QM Productions

Credits

Descriptions by
Eric S., V of Doom, and Pygmalion X

Editions by
V of Doom, mr3urious, Bob Fish, and Shadeed A. Kelly

Video captures courtesy of
Eric S.

Background

QM Productions was an independent television production company formed in 1960 by Quinn Martin. All of his series were known for their highly stylized format: a prologue featuring a stern-voice narrator to establish the premise; explicitly announced Acts I, II, III, and IV; and an epilogue, again featuring the narrator. In 1979, a group of investors acquired QM and subsequently sold it to Taft Broadcasting Co., causing QM Productions to cease in 1983 into Taft Entertainment Television. Currently, most of the QM library is held by Paramount Global through CBS Media Ventures and Spelling Television Inc. with the exceptions of The F.B.I. and Banyon, which are currently owned by Warner Bros. Discovery via Warner Bros. Television, and 12 O'Clock High, which is currently owned by The Walt Disney Company via 20th Television.

1st Logo (October 3, 1961-1983)

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Visuals: Superimposed over the credits is the following text:

A
QM
PRODUCTION

or

QM
PRODUCTIONS

"QM" is written in a script font.

Variants:

• For co-productions, the producer company's name is shown below the credits.
• Sometimes, in-credit text was used.

Technique: A superimposed graphic.

Audio: The closing theme of the show.

Availability:

• Seen intact on all shows from the era, such as The Fugitive, The F.B.I., Cannon, Barnaby Jones, The Invaders, and The Streets of San Francisco among other classic shows, as well on some TV movies on Me-TV.
• On the VHS release of the TV movie September's Gun, the 2nd logo is plastered over by this logo instead.

2nd Logo (September 20, 1979-October 8, 1983)

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Visuals: On a starry sky background, there is a shining medallion consisting of a rainbow-colored angel with his left hand up inside a circle. Said object flies up towards the screen and a blue, stylized, and connected "QM" in 3D, with the word "PRODUCTIONS" the Taft byline below it, zooms out from the bottom of the screen to the center. After this, the logo shines.

Bylines:

• 1979-1981: "A TAFT BROADCASTING COMPANY"
• 1982-1983: "A DIVISION OF THE TAFT ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY"

Technique: Motion-controlled animation.

Audio: A dramatic synth fanfare combined with dreamy shining sounds.

Availability:

• It's seen on TV movies from the era, such as The Return of Frank Cannon and The Aliens Are Coming, among others, as well on early '80s rerun prints of The Streets of San Francisco.
• This was also used on the 8th and final season of Barnaby Jones.
• This logo was also cut off or followed by the 2007 CBS Television Distribution logo on DVD releases of those shows or TV movies.