the rights reverted to producer David L. Wolper after that film initially underperformed at the box office, and became property of Warner Bros. Pictures upon that studio's acquisition of Wolper Productions in 1976, so most newer prints plaster this with a variety of Warner Bros. logos, most prominently the various 1990s Warner Bros. Family Entertainment logos.
    • However, the 2021 UHD print of the film restores the opening Paramount logo (although the closing Paramount logo is seen on an old UK VHS release thereof).
  • The 1974-75 variation can be found on the original 1974 version of The Great Gatsby, The Longest Yard, The Godfather Part II, The Day of the Locust, Bug, Nashville, Framed, and Three Days of the Condor, and also plasters the 1968-74 variation on many current prints of Goodbye, Columbus.
  • Newer prints of Danger: Diabolik and Such Good Friends, the 1995 VHS release of Charlotte's Web, and earlier DVD releases of The Godfather and The Godfather Part II have this logo plastered with the 1986 logo, while many current prints of Once Upon a Time in the West, Barbarella, Ace High, Downhill Racer, Fear is the Key, Three Days of the Condor, and Murphy's War have it plastered with the next logo below (although this logo is kept at the end of Barbarella).
  • The last film to use this logo was Three Days of the Condor.

Legacy: This is one of the more famous logos for Paramount, and is a favorite among fans of their older catalogue. Also, the mountain seen here would serve as a template for all future Paramount logos.

7th Logo (October 8, 1975-December 12, 1986)

Visuals: The same mountain from the previous logo fades in. 22 white stars encircling the mountain fade in all at once, followed by the word "Paramount" on the mountain's peak (in a redone script font). The Gulf+Western byline (this time with each word stacked and set in News Gothic) and a registered trademark symbol also appear at the same time below it. The scene then crossfades to a navy blue version of the print logo (with the stars, script and byline still in white) on a light blue background.

Trivia: The design of this logo allowed the full animation to be used on trailers and as a closing logo instead of a still variant.

Variants:

  • The distance between the words and the mountain peak sometimes varies.
  • The size and the color tint of the logo may vary.
  • On films produced in 2.35:1 and some 1979-1986 films produced in 1.85:1, the stars fade in further down the mountain than usual, and "Paramount" overlaps the mountain's peak. This usually does not affect the end product.
  • One variation from 1976 has the navy blue portion of the final logo appear smaller than usual, with the "Paramount" script slightly smaller, and the stars and Gulf+Western byline drastically larger. This rather strange variation appears on films such as Hustle, Leadbelly, The Last Tycoon, and Lifeguard, among others. A less awkward version with resized text (but still keeping the smaller mountain) appears on films such as The Bad News Bears, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Lipstick, Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood, and Thieves. This version also lacks a registered trademark symbol.
  • A variation of this logo was used as a bumper for trailers for upcoming films with the words "Coming From" above. However, trailers for Popeye, D.A.R.Y.L. and other films use the normal version instead.
  • On a promotional film for the studio, a circle of stars is seen and the logo is revealed, but is completely white.
  • On some French releases, the mountain (the same one used in the Is Paris Burning? variants of the previous logo) is quite awkward, and the finished product also looks more like the previous logo. The Gulf+Western byline is larger, in a different font, and moved up the mountain. Also, there are 29 stars instead of 22.
  • On Rockstar Games' The Warriors (2006), the logo has the Viacom "Wigga-Wigga" byline.
  • On a 1991 BBC 2 airing of Pretty in Pink (1986), the logo does not fade to the print mountain.
  • On a December 21, 1986 LWT airing of Trading Places (1983), the logo fades into the 1986 LWT endcap.

Technique: The mountain segment is a painting filmed by a cameraman, with the cloud backdrop being moved behind the mountain. Fading effects are used for the transition to the print logo.

Audio: None.

Audio Variants:

  • Sometimes the film's opening/closing theme.
  • 1976-1985: In some cases, a new orchestral fanfare ending with an electric guitar chord was used for the "Coming From" variant on trailers for films like Islands in the Stream, Saturday Night Fever, Foul Play, and Airplane!. A few films such as Starting Over also had this fanfare at the beginning. This theme was composed by Lalo Schifrin.
  • On Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood, an orchestral rendition of the Paramount on Parade theme was used. Arranged by Neal Hefti.
  • Pre-1998 prints of Grease feature a theme which seems to be a horn re-orchestration of the intro to "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" or the 1976 Paramount Television fanfare. The Grease 40th Anniversary DVD/Blu-ray release and a recent Netflix print both restore the horn theme.
  • On the promotional film variant, a male announcer says, "In 1985, Paramount has a whole new attitude."

Availability: Appears on most Paramount films released between 1975 and 1986. Most films released on VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray, as well as TV prints, have this logo intact or restored as well. Some well-known films that used this include The Bad News Bears, Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Heaven Can Wait, The Warriors, Escape from Alcatraz, the first four Star Trek films, the first six Friday the 13th films, Airplane!, An Officer and a Gentleman, 48 Hrs., Flashdance, Trading Places, Terms of Endearment, Footloose, Beverly Hills Cop, Pretty in Pink, Top Gun, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Crocodile Dundee.

