8mm Forum: RKO Trademark

This is topic RKO Trademark in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on November 22, 2008, 02:49 PM:

Did the morse-code which accompanied the RKO trademark actually mean anything?

Posted by Robert Holt (Member # 1364) on November 22, 2008, 03:19 PM:

Apparantly VVVV AN RKO RADIO PICTURE VVVV RKO info site

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on November 22, 2008, 05:07 PM:

I always thought the RKO logo was real cool. To me, it usually signifies the start of some of the best films in Hollywood history.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on November 22, 2008, 05:26 PM:

Was RKO's logo the first "animated" logo, or was Twentieth Century
Foxes the first?

Posted by Robert Holt (Member # 1364) on November 22, 2008, 06:35 PM:

I believe Twentieth Century Fox came in 1935 .
RKO was 1929.
French company Gaumant is credited as the first film production company .
It's logo (1895) , while not animated,contained a representation of a marguerite daisy .
Marguerite was the name of Léon Gaumont's mother.

Please correct me if this proves inaccurate .
Thank you.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on November 23, 2008, 03:37 AM:

Robert

Thanks for the answer. The RKO site is interesting.

I assume that the earlier "A RADIO PICTURE" also transmitted this slightly different name in the morse code although this is not mentioned.

Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 696) on November 23, 2008, 05:38 AM:

A .-
R .-.
A .-
D -..
I ..
O ---
P .--.
I ..
C -.-.
T -
U ..-
R .-.
E .

Posted by Chip Carpenter (Member # 1330) on November 25, 2008, 09:16 AM:

I don't know why - but for some reason, I don't find it surprising that those who collect Super 8 movies in 2008 are also likely to know Morse . . .

[Big Grin]

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on November 25, 2008, 09:57 AM:

H
E
L
P

M
E
!
!

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 1183) on November 25, 2008, 01:14 PM:

RKO is still in business as a licensing and production company, primarily for remakes of old RKO titles. Their official web site is RKO.COM. They are a direct successor/continuation of RKO Radio Pictures.

Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 696) on November 26, 2008, 04:57 PM:

Chip.

I have only recently started to collect Super 8mm films. I am really a 16mm person, but I know Morse code as I trained as a Merchant Marine Radio Officer many years ago.
The RKO Logo is one of the few pieces of film where you can hear Morse Code keyed correctly.
When used in most films it is usually just an incomprehensible jumble.

Hugh.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on November 26, 2008, 05:39 PM:

By the way, concerning RKO logo's, on the beginning of my print of "Pearl of the South Pacific" it has the original RKO logo with the addition of "In Suprascope" on the bottom. The film is in color and the logo is in a nice sepia tone.

... and, at the end, the ending RKO emblem is like a family crest!

Posted by Bradford A Moore (Member # 426) on November 26, 2008, 08:25 PM:

Universal had a animated logo in 1927, which can be seen in the beginning of the Cat and The Canary.

Posted by Chip Carpenter (Member # 1330) on November 27, 2008, 11:06 AM:

Hugh -

Fully understand [Smile]

I'm a former US Navy Officer and while my morse is exceptionally rusty - I would be challenged to get out an SOS now [Eek!]

I always find it funny to read signal flags when hoisted - if you don't keep an eye on your signalmen, they will hoist something rather embarrassing. Of course, this why their is an official, specified pattern that is supposed to be used, but you'd be surprised how often that rule gets violated. [Cool]

Chip

Posted by Robert Holt (Member # 1364) on November 27, 2008, 10:48 PM:

I gather there was an even earlier animated Universal Pictures logo from 1922 - 1926
A biplane flying around the rotating globe and leaving a trail of smoke behind it, and the smoke forms the words "UNIVERSAL PICTURES".

Interesting site with all this logo info and more , HERE

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