NBC History

[@jimbo97]

At the beginning, you see the radio announcer sounding the famous NBC chimes. The notes on a piano are "G-E-C"... General Electric Company, which was the parent company of NBC. When the early GE radio stations became NBC, the network kept the distinctive chimes.

[@BlockDefender]

To add, G, E and C create a perfect C major chord (1st inversion for all those who care) which is why it sounds so pleasant and satisfying.

[@MrRonfelder]

NBC was owned always by RCA back then. General Electric didn't own NBC until the 80's. The reason for GEC is sort of what you were trying to say. RCA was created as a patent holding company by General Electric, Wesinghouse and United Fruit. therefor the reason for the notes GEC.

[@theevangelist6178]

Best jingles, best bumpers, best shows, best network. The good old days of TV before FOX, WB, UPN, and CW changed the game forever.

[@luislaplume8261]

Yes back in the roaring 1960s! When I was a boy in NYC during the Mad Men era!

[@josephposavac3767]

Sure brings back memories, especially the flute and harp "Laramie Peacock". Thanks.

[@mikejohnson5423]

Love it! NBC always had the best logos for color, news and specials...I have always wondered, however, why this network has never been able to keep a consistently strong audience over the years.

[@295g295]

You have forgotten "?must see tv" ?

[@johnbonardi9819]

Ah. Back when color t.v. was new. I love those days.

[@joeykardos7602]

I did not have my first color TV set in my bedroom until Christmas Day, 1980.

[@christopherclark7524]

Want.

[@staspastukh2005]

Who? What?

[@paulwarner5395]

Got mine in 1978. Still had it up to 1985 when the colors got real bad.

[@LDTV22OfficialChannel]

WHAT???

[@donaldbarrett4454]

A lot of fun for those of us who did shows at NBC (and worked at dcp right across the street). The peacock during the early days after color was introduced. NTSC=Never The Same Color!

[@abigalebuss5277]

When I was little and would hear the music for the station identification I would go running to the TV from any part of the house I was in just so I could see any of the peacocks that are on here between 2:00 and 2:30 🙌 👏 👍

[@knuckgush]

Abigale Buss Thank you. That’s nice to hear. My Father would appreciate that.

[@normbrown3435]

@@knuckgush When I was a kid the music reminded me of a toilet flushing lol

[@dallasheltzell]

@@knuckgush Bruce, I want you to know there's sort of a tribute to your dad in my Colorado backyard. Several years ago, I bought a piece of metal art at a local garden center to display in a raised planter box; it's a colorful metallic peacock. Because I'm a 1973 Mizzou broadcast journalism grad, I knew the history of the NBC Peacock, so I named my metallic peacock "Graham."

[@Mattfromthepast]

Anyone else wish they would bring back the peacock logo? I was thinking they could do something like "The following program is brought to you in high definition here on NBC!"

[@SailorCallie]

The John K. segments are hysterical. :D

[@thebestisyettocome4114]

It was a wonderful career. Over 40 years with one company. NBC Studios Burbank, Los Angeles California USA. Benjamin Douglas Hahn Chairman Emirates (Ret)

[@christopherclark7524]

BBC news website and the hedgehog signaling pathway

[@meajur]

This dates me, but one of my earlier memories is the unveiling of the Proud as a Peacock logo. It was a very big deal and they even did a TV special full of singing and dancing. And my thought at the time was, "That's it?"

[@NathanielRussell1965]

I always liked the sneezing peacock.

[@coraggio93]

Wow, "NBC, proud as a peacock" didn't last very long... I love the different logos at 5:45! Thanks so much for the work on this fantastic video!

[@JITBE2023]

5:43

[@EdmondCobo]

Mtm mtm by Elios cobo ted 6:47

[@mjb784533]

Other than the pre-3 note chimes used before 1932, about the only thing really missing is a "compatable color" opening from before the peacock was used. There is one on the 1955 or 1956 Peter Pan(I forget which one has the annct).