  • The opening version of this logo made its first appearance on Mahogany (released on October 8, 1975), and made its last appearance on Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (released on November 26, 1986). The last film that used this logo in regular usage was The Golden Child (albeit at the end; the next logo (shown below) made its debut at the beginning of the film).
  • It also appears at the end of 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (the 5th logo is used at the beginning). However, pre-1999 VHS prints of the film plaster this with the 1988 version of the 1986 logo.
  • This logo has also been restored on the recent Sony DVD release and TV airings of Meatballs, which previously plastered it with the 9th logo.
  • The 1976 variation appears on Lipstick, The Bad News Bears, Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood, the 1996 VHS release of Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown, U.S. prints of Bugsy Malone, and current prints of Looking for Mr. Goodbar.
  • Some films have this plastered with the next logo in any of its three byline variations, such as Grease starting with its 1998 video releases, the 1976 version of King Kong, and the 2002 DVD release of Mahogany (all with the Viacom byline version).
    • Early video releases, most 2004-2012, and post-2020 prints of Top Gun retain this logo, but all other copies plaster it with either the 7th logo (although the 1987 VHS release retains this logo at the very end, as it is plastered by the "75th Anniversary" variant of the 1986 logo at the beginning) or the 10th logo for most 2013-19/3D prints.
    • Late 1990s American TV broadcasts of Dragonslayer briefly plastered this logo with the Viacom byline version of the 1986 logo, but recent broadcasts retain the original logo.
    • The 2001 Director's Edition DVD of Star Trek: The Motion Picture also replace this logo with the 1995 version of the 1986 logo, but it is still retained on copies of the theatrical cut and the 2022 versions of the Director's Edition.
  • Of the films released during Paramount's distribution pact with Lorimar Film Entertainment, An Officer and a Gentleman still has this logo due to it being financed and owned outright by Paramount, but the 1981 version of The Postman Always Rings Twice, Escape to Victory, S.O.B., and The Sea Wolves all have it replaced by the 1999 Warner Bros. Pictures logo on most current prints (since Paramount only had North American distribution rights).
    • Night School, however, had this and the Lorimar logo intact on a recent Movie Channel airing and appears intact on the widescreen LaserDisc, with Warner's 1984 "Shield of Staleness" preceding it.
  • The "Coming From" variant is usually preserved on trailers for films such as Flashdance, Saturday Night Fever and Islands in the Stream on their DVD and Blu-ray releases.
    • While the 8th logo plasters this (but retains the original fanfare) on the iTunes and Blu-ray trailer for Airplane!, the DVD release retains the original variation.
  • This logo also appears on the 1982(?) Paramount Home Video Gateway Video VHS release of the Star Trek episode "Space Seed", following the 1979 Acid Trip warning and preceding the episode (the Betamax version precedes the episode with a trailer for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan after the warning, instead of the logo).
  • Strangely, this logo also appears after the credits on the VHS release of Jailbait (aka Streetwise), at least on the screener VHS release.
  • This may have also been seen on Canadian theatrical prints of De Laurentiis Entertainment Group films such as The Transformers: The Movie.
  • It may have also been seen on international prints of Gallipoli, as Paramount distributed the film internationally (it also appears on the 2005 Australian Region 4 DVD release of said movie, but most Australian prints (such as the 1982 Australian VHS release thereof) use no logo at the start.)
  • It is unknown whether it also appeared on Canadian theatrical prints of Disney features The Black Hole, Midnight Madness, and The Watcher in the Woods, which Paramount distributed theatrically in Canada.

Legacy: This is another famous Paramount logo. Notably, this logo marks the debut of the current “Paramount” script design.

8th Logo (December 12, 1986-February 15, 2002)

Visuals: As the logo fades in, there is a model of the mountain from before with a CGI lake in front of it and a light blue/yellow gradient sky with a yellow sunset behind it. As the sky darkens, the camera zooms towards the mountain as 22 silver CGI stars fly from the bottom left and encircle the mountain. The "Paramount" script, redone with a shiny silver finish, then fades in on the peak of the mountain (which has some snow in the middle), along with a registered trademark symbol. One of the three bylines (as seen below) fades in below.

Trivia: Paramount used a painting commissioned for its 75th Anniversary from artist Dario Campanile as a basis for this logo, which can be seen here.

Bylines:

  • December 12, 1986-August 30, 1989: "A Gulf + Western Company" (in Helvetica Neue) fades in with the Paramount script (However, in the prototype version, the byline is set in Helvetica Bold Condensed instead).
  • September 22, 1989-December 23, 1994: "A Paramount Communications Company" (in Times, with a line above it) fades in. For its first year, the byline faded in with the Paramount script like the Gulf+Western version, and was colored gold. On video releases from the era, the color scheme of the logo is more washed out than normal.
  • February 17, 1995-February 15, 2002: "A VIACOM COMPANY" (in the 1990 "Wigga-Wigga" font, with a line above it) fades in.
  • One variant, used on the trailer for Mission: Impossible II and international releases, has no byline whatsoever (see below).

Variants: While there have been numerous variations of the logo depending on the movie (and of course, the three byline variants), there are two main variants:

  • December 12, 1986-December 18, 1987: For the logo's debut and its first official year (1987, even though the logo actually debuted in 1986), the words "75th Anniversary" appear over the mountain, between the Paramount script logo and the Gulf + Western byline. "75th" was in silver with "75" bigger and "th" smaller and "Anniversary" in gold. Also, a trademark ("™") symbol was used instead of a registered trademark ("®") symbol. On films such as The Golden Child and Hot Pursuit (the former being one of the first films to use this logo, while the latter has the normal music), a different 75th Anniversary disclaimer appears, the Paramount script is slightly smaller, and the Gulf+Western byline is also in a bolder font. It is unknown whether the first two DEG films to use this logo in their Canadian release, Crimes of the Heart and King Kong Lives, used this variant as well.
    • A second prototype variant also exists, where the Paramount script is still slightly small, but contains elements of the official variant, including the refined 75th Anniversary disclaimer. This appears on the original home video releases of Critical Condition; later releases use the official variant instead. It was also spotted on a March 1987 promotional reel as well.
  • February 5, 1988-August 30, 1989: The "75th Anniversary" disclaimer is removed, and the Gulf+Western byline is shifted up slightly.
  • March 2, 1990-June 18, 1999: The logo has been slightly enhanced, and the stars have a lighter color.
  • March 31, 1995-1999: The cloud background is different.
    • An early version of the Viacom byline variant exists, which has it slightly bigger and off-center. The clouds also stop moving once it fades in, likely because it reuses footage from the Paramount Communications variant. This can be found on the first two films that use this byline (The Brady Bunch Movie and Losing Isaiah). It is also the last time the original cloud background is used.
  • May 21, 1993-December 23, 1994: The clouds and stars are slightly darker, and the Paramount Communications byline now has a drop shadow.
  • June 30, 1999-February 15, 2002: The same basic concept is here, but the logo has been slightly enhanced. The stars are thicker (with golden sides), shinier, and have a motion blur effect. Their reflection can now be seen in the lake in front of the mountain, and the Paramount script and Viacom byline now shine. The mountain now also turns dark, and the cloud background is slightly enhanced. Also, the "®" symbol now fades in at the same time as the byline. These additions are subtle, but add a lot to the logo nevertheless.
    • On some films shot in 2.39:1 aspect ratio, such as Bringing Out the Dead, Mission: Impossible II, Shaft (2000), and Rat Race, the logo starts with a still picture of the mountain before animating normally, much like its home video counterpart. It also has a bit of a brownish or bluish color scheme.
    • On some films shot in 2.39:1 aspect ratio as well as some 2000-2002 films shot in 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the stars, text and byline are somewhat smaller than the normal 16:9 variant in order to match the aspect ratio.
    • A videotaped version of the 1999 variant exists, in which the mountain does not turn dark. This can be found on some Paramount VHS trailers from 2000 to 2002, and on Paramount's "Now in Theaters" bumper from 2000 to 2002, although the variant in its entirety hasn't been seen yet.
    • A prototype variant with a more 2D look also exists, which is seen on the teaser trailer of South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut.
    • On Double Jeopardy, the "®" symbol fades in with the Paramount script.
    • On Runaway Bride and Wonder Boys, the "®" symbol and Viacom byline fade in with the Paramount script. Also, the logo starts with a still picture of the mountain before animating normally.
  • On CIC Video's The Paramount Movie Show segments, VHS trailers for Chinatown and A Place in the Sun, theatrical trailers for I.Q., The Brady Bunch Movie, Star Trek: Generations, and Braveheart, a TV spot for Milk Money, the teaser trailer for The Indian in the Cupboard, and the second trailer for Forrest Gump, the logo is bylineless.
  • On the 1991 trailer tape from CIC Video, the CIC Video logo morphs into the mountain as seen in the start of the logo, and it animates as usual, but with a smaller Paramount Communications byline. The logo then morphs into the 1971 version of the 1963 Universal logo. This can only be found on some Latin American VHS releases as the beginning of a short promo to commemorative 1,000,000 copies of CIC videotapes sold.
  • On a Brazillian TV Spot for Clear and Present Danger, "Distribuido por United International Pictures" appears below the logo.
  • On bumpers for the Brazillian channel Telecine, the Viacom byline is replaced with a cheaper one in the font "Eagle".

Closing Variants:

  • At the end of movies, mostly earlier ones, the logo appears as a still image. This version is also seen on syndicated airings of Death Wish 4: The Crackdown before the Cannon logo.
  • At the end of most later movies, the finished product is seen, with the clouds gliding.
  • Despite replacing the 1995 variant as an opening logo, the 1999 variant is seldom used as a closing logo, with most films released from 1999 to 2002 instead using the 1995 logo at the end, with some exceptions, including the domestic release of South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut (which was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures internationally) and the 2022 Blu-ray and digital releases of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.
  • On Mission: Impossible II, the logo fades in without the Viacom byline, which fades in after about a second.
  • A zoomed-in still variant of the 1988 version of the 1986 logo also exists, which was seen at the end of a BBC1 UK airing of The Presidio (1988) on February 14, 1995.

Technique: A mixture of CGI animation and live-action, designed and composited by Jay Jacoby of Studio Productions (now Flip Your Lid Animation), who went on to produce the logos for Universal Pictures and 20th Century Fox, among others. The CGI stars were created by David Sieg at Omnibus/Abel on a III Foonly F1 computer, and the mountain scenery was a physical model created and filmed by Apogee, Inc. The 1999 enhanced version was animated at Pittard Sullivan.

Audio: A reworked version of the 1976 fanfare, with synthesized chimes added to the beginning, as well as additional instruments.

Audio Variants:

