MTM Enterprises
Encyclopedia
MTM Enterprises was an American
independent production company established in 1969 by Mary Tyler Moore
and her then-husband Grant Tinker
to produce The Mary Tyler Moore Show
for CBS
. The name for the production company was drawn from Moore's initials.
in Studio City, California, where a majority of their programs were filmed and videotaped. In turn, most of MTM's series aired on CBS.
MTM Enterprises acquired Jim Victory Television from Viacom Enterprises
in 1980 taking the MTM library with it. Victory was later reincorporated as MTM Television Distribution, which in turn was folded into 20th Television
after News Corporation
bought MTM.
After being an independent production company for many years, MTM was sold in 1990 to British
production company TVS Entertainment
, which was in turn acquired by Pat Robertson's
International Family Entertainment
in late 1992. IFE along with MTM was sold to Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation
in 1996. MTM ceased operations and was folded into 20th Century Fox Television
on August 15, 1998 when The Family Channel
became Fox Family. The library of non-MTM shows was subsequently sold on to form part of ABC Family
's archive.
MTM Enterprises also included a record label
, MTM Records
, which was in existence from 1984 to 1988.
In addition to the above shows, MTM has distributed programs such as:
, St. Elsewhere
and Remington Steele
were all nearing the ends of their runs, leaving Newhart
as the sole entrant on the schedule).
There was also a record label in the 1980s featuring the logo on the label. No major mainstream artists recorded for this label; however, Judy Rodman and country girl group, The Girls Next Door, did have a few minor hits on the country charts in the mid-1980s.
's famed lion mascot, Leo
.
In the standard version of the logo, as first used on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
, Mimsie appears in a seated position, looks up at the camera, and meows once. Mimsie would not meow for the camera crew, so they eventually used footage of her yawning, run in reverse, with the sound effect added. There were many different variants of this logo, with Mimsie often appearing in a different "costume" corresponding to the style and theme of that particular show. A partial list of Mimsie variants follows.
Other variations of the MTM logo do not feature Mimsie (or an animated version of Mimsie):
One of the last versions of the logo before being sold to Fox had a five note jingle before Mimsie meows.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
independent production company established in 1969 by Mary Tyler Moore
Mary Tyler Moore
Mary Tyler Moore is an American actress, primarily known for her roles in television sitcoms. Moore is best known for The Mary Tyler Moore Show , in which she starred as Mary Richards, a 30-something single woman who worked as a local news producer in Minneapolis, and for her earlier role as...
and her then-husband Grant Tinker
Grant Tinker
Grant Almerin Tinker is the former chairman and CEO of NBC from 1981 to 1986, co-founder of MTM Enterprises, and television producer. Tinker is the former husband of television actress Mary Tyler Moore...
to produce The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. The name for the production company was drawn from Moore's initials.
History
For many years MTM, with CBS, co-owned the CBS Studio CenterCBS Studio Center
CBS Studio Center is a television and film studio located in the Studio City district of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley. It is located at 4024 Radford Avenue and takes up a triangular piece of land, with the Los Angeles River bisecting the site...
in Studio City, California, where a majority of their programs were filmed and videotaped. In turn, most of MTM's series aired on CBS.
MTM Enterprises acquired Jim Victory Television from Viacom Enterprises
Viacom Enterprises
Viacom Enterprises was a television distribution company formed in 1971 as the successor to CBS Enterprises, and spun off in 1973 due to now-repealed FCC bylaws prohibiting networks from syndicating their own shows....
in 1980 taking the MTM library with it. Victory was later reincorporated as MTM Television Distribution, which in turn was folded into 20th Television
20th Television
20th Television is an American television production and syndication company that was formed in 1992 by 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, a division of the Fox Entertainment Group, part of News Corporation....
after News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
bought MTM.
After being an independent production company for many years, MTM was sold in 1990 to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
production company TVS Entertainment
Television South
Television South was the ITV franchise holder in the south and south east of England between 1 January 1982 and 31 December 1992. The company operated under various names, initially as Television South plc and then following reorganisation in 1989 as TVS Entertainment plc, with its UK...
, which was in turn acquired by Pat Robertson's
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
International Family Entertainment
International Family Entertainment Inc.
