Ubu Productions

Background
Ubu Productions was an independent company founded in 1982 by television producer Gary David Goldberg, who was notable for creating the 1980s sitcom Family Ties. It was named after Ubu Roi, Goldberg's "campus dog", who died in 1984. Goldberg died on June 22, 2013, at the age of 68 from a brain tumor.

(April 5, 1982-April 30, 2002)


Logo: We see a black Labrador retriever (who is Ubu) holding a Frisbee in his mouth in the middle of a city park. The text "UBU PRODUCTIONS" in white with a drop shadow is at the bottom of the screen. All set in Morris Fuller Benton's Hobo typeface.

Trivia: This picture was taken in the Tuileries Garden, close to the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Gary David Goldberg subsequently traveled the world with Ubu while he was in college.

Variant: On original ABC airings of Champs, "in association with" is seen below. The logo transitions to the DreamWorks Television logo.

Technique: None, except for the variant on Champs.

Music/Sounds: Goldberg saying "Sit, Ubu, sit! Good dog.", followed by Ubu barking, all in very low cassette like quality. ABC airings of Spin City, starting in 1998, and NBC airings of Battery Park, used the network's generic theme.

Availability: It can be found on Goldberg's produced shows such as Family Ties on its CBS DVD release, Brooklyn Bridge on Decades, Day by Day, The Art of Being Nick, and Spin City on Pluto TV.

Legacy: This is a favorite of many closing logo fans, although some may be creeped out by the cheap, low quality picture and the way Ubu looks. It is also a frequent subject of parody.