Reeves Entertainment: Difference between revisions

Background: Alan Landsburg Productions was a production company founded in April 1970 by Alan Landsburg, who was formerly working for Metromedia Producers Corporation. It was acquired by Tomorrow Entertainment, Inc. in August 1971 and Reeves Teletape Corp. (later part of "Reeves Communications Corp.") acquired ALP on September 18, 1978 from Tomorrow Entertainment. Alan Landsburg then left the company in 1985 to form "The Landsburg Company", and Alan Landsburg Productions became "Reeves Entertainment Group" on May 6, 1985. In 1990, Reeves was sold to UK's Thames Television for $89 million. Reeves Entertainment was closed down in 1994 and folded into Thames. Most of the television series it made are currently distributed by NBCUniversal Television Distribution in the US if distributed by MCA TV, while ''What Would You Do?'' and ''Wild and Crazy Kids!'' are owned by Nickelodeon and ''Doctor, Doctor'' is distributed by Sony Pictures Television. Some made for TV movies such as 1983's ''Adam'' and 1977's ''Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo'' are distributed by FremantleMedia, successor to Thames Television.

'''Alan Landsburg Productions'''

1st Logo

Nickname: "Circles and Lines"<br />Logo:  On a white background, a blue circle zooms towards us and stops in place. Then three colored vertical rectangles slide in from the top and bottom of the screen from right to left and stop in place over the circle; red from the bottom, yellow from the top, and blue from the bottom. The red and blue rectangles then slide across each other and swap places, with the red rectangle forming an "a", and the blue on forming a "p". The yellow rectangle stays in place, thus forming the letters "'''alp'''". A second later, the stacked words "ALAN LANDSBURG PRODUCTIONS" appear below the letters.<br />FX/SFX: The zooming of the circle, sliding of the rectangles, formation of the letters, and the <nowiki>''</nowiki>ALAN LANDSBURG PRODUCTIONS<nowiki>''</nowiki> text. <br />Music/Sounds: A catchy synth xylophone theme.<br />Availability: Rare. It's found on a DVD of ''In Search of: Ancient Astronauts''.<br />Editor's Note: It's a pretty interesting logo with some quality animation and a catchy theme.<br />2nd Logo

Nicknames: "Director's Block", "Slateboard"<br />Logo: Over a black background, we see a director's slate. 5 arrows facing to the right appear on screen on segment at a time. The top half of the slate then rises, and rapidly drops down and hits the bottom half. This changes the top half into the words:

The top half of the slate (ALAN LANDSBURG) rises again, then drops down once more. This causes the bottom half to change into the word "PRODUCTIONS". Another slate pops in on top of the words in traffic arrow fashion.<br />Variants:<br />

* On some episodes of ''In Search of''... and the TV movie ''It Happened at Lakewood Manor'', the logo is shortened down to where the top half of the slate ("ALAN LANDSBURG") reveals "PRODUCTIONS".FX/SFX: The dropping slate, and the changing words.<br />Music/Sounds:<br />

* The sound effects of a camera shutter as the segmented lines appear, followed by a clapperboard sound during the respective action. The end-title theme from any show is sometimes heard on some programs or silence.

* On the DVD release of ''Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo'', the short version of the music from the 3rd logo plays over this logo, followed by the logo for FremantleMedia North America.Availability: Uncommon.<br />

* It is intact on the Visual Entertainment DVD of ''In'' ''Search of...'' and would be presumed intact if ever reran again.

* This can be spotted on the DVD release of ''Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo''.Editor's Note: Again, some decent animation if a little unrefined. The logo itself resembles title effects used on '70s B-movies.<br />3rd Logo

(September 20, 1979-May 11, 1985)

Nickname: "ALP"<br />Logo:  On a black background is a stylized blue "ALP" similar to the font seen  in the Reeves Entertainment "REG" logo. Then it is blacked out,  revealing behind it:

Trivia: This logo is designed in base of the Reeves Teletape Company logo from the time. <br />Variants:<br />

* This logo was superimposed on the first two seasons of ''Gimme a Break!'' and the short-lived series ''No Soap, Radio'', and the 1983 TV pilot ''Sutters Bay''.<br />

* An alternate version featured the usual logo animation, except that the Reeves byline popped in a second later. This appears on ''Jaws 3'', later season 5 episodes of ''In Search of...'', and the TV movie ''The Jayne Mansfield Story''.<br />