[@doloreshuntoon7698]

NBC'S sneezing peacock was also featured on "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color's" episode entitled "It's Tough to Be a Bird!".

[@christopherbailey5215]

The logos are cool because I remember all them from when I was younger I had all the anilog TVs from grandma Ruth that my mom got for me. I remember all these logos of NBC and other channels.

[@michaelpardo625]

0:46 Curtain Television 0:48 Zooming with a text (color-changing to white filtering enabled) 0:55 None, only the presents logo 1:00 text lights with the NBC logo three NBC chimes G-E-C. 1:00-1:06: the Kinephoto version. 1:12: the Xylophone. Another chime again.

[@kevinnelson66]

Back when the peacock network was worth watching.

[@luislaplume8261]

You said it MAN!

[@alanstrong3295]

NBC was a pioneer in color shows. It was just a matter of time before ABC and CBS caught up.

[@johnmanier7968]

CBS, in particular, held out on color broadcasts because it didn't want to help NBC's parent company, RCA, sell color TV sets. For this reason, CBS aired The Lucy Show in black-and-white for a couple of years after the always forward-thinking Lucille Ball started filming the show in color. CBS finally started showing The Lucy Show, Gilligan's Island, and some other series in color in fall 1965. By fall 1966, virtually all prime time shows on all 3 major networks were in color.

[@luislaplume8261]

@@johnmanier7968 In 1965 I Dream of Jeannie was one of the last TV series to be shown in black and white. I remember it at that time.

[@barryobrien7935]

A matter of 20 years in fact.

[@jehobden]

The pink peacock is likely a result of the deteriorating quality of Eastmancolor film, as this film, unlike Technicolor, loses its green & blue shades and turns red over time. This is likely the same situation with the cameraman shown wearing what looks likea red shirt on the NBC Snake program end clip.

[@machia0705]

Our first color TV was in 1969. The Dating Game was on when my Dad turned on the TV.

[@williampaulbeaugruendler7901]

Just what I needed for my Graphics Class assignment! thanks a billion!

[@WiiLoveWeather7-12-16]

2:28 So is this from the 1964 original airing of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

[@alanstrong3295]

Their 3 tone theme came from an episode of the 3 Stooges when those balls fell on Shemp's head. Ding, ding, dong!

[@normbrown3435]

Stooges got it from NBC Radio LOL

[@jaycordova]

And oh, this is a great and long clip with decent 480p quality! Thanks.

[@CoopyKat]

Wow...this is SO cool....I remember most of these....

[@alyssamurray6306]

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in my area, many newscasters who worked at ABC before now newscasts at NBC. I believe even the former ABC voice over artist, Richard Gebhardt, is now the voice over artist at NBC. I don't know why that happened, and I think it's creepy that it happened.

[@tadc345fan]

Is it on KTVE

[@daminmancejin]

i love the peacock logo one

[@christopherclark7524]

Bbc.co. 53rd I was just thinking about going to have a great day

[@C3S6Films]

i used to watch this video a lot when i was 6. i'm 16 now when i posted this comment... time really flies!

[@paulwarner5395]

Thanx for the video. Some of those older ones from the 50 ~ 70s bring back some memories. Haven't seen NBC in the US for some time but do they still have those nice presentation stingers or are hey all gone to make way for another 5 seconds of commercials. ??

[@ferociousgumby]

1:17 This scared the LIVING SHIT out of me as a kid. The harlequin-looking peacock was damned unfriendly, and that music! The music was sinister, even evil-sounding.

[@LePenguin]

Did the Pink and It Just starts in Black and white variant appear on the original first airing of the 1964 Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?

[@LePenguin]

***** That special did not air on CBS till the 1970s

[@stevevasta]

I assumed it went with "The Wizard of Oz."

[@joeykardos7602]

"The following program is brought to you in Living Color on NBC!" Yes, I remember it well! I wish to God they still did that today. Those were the good old days of my childhood! ☺☺☺❤❤❤

[@jaycordova]

For proper credit, the NBC ID starting with the extreme close-up of the numbers was produced by Bill Feigenbaum. He was soon to do a lot of work for some years for CBS Sports - high-profile things you'd recognize.

