Reeves Entertainment

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum

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Background

In 1985, Alan Landsburg left Alan Landsburg Productions to form "The Landsburg Company", and the company became "Reeves Entertainment Group" on May 6 that year. In 1990, Reeves was sold to Thames Television for $89 million. Reeves Entertainment was closed down in 1994 and folded into Thames. Most of the television series it made are currently distributed by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios in the US if previously distributed by MCA TV, while What Would You Do? and Wild and Crazy Kids! are owned by Nickelodeon/Paramount Global and Doctor, Doctor is distributed by Sony Pictures Television. Some made for TV movies such as 1983's Adam and 1977's Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo are distributed by FremantleMedia, successor to Thames Television.



1st Logo (Late 1984?-1985)


Visuals: On the left side of a black background is an "REG" in the same appearance as the ALP in the 3rd Alan Landsburg Productions logo. Next to it is

Reeves
Entertainment
Group

in the same font as "Alan Landsburg Productions" in the 3rd logo, and under it is the Reeves Communications byline.

Variant: On Gimme a Break!, after a few seconds, the screen cuts to a copyright notice for this logo for Alan Landsburg Productions, followed by the 1980 MCA TV logo.

Technique: A still, hand-drawn graphic.

Audio: A jaunty synthesizer stinger.

Audio Variants:

  • An extended version of the theme also exists.
  • On season 2 of Kate and Allie, instead of the music, the outro of the series' closing credits plays over the logo.

Availability: It's seen on episodes of Gimme a Break! from the time. On some episodes with the previous logo on TV One, it's tacked on this logo.

2nd Logo (September 14, 1985-December 1, 1992)


Visuals: Against a black background, a blue "R", in the same appearance as before, glows briefly before backing away a bit. The "E" slides out from the right of the "R", also glowing briefly, as the letters back away, and then the "G" slides out of the right of the "E", also glowing, and completes the logo. When it stops, the words "Reeves Entertainment Group" appear underneath, and "A Reeves Communications Company" appears under it.

Variants:

  • Sometimes, "Reeves Entertainment Group" will flash in instead of just fading in.
  • On Wild & Crazy Kids, there is a copyright date under it that says "© [YEAR] Reeves Entertainment and MTV Networks". On the 1992 episodes, the copyright stamp reads "© [YEAR] MTV Networks. A Division of Viacom International, Inc. and Reeves Entertainment, A Thames Television Company". The logo is bylineless on the pilot. The copyright date was also seen on Gimme a Break! and early Kate & Allie episodes from 1985-1986 until it was moved to the end credits, as well as 1988-91 episodes of the talk show The Home Show (also known simply as Home).
  • On the 1989 syndicated version of the game show Jackpot!, a still text "in Association with" is seen above the logo while the logo is animating.
  • On Kate & Allie, the animation is in warp-speed.

Technique: Camera-controlled cel animation.

Audio: A fast descending, Asian-inspired synth chime section, then a warm four-note synth horn theme.

Audio Variant: Otherwise, it is the ending of the show's theme song.

Availability: It was seen on What Would You Do? and Wild & Crazy Kids!, 1988-91 episodes of The Home Show, Kate and Allie, and the 1989 version of Jackpot!.

  • It also appears on the final two seasons of Gimme a Break!, followed by the 1980 MCA TV logo afterwards.

3rd Logo (September 19, 1990-March 8, 1995)


Visuals: Against a dark purple curtain, a comedy mask moves up towards the top of the screen while spinning around, followed by a sad drama mask. Underneath the masks, several shards come together to form an upside-down blue triangle. The text

REEVES
ENTERTAINMENT

fades in at the triangle's tip, and the byline "A Thames Television Company" appears below that. The text then shines.

Variants:

  • A shortened version exists.
  • On the 1992 remake of The Tomorrow People, this logo appears in a split-screen alongside the 1988 Nickelodeon and the 1990 Thames Television logos.
  • On Doctor, Doctor, the logo is sped-up. Also, the "REEVES ENTERTAINMENT" text does not shine.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The music from the last logo, the end-title theme from any show, or none.

Availability: The only shows known to have this logo are The Home Show, What Would You Do?, the first season of Homicide: Life on the Street, Doctor, Doctor, Covington Cross, and the 1992 remake of The Tomorrow People.

  • Of these six, Homicide: Life on the Street is commercially available on DVD from A&E Home Video and VHS, is airing on Peacock, and was also airing reruns on Centric until 2012, and Doctor, Doctor can be seen on CTV Throwback.
Alan Landsburg Productions
Reeves Entertainment
Thames
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