(continued) When it changed to the Movie Channel, the same graphic was used until around 1981. When TMC started, they had a "preview of coming attractions" showing the interior of a beautiful movie palace with the curtains opening. TMC actually showed the previews in their entirety, just like the way you see them in a movie theater. They stopped that and showed clips thereafter. I miss the old TMC logo, I wish they would bring it back.
Gridtronics would mail the tapes to Gillcable in San Jose, and Gill would distribute a signal by microwave to various cable systems on the SF peninsula. When Star went nationally by satellite, it shared transponder space with another WASEC channel, Nickelodeon. Nick transmitted until 6:58 p.m. and Star would commence at 7p.m. The original Star graphics showed a actual piece of film folded into a star with the sprockets rotating, and the sound of a movie projector purring in the background.
The Movie Channel originally started as STAR in 1973 and was operated by Gridtronics, a few years later Gridtronics was purchased by Warner Communications and eventually folded into WASEC. In 1979 it became available to cable subscribers nationwide and on November 30, 1979 became The Movie Channel and began transmissions 24/7. In 1983, WASEC's Movie Channel and Viacom's Showtime merged into a single company, and by 1985 it was fully owned by Viacom.
(continued) When it changed to the Movie Channel, the same graphic was used until around 1981. When TMC started, they had a "preview of coming attractions" showing the interior of a beautiful movie palace with the curtains opening. TMC actually showed the previews in their entirety, just like the way you see them in a movie theater. They stopped that and showed clips thereafter. I miss the old TMC logo, I wish they would bring it back.
robertgippy325 11 months ago
Gridtronics would mail the tapes to Gillcable in San Jose, and Gill would distribute a signal by microwave to various cable systems on the SF peninsula. When Star went nationally by satellite, it shared transponder space with another WASEC channel, Nickelodeon. Nick transmitted until 6:58 p.m. and Star would commence at 7p.m. The original Star graphics showed a actual piece of film folded into a star with the sprockets rotating, and the sound of a movie projector purring in the background.
robertgippy325 11 months ago
The Movie Channel originally started as STAR in 1973 and was operated by Gridtronics, a few years later Gridtronics was purchased by Warner Communications and eventually folded into WASEC. In 1979 it became available to cable subscribers nationwide and on November 30, 1979 became The Movie Channel and began transmissions 24/7. In 1983, WASEC's Movie Channel and Viacom's Showtime merged into a single company, and by 1985 it was fully owned by Viacom.
MartinVillafuerte85 1 year ago
The Movie Channel was the only movie pay tv network with R rated features in the daytime hours.
premiumchannelfan 1 year ago
I remember this well,I saw this intro when My Family first got Cable in October of 1981.
MrDS67 2 years ago
@MrDS67 Me too. We got our cable in August of 1981.
djrage70 8 months ago