ABC Family Worldwide Inc. is a producer and distributor of family entertainment and information programming worldwide. The company is owned by The Walt Disney Company and was founded in 1990 by Pat Robertson as International Family Entertainment Inc....
in late 1992. IFE along with MTM was sold to Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
in 1996. MTM ceased operations and was folded into 20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television is the television production division of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, and a production arm of the Fox Broadcasting Company...
on August 15, 1998 when The Family Channel
Television networks preceding ABC Family
The cable television network ABC Family has gone through several different owners during its history. Stipulations in sales terms for the network require that the network maintain the word "Family" in its name.-CBN Cable :...
became Fox Family. The library of non-MTM shows was subsequently sold on to form part of ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
's archive.
MTM Enterprises also included a record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, MTM Records
MTM Records
MTM Records was an American independent record label specializing in country music. It was founded in 1984 as a subsidiary of the production company of the same name, a company owned by actress Mary Tyler Moore. After MTM Enterprises was sold in late 1988, the label was absorbed into Capitol Records...
, which was in existence from 1984 to 1988.
Programs
MTM's productions included:- The Mary Tyler Moore ShowThe Mary Tyler Moore ShowThe Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
(1970-1977) - The Bob Newhart ShowThe Bob Newhart ShowThe Bob Newhart Show is an American situation comedy produced by MTM Enterprises, which aired 142 original episodes on CBS from September 16, , to April 1, . Comedian Bob Newhart portrayed a psychologist having to deal with his patients and fellow office workers...
(1972-1978) - Paul Sand in Friends & Lovers (1974–1975)
- The Texas WheelersThe Texas WheelersThe Texas Wheelers was an ABC situation comedy television series that aired in 1974 and 1975. The series, produced by MTM Enterprises, was about the cantankerous but lovable Zack Wheeler, a long-lost father who returned to raise his children Truckie, Doobie, Boo, and T.J...
(1974-1975) - RhodaRhodaRhoda is an American television sitcom, starring Valerie Harper, which ran for five seasons, from 1974 to 1978 airing in 109 episodes. The show was a spin-off from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in which Harper between the years 1970 and 1974 had played the role of Rhoda Morgenstern, a spunky,...
(1974-1978) - Doc (1975-1976)
- Three for the RoadThree for the Road (TV series)Three for the Road was a 12-episode CBS drama television series about a recently widowed father and his two sons who in an attempt to assuage their grief, sell their house, procure a recreational vehicle, called the "Zebec", and travel around the United States...
(1975) - PhyllisPhyllis (TV series)Phyllis is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from September 11, 1975 to March 13, 1977.Created by Ed Weinberger and Stan Daniels. it was the second spin-off series from The Mary Tyler Moore Show . The show starred Cloris Leachman as Phyllis Lindstrom, who was previously Mary Richards'...
(1975-1977) - The Tony Randall ShowThe Tony Randall ShowThe Tony Randall Show is an American television sitcom that debuted on September 23, 1976 and aired on ABC during its first season and on CBS for its second and final season.-Synopsis:...
(1976-1978) - Lou Grant (1977-1982)
- The Betty White ShowThe Betty White ShowThe Betty White Show is an American sitcom which aired on CBS from September 12, 1977, to January 2, 1978. Fourteen episodes were transmitted. The series was produced by MTM Enterprises.-Synopsis:...
(1977-1978) - The White ShadowThe White ShadowThe White Shadow is an American drama television series that ran on the CBS network from November 27, 1978, to March 16, 1981.-Overview:...
(1978-1981) - WKRP in CincinnatiWKRP in CincinnatiWKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
(1978-1982) - ParisParis (1979 TV series)Paris was an American television series that appeared on the CBS television network from September 29, 1979 to January 15, 1980. A crime drama, the show is notable as the first-ever appearance of renowned actor James Earl Jones in a lead role on television and as the first program on which Steven...
(1979-1980) - The Last Resort (1979)
- Hill Street BluesHill Street BluesHill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
(1981-1987) - Remington SteeleRemington SteeleRemington Steele is an American television series, co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on the NBC network from 1982 to 1987. The series blended the genres of romantic...
