Fremantle International
Kris Starring and Jason Wuthrich
Captures by
Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly, V of Doom, Livin', NakedTarzan01, and TheEriccorpinc
Editions by
Shadeed A. Kelly, V of Doom, WizardDuck, mr3urious, DaBigLogoCollector,
Video captures courtesy of
Eric S., mcydodge919, and dimalysyi
Background
The Fremantle Corporation was a British-based production company founded in 1952 by Paul Talbot. It also set up a subsidiary Fremantle International Inc. to handle overseas sales of its programs, as well as acquiring formats of various top television producers such as Goodson-Todman, Bob Stewart Productions, Barris Productions, Kline and Friends, Inc., Barry & Enright Productions, and Hatos-Hall Productions. It even operated its own production company, Talbot Television. In 1989, half of its Fremantle International unit was sold to Interpublic Group of Companies, while its Australian office was acquired by R.A. Becker & Company (later Becker Entertainment). In 1994, the international unit was sold by Interpublic to All American Communications, while Talbot had retained the Fremantle Corporation, which had international distribution rights to Baywatch, Loving and Grace Under Fire. After Paul Talbot's death in 2005, it was sold to Kaleidoscope Entertainment. The rights to the library are now held by FilmRise.
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| 1st Logo (January 10, 1960-1972) | 2nd Logo (September 13, 1972-1991) | 3rd Logo (1991-1994) | 4th Logo (1994-2001) |
1st Logo (January 10, 1960-1972)
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Visuals: There is a closeup of the filmreel. The filmreel spins and then zooms out over a gray background. A circle with the black word "F" appears. The black word "A" in a Claredron font appears. A black filmstrip wipes over and we see the white word "FREMANTLE". Another filmstrip wipes over below and we see the white word "INTERNATIONAL". The word "RELEASE" appears below the filmstrips.
Technique: Traditional cel animation.
Audio: Various drumroll sounds.
Availability: Seen at the end of The Magic Boomerang.
2nd Logo (September 13, 1972-1991)
Visuals:
- Opening: The logo zooms-out on a black background with white sparkles meant to represent outer space, as two copies of the word "FREMANTLE" (one yellow and the other red) fly from the right and left sides of the screen. As we stop zooming, the copies converge forming an orange "FREMANTLE", which shines, and the yellow word "International" fades in at the bottom and flashes. After two seconds, the word "presents" fades in at the bottom. The stars in the continue twinkling for the logo's duration.
- Closing: On this variant, it features the text: "A FREMANTLE International presentation" on a plain black background. Spinning reflective lights begin to appear at random places on the text. a light crawls across "presentation" and disappears.
Technique: Motion controlled effects.
Audio:
- The opening version features a synth tune that begins with a slow, descending "UFO" sound, followed by a calm sweep at the end.
- The closing version features only a 3-note synth chime fanfare, much in the manner of the sweep in the opening version.
- Sometimes, it uses the closing theme of the show (such as Baywatch).
Availability:
- Can be found on the Prism Entertainment VHS release of Manhunt for Claude Dallas.
- This could also still appear on a few Fremantle-produced shows during the '70s in Canada, as well on syndicated and international prints of S1 episodes of Baywatch (which is also on the German DVD releases).
- It was also seen on international VHS releases of Loving.
- This is also surprisingly retained on Hallmark Movies Now's print of the 1986 TV movie Can You Feel Me Dancing? before the early 90s All American Television logo.
3rd Logo (1991-1994)
Visuals: On a CGI space background, there is the planet Earth, where a satellite swerves around the globe. The logo zooms past the earth and the satellite comes up from behind it. The satellite shoots lasers from its antenna, forming the text "FREMANTLE" in 3D and gold. The text shines.
Technique: CGI effects.
Audio: A triumphant majestic sci-fi fanfare accompanied with the satellite whooshing and making beeping noises as it forms the company name, and an echoing voice-over saying "FREMANTLE!" at the end.
Audio Variant: On the original UK broadcast of Penn & Teller: Don't Try This at Home!, the voiceover is cut out and it trails off into the ITV Night Time logo.
Availability: It was seen on non-U.S. and non-UK airings of Baywatch episodes from the era. It has been preserved on some Russian and German broadcasts of said episodes.
4th Logo (1994-2001)
Visuals: In space, there is the Hubble Space Telescope. The screen fades to a shot of two astronauts on a mechanical arm; what exactly they are doing is not easy to make out, but it kind of looks like they are unplugging something. The screen fades to another astronaut letting go of a metal panel, and the satellite fades away except for the metal panel, which remains on the screen in front of the Earth. The panel flips around to reveal a red rectangle with "FREMANTLE" in a white Trajan Pro font on it. A shining effect occurs and freezes on the "R".
Trivia: The footage is from the first repair mission for the HST on December 2, 1993. You can view the video here.
Variant: There is also a short version, beginning with the panel flipping, plus the words "International Distribution by the Fremantle Corporation" are seen below.
Technique: Mostly live action, with some CGI mixed in.
Audio: Same as before, but with the voice-over echoing part being cut.
Availability:
- The logo can be seen on current airings of the Home Movies episode "I Don't Do Well In Parent-Teacher Conferences" on Adult Swim since April 30, 2021, due to the fact that the current prints of the episode were sourced from an international print. The episode can also be found on HBO Max. Prior to this, it was last seen in the U.S. on reruns of The Adventures of Black Beauty on FamilyNet (now The Cowboy Channel).
- The logo also appeared on international prints of Ryan's Hope, Grace Under Fire, Loving, All My Children, 1994-2001 episodes of Baywatch, and an international Fox Crime airing of Oxygen's Snapped.
- Can be found on the UK VHS release of Penn & Teller: Don't Try This at Home!.
- The short/International Distribution version is only seen on some older international prints of early Big Wolf on Campus episodes. Most current international prints of the show, nowadays, would have the 1996 Saban International/1999 Fox Kids combo instead or remove it completely.