  • Sometimes, the logo is silent or the opening theme of the movie.
  • On Event Horizon, a rearranged, slower and more "powerful" version of the 1976 fanfare, composed by Michael Kamen, is heard, with the final note held out.
  • Earlier films with the 1976 fanfare have the synth chimes fade out when the music begins.
  • On Campus Man, a different fanfare composed by James Newton Howard plays.
  • On Stepping Out, a different fanfare composed by Peter Matz plays.
  • On The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult, a different fanfare composed by Ira Newborn plays.
  • On Harriet the Spy, some soft-sounded chimes sampled from Mrs. W's garden can be heard faintly.
  • On Snow Day, wind from a snowstorm is heard throughout the logo.
  • On a Spanish TV airing of Titanic, the 1994 20th Century Fox fanfare is heard due to the airing using an international Spanish audio track.
  • On the 1998 reissue of Grease, the 1987 fanfare is given a more "powerful" remix with louder cymbals.
  • On the Australian DVD release and a French print of The Next Best Thing, the Lakeshore Entertainment theme is heard over the logo due to an editing error where the order of the logos are reversed but the audio isn't.
  • On the UK Second Sight Blu-ray release of Creepshow (1982), the NTSC-pitched 1994 Warner Bros. Television fanfare plays over the ending version of this logo.
  • On European TV airings of Braddock: Missing in Action II (1985), the 1995 MGM lion roar is heard over the Viacom byline version of the 1986 logo in one of the sloppiest plastering jobs of all time - likely due to those airings using a Paramount-owned TV print with audio from an MGM-owned master.
  • On the Icon UK DVD release of What Women Want (2000), the thunderclap from the 1994 Icon Productions logo is heard due to an audio swapping error (the DVD release uses the pitched-up U.S. audio master, as Paramount held the U.S. rights to the movie while Icon held internationally).

Availability: Seen on most Paramount movies from The Golden Child to Crossroads. While it's been plastered on some TV airings and video releases of Paramount films (as well as some remastered or restored prints), most of these films still retain their original logos.

  • The Paramount Communications byline variant is preserved on films such as Ghost, The Hunt for Red October, Wayne's World, and Forrest Gump, among others.
    • In general, it debuted on Black Rain, and last appeared on Nobody's Fool.
  • The 1995 Viacom byline variant is preserved on films such as Clueless, Star Trek: First Contact, U.S. prints of Titanic, Saving Private Ryan, and The Truman Show, among many others. It debuted on The Brady Bunch Movie.
  • The 1999 enhanced version is preserved on their 1999-2002 films starting with South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut (as a variant), and ending with Crossroads (the entire logo's final appearance).
  • The 1988 version of the 1986 logo is also seen at the end of Big Top Pee-Wee, which has the 5th logo at the beginning.
  • The first films to use this logo were The Golden Child and Crimes of the Heart (the latter a De Laurentiis Entertainment Group production distributed in Canada by Paramount), both released on December 12, 1986, and the last film was Crossroads, released on February 15, 2002 (possibly plastered in later prints).
  • Paramount has used the 1995 Viacom variation in all logo plasters and TV movies, such as those made for Showtime.
  • The 75th Anniversary logo can be found on 1987 VHS releases of Top Gun, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Whoopee Boys, Crocodile Dundee, Children of a Lesser God, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and was plastered with its later variations for many years.
    • However, Paramount nicely preserved this variant later on, as it is preserved on the DVD releases of Planes, Trains and Automobiles and The Untouchables and the 2022 Blu-ray release of Back to the Beach under the Paramount Presents (#34) line.
    • It is also left intact on VH1's print of Beverly Hills Cop II (1987).
    • The 75th Anniversary logo is also seen at the start and end of the 1987 U.S. VHS release of G'Day Australia: Like Nothing Else on Earth.
  • The prototype 75th Anniversary variation can be found on The Golden Child, Hot Pursuit, and the trailer for Beverly Hills Cop II (which is also preserved on iTunes).
  • The Viacom variation of this logo plasters the Paramount Communications variant on post-1995 VHS releases and some DVD and Blu-ray releases of films released in late 1994.
    • For example, on the 1999 DVD and 2004 Special Edition releases of Star Trek: Generations, the Viacom variant is seen at both ends instead.
      • However, on the 2009 Blu-ray and DVD re-releases (as well as the 2023 UHD and Blu-ray releases), the Paramount Communications variation is restored.
  • The Paramount Communications variant of this logo also plasters the 1982 Orion Pictures logo on Spike TV airings of First Blood (as Paramount Communications had already folded into Viacom by the time Viacom purchased Worldvision Enterprises, Carolco Pictures' television distributor, in full, it's possible that the logo first appeared on that film around the time Viacom, which had by then already acquired Paramount Communications, merged with Blockbuster, which owned Worldvision's parent company Spelling Television).
    • It can also be found on VHS releases from 1989 to 1995, and also makes a surprise appearance at the end of older U.S. prints of Sleepy Hollow (however, current prints have the Viacom byline of this logo), with the standard 1999 logo at the beginning of said film.
    • The Paramount Communications variant also makes surprise appearances on the Mexican DVD release of Demonic Toys (Juguetes Demoniacos) and the Echo Bridge Home Entertainment DVD releases of Puppet Master 5, likely due to being sourced from older VHS masters.
    • The tail end of it also makes a surprise appearance on the rough cut of the final Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode "Diabolik", while the actual episode itself cuts it out.
    • It was also seen at the start of an April 8, 2023 UK airing of the 1978 TV movie True Grit: A Further Adventure on LEGEND.
  • The standard Gulf+Western variant of this logo is also preserved on VHS releases from 1988 to 1989, and also makes a surprise appearance on the Razor Digital DVD release of the original Puppet Master.
  • The Viacom variant of this logo is also preserved on VHS releases from 1995 to 2003 (as detailed above), and at the end of AMC airings of Rambo: First Blood Part II and Prancer.
  • Strangely, the 1995-2002 version with the Viacom byline was also spotted after the split-screen credits of Nickelodeon airings of Barnyard. This was the result of a credits error that resulted in Nickelodeon instead using the ones for Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, which was also an O Entertainment/Paramount movie.
  • On the other hand, this logo can be found on DVD, digital, and Blu-ray prints of Jimmy Neutron, as well as TV airings, but is plastered with the 90th Anniversary version of the next logo on its original VHS release.
  • The silent version of the Viacom variant is also preserved on Hulu prints of The Lorax (1972) and The Cat in the Hat.
  • This logo is also seen on ThisTV's prints of Wild Geese II plastering the Cannon logo, and That Championship Season (1982) on the same station, as they used a Paramount master.
  • It is also seen on Screenpix Action airings of Avenging Force.
  • It is also seen at the end of Anchor Bay's print of Bad Boys (the 1983 film), an EMI film for which Viacom had the television rights.
  • The 1990 Paramount Communications variant of the closing logo does not appear at the end of a 2004 UK airing of Ghost (1990) on ITV1, as it goes right from the closing credits straight into the ten-second Motorola closing sponsorship ident instead.
  • The 1995 Viacom variant of the closing logo was also seen at the end of an August 6, 2000 UK airing of Beavis and Butthead Do America (1996) on BBC Two.