[@mereb29]

The last one is my favorite. Very majestic

[@King_Colombia_Inc]

Now a beautiful subsidiary of Comcast, who happens to also own NBC’s Sister Company, who is responsible for their king, his daughters, and his army of... Oh, you know.

[@PowerAnimationsPACStayAnimated]

Universal?

[@thebible1338]

that ending... _the following program was brought to you in living color, on nbc._ _the following program was brought to you in living color, on nbc._ *MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!* _the following program was brought to you in living color, on nbc._ _the following program was brought to you in living color, on nbc._

[@mr.lincoln794]

+Houndoom of doom you have to be tough to listen the whole thing

[@kiddomoroll]

+Volvo I was tough enough

[@salina_mohammed]

Blue Inc.MovedToJCBLUEINC Ahhhh MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP

[@bentheswitchsportsfan06]

lol

[@hebneh]

I remember when the original peacock opening changed to the longer one with the flutes in the background, which was about 1961-'62. And the following year, we got a color TV for Christmas, so then I could see the peacock in color.

[@TheMediaDirectory]

Loved the video! Favorite tv channel and design logo.

[@omnibus4157]

The VO for the sock version is just some guy who recorded himself over this promo and posted it on KZbin. There was no announcer for that logo, just the music.

[@UNOwen1]

@Starling Powers; B&W sets were cheaper. So, no - just 'because' colour sets were made, does NOT mean 'everyone' had them. My parents didn't buy their 1st colour til 'bout '75.

[@Jantv81]

That's pretty late to buy color !!! My mom said they got one in 65.

[@trevordance5181]

The first colour sets were very expensive and prone to develop faults, and the colour tv tubes of the day cut the corners off the picture compared to black and white tubes. Add the fact that not very many programmes were made in colour anyway until the mid sixties and also that the colour reception over the air was not very stable, faithful, or reliable in the early years especially in areas of difficult reception and you'll see why it took many years before colour viewing overtook that of black and white.

[@NBK1122]

If a logo can jump a shark, I think it's when they started using the two-color N.

[@knuckgush]

N.B. Kristjansson That was the downfall. Upper Managment thought it was a good idea. A Nebraska TV affiliate sued for copyright infringement.

[@paulwarner5395]

I seem to remember Bob Hope calling it "The N Network" at that time.

[@S-ENTERTAINMENT-G4P]

You forgot the one that says "This is the CBS Television- Oh god damn it."

[@vetmar41]

Saturday Night Live had the Field-Timers Club monologue skit with Justin Timberlake and I saw the NBC Proud N 11-feathered peacock logo on the picture frame.

[@AtlantaCommercials96]

5:35 I remember this ID when I watched Frasier and Third Rock From The Sun back in the 90s

[@joshuabalondo4454]

The More You Know about these NBC logos.

[@aarhead01]

0:33 HOWDY DOODY!!!

[@juliusjoa3463]

5:13 Love this one

[@michaelpardo625]

1:53: The snake.

[@bryan2523]

Was the last one the picture they use now?

[@senorkaboom]

I saw the NBC color peacock in glorious black and white for years.

[@stevevasta]

So did I!

[@paullarue2010]

I remember I videotaped couple of movies on NBC. One was Rated PG and the other was PG-13 rated.

[@michaelpardo625]

1:12: the Xylophone. Another chime again.

[@Ty-hn3lb]

if you watch it many time i scares the shit out of me

[@paullarue2010]

The current NBC logo, is still around.

[@PatySantosju]

5:54 Silent but deadly

[@Dane_Youssef]

I first hear the theme on THE MARTIN & LEWIS SHOW.

[@chantellebutera]

1:44 brought to you in living color on NBC. No it's not, it's brought to you in black & white on NBC.

[@colbycity2843]

I like it Mr.Cartoon