When did CBS retire use of "in color" open logo? (1 Viewer)

[lj01]

Thanks to all of the experts on opening and closing logos who post here. I've become curious about the CBS "presents this program in color" logo. I have read that NBC discontinued use of the NBC "in living color" peacock on 12/31/1975, but I haven't determined or read how/when CBS retired the "in color" animation or how widespread the use was into the 1970s. I do see in various places that the logo was used with the Mary Tyler Moore show in the first three seasons (1970-73) - but I'm curious as to whether it was still in widespread use for the 1970-71 season and beyond, or retired at some point/season.

 

[Harry-N]

I have a gut feeling that it DIDN'T go very far into the 1970's, if at all. If I recall correctly, the fall of 1965 brought the color bumpers on both ABC and CBS and it was ABC that did away with its dedicated "This is an ABC Color presentation" first, after just one season of use - 1965-66. In the fall of 1966, ABC used quicker, show-specific bumpers for the "In Color" designation.

CBS continued to use its "CBS presents this program in color" for another year or so, and then pretty much stopped it altogether. I'm not sure of the exact date, but I don't ever recall it on MARY TYLER MOORE.

 

[bmasters9]

I have a gut feeling that it DIDN'T go very far into the 1970's, if at all. If I recall correctly, the fall of 1965 brought the color bumpers on both ABC and CBS and it was ABC that did away with its dedicated "This is an ABC Color presentation" first, after just one season of use - 1965-66. In the fall of 1966, ABC used quicker, show-specific bumpers for the "In Color" designation.
View attachment 93209

Each w/the ABC announcer saying, "Next, (show name) in color."

And here are two more: The Fugitive and The FBI.

 

[MartinP.]

Okay, I couldn't resist...

 

[bmasters9]

Okay, I couldn't resist...

That one being not just a parody of the NBC M Squad series (this parody being criminally short-lived, IMO), but also a parody of the aforementioned ABC In Color bumpers.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Okay, I couldn't resist...

From the mid to late '80s era, around the time __________ "In Stereo" was in vogue!

CHEERS!

 

[DVBRD]

This brings up an interesting question: why did it take until 1975 for NBC to get rid of their "In Living Color" bumpers? I'd like to say it was because of the popularity of the NBC Peacock but even then I don't know why it took until 1979 for turn the peacock into the network logo.

Keep in mind that this was NBC's official logo at the time:

 

[bmasters9]

From the mid to late '80s era, around the time __________ "In Stereo" was in vogue!

CHEERS!

Speaking of which, here are two NBC Mini-Series title cards, both from their Cylinder Marquee opening (the last one to use the Proud N, and the only one to use two at once [the outgoing Proud N, and the incoming 6-feathered bird that we know today]).

Here are those cards, one with the 1979 bird on the In Stereo graphic (from early 1986), and the other with today's bird, from 1987 (the one w/the 1979 bird is fuzzier):

 

[The Obsolete Man]

From the mid to late '80s era, around the time __________ "In Stereo" was in vogue!

CHEERS!

I laugh at NBC's merely "in stereo" shows.

Everyone knows the real audio experience was presented in CBS StereoSound (Where Available)!

 

[MatthewA]

There was a prototype NBC "In Stereo" logo that used the Proud N without the headphones or the "where available" disclaimer which they added as TV stations started upgrading their sound equipment. Most shows used it over their opening credits except for Gimme A Break!, which rarely had the exact same opening credits lineup two weeks in a row since they only credited supporting cast members when they actually appeared in an episode, so they just put it over the beginning of Act 1:


ABC made more of a to-do about closed-captioning.

 

[Harry-N]

Here's one that only appeared for 13 weeks:

 

[Matt Hough]

Okay, I couldn't resist...

The best one of them all!

 

[Harry-N]

Another seldom-watched ABC series in 66-67, THE MONROES.

 

[bmasters9]

And 60s ABC West/Ward Batman, In Color...

 

[Harry-N]

But then, the real question asked here was when did the CBS Color bumper stop.

(Actually, it's been used a few times in recent years for the Lucy, Dick Van Dyke, and Andy Griffith colorized shows - and in high definition!)

 

[Matt Hough]

But then, the real question asked here was when did the CBS Color bumper stop.

View attachment 93268

(Actually, it's been used a few times in recent years for the Lucy, Dick Van Dyke, and Andy Griffith colorized shows - and in high definition!)

View attachment 93268 And every time they do it, it takes me right back to my childhood. Once we got a color TV, just seeing the NBC, CBS, and ABC anthems made us all very happy indeed.

 

[B-ROLL]

Keep in mind many people subscribed to TV Guide where color shows were indicated in the listings

As to NBC, apparently they paid a firm a lot of money to come up with a new logo to replace the peacock logo:

which bore a striking resemblance to on the PBS affiliates in Nebraska used and produced for considerably less money.


As the new season under the N logo didn't do well - they reintroduced the Peacock logo.

NBC logo - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[The Obsolete Man]

As to NBC, apparently they paid a firm a lot of money to come up with a new logo to replace the peacock logo:

which bore a striking resemblance to on the PBS affiliates in Nebraska used and produced for considerably less money.

"Hey, Bob, you got that new NBC logo ready? It's due in an hour. You've had months, I hope you got something good!"

"... oh. shit."

Bob looks around, sees a TV Guide his mom, Betty, from Lincoln had sent him. He flips through the pages, hoping for an idea when...

"Heyyyy... You know, if I just color one side red and the other blue, no one'll ever know!"

 

[Sky King]

Hi all,

I seem to remember CBS bringing back their “in color” bumper about two years ago, during the summer.
It was shown at the top of each hour during their prime time line up.
Brought back alot of memories.
Was glad to see that someone at CBS appreciated their network’s heritage.

John

 

[bmasters9]

Keep in mind many people subscribed to TV Guide where color shows were indicated in the listings
View attachment 93278

I think such a practice stopped when everything became a color show, didn't it?