ABC Pictures Corporation

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

ABC Pictures Corporation was a film production division of the American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., founded in 1965 and incorporated under ABC Pictures Holdings in 1967. The studio's films were distributed by Cinerama Releasing Corporation. API had two subsidiaries, Palomar Pictures and Selmur Pictures, and also owned the Selznick Pictures library since 1965. The studio never turned a profit for ABC and was shut down in early 1973, although its holding company (which in October 1977 changed its name to ABC Pictures International, unrelated to the new film production division of ABC at the time) was only dissolved in February 1988.

Walt Disney Pictures has owned the rights to the studio's library since 1996 when Disney acquired ABC. The home media rights are licensed to Kino Lorber after they were previously released by MGM Home Entertainment, Fox Video and Anchor Bay Entertainment.

Logo (September 23, 1968-February 13, 1972)


Visuals: On a blue background, a globe of the Earth, with olive continents and teal water as well as white longitude and latitude lines, slowly rotates around clockwise. Over the globe, a rounded "ab" combo forms over the globe in white, before it spreads slowly apart to reveal the "abc" letters, which slowly turn blue as the globe fades to a black circle (just as the Americas fully come into view.) Below the letters, "PICTURES CORP." fades in as the logo moves left, with a stylized filmstrip wiping in upwards to reveal the globe there. Below, a byline reading "A SUBSIDARY OF THE AMERICAN BROADCASTING COMPANIES, INC." in white fades in below, followed by "PRESENTS" below the filmstrip, also in white.

Variants:

  • Sometimes, "PRESENTS" is not seen.
  • On Jenny, the logo is presented on a white background, with the byline and "PRESENTS" text seen in black. The logo is also smaller.

Technique: A mix of cel animation and live-action model work.

Audio: The opening theme of the film, or none. The Jenny variant uses a whimsical-sounding flute tune with a string flourish and orchestral finale.

Availability:

ABC Pictures Corporation
ABC Pictures International
ABC Motion Pictures
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