(1982-1987) - St. ElsewhereSt. ElsewhereSt. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
(1982-1988) - NewhartNewhartNewhart is a television situation comedy starring comedian Bob Newhart and actress Mary Frann as an author and wife who owned and operated an inn located in a small, rural Vermont town that was home to many eccentric characters. The show aired on the CBS network from October 25, 1982 to May 21, 1990...
(1982-1990) - Bay City BluesBay City BluesBay City Blues is an American comedy-drama series that aired on NBC from October 1983 to November 1983. The series stars Michael Nouri, Dennis Franz, and Pat Corley, and was created and produced by Steven Bochco.-Synopsis:...
(1983) - The Duck FactoryThe Duck FactoryThe Duck Factory is a 1984 NBC television series produced by MTM Enterprises that is perhaps most notable for being Jim Carrey's first lead role in a Hollywood production....
(1984) - Beverly Hills BuntzBeverly Hills BuntzBeverly Hills Buntz was a short-lived spinoff from Hill Street Blues. It aired on NBC during the 1987-88 season.-Overview:The show was a 30-minute 'dramedy', that was a hybrid between light private eye fare and a sit-com. The main character, Norman Buntz, was previously seen as a morally and...
(1987-1988) - Capital NewsCapital NewsCapital News is a short-lived American drama series that aired on ABC in 1990. Starring Lloyd Bridges and Helen Slater, Capital News was created by David Milch and Christian Williams.-Synopsis:...
(1990) - The New WKRP in CincinnatiThe New WKRP in CincinnatiThe New WKRP in Cincinnati is a sequel/spin-off of the original CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. It was made for the syndication market from 1991 to 1993....
(1991-1993) - The PretenderThe Pretender (TV series)The Pretender is an American television series that aired on NBC from 1996 to 2000. The series starred Michael T. Weiss as Jarod, a genius and former child prodigy with "the ability to become anyone he wants to be," i.e., to flawlessly impersonate anyone in virtually any line of work...
(1996-2000) (Note: Only the first season was produced by MTM, with 20th Century Fox Television assuming the series thereafter.) - SparksSparks (TV series)Sparks is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from August 26, 1996 to March 2, 1998. The series stars James Avery, Robin Givens, Terrence Howard, and Miguel A. Núñez, Jr.. The sitcom is set in Compton, California, and is about the every day lives of a family of lawyers running a family owned law...
(1996-1998) - Good NewsGood News (TV series)Good News is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from 1997 to 1998. The series is a spin-off of the UPN series Sparks.-Synopsis:...
(1997-1998)
In addition to the above shows, MTM has distributed programs such as:
- The Steve Allen ShowSteve Allen (comedian)Stephen Valentine Patrick William "Steve" Allen was an American television personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, and writer. Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best known for his television career. He first gained national attention as a guest host on Arthur Godfrey's Talent...
- Graham KerrGraham KerrGraham Kerr is a cooking personality who is best known for his television cooking show The Galloping Gourmet.- Biography :...
- Xuxa
- America's Funniest Home VideosAmerica's Funniest Home VideosAmerica's Funniest Home Videos is an American reality television program on ABC in which viewers are able to send in humorous homemade videotapes. The most common videos usually feature slapstick physical comedy arising from incidents, accidents and mishaps...
(Now owned by Disney-ABC Domestic Television) - Evening ShadeEvening ShadeEvening Shade was an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from 1990 to 1994. The series starred Burt Reynolds as Wood Newton, an ex-professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who returns to rural Evening Shade, Arkansas to coach a high school football team with a long...
(with CBS Productions) - Rescue 911Rescue 911Rescue 911 is an informational reality-based television series, hosted by William Shatner. Originally intended to be only a set of three TV specials, Rescue 911 was picked up by CBS for the 1989 fall season after two specials aired on April 18, 1989 and May 9, 1989...
(with CBS Productions) - Peter GunnPeter GunnPeter Gunn is an American private eye television series which aired on the NBC and later ABC television networks from 1958 to 1961. The show's creator was Blake Edwards...
