PolyGram Television (UK)

Logo descriptions by Sean Beard and Shadeed A. Kelly
Logo captures by Eric S, iheartparamount, Dean Stewart Rumsey, and TheEriccorpinc
Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly, Eric S., V of Doom, and others
Video captures courtesy of Phasicblu and EnormousRat


Background: PolyGram Records also had a television division in 1981 (first under the name of "PolyGram TeleVision Ltd."), whose logo was similar to the PolyGram Pictures ID seen on feature films. This division managed to survive until 1987 but it was resurrected in 1993. When PolyGram Filmed Entertainment bought ITC Entertainment Group in 1995, the new PolyGram Television logo was affixed to prints of ITC shows aired on British TV and elsewhere, but in America, PolyGram kept the ITC name and logo (operating as "ITC Distribution, Inc.") until 1997. Later that year, ITC Distribution was folded into the parent company to continue producing and distributing television shows in Britain and other countries, including the U.S., until 1999 when it was folded into Universal Television in 2000. However, the ITC library was later bought by Carlton International Media and is currently owned by ITV Global Entertainment, a subsidiary of ITV plc. The film Rehearsal for Murder is in the public domain powered by Open Flix.



1st Logo
(May 26, 1982-1987)

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Nickname: "Star Line"

Logo: On a black background, we see the name "PolyGram Television", in blue, flying from right to the center of a logo white an orange star zooms out to place itself under the "P" and makes more stars underneath the name. We later see an orange (or red) light shining across the stars to make a line.

FX/SFX: The name flying and the stars forming.

Music/Sounds: A simple synth tune.

Availability: Extremely rare. It appears at the end of the now out of print DVD release of Rehearsal for Murder and may possibly be on the DVD release of The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd.

2nd Logo
(September 22, 1997-1999)

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Nicknames: "PolyGram Wing Man", "Icarus"

Logo: Same as its film counterpart, except with "TELEVISION" replacing "FILMED ENTERTAINMENT".

Variants:

• A version with "distributed by" in a blue type above the Icarus was put onto some ITC feature films and television shows.
• The print version was seen in the closing credits of the Nick Jr. cartoon Maisy and the 1998 TV movie Outrage.
• A version with the words "TELEVISION INTERNATIONAL" existed.
• "VISUAL PROGRAMMING" may replace "TELEVISION".

FX/SFX: Same as its film counterpart or none.

Music/Sounds: None or the end theme of the show.

Availability: Extremely rare.

• The distribution version was last seen on The Moderns on the Showtime Networks, The Tamarind Seed when it was on Netflix.com, a European airing of Winter People on MGM HD, the 1998 PolyGram VHS of Ski Patrol, and supposedly on the 2008 Hen's Tooth DVD of The Boys in Company C.
• 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 some episodes of The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, including the pilot. It is also seen on the TV special Barney's First Adventure, which can be found as a bonus feature on the Barney's Great Adventure: The Movie DVD.
• This also appeared on Netflix viewings of The Lunatics.
• The "VISUAL PROGRAMMING" variant can be found on Cats, and some prints of The Best Bits of Mr. Bean.
• The in-credit print version is still seen on Maisy episodes from the era and the TV movie Outrage.