* On some shows like ''Kate & Allie'', ''Gimme a Break!'', and the short-lived series ''Spencer'', the copyright stamp is shown below.FX/SFX: The logo revealing the text behind it.<br />Music/Sounds: A synthesizer stinger. There were three versions of this theme.<br />Music/Sounds Variants:<br />

* Sometimes, it's the end-title theme. This appears on productions such as the U.S. adaptation of ''The Krypton Factor'', season 1 of ''Kate & Allie'', the first two seasons of ''Gimme a Break!'', and the short-lived series ''No Soap, Radio.''Availability: Common.<br />

* It was also seen on the short-lived 1981 U.S. adaptation of ''The Krypton Factor'' with Dick Clark.<br />

Editor's Note: The logo design is interesting, but the sliding away of the logo and the revealing of the text while smooth, does look kind of uninspired.

'''Reeves Entertainment'''1st Logo

Nickname: "REG"<br />Logo: On the left, is a stylized <nowiki>''</nowiki>'''REG'''<nowiki>'', similar to the ''ALP'' in the 3rd logo. To the right, in the same font as "Alan Landsburg Productions" in the 3rd logo, is ''Reeves Entertainment Group'' and under that is ''</nowiki>A Reeves Communications Company".<br />Variants:<br />

* On season 2 of ''Kate and Allie'', instead of the music, the outro of the series' closing credits played over the logo.FX/SFX: None.<br />Music/Sounds: Same as ALP's 3rd logo.<br />Availability: It's seen on episodes of ''Gimme a Break!'' from the time. On some episodes with the previous logo on TV One, it's tacked on this logo.<br />Editor's Note: Same as ALP's 3rd logo.<br />2nd Logo

Nicknames: "REG II", "Day-Glo Reeves"<br />Logo:  A stylized blue "R," which is decorated with vertical black stripes on  its left side shines against a black background before backing away a bit. A similar "E" slides out from the right of the "R." It shines, the logo backs away, and then a "G" comes out of the right of the "E," shines, and completes the logo. When it stops, the words "'''Reeves Entertainment Group'''" appear underneath, and under that appears "A Reeves Communications Company".<br />Variants:<br />

* On ''Wild & Crazy Kids'', there is a copyright date under it that says "© [YEAR] Reeves Entertainment and MTV Networks". On the 1992 episodes, the copyright stamp reads "© [YEAR] MTV Networks. A Division of Viacom International, Inc. and Reeves Entertainment, A Thames Television Company". Also on this show, the music had some kind of laugh to it and it was part of the end theme. The logo is bylineless on the pilot. The copyright date was also seen on ''Gimme a Break!'' and early ''Kate & Allie'' episodes from 1985-1986 until it was moved to the end credits, as well as 1988-91 episodes of the talk show ''The Home Show'' (also known simply as ''Home'').

* On ''Kate & Allie'', the animation is in warp-speed.FX/SFX: Letters shining and coming out of letters. <br />Music/Sounds: A descending piano theme, then a warm 4-note synth horn theme. Otherwise, the end of the show's theme song.<br />Availability: Rare.<br />

* It's also seen on the final two seasons of ''Gimme a Break!.''Editor's Note: The animation is also simple '80s stuff, but at least the music is soothing and also a bit more creative than the previous two logos.<br />3rd Logo

(September 19, 1990-March 8, 1995)

Nicknames: "Drama Faces", "The Thames Logo", "The Comedy/Drama Masks"<br />Logo: On a black background, we see a smiling drama face that moves up towards the top of the screen, followed by a sad drama face. Underneath the faces, several shards come together to form a blue triangle, and the black background has turned to a dark gray curtain. The text "'''REEVES''' ENTERTAINMENT" fades in at the triangle's tip, and the byline "A Thames Television Company" appears below that.<br />Variants:<br />

* On ''Doctor, Doctor'', this logo is sped-up.FX/SFX: The moving drama faces, and the shards.<br />Music/Sounds: Either the same as the last logo, the end-title theme from any show, or silence.<br />Availability: Rare.<br />

* Of these 5, only ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' is commercially available on DVD and VHS, and was airing reruns on Centric until 2012.<br />Editor's Note: A wonderful CGI logo to end the company on a marvelous note.