- Dr. Quinn, Medicine WomanDr. Quinn, Medicine WomanDr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is an American post-Civil War western/drama series created by Beth Sullivan. Dr. Michaela "Mike" Quinn, played by Jane Seymour, left Boston in search of adventure. She goes to Colorado Springs, Colorado where she establishes herself as doctor/adviser.The show ran on CBS...
(with CBS Productions) - Shopping SpreeShopping SpreeShopping Spree is a game show that aired on the Family Channel for two seasons from September 30, 1996 to August 14, 1998. It was hosted by Ron Pearson, announced by Burton Richardson and produced by Jay Wolpert Enterprises and MTM Enterprises.-Premise:...
Films
- Something for JoeySomething for JoeySomething for Joey was a 1977 made-for-TV movie about the relationship between college football player John Cappelletti , and his younger brother Joey . Other cast members included Linda Kelsey and Steve Guttenberg...
(1977, TV movie) - The Boy Who Drank Too MuchThe Boy Who Drank Too MuchThe Boy Who Drank Too Much is a 1980 American television film based on a novel by Shep Greene. The film was initially distributed by CBS, starring Scott Baio as a high school hockey player struggling with alcoholism. While its approach is that of a typical after school special, it was in fact a...
(1980, TV movie) - A Little SexA Little SexA Little Sex is a 1982 comedy film by MTM Enterprises and distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Bruce Paltrow and written by Robert De Laurentiis...
(1982) - Just Between FriendsJust Between FriendsJust Between Friends is a 1986 drama film about two women whose friendship is tested by tragedy. The film was written, produced and directed by Allan Burns, and it stars Mary Tyler Moore, Ted Danson, and Christine Lahti.-Plot summary:...
(1986) - Clara's HeartClara's HeartClara's Heart is a 1988 American film starring Whoopi Goldberg, Neil Patrick Harris, Kathleen Quinlan and Michael Ontkean. It was directed by Robert Mulligan and written by Mark Medoff, based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by Joseph Olshan.-Plot:...
(1988) - Night of the TwistersNight of the TwistersNight of the Twisters is a film directed by Timothy Bond, released by MTM Enterprises, and distributed by PorchLight Entertainment about a family's struggle to survive a night with a bizarre and terrible storm passing over their town. The TV movie is based on the novel by Ivy Ruckman, which centers...
(1996, TV movie) - Christmas Every DayChristmas Every DayChristmas Every Day is a 1996 American television movie, directed by Larry Peerce, starring Erik von Detten, and originally broadcast on The Family Channel during their first 25 Days of Christmas programming block...
(1996, TV movie)
CBS connection
MTM programs appeared almost exclusively on CBS until the early 1980s, when Grant Tinker assumed the additional role of president of NBC. Soon, NBC picked up a number of MTM shows, and Tinker stepped down as head of MTM to avoid a conflict of interest. His intention was to leave NBC after 5 years (in 1986) and return to MTM, taking over the reins from interim MTM president Arthur Price. However, Price fired many of the key players in the company's ranks, and by 1986 they had few shows left on the schedules (Hill Street BluesHill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
, St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
and Remington Steele
Remington Steele
Remington Steele is an American television series, co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on the NBC network from 1982 to 1987. The series blended the genres of romantic...
were all nearing the ends of their runs, leaving Newhart
Newhart
Newhart is a television situation comedy starring comedian Bob Newhart and actress Mary Frann as an author and wife who owned and operated an inn located in a small, rural Vermont town that was home to many eccentric characters. The show aired on the CBS network from October 25, 1982 to May 21, 1990...
as the sole entrant on the schedule).
There was also a record label in the 1980s featuring the logo on the label. No major mainstream artists recorded for this label; however, Judy Rodman and country girl group, The Girls Next Door, did have a few minor hits on the country charts in the mid-1980s.
Mimsie the Cat
Mimsie the Cat (1968-1988) was the cat seen in the MTM Enterprises logo, in an apparent spoof of Metro-Goldwyn-MayerMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
's famed lion mascot, Leo
Leo the Lion (MGM)
Leo the Lion is the mascot for the Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and one of its predecessors, Goldwyn Pictures, featured in the studio's production logo, which was created by the Paramount Studios art director Lionel S. Reiss....
.
