When was the slogan "living color" dropped from the networks? - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Aussie Bloke · #1 03-19-2005, 09:41 PM

Hi all. As you's know back in the 50s and 60s colour programs used the slogan "living color" eg. "the following program is been brought to you in living color on NBC", "this program is brought to you in living color" quotes from "An Evening With Fred Astaire" clip http://www.kingoftheroad.net/colorTV...tape-high.html . I was wondering what year did the networks drop the "living color" slogan?

When Australia started broadcasting in colour in late 1974 onwards we also used the "living colour" slogan as well particularly on Channel 9. Don't know when we stopped using that slogan but 1974-76 it was in use on the Channel 9 network, I have a 1976 Aussie Bandstand program transferred from a Umatic tape which at the end of the program is the Channel 9 ID with "living colour" below it. I can guess it was dropped in Australia around 1977 or 1978.

Anyways just curious.

Cheers
Troy

Big Dave · #2 03-19-2005, 10:19 PM

NBC dropped the "living color" slogan in about the mid 70's (and the peacock too). I don't know about CBS or ABC.

Joel Cairo · #3 03-20-2005, 01:12 AM

The CBS color bumper was removed in about June of 1968. Not certain about ABC.

NBC was the only American network that actually advertised their shows as being in "living color"... I believe that was a tag line they took from their ownership by RCA.

-Kevin

Celt · #4 03-20-2005, 05:34 AM

RCA used "Living Stereo" on their record albums back then too.

oldtvman · #5 03-20-2005, 12:59 PM

nbc stopped using the animated peacock and the term living color in 1974

wa2ise · #6 03-20-2005, 08:43 PM

Quote:

nbc stopped using the animated peacock and the term living color in 1974

Was that the time NBC switched to that "N" logo that turned out to be similar to Nebraska state's educational TV network?

colortrakker · #7 03-20-2005, 09:04 PM

About a year before, I think. NBC spent $750,000 to come up with it. (Call it blasphemous but it's my favorite NBC logo.)

Steve Hoffman · #8 03-20-2005, 09:48 PM

No, I remember them discussing the new logo (and putting it down) on Saturday Night Live. That show didn't even start until 1975. I also remember going to a taping of the Tonight Show in 1976 (my high-school buddy became a page at NBC) and they rolled the peacock before the show so go figure...

Steve D. · #9 03-21-2005, 01:29 AM

I agree with Steve Hoffman that the "Tonight Show" was the last NBC show to have the Living Color Peacock opening. However, my records indicate the NBC Peacock last displayed its feathers on Dec. 31, 1975.
The animated peacock is still seen from time to time as a nostalgic opening on specials such as network anniversary shows. Also as a part of the 60's montage opening on "American Dreams".

-Steve

Steve Hoffman · #10 03-21-2005, 02:31 AM

Steve-O,

Yeah, could have been the end of '75 that I was at the Tonight Show.. I remember Ed came out about five minutes before the show started and chatted with the audience. Just as he finished talking the Peacock came over the monitors and the show started. Neat! Boy, was the band LOUD! Nothing like it sounded at home; those guys could cook...

#11 03-21-2005, 02:27 PM

I stopped watching the Tonight show with any regularity before Johnny Carson left, but I am pretty sure that they used the peacock up front until the very last day he hosted. I think that would place it somewhere in the early 90's that it stopped being used on a daily basis prior to the Tonight show. I agree that it was dropped many years before that for all other shows so I'm thinking Johnny may have had something in writing saying they still needed to use the peacock with his show until he retired.

bgadow · #12 03-21-2005, 02:46 PM

Hmmm...I don't recall the peacock on the Carson show at all, and used to watch it quite a bit. Maybe my local stations cut it out...or maybe it was only inserted by certain stations? I do remember the "second generation" peacock, used alongside the "N", later replaced by the "third generation" with fewer feathers. See, hanging around color tv sets is hazardous to your health, it causes your tail feathers to fall out!

nasadowsk · #13 03-21-2005, 05:19 PM

I'm guessing that eventually, the NBC peacock will be reduced to 3 feathers, then just one. Though they've been on retro kick lately, I've seen old school NBC logos flashed at times. I like that stuff - I hate companies that try to ignore their history. Speaking of which, remmber that Mercedes Benz ad a few years back with the timeline scrolling accross the screen and their various innovations through the years? anyone else notice it went 1910, 1915, 1920, 1925, 1930, 1950, 1955, 1960....

#14 03-21-2005, 06:55 PM

They skipped 1935-40-45 could it possibly be due to this?

Telecolor 3007 · #15 03-24-2005, 12:50 AM

Great link, Aussie Blok.