Logo descriptions by James Fabiano and Jason Wuthrich
Logo captures by wisp2007, EnormousRat, Eric S., Logophile, bmasters9, Gilblitz112, indycar, TheEriccorpinc, VPJHuk, Paperking99 and Pygmalion X
Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly, Eric S., indycar, SamAWebster and TeamLogo
Video captures courtesy of Tlogos, MachineryNoise, JimHawkwind03411, JohnnyL80, superpooper180, Eric S., mcydodge919, DrLove0378, ih8ContentID, ShadowTheHedgehog157 and indycarBackground: MTM Enterprises, Inc. (also known as "MTM Productions, Inc.") was an independent production company established in 1969 by actress Mary Tyler Moore (hence the initials of the company) and her then-husband Grant Tinker. The company was formed as a result of an agreement with Moore and the CBS network to produce 22 episodes of a new sitcom, which would become The Mary Tyler Moore Show. In 1986, MTM launched "MTM Television Distribution. MTM titles had previously been distributed by Viacom Enterprises (now "CBS Television Distribution"), and then Victory Television. MTM was sold to TVS Entertainment (a subsidiary of now-defunct ITV franchise holder TVS) in 1987. In 1992 after TVS lost its ITV franchise to Meridian Broadcasting, it was then sold to International Family Entertainment, Inc., which in turn was sold to Fox Family Worldwide (now "ABC Family Worldwide") in 1997. MTM ceased operations the following year, and its library assets were folded into 20th Century Fox Television, and are currently distributed by 20th Television. (September 19, 1970-May 19, 1998)
169px|MTM Enterprises
169px|MTM Enterprises
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Nicknames: "The MTM Kitten", "The MTM Cat," "Mimsie the Cat" (see also: Unofficial Nicknames for the other cats), "MEOW!", "The Many Faces of Mimsie", "The MGM Spoof/Parody", "MGM Rip-off"Logo: Over the years, the logo has been tweaked color wise and according to certain shows, but here's the basic concept: An "M" flies backward from off screen, then splits into two. In the space left between the two letters, two "T"'s come from the top and bottom of the screen and join to form one. This completes the initials of the company, and the letter "T" shrinks when a gold circle appears over it. Under the letters are the words "ENTERPRISES, INC.", "ENTERPRISES", "PRODUCTIONS, INC., or "PRODUCTIONS". Sometimes, the finished logo will read out "AN MTM ENTERPRISES (INC.) PRODUCTION" ("AN" appears over the first "M"). Back to the circle, it is ribbon-like and decorated with stars and the letters "MTM " on top. Inside is a live-action orange striped kitten who meows once, obviously as a parody of the MGM lion. All the text (except for the later versions) appears in the Peignot font used for the Viacom "Pinball" logo.Trivia:
Variants: First here are the little differences in the logo, along with dates in which they were used:
Custom Variants: Now, one thing that the MTM logo was known for was that often, it would be custom made for whatever show it appeared at the end of. This means Mimsie's appearance would sometimes be different, usually involving her "wearing" a costume or saying something other than "meow". Here are those variants:
Unofficial Nicknames: for the non-Mimsie MTM cats...
FX/SFX: The "M" zooming out and morphing into 2 M's, and the "T" dropping. The rest is shown above.
Music/Sounds/Voice-over: None really, except the end theme of the show and Mimsie meowing. Starting in 1996, a 5-note jingle was added before the "meow". This was seen and heard on some shows such as the short-lived 1997 revival of It Takes Two with Dick Clark and the 1st season of the sitcom Sparks among shows.Music/Sounds Variants:
- On the game shows Shopping Spree and the short-lived Wait Til' You Have Kids, Burton Richardson announces "In association with MTM Enterprises, Inc." on the logo while the theme is playing and Mimsie meowing.
- On the Shout Factory DVD print of the Hill Street Blues season 4 episode "Grace Under Pressure" features the 20th Television jingle playing over the MTM logo (cutting off Mimsie's meow), with the 20th Television logo not seen at all.
- On the Shout Factory DVD print of The Bob Newhart Show season 5 episode "Et, Tu, Carol", the last second of the show's end theme and the cat's meow are severely distorted. This may be due to a tape error.
Availability: Fairly common. It was once a plaster victim thanks to the 20th Television logo; but not anymore.
- It can be seen on WKRP in Cincinnati, St. Elsewhere, Hill Street Blues, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Remington Steele, Newhart, and Rhoda, among other shows.
- The MTM logo is now followed by 20th Television (though it's followed by both the Viacom "V of Doom" and the 20th Television logo on some episodes of The Bob Newhart Show on Me-TV and the CBS Television Distribution logo on Evening Shade: The Complete First Season on DVD).
- On Hulu prints of MTM shows, the logo is usually intact. However, the St. Elsewhere finale variation is long gone from television, and is all but extinct there, as it was only shown on NBC and nowhere else to our knowledge. VHS copies and reruns of the show just use the regular credit sequence and logo (with the exception of a print seen on the then-ALN Network, which had the normal credits and only the 20th Television logo). The Hulu version of the series finale uses the typical version with the MTM logo at the end. You can see the original version on the Paley Center's copy, besides on the Internet.
- The Texas Wheelers final variation is beyond rare, possibly mythical, and had also fallen into extinction since it was only seen on ABC. Paley has an episode described as "the last aired" but the tape cuts out before a logo can be seen. The credits are typical of the series, putting any further variants to be seen on Wheelers in doubt.
- The Carlton variation can now be found on the final season DVD set of Rhoda, as the cartoon is added as a bonus.
- The logo with the later byline makes infrequent appearances at the end of some episodes of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Also seen on 1994-98 syndicated prints of Rescue 911, which can be seen on the Justice Network.
- This was last seen on the first season of The Pretender, along with Family Challenge, Sparks, and the short-lived sitcoms Bailey Kipper's P.O.V., Goode Behavior, and Good News.
- The gag reel can be seen only at the Paley Center.
- There are some examples of plastering still out there; notably, Hill Street Blues reruns on Heroes and Icons have many episodes ending in only 20th Television. A select number of St. Elsewhere episodes on Hulu end with 20th Century Fox Television only (one example even features the MTM soundtrack being kept at the end of the theme, despite plastering the logo). Some reruns of White Shadow are 20th only, though the MTM variant survives too.
Editor's Note: This is highly regarded among many for being a cute parody of the MGM logo, as well as featuring pretty good animation for the '70s, a neat design, multiple custom variations, and astonishing video quality of Mimsie that still holds up in later years. However, the St. Elsewhere series finale logo is rather infamous for its depressing nature; the Texas Wheelers variant may be the same way if it exists or discovered.