In the standard version of the logo, as first used on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
, Mimsie appears in a seated position, looks up at the camera, and meows once. Mimsie would not meow for the camera crew, so they eventually used footage of her yawning, run in reverse, with the sound effect added. There were many different variants of this logo, with Mimsie often appearing in a different "costume" corresponding to the style and theme of that particular show. A partial list of Mimsie variants follows.
- A Little SexA Little SexA Little Sex is a 1982 comedy film by MTM Enterprises and distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Bruce Paltrow and written by Robert De Laurentiis...
: An animated Mimsie meows, then is joined by an animated male cat. They rub each other and purr. - Bay City BluesBay City BluesBay City Blues is an American comedy-drama series that aired on NBC from October 1983 to November 1983. The series stars Michael Nouri, Dennis Franz, and Pat Corley, and was created and produced by Steven Bochco.-Synopsis:...
: An animated Mimsie wears a baseball cap and glove in her right paw; she catches a baseball and meows as usual. - The Bob Newhart ShowThe Bob Newhart ShowThe Bob Newhart Show is an American situation comedy produced by MTM Enterprises, which aired 142 original episodes on CBS from September 16, , to April 1, . Comedian Bob Newhart portrayed a psychologist having to deal with his patients and fellow office workers...
: Uses the standard version, but in the Christmas episodes the gold ribbon encircling Mimsie transforms into a holiday wreath. - The Duck FactoryThe Duck FactoryThe Duck Factory is a 1984 NBC television series produced by MTM Enterprises that is perhaps most notable for being Jim Carrey's first lead role in a Hollywood production....
: The singer of the closing song would ask "Where's the cat?", followed by Mimsie quacking. - Eisenhower and LutzEisenhower and LutzEisenhower and Lutz is an American sitcom which aired for thirteen episodes on CBS in 1988.-Overview:The series starred Scott Bakula as Barnett M. "Bud" Lutz, Jr., a shiftless ambulance-chasing lawyer...
: The show's closing theme ends with Mimsie's "meow" dubbed by a group of singers. - Graham KerrGraham KerrGraham Kerr is a cooking personality who is best known for his television cooking show The Galloping Gourmet.- Biography :...
: Mimsie wears a chef's hat. - Hill Street BluesHill Street BluesHill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
: Mimsie wears a police cap. - Lou GrantLou Grant (TV series)Lou Grant is an American television drama series starring Ed Asner in the titular role as a newspaper editor. Unusual in American television, this drama series was a spinoff from a sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Aired from 1977 to 1982, Lou Grant won 13 Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Drama...
: There is a still picture of the logo. This is also used for ParisParis (1979 TV series)Paris was an American television series that appeared on the CBS television network from September 29, 1979 to January 15, 1980. A crime drama, the show is notable as the first-ever appearance of renowned actor James Earl Jones in a lead role on television and as the first program on which Steven...
. A smaller still logo is in the end credits of Just Between FriendsJust Between FriendsJust Between Friends is a 1986 drama film about two women whose friendship is tested by tragedy. The film was written, produced and directed by Allan Burns, and it stars Mary Tyler Moore, Ted Danson, and Christine Lahti.-Plot summary:...
. - Mary Tyler Moore: The 20th Anniversary ShowMary Tyler Moore: The 20th Anniversary ShowMary Tyler Moore: The 20th Anniversary Show is a 90-minute CBS retrospective television special commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 1970-1977 sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show which aired on February 18, 1991....
: Mimsie's meowing is replaced with Mary Tyler Moore saying "Bye!" - MTM Home Video: Mimsie is seen holding a remote control. After meowing, she "rewinds" and meows a second time.
- The New WKRP in CincinnatiThe New WKRP in CincinnatiThe New WKRP in Cincinnati is a sequel/spin-off of the original CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. It was made for the syndication market from 1991 to 1993....
: Mimsie's meow is replaced with Les NessmanLes NessmanLes Nessman is a fictional character on the television situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati played by Richard Sanders. He reprised his role in the sequel series, The New WKRP in Cincinnati.-Background and Appearance:...
exclaiming "oooooOOOOooooh!" - NewhartNewhartNewhart is a television situation comedy starring comedian Bob Newhart and actress Mary Frann as an author and wife who owned and operated an inn located in a small, rural Vermont town that was home to many eccentric characters. The show aired on the CBS network from October 25, 1982 to May 21, 1990...