Legacy: Much like some of its predecessors, this logo is a favorite within the logo community thanks to its blend of models and CGI, as well as its fanfare.

9th Logo (February 25, 2002-May 16, 2012)

Early 90th Anniversary variant

90th Anniversary variant

2003 Viacom byline variant

Mean Girls variant

Open-matte variant

The Longest Yard variant

2010 Viacom byline variant

Closing variant

2002 distribution variant

2010 distribution variant

Visuals: The camera pans down from a starry sky to a set of clouds. As the camera slowly zooms backwards, a few cometoid objects fly down and reveal themselves as the trademark Paramount stars that zoom past the camera. The familiar "Paramount" script (with a gold border) zooms out to show the camera had been watching a reflection (which fades to white) the entire time as a total of 22 stars shoot past the script and encircle the mountain (which is now more realistic in appearance and is missing the snow) on a dusk background. The script continues to zoom out before taking its place at the peak of the mountain. The Viacom byline (once again, with a line above) then fades in below the logo.

Bylines:

  • March 1, 2002-March 26, 2010: "/\ \/|/\CO/\/\ CO/\/\PANY" in its 1990 "Wigga-Wigga" font. This version last appeared on She's Out Of My League, the 2012 Brazilian animated film Peixonauta: Agente Secreto da O.S.T.R.A., the 2015 Spanish animated film Capture the Flag (for the full animation variant) and the 2011 DreamWorks Animation film Kung Fu Panda 2 (for the closing and distribution variants).
  • April 26, 2010-May 16, 2012: "A VIaCOM COMPANY" in its 2005 font. This version first appeared on Iron Man 2 and last appeared at the end of The Dictator.

Variants:

  • March 1-December 27, 2002: For the logo's debut and its first official year (2002), the words "90TH ANNIVERSARY" in gold, with "90" bigger and "TH" smaller and on the top right of "90" and "ANNIVERSARY" below, fade in with the Viacom byline, sandwiched between the peak of the mountain. Again, the trademark symbol ("™") is used in place of the registered trademark symbol ("®") in this variation.
    • On earlier films released with the 90th Anniversary variant (such as Hey Arnold!: The Movie, Serving Sara, and Changing Lanes), the logo's general color scheme is brighter and more cartoonish. One star at the beginning of the logo is absent, the clouds in the sky and around the mountain appear less realistic (with the ones around the mountain looking flatter compared to the later version), and the sky background in the second half appears to be stretched vertically (meaning that this variant was possibly animated for 4:3 screens; however, on We Were Soldiers, which was the first film to use the 90th Anniversary logo, the sky background is more or less unaltered). The stars have a stronger motion blur effect, and some of them in the final shot look darker. The stars in the final shot are somewhat off-center from the rest of the mountain, and there is also an error during the portion where the script zooms back, in which some of the stars seem to jump out of the reflection of the text. Also, the trademark symbol is yellow instead of white. The 90th Anniversary variant was reanimated to look more natural starting with The Sum of All Fears (the only film that didn't use the revised variant was The Hours, which used the earlier version), with the trademark symbol also being changed to white. The version used on that film would later become the regular logo without the 90th Anniversary tag, which was introduced the following year.
    • Sometimes, the 90th Anniversary logo fades in after the camera pans down from the sky.
    • A still version of the 90th Anniversary logo exists, in which the stars and Paramount script are spaced slightly further from the mountain and the "90" text is shinier, appears on the video game version of The Sum of All Fears, as well as the Australian DVD release of Blue's Clues: Get to Know Joe (without the "90th Anniversary" text). It also appears on the cover of the 2002 compilation album Paramount Pictures' 90th Anniversary: Memorable Scores.
  • A still version of the logo also exists, which appears on international prints of Sleuth.
  • A variant is used at the end of every trailer for Paramount's films on online stores such as iTunes, the PlayStation Store, and the Xbox Store. A still version of the Paramount logo appears with the words "Now Available from Paramount" above and a copyright stamp below it. Below it is a copyright stamp. It has also been seen zoomed in (so the copyright and the "now available" text is not seen) and on the trailer for Airplane!, where the logo plasters the 1975 trailer version of the logo (keeping the music). This also appears on old DreamWorks movie trailers.
  • A short version exists that starts when the stars fall from the sky. This mainly appears on VHS releases.
  • On video releases from the company, the logo is videotaped and often in open-matte.
  • Starting with Iron Man 2, the logo was enhanced once more with shinier text and sleeker stars that jump out of the reflection of the sky, and the Viacom byline is switched to its 2006 font. There is a noticeable error in this variant where the stars from the first half of the logo are visible behind the "Paramount" script as it zooms out where it should normally obscure them (the deleted alternate opening of the film uses the original variant).
    • This variant was possibly done to accomodate for stereoscopic 3D films, since the first overall appearance of this variant was technically in the 2007 film Beowulf, albeit with the byline being in the "Wigga-Wigga" font and with a part of it being warped. The international version of the film used the 3D Warner Bros. Pictures logo used on IMAX documentaries of the time, which plays normally.
  • On fullscreen DVD releases of Paramount movies shot in 2.39:1, the logo is incredibly zoomed in, since it is in the 4:3 ratio. On matted films, it is either zoomed in halfway or in open matte.
  • An open-matte version exists on some uncropped 35mm film scans of films, with one such example being on Mean Girls.

