Universal Pay Television

Credits

Descriptions by
Livin'

Captures by
TVB

Editions by
TVB

Video captures courtesy of
Pepsi9072, & LogicSmash

(Early 1980s-Early 1990s)

Logo: Same as the 1973-1990 Universal Pictures logo, but its aspect ratio is now 4:3 and the text "PAY TELEVISION" in yellow is placed below "UNIVERSAL" and the MCA byline is smaller and placed below the globe.

Variants:

• A black-and-white version exists.
• A shorter version also exists, with the logo already formed. Sometimes, "In Association With" is placed above the logo.
• One print of The Sword and the Sorcerer essentially uses the film logo with "PAY TELEVISION" in yellow chroma-keyed below the MCA byline.
• One variation has the byline "AN MCA CO." on the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.
• Also known as "UNIVERSAL PAY TV PROGRAMMING INC." Variants using this name have the name "MCA" enlarged like the 1975-1991 Universal Television logo. The globe is either moving or static.

FX/SFX: Essentially the same as the 1963 Universal logo, made in 2D Animation.

Music/Sounds:

• The standard version generally used a re-orchestrated version of the 1936 Universal fanfare composed by Miklos Rosza, which was originally heard at the beginning of Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid. Sometimes, it's silent.
• The shortened version and the "Pay TV Programming" version used a synthesized organ version of the 1975 Universal Television fanfare, though sometimes it could have the closing theme playing over it. The fanfare was later overlaid onto the Universal Television logo for The New Leave It to Beaver (originally called Still the Beaver) after it moved from the Disney Channel to TBS.

Availability: This logo was common on 1980s-90s pay-cable prints (and American Movie Classics airings) of films from Universal, the pre-1948 Paramount library, and films licensed from third-parties such as ones from New Line Cinema. However, it is much harder to find nowadays due to modern airings using uncut, HD masters based on theatrical versions. This makes a surprise home video appearance on the 1987 TV movie Bates Motel, found as a bonus feature on the German Turbine Psycho Blu-Ray collection. It was also recently seen on a Grit TV airing of The Outlaw, a TCM airing of the movies Last Train from Madrid and Week-End With Father, as well as on a Starz print of Charlie Cobb: Nice Night for a Hanging. The Pay TV Programming variant was seen on a VHS of the special Portrait of a White Marriage, and season one of Still the Beaver, which has been unavailable in any form for years (allegedly due to legal issues).