: Most episodes feature Mimsie meowing in Bob NewhartBob NewhartGeorge Robert Newhart , known professionally as Bob Newhart, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Noted for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery, Newhart came to prominence in the 1960s when his album of comedic monologues The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart was a worldwide...
's deadpan voice. The exceptions are the series pilot (which used the standard logo) and the finale (in which Mimsie bellowed "QUIET!" in the voices of the two Darryls, their first and only spoken word in the series). - Remington SteeleRemington SteeleRemington Steele is an American television series, co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on the NBC network from 1982 to 1987. The series blended the genres of romantic...
: Mimsie is dressed as Sherlock HolmesSherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
, complete with deerstalker cap and pipe; the pipe would drop out of Mimsie's mouth when she meowed. - St. ElsewhereSt. ElsewhereSt. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
: Mimsie is seen animated in medical scrubs and a surgical mask. On the show's final episode, Mimsie is in a hospital bed as the credits roll, and then when the credits end, she flatlineFlatlineA flatline is an electrical time sequence measurement that shows no activity and therefore when represented, shows a flat line instead of a moving one. It almost always refers to either a flatlined electrocardiogram, where the heart shows no electrical activity , or to a flat electroencephalogram,...
s and dies. - The Steve Allen ShowThe Steve Allen ShowThe Steve Allen Show is an American variety show hosted by Steve Allen from June 1956 to June 1960 on NBC, from September 1961 to December 1961 on ABC, and in first-run syndication from 1962 to 1964....
: Mimsie wears Allen's glasses and lip-synchs Allen's "Schmock." - The Texas WheelersThe Texas WheelersThe Texas Wheelers was an ABC situation comedy television series that aired in 1974 and 1975. The series, produced by MTM Enterprises, was about the cantankerous but lovable Zack Wheeler, a long-lost father who returned to raise his children Truckie, Doobie, Boo, and T.J...
and Paul Sand in Friends & Lovers: Mimsie is a live cat photographed against a real landscapeLandscapeLandscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
. - Xuxa: Mimsie says "Ciao!" in Xuxa's voice.
Other variations of the MTM logo do not feature Mimsie (or an animated version of Mimsie):
- Carlton Your DoormanCarlton Your DoormanCarlton Your Doorman was an animated television special starring the unseen doorman Carlton from the sitcom Rhoda. As on Rhoda, Carlton's voice was provided by Lorenzo Music...
(animated TV special): Carlton's cat is in the ribbon. Carlton, out of view, can be heard saying "Say 'Meow!' C'mon, say 'Meow!'" When it doesn't, Carlton grumbles "Damn cat!" - The Mary Tyler Moore ShowThe Mary Tyler Moore ShowThe Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
: At the end of episode #71, Mary appears saying "That's all folks!", a line spoken by Mary RichardsMary RichardsMary Richards, portrayed by Mary Tyler Moore, is the main character of the television sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show.-Family:Mary Richards, born in Roseburg, Minnesota, is the daughter of Walter and Dottie Richards...
during that episode. This line also appeared at the end of Looney TunesLooney TunesLooney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
and Merrie MelodiesMerrie MelodiesMerrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
cartoons. - The White ShadowThe White ShadowThe White Shadow is an American drama television series that ran on the CBS network from November 27, 1978, to March 16, 1981.-Overview:...
: A calico cat is seen dribbling an animated basketball. A variation, used only for the series pilot, has the ball bouncing but the cat just watching it. - Vampire: At the end of this 1979 TV movie (a Steven BochcoSteven BochcoSteven Ronald Bochco is a US television producer and writer. He has developed a number of popular television hits including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and NYPD Blue, as well as some notable flops such as Cop Rock....
-devised pilot for a proposed series), the logo has no cat at all. Instead, the words "An MTM Enterprises Production" appear in the logo's normal type (the space where Mimsie would normally appear is blank), but in blood-red against a black screen, the same colour scheme as the rest of the movie's end credits.
One of the last versions of the logo before being sold to Fox had a five note jingle before Mimsie meows.