Closing Variants:

  • Only the finished product of the logo, with the only animation being the clouds in the background. It's basically the same as its pre-2006 television counterpart, but slightly extended and silent.
  • On The Eye and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (both 2008), the logo is completely still.
  • 2006-October 28, 2011: When distributing films from another company, the words "DISTRIBUTED BY", in white, are seen above the logo with the Viacom byline and the line. Usually seen at the end of DreamWorks Pictures (however, some films will say "DISTRIBUTED BY DREAMWORKS/PARAMOUNT DISTRIBUTION") and DreamWorks Animation films beginning in late 2006. Also oddly appeared at the end of Iron Man before the Marvel Studios logo.
  • The "DISTRIBUTED BY" text was updated along with the Viacom byline starting in 2010.

Technique: CGI animation directed by Peter Schluter at BUF Compagnie, believed to have been done on one of BUF's 75 Silicon Graphics O2 units. The 2010 version was animated by PIC Collective.

Audio: Usually none or the opening theme of the film.

Audio Variants:

  • On Mean Girls, the 1987 fanfare is heard.
  • On the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard, a different fanfare composed by Teddy Castellucci plays.
  • On an AMC airing of Rambo III, this plasters the Carolco logo and keeps the low-pitched version of the theme, likely due to a plaster error.
  • On Twisted, wind is audible throughout the logo.
  • On Jackass Number Two and Jackass 2.5, a loud jet sound is heard along with wind when the stars fly down, followed by whooshes when the stars pass by the screen, then a final whoosh sound when the Viacom byline fades in.
  • On a French Paramount Channel airing of Assassination (1987), the 1984 Cannon Films theme plays over the logo.

Availability: Appears on all films from the company from the time-period until 2011.

  • The 90th Anniversary variant made its theatrical debut on We Were Soldiers (released on February 25, 2002), and made its final appearance on The Hours (released on December 27, 2002).
    • However, it also appears on Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure (released on March 18, 2003), likely due to the film being completed in 2002, but released in 2003.
  • The version without the "90TH ANNIVERSARY" tag debuted on How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (released on February 7, 2003), and made its final appearance on She's Out of My League (released on March 12, 2010); it made its final closing appearance on Kung Fu Panda 2 (released on May 27, 2011).
  • The enhanced version debuted on Iron Man 2 (released on April 26, 2010), and made its final full appearance on The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn (released on October 26, 2011), with its final closing appearance at the end of The Dictator (released on May 16, 2012, though the next logo is used at the beginning).
  • Despite being mostly retired after 2011, this logo also makes surprise appearances on the 2011 French film Beur sur la ville, the 2012 Brazilian animated film Peixonauta: Agente Secreto da O.S.T.R.A., and the 2015 Spanish film Capture the Flag (only at the beginning; the film uses the next logo at the end).
    • The 2010 variant also appears on the 2012 restorations of Wings and Hondo, respectively.
  • The 90th Anniversary variant also sometimes plasters old logos on 2002 video releases, as well as the 1984 TriStar Pictures logo on Encore airings of Rambo III.
  • It also appears at the end of Grease Sing-a-Long (a re-release of 1978's Grease), which retains the 7th logo at the beginning.
  • It also appears at the end of IMAX prints and all international prints of Watchmen; on North American IMAX prints, it is followed by the Warner Bros. Pictures closing logo.
  • This also plasters the previous logo on small HD widescreen prints of The Rainmaker (1997), although most current prints including the Blu-ray release have the original logo intact.
  • It also plasters the Weintraub Entertainment Group logo on an Encore airing of My Stepmother is an Alien, retaining the film's opening music.
  • It also plasters the 1982 Orion Pictures logo on HBO, Comedy Central, and IFC airings of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (also plasters the closing version of the logo at the end, with the following Nelson Entertainment logo kept at the beginning), and the 1995 MGM logo on older HBO airings of House Arrest (1996).
  • Surprisingly, the full version appears at the beginning of a few early episodes of Hogan's Heroes on MeTV, including the pilot episode and the HD remasters on Universal HD.
  • Strangely, this logo does not appear at the beginning of Strange Wilderness, however, the "Distributed by" variant appears at the end.
  • It also appears at the end of DreamWorks Animation films released from 2006 to 2011, but not at the beginning of them, unlike 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures.
    • It does, however, appear on the VCD release of Flushed Away (2006) before the DreamWorks Animation logo.
    • Some later prints of these movies like the 2018 Blu-ray release of Over the Hedge have this plastered with the 2012 Universal logo.
  • It also plasters the 1973 Warner Bros. "Big W" logo on the VCD release of Cujo due to Paramount gaining the rights to that film when Taft Entertainment was merged into Republic, which became part of Viacom.
  • Disney has also retained this logo on current prints of Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger, all of which Paramount distributed on behalf of Marvel Studios until 2013.
  • The 2003 version of the 2002 logo also appears at the end of the Criterion Ultra HD Blu-ray release of The Virgin Suicides (1999).
  • The 2003 version of the 2002 logo also appears at the start and end of modern prints (including a November 24, 2022 TMC Movies UK airing) of Big Jake (1971).
  • The 2003 version of the 2002 logo also appears at the end of a Showtime on Paramount+ streaming print of Basic Instinct (1992).
  • The closing version of the 90th Anniversary variant of this logo also appears at the end of current prints of Turbulence (1997).
  • The 90th Anniversary variant of this logo also appeared at the start of both a December 4, 2022 UK airing of Mean Machine (2001) on Film4 and a December 17, 2022 UK airing of Jackass: The Movie (2002) on Comedy Central, respectively.

