PolyGram Television (1997-1999)

Credits

Descriptions by
Sean Beard and Shadeed A. Kelly

Captures by
Eric S, iheartparamount, Dean Stewart Rumsey, and TheEriccorpinc

Editions by
Shadeed A. Kelly, Eric S., V of Doom, Michael Kenchington and others

Video captures courtesy of
Phasicblu and EnormousRat

Not to be confused with PolyGram Television (1980-1983).

Background

In 1995, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (the second incarnation of PolyGram's film division) entered the television business by acquiring ITC Entertainment Group. In 1997, ITC was folded into a new incarnation of PolyGram Television, which retained most of ITC's staff and produced series mainly for the U.S. syndication market as well as continuing ITC's focus at the time on made for TV movies, in addition to operating a visual programming division for live musical videos and children's series. However, this incarnation had an extremely short lifespan, as with the first incarnation, due to PolyGram's acquisition by Seagram and its merger with Universal Studios. PolyGram TV was folded into Universal Television in 1999, as the unit was renamed to Universal Studios Network Programming. In 2002, Vivendi, by that time the corporate parent of Universal, re-acquired the entertainment assets of USA Networks, resulting in Universal Worldwide Television (the renamed PolyGram TV) being folded into Studios USA Television and being renamed under the Universal name, effectively shutting down the former ITC for good. NBCUniversal Syndication Studios is the current distributor of the PolyGram Television library. However, the ITC library was bought by Carlton Communications on January 19, 1999 and is currently owned by ITV Studios Global Entertainment, a subsidiary of ITV plc.

Logo (September 22, 1997-1999)

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Visuals: On a dark cloudy skyscape is a transparent, crystallized winged man standing against some mountains. The camera pans outward as he jumps up and remains in the air, as his wings move back and forth. The camera pans to his left as he freezes in the air, where several white streaks appear across his body. The silver word "POLYGRAM" flies under the man and centers in place as he flashes white all over and becomes still. "TELEVISION" appears under "POLYGRAM", and everything shines.

Variants:

• A version with "distributed by" in blue above the Icarus exists, which is seen on some feature films and television shows from the ITC and Epic libraries; the animation for this variant is also slightly different, apparently based off the long movie logo, with the word "TELEVISION" not zooming out (instead it simply fades in under the PolyGram text) and the shining of the Icarus is also different, with less of a "glow" around it.
  • A version without "distributed by" also exists, which was seen on a full-screen SBS airing of Countryman (1982).
• The print version is seen in the closing credits of the Nick Jr. cartoon Maisy and the 1998 TV movie Outrage.
• A variant where the "TELEVISION" text is replaced with "VISUAL PROGRAMMING" exists.
• A version with the words "TELEVISION INTERNATIONAL" also exists.

Technique: CGI by the London-based Picture Production Company.

Audio: None or the end theme of the show.

Availability:

• The distribution version was last seen on The Moderns on the Showtime Networks, The Tamarind Seed when it was on Netflix and is preserved on Netflix/Tubi prints of Winter People (1989) (it was also present on MGM HD Europe's print), the 1998 PolyGram VHS release of Ski Patrol (plastering the Epic Productions logo), the Epix and Paramount+ streaming service prints (and possibly the MGM Limited Edition Collection DVD-R release) of the 1986 TV movie The Right of the People (preceded by the 2008 MGM logo), and supposedly on the 2008 Hen's Tooth DVD release of The Boys in Company C (1978).
• 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 the pilot of The Crow: Stairway to Heaven (however, the DVD release of that show plasters it with the 1998 Universal Worldwide Television logo on the rest of the series).
  • It was also seen on the TV special Barney's First Adventures on Fox Kids, which is still intact as a bonus feature on the Barney's Great Adventure: The Movie DVD.
  • It also plastered the 1982 Moonlight Productions logo on a late 1990s syndicated print of the 1984 TV movie Obsessive Love.
• It was seen on Motown Live! as well as the third season of Due South.
• This was seen on Netflix viewings of The Lunatics.
• The "VISUAL PROGRAMMING" variant is seen on Cats, the 1998 UK VHS releases of More Adventures at the Faraway Tree and The Adventures Of The Wishing Chair from Tempo Video, at the start of the 1999 UK VHS release of Introducing... Maisy! from PolyGram Video, and some prints of The Best Bits of Mr. Bean, respectively.
• The in-credit print version is still seen on Maisy episodes from the era on Peacock.
• The in-credit print version was seen on the TV movie Outrage (1998), which can also be found on DVD and a Virgin Media Two airing.
• This logo is intact on Shout! Factory TV's print of the 1979 TV movie Friendly Fire.

Copyright Stamps

Here is some information about the copyright stamps on the PolyGram Television series and TV movies:

• 1997-1999: Copyright © [YEAR] PolyGram Television LLC. All Rights Reserved.

◄ ITC Entertainment Group

PolyGram Television (1997-1999)

Universal Studios Network Programming Universal Worldwide Television ►