Bell System

Credits

Descriptions by
Henrynguye5 and TVB

Captures by
Doctorine Dark, TVB and Poocian

Editions by
TVB, Henrynguye5 and BaldiBasicsFan

Video captures courtesy of
LogoBox, Broken Saw, Alp Entertainment, Bionic Disco and Doctorine_Logos

Bell System
Founded:	1877
Defunct:	1983
Fate:	Breakup of the Bell System
Successors:	AT&T
Subsidiaries:	See Category:AT&T Inc.

Background

The Bell System was a system of companies led by the Bell Telephone Company and later by AT&T, which dominated the telephone services industry in North America for 100 years, from its creation in 1877 until its antitrust breakup in 1983, which is still continued today under AT&T.

1st Logo (1940)

Visuals: Unknown.

Technique: Just the fading.

Audio: The closing theme of the short.

2nd Logo (1941)

Visuals: Unknown

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: The closing theme of the film.

Availability: Seen on Telephone History: "Long Distance".

3rd Logo (1958)

Visuals: Unknown.

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: The opening theme to the film.

4th Logo (December 9, 1960)

Visuals: Same as the previous logo, but the background is now dark purple, the Bell System logo is now copper, and is now more detailed and has a three-dimensional look.

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: An announcer saying the following words: "The Bell Telephone System brings you another of its series of programs on science, man's effort to understand nature's laws."

5th Logo (1960-1964)

Visuals: On a moving space background, there is a more simplified Bell System logo zooming into the screen and stopping at a point.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: The closing theme of the show.

6th Logo (1964-1969)

Visuals: There is a slightly abridged Bell System logo on a black background.

Technique: A still, printed image.

Audio: An ominous beeping tune.

7th Logo (1976-1980)

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Visuals: There is multiple outlines of the Bell System logo in different colors on a black background. They then form into one in blue outline. It stands up and it flips, making the logo entirely blue. While its happening, text in white shows up, which are the following:

• Bell of Pennsylvania
• C&P Telephone
• Ohio Bell
• New England Telephone
• New Jersey Bell
• Indiana Bell
• Southern New England Telephone
• Pacific Telephone
• Michigan Bell
• Pacific Northwest Bell
• Southern Bell
• Nevada Bell
• South Central Bell
• New York Telephone
• Mountain Bell
• Cincinnati Bell
• Wisconsin Telephone
• Northwestern Bell
• Illinois Bell
• Diamond State Telephone
• Southwestern Bell
• Western Electric
• Bell Labs
• Long Lines
• AT&T

Finally, there is the Bell System logo.

Trivia: This was created for the Bell System's 100th anniversary in 1976. The telephone key tones heard at the end of the advertisement go as follows: 7988798879887988798879887988798879887

Variants:

• More than once, its abridged to only show the final product.
• Sometimes, the copyright year appears below the logo.
• One variant is sped up, does not have the name below, and only the copyright appears. This was used for AT&T.

Technique: The animation for the Bell logo and the text, which are in 2D animation.

Audio: Multiple telephone beeps, as well as catchy synth music (drums).

Audio Variant: Sometimes, an announcer can be heard. The announcer typically says: "The Bell System: People using technology to help keep down costs and improve service, keeping your phone system the best in the world."

Availability: Only seen on commercials/programs at the time.

8th Logo (March 1, 1983)

Visuals: On a blue background with a dark blue map of America, the Bell System logo reveals itself via flipping, much like the previous logo.

Technique: Scanimate.

Audio: The closing theme of the show, along with an announcer saying "AT&T and the Bell System Company."

Availability: Seen at the beginning and the end of a March 1, 1983 airing of The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour.