United Artists Television

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Background: United Artists Television was the television production and distribution division of United Artists that was originally formed in 1949. They distributed their parent company's film library, but by the 1950s, there was little success. United Artists Corporation acquired Associated Artists Productions in 1958 and renamed it as "United Artists Associated" and in the process, they acquired the pre-1950 Warner Bros. theatrical film library. In 1960, United Artists acquired Ziv Television Programs, forming "Ziv-United Artists" as their television production and primary distribution arm. In 1962, Ziv was phased out, causing the name to revert back to the original name. United Artists was later purchased by Transamerica Corporation in 1967. United Artists Associated was reincorporated as "United Artists Television Distribution" the following year. In 1981, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer merged with United Artists to create "MGM/UA Entertainment Co.". As a result, their respective television units combined as well, forming "MGM/UA Entertainment Co. Television" (or "MGM/UA Television") in 1982. The "United Artists Television" logo was eventually phased out around 1983 in favor of the "MGM/UA Television" banner, although the United Artists Television name was used on select television series as an in-name-only unit of MGM/UA Television until 1995. On September 22, 2014, MGM purchased a 55% interest in One Three Media and Lightworkers Media and merged the two companies to form "United Artists Media Group", with Hearst Corporation also owning a minor stake of the company until December 14, 2015, when MGM acquired the remaining 45% stake, becoming its wholly-owned subsidiary and folding it later. United Artists Media Group later became "UAMG Content, LLC". With the exceptions of Gilligan's Island (distributed by Warner Bros. Television via Turner Entertainment Co., who retains the copyright), The Fugitive (owned by CBS Television Studios through Spelling Television) and The Mothers-in-Law (owned by Desilu, Too (not to be confused with the original Desilu Productions, later Paramount Television, now CBS Television Studios), the remaining United Artists Television library is currently owned by MGM Television.

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Nicknames: "UA", "Large UA", "ZIV", "TV Tube"

Logo: A superimposed logo, featuring a block-type "UA" stacked diagonally with the text "A United Artists Television Presentation" across. The logo is bordered inside a transparent television tube-like field.

Variants:

Opening: In a black background, a transparent television tube-like field appears with the block-type letters "UA" inside it. The text "A United Artists Television Presentation" then fades in. Ziv-United Artists Variant: See Ziv Television Programs for description.

FX/SFX: None or the zooming effect.

Music/Sounds: Usually the closing theme of the show. In the opening variant, a timpani drum roll is heard.

Availability: The original is extinct. The Ziv-United Artists variant can be seen on Bat Masterson on ThisTV and Encore Westerns.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (1962-1967) United Artists Television (1963)United Artists Television (1962)United Artists Television (1962, B)United Artists Television (1963)United Artists Television (1964) United Artists Television (1965, A)United Artists Television (1965, B)United Artists Television "UA Stack" (1966)United Artists Television (1966)United Artists Television (1968, Color) United Artists Television "UA Stack" (1966)United Artists Television "UA Stack" (1966)United Artists Television (1966) B&WReleased by UATV: 1966United Artists Television (November 27, 1966)

Nicknames: "The Brackets", "UA Stack", "}{"

Logo: On a grey background, the stacked text "UNITED ARTISTS TELEVISION" appears as an outline, surrounded by 2 white brackets (think this: { }). The brackets then pan over the text, turning it and the brackets black. When they reach over back to the sides (like this: } { ), they quickly close up over the text, wiping it away until they meet, where a line on the bottom of half appears, making a stacked "UA" (looking like this }{).

Variants:

The color variant had yellow/red/orange/white lettering and the UA logo in white on a blue/brown background; was seen with full animation on It's About Time and My Mother the Car. It also exists in B&W. A still variant with "Released by" on top of the logo and the brackets already in their switched places was seen on season one episodes of The Rat Patrol and Hey, Landlord. There exists a in-credit version that had it superimposed on the ending screen, or on the letters seen in the next logo.

FX/SFX: The panning of the UA. The logo looks like it was made in stop-motion.

Music/Sounds:

For the original 1962 version, there was a musical swell and sometimes followed by a "click" sound from the shapes when they intersected and merged. It finishes with a flourish at the end. Some season three episodes of The Patty Duke Show featured their closing theme over the logo but retaining the "click" sound. In 1965, the music was replaced with a whimsical theme accompanied by a xylophone. Other shows would use the closing theme of the show.

Availability: Rare.

It's seen on The Patty Duke Show and It's About Time on Antenna TV and should be retained when Me-TV begins airing the former in 2016. This is also available on the 2002 MGM/UA Home Video VHS and MGM DVD releases of The Outer Limits and on the 2004 Warner Home Video DVD release of the unaired pilot episode of Gilligan's Island titled "Marooned" (the remainder of the series used the next logo). The version with the third theme was used on O.K. Crackerby and My Mother the Car. It can also be seen on The New Phil Silvers Show.

Editor's Note: None.

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Nicknames: "UA II", "Large UA II", "Small UA"

Logo: This is an in-credit logo for some of United Artists Television's co-productions. In it, "UA" appears in a bold font. There are two known versions of this logo:

The Fugitive: The logo logo flips in (the same transition effect on all other groups of text on the closing credits) and appears as:

in association with

UNITED ARTISTS TELEVISION, INC.

Some early episodes lack the "UA" and later episodes have "Filmed at the SAMUEL GOLDWYN STUDIO" underneath the logo.

Gilligan's Island: The "UA" is on the left side of the middle section with:

A GLADASYA-UNITED ARTISTS TELEVISION PRODUCTION

appearing above. Like The Fugitive version, there was originally no "UA".

FX/SFX: None. On The Fugitive version, there is a flipping effect from the closing credits.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show.

Availability:

This can be found intact on all episodes of Gilligan's Island and The Fugitive on Me-TV and on DVD releases by Warner Home Video for the former and CBS DVD and Paramount Home Entertainment for the latter. It can also be seen on It's About Time on Antenna TV.

Editor's Note: None.

4th Logo (1967-1968) United Artists Television (1967)United Artists Television (1967)UATV: 1967-b

Nicknames: "The UA-Transamerica Circle", "The UA Circle"

Logo: On a light blue background, we have a yellow circle and inside it has a black circle. We see the words "UNITED ARTISTS TELEVISION" in yellow lettering (appears to be in a cote-out) appearing inside a circular field. The word "TELEVISION" is under the word "RTISTS" in small lettering. The byline "A Transamerica COMPANY" is seen in small letters underneath. The word "Transamerica" is seen in a yellow Impact font. The letters "U" and the "A" are somewhat taller than the rest of the company name, and they overlap each other. The logo resembles the movie logo at the time, but without the rest of the background.

Variant: The background is sky blue and the circle and lettering is orange. The text "RELEASED BY" is seen in place of "FROM" on the upper left corner. This variant is also zoomed further away.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show.

Availability: Ultra rare.

It was originally seen on season two episodes of The Rat Patrol and season one episodes of The Mothers-in-Law (the last United Artists Television program to use this logo), as well on off-network syndicated reruns of programs such as Gilligan's Island in the late 1960s (the company was one of the first television syndication companies to follow that practice). Currently seen on season one episodes of The Mothers-in-Law on "The Complete Series" DVD release by MPI Home Video and Me-TV reruns.

Editor's Note: None.

5th Logo (1968-1975) UATV: 1968-1975

Nickname: "The Transamerica T"

Logo: It starts with two sets of blue lines going into place, all together at the same time, against a black background. One set of three lines turns to the left, the other set turns to the right. There are six lines altogether, revealing the logo of Transamerica Corporation, United Artists former owner. The logo zooms out to the side to make room for the company name.

Byline: The name was referred to as "United Artists Television, Entertainment from Transamerica Corporation" during this time.

Opening Variant: On this variant, the animation is the same as film counterpart, except the text says "United Artists Television" instead of just "United Artists".

FX/SFX: The stacking of the lines and revelation of the name.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show or the ending part of the movie logo theme from 1968.

Music/Sounds Variant: The opening version contains the complete fanfare from the 1968 United Artists logo.

Availability: Ultra rare.

The standard version with the fanfare was last seen on Gilligan's Island off-network reruns from the time frame. Currently seen on season two episodes of The Mothers-in-Law on "The Complete Series" DVD release by MPI Home Video and Me-TV reruns. The opening variant was seen on television films and television prints of co-produced DFE Films and The Mirisch Company cartoons from the time frame and it will either be removed or plastered by a later United Artists or MGM logo. This logo has been reported to have been seen on an episode of Gilligan's Island on the French-Canadian channel Prise 2.

Editor's Note: None.

6th Logo (1975-1981)

Nickname: "The Transamerica T '75", "Transamerica T II"

Logo: It is similar to the previous logo. The re-modified name "United Artists Television" fades in, and the "Transamerica T 1975 United Artists Television logo " fades in along with the shortened byline "A Transamerica Company".

Variant: On syndication prints of older United Artists Television series of the time frame, a still shot variant of the 1975 United Artists logo was used.

FX/SFX: The fade-in or none.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extinct.

The logo was seen on syndication prints of Gilligan's Island from the time frame (which were in circulation as late as the late 1980s). However, by this point, United Artists Television was primarily a syndication company that distributed their film and television library (and MGM Television programs, due to United Artists' distribution deal with MGM prior to the two companies merging). Most current prints will likely be sourced from the original prints or this logo is removed and/or plastered by an MGM Television logo. This logo may have been on television movies produced by the company.

Editor's Note: None.

7th Logo (1981-1982)

United Artists Pictures (1981-1982)Logo: It is a shortened variant of the 1981 United Artists logo.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Same as the previous logo.

Editor's Note: None.

8th Logo (1982-1983) United Artists Television 1982

Nicknames: "UA Paperclip", "Turning UA (Stationary)"

Logo: It is a still shot variant of the 1982 United Artists logo and is closer up.

FX/SFX: The fade-in and fade-out.

Music/Sounds: The final three notes as normal (as seen on Witness for the Prosecution). It later used a rearranged version of the last four film logo notes (later used for MGM/UA Entertainment Co. Television Distribution). Sometimes, the end theme will carry over this logo or it is silent.

Availability: Near extinction. It is only known to have appeared on old prints of three television films: Witness for the Prosecution, I Take These Men and I Want to Live.

Editor's Note: None.

Final Note: In 2014, United Artists Media Group was formed, causing the United Artists name to return to television for the first time since 1995.