Legacy: Another favorite of the logo community due to its more advanced CGI.

10th Logo (December 16, 2011-)

Alternate fanfare (Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol)

100 Years variant

Viacom

ViacomCBS

Es ist nur eine Phase, Hase (It's Just a Phase, Honey) variant

Bylineless

Visuals: Over a dark cloudy background, several stars fly towards the camera, a mirrored reference to the previous logo. As the third star flies towards the camera, the camera follows it and pans upward to reveal that the camera was looking at the reflection of a lake (another reference to the previous logo). The camera follows two of the stars as they skim the lake, and a total of 22 stars fly over a forest, line up and encircle the mountain ahead. Then the "Paramount" script zooms out to take its place on the mountain, which is situated on a cloudy sunset landscape. The byline then fades in below, alongside an ®/™ symbol (prior to 2022).

Trivia: The 2022 bylineless version marks the first time since 1968 that the logo has been bylineless.

Alternate Descriptive Video Transcriptions: Flying stars skim across a lake towards a distinctive pyramid-like mountain with a snow covered peak, the stars form an arch over the mountain, Paramount, a Viacom/ViacomCBS Company.

Bylines:

  • December 16, 2011-November 8, 2019: "A VIaCOM COMPANY" (set in the 2006 Viacom font).
  • January 10, 2020-February 11, 2022: "A ViacomCBS Company" (set in Gotham Bold).
    • 2021-March 29, 2022: Same as before, except it's set in ViacomCBS Raisonné.
  • March 25, 2022-: Bylineless.

Variants:

  • December 16, 2011-December 21, 2012: For the logo's debut and its first official year (2012, even though it actually debuted in 2011), a bright light shines to reveal the text "100 Years", with "100" bigger and "Years" smaller, before a smaller Viacom byline fades in underneath. The lens flare is also different, in which can also be seen in the Paramount Players logo.
  • Sometimes, the byline fades in earlier than usual when the "Paramount" script zooms back. This was also seen on trailers and TV spots for some Paramount films until 2022.
  • An open-matte version of this logo exists.
  • A version with a French byline, reading "UNE SOCIÉTÉ VIaCOM", also exists. This was only used as a corporate variant.
  • A version of this logo exists where the camera angle is different, the mountain has less light reflection, the stars have a lighter color, the "Paramount" script is darker, and some of the clouds above the mountain are not visible.
  • Starting with The Lost City, released on March 25, 2022, the ViacomCBS byline is excluded, and the logo is bylineless for the first time since the 6th logo, due to aforementioned renaming.
  • A version of the aforementioned variant also exists for the 100 Years version of this logo, where the Viacom byline is shifted upwards.
  • Sometimes, the logo is cut down to its last few seconds. This was also seen on short films, and trailers and TV spots for many Paramount films.
  • On some movies, the logo is largely enhanced. Noticeable changes include a more bluish sky and brighter clouds.
  • A B&W version of this logo exists, which is seen on newer prints of older films now owned by Paramount.
  • On YouTube advertisements from the side of a video (done after a video ad), the logo appears bylineless and has a dark blue-black gradient on the sides.
  • A still open matte version of the 100 Years variant also exists, which was spotted when the Paramount Movies app on Xbox 360 is launched. A print version of this logo was also seen at the Xbox One reveal event on May 21, 2013.
  • Similarly, a version with the 100 Years print logo in silver on a steel background with "100 Years of Movie Magic" below it is seen as the splash screen on the Paramount100 app, exclusively on iPad.

Closing Variants:

  • The ending result of the opening logo; sometimes "DISTRIBUTED BY" appears above, set in the same fonts as the Viacom and ViacomCBS bylines. Sometimes, the logo fades in and out; other times, it cuts in and out. Mainly appears at the end of DreamWorks Animation films from 2012 and three Mission: Impossible films: Ghost Protocol, Rouge Nation and Fallout.
  • Sometimes, the logo is full white, bylineless and it is in-credit along with the other logos. It only appears at the end of The Little Prince and Tad, the Lost Explorer and the Emerald Tablet.

Technique: CGI animation by Devastudios, animated using Terragen from Planetside Software (which they also used for the 2021 and 2023 Warner Bros. Pictures logos) and Autodesk Maya. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at the many layers of rendering that were required for the "100 Years" version of this logo.

Audio: A light bell and string piece which rises in intensity to become more majestic and orchestral, with the final note also using a brief choir, scored by Michael Giacchino and recorded at the Newman Scoring Stage at the Fox Studio Lot.

Audio Variants:

  • Sometimes, there is no music, the opening theme of the movie, or a different fanfare.
  • An alternate version of the fanfare exists with some slight changes, in the note of the orchestration, making it sound more powerful. This version is only heard on Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, which is the first movie to use this logo. An unused alternate version is heard on the OST of its debut film that features a very different, more sweeping, and even more powerful orchestration. This can be heard in that said film's complete score soundtrack, which is unlisted in the album, as with the other versions, here.
  • Sometimes, whooshes are added to the logo over either the fanfare or the opening theme of the movie when the stars and the text fly by.
  • None for the closing variant. Sometimes, the closing theme of the movie would be used instead.
  • At the end of a Starz print of Hero and the Terror (1988), a Cannon film, the 1986 Viacom "V of Steel" jingle plays over the end variant of this logo due to a plastering error.
  • On the 2022 German film Es ist nur eine Phase, Hase (It's Just a Phase, Honey), the logo is accompanied by different sound effects, such as whooshes, water rippling when the stars skim on the lake. When the script reaches its position, a faint metallic banging sound is heard.

Availability: Unlike previous logos, this is not only used on films, but also on television series as well. This was also used in tandem with the previous logo until December 21, 2011.

  • Seen on all Paramount films since Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (trailers and TV spots for the film use the previous logo).
  • Also seen on Paramount+ miniseries starting with Knuckles.
  • The 100 Years version debuted on the aforementioned film and made its last appearance on Jack Reacher, released on December 21, 2012.
  • The version without the "100 Years" text first appeared on Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, released on January 25, 2013.
  • It is also seen on the last two DreamWorks Animation films released under Paramount before DWA's distribution rights were handled to 20th Century Fox (Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted & Rise of the Guardians), both released in 2012.
    • But just like its predecessor, this is only seen at the end of these films. Reprints of these films have the 2012 Universal Pictures logo instead.
    • However, on BBC prints of How to Train Your Dragon 2, Penguins of Madagascar, Home, Kung Fu Panda 3, and Trolls, this logo plasters the final 20th Century Fox logo, even though Paramount ended its distribution deal with DreamWorks in 2012.
    • In the case of How to Train Your Dragon 2, Penguins of Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda 3, it's possible that this was done to maintain consistency with each film's predecessor(s), which were all distributed by Paramount.
  • It is also seen as a de-facto home entertainment logo on Paramount's 4K UHD Blu-ray releases starting in 2016, and on regular Blu-ray and DVD releases starting in 2019 with Bumblebee, and Nickelodeon and Comedy Central DVD releases starting in 2023.
    • However, CBS Home Entertainment, Showtime and Paramount Media Networks (e.g. Comedy Central, Nickelodeon until 2023) DVD releases, despite containing the Paramount logo on the disc and cover, do not have this logo.
  • It is also seen on the first six films from Paramount Animation before the division got their own logo in 2019, although this still appears as a closing logo.
  • The Viacom byline made its final appearance on Playing with Fire; while the ViacomCBS byline version first debuted in 2019 on a Spanish TV spot for Sonic the Hedgehog and was seen on all films from Like a Boss to The In Between, with its final appearance overall being on O Palestrante and a trailer for Top Gun: Maverick.
  • The bylineless version debuted on TV spots for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and its first theatrical appearance as a regular logo being on The Lost City.
    • It made its first non-U.S. appearance on Laal Singh Chaddha (a Bollywood remake of Forrest Gump produced by Aamir Khan).
  • The ViacomCBS byline in the ViacomCBS Raisonné typeface debuted on the UK trailer for Clifford the Big Red Dog and trailers for Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, but was never used on an actual film.
  • This logo is also preserved on French prints of films produced by Orange Studio.
  • This logo is also preserved on post-2012 and 3D U.S. prints of Titanic; plastering the 8th logo, and the 2013-19 and 3D prints of Top Gun, plastering the 7th or 8th logos (however, the 4K/2020 remastered Blu-ray releases restore the 7th logo).
  • This logo can also be found on U.S. prints of Selma, as the 2009 20th Century Fox logo appears on the film's UK prints.
  • This logo is also sometimes seen at the end of modern prints of DreamWorks Pictures films, such as on a Netflix print of The Cat in the Hat and the Blu-ray release of Mouse Hunt.
  • The ViacomCBS variant has also been spotted on some newer prints of older films, as well as the 30th anniversary edition of The Godfather Part III, where it plasters the 1990 version of the 1986 logo.
  • Strangely enough, this was also seen at the end of the August 7, 2022 Cartoon Network airing of Shrek 2, plastering the closing variant of the previous logo, similar to the BBC's plaster above.
  • This logo is also seen at the end of Secret Headquarters, a Paramount+ original film.
    • However, it does not appear at the beginning of said film, as the aforementioned logo is used instead.
    • Similarly, it is also seen at the end of digital prints of The Black Demon, as it does not appear at the beginning of the film.
  • This logo can also be found on VOD and home media prints of Devotion, which was originally released theatrically in the U.S. by Columbia Pictures and STX International overseas (Sony sold the home media rights to Paramount).
  • The ViacomCBS variant of this logo was also seen at the end of a January 8, 2023 UK airing of Rio Lobo (1970) on ITV4, and at the end of a December 27, 2023 UK airing of The Croods: A New Age (2020) on BBC One, and is also seen at the end of newer prints of The April Fools (1969).

Legacy: This is another well-regarded logo among many due to the CGI and fanfare.

Logo (2010)


Visuals: There is a close-up of the familiar Paramountain's left side. The camera zooms out to its familiar distance. The whole logo is set at daytime. As this occurs, the "Paramount" script, now silver zooms out to take its place on the mountain, which is situated on a cloudy morning. along with text saying "100TH ANNIVERSARY" moving below it. 22 silver stars shoot past the script and encircle the mountain behind it.

Technique: CGI animation by Matt Hartle.

Availability: The only known appearance of this logo is an image found on Matt Hartle's website but the video footage is currently unknown at this time.

External links

Famous Players Film Company
Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company
Paramount Oxford Films
Paramount Communications
Republic Entertainment
Paramount Famous Productions
Paramount Vantage
CBS Films
The Ladd Company
Artcraft Pictures
Paramount Pictures
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