Viacom Productions: Difference between revisions

'''Nicknames:''' "V of Doom", "Big V", "Zooming V", "Viacom V", "That V"

'''Logo:''' On a {{Font color|deepskyblue|sky blue}} (or {{font color|mediumpurple|lavender}}) background, the text "{{Font|Times New Roman|'''A Viacom Presentation'''}}" in a Palatino-like typeface zooms in from the center of the screen at a very fast pace, then stops abruptly (on the filmed variant) when it gets near to the screen. Then, a fancy-cut, {{Font color|navy|navy blue}} "{{Font color|navy|'''V'''}}" (a downward trapezoid with a curved line in the near center) zooms in from the center and moves gradually closer and closer to the screen. When it gets to the point where the "'''V'''" takes up nearly the entire screen, the screen suddenly cuts to black or fades to black (depending on the version of the logo), with the "'''V'''" presumably still moving ever closer.

'''Variants:'''

* A network television version that was used from 1978 until 1985 exists, consisting of the black "'''V'''" with the white text "{{font|Times New Roman|'''Viacom'''}}" underneath, with a {{font color|seagreen|sea green}}/{{font color|darkblue|dark blue}} background.

* In-credit text that said "A Viacom (Enterprises) Presentation", "In Association with Viacom Enterprises", "Distributed by Viacom Enterprises", or "Produced in association with Viacom Enterprises" appeared on ''The $25,000 Pyramid'', syndicated versions of Goodson-Todman game shows, and some TV and theatrical movies.  

'''FX/SFX:''' Depending on the version:

'''Music/Sounds:''' Here are the main music variants used on this logo:

* Usually, the music used was a 5-note synthesized fanfare (composed on an ARP Odyssey synth), complete with a timpani drum roll playing throughout with a final, rather loud pound at the end. Even after the logo faded (or cut) to black, the timpani's echo could still be heard. It is different for both the filmed and videotaped variants, with the audio quality being clearer for the latter.

* For the network TV variant, it used only the closing theme of the show or TV movie, or none.

'''Music/Sounds Variants:'''

* PAL versions of the logo were in a higher pitch and had a slightly faster sequence of synthesizer notes.

* Sometimes on the filmed variant, the first note or two can be cut off. Often, the final bit of the show's closing theme will play over the logo briefly. This is caused by a bad splice on the film between the credits and the logo. An example of this would be the Season 11 finale to ''My Three Sons''.

* On ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' episode "Christmas with the Clampetts", and perhaps other episodes from the first two seasons, it has a generic theme (the show's theme couldn't be used due to it being copyrighted while episodes from the first two seasons have fallen into the public domain) playing over the filmed version of this logo.

* On the ''Hot City'' variant, the music starts playing over the last bit of the closing song.

* On the failed TV pilot ''Snavely'', a re-orchestrated, sped up version of the usual theme plays over the network television variant. It is in a different key and sounds more acoustic.

'''Availability:''' Uncommon, bordering on rare, but it has become a bit easier to find in the past few years. Most shows that had this logo have been updated with either the "V of Steel" or "Wigga Wigga" logos, or those of [[Paramount Television (1967-2006)|Paramount Domestic Television]], [[CBS Studios|CBS Paramount Domestic/Network Television]], or [[CBS Media Ventures|CBS Television Distribution]]. However, newer variants might be seen on local stations that show older Viacom shows, such as ''The Honeymooners'', ''I Love Lucy'', ''The Andy Griffith Show'', ''Rawhide'', ''Hogan's Heroes'', ''The Twilight Zone'', and ''Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C.'' All variants of the "V of Doom" (with the exception of the "V of Pinball" until evidence is found) can be seen on VHS tapes of ''The Andy Griffith Show'' released by various video outlets such as Premier Promotions and sometimes (though mostly the videotaped variant) by [[UAV Corporation]].

* '''''V of Pinball'':'''

** This variant was also recently discovered on a 16mm print of ''The Phil Silvers Show''.  

** Its color counterpart has been seen on the 1975 TV movie ''Eric'', and is intact on the film's VHS release, the Magnetic Video release of ''Girls! Girls! Girls!'' (also on the 1985 Key Video re-release), the Australian Magnetic Video VHS of ''All in a Night's Work'', and on one mid-1970s print of an early color episode of ''Gunsmoke'', which aired on Superstation WTBS back in 1986.

** It appeared on some TV movies from the era, such as ''Police Story'', ''The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan'', and ''Top Secret'' (1978), among others. It was also seen on the original Magnetic Video VHS releases of many feature films, such as ''Last Train from Gun Hill'' and possibly ''All in a Night's Work''; those featuring Elvis Presley, including ''G.I. Blues'' (also on the 1985 Key Video re-release) and ''Blue Hawaii''; those featuring Jerry Lewis, including ''Don't Give Up the Ship'' (don't expect to see this on any of their laserdiscs or Greatest Sports Legends tapes, though); and at the end of earlier video prints of the 1981 film ''Firebird 2015 AD'' and the 1980 film ''The Unseen'', while the videotaped variant makes a strange appearance at the beginning of the latter film (the same also applied to an '80s broadcast on the USA Network).

** The filmed variant can be seen on Cozi TV airings of episodes from the first two seasons of ''The Beverly Hillbillies'', due to said network using public domain prints of that show.  

** It can also be spotted on almost every episode of ''The Millionaire'', which can occasionally be seen on Decades.

** The color variant of the filmed variant was seen on some prints of ''The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse'' and recently (as of 2018) on three episodes of ''Gunsmoke'' on Me-TV ("The Witness", "Eleven Dollars", and "Kitty's Love Affair") and one episode ("Like Old Times") on CBS Drama in the UK.

* '''''Videotaped Variant'':'''  

** The videotaped version used to be somewhat common on ''Perry Mason'' on Me-TV, but since 2015, they have started using remastered DVD prints with the 2007 CBS Television Distribution logo. However, these older prints can still be seen on FETV.

** It's also seen at the end of most ''Cannon'' episodes, mostly between seasons 3-5, shown on Me-TV (and whenever it airs on Decades, owned also by the parent company of Me-TV, Weigel Broadcasting).  

** It was also seen on episodes of ''The (New) Price is Right'' from 1976-1980.  

** The 1978 and 1983 variants were formerly seen on two episodes of ''The Twilight Zone'' on Syfy ("You Drive" and "One for the Angels") until Syfy acquired updated prints sometime in 2015.  

** It was also surprisingly seen on a 2012 airing of ''The Missiles of October'' on Me-TV, before the 1990 "Wigga Wigga" logo; however, newer prints, such as a recent Decades airing, used CTD instead.  

** It can be seen on two season 3 episodes of ''Have Gun-Will Travel'' on Me-TV and H&I ("Fragile" and "The Black Handkerchief").  

** It also makes a strange appearance at the start of the original VHS release of the 1980 film ''The Unseen'' (also intact on an '80s USA Network airing), while the filmed variant appears at the end.  

** It can also be found on seasons 3-5 of ''Cannon'' on DVD; Season 3 has an odd combo of this with the CBS Television Distribution logo following it, while the remaining two seasons have the videotaped VoD alone.  

** This recently made surprise appearances on Sky Go New Zealand prints of some episodes of ''All in the Family'' (such as season 1 episode 2).

* '''''Silent Variant'':''' Rare.  

** It is also retained on the 1985 Key Video re-issue of ''Fun in Acapulco''.  

** It was also spotted on an '80s USA Network airing of the 1968 movie ''Mission Mars'' (it is unknown if it's intact on any VHS releases of the movie).  

* '''''Network TV Variant'':''' Near extinction nowadays.  

** During the 1980s, it was seen on various short-lived shows and TV movies produced by this company, such as ''The Master'', ''The Devlin Connection'', ''Amanda's'', ''Dear Detective'', ''Ace Crawford: Private Eye'', ''The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Fifteen Years Later Affair'', and ''To Race the Wind'', among others; however, very few have been released onto VHS or DVD.

** It is unknown if it's preserved on the USA Home Video releases of ''East of Eden'' (1981) or ''For Ladies Only''; it is, however, surprisingly preserved on the Starmaker Video reprint of the former film.

** True Entertainment (now GREAT! TV) airings of ''Kids Don't Tell'' have this intact.

* '''''Rainbow Variant'':''' Unknown. This variant's existence has yet to be confirmed. It was rumored to be on a Comedy Network Canada airing of a ''Honeymooners'' episode.

'''Editor's Note:''' One of the first (and '''by far''' one of the most popular) examples of a "scary" logo within the closing logo community, commonly referred to alongside "[[Screen Gems Television|S from Hell]]", "[[VIDgital (Russia)|The Mask Of Guo Xiang]]", the [[Klasky-Csupo|Klasky-Csupo "Super Scary Face"]] and the "[[THX|THX Deep Note]]". Few children who grew up with this logo have fond memories of it, mostly due to the zooming "V" and bizarre, unnerving music. Adults, however, will likely find it to be harmless. Despite - or perhaps ''because of'' - its notoriety, it's become a fan favorite in the community, and although much more unnerving closing logos have been discovered since, it remains an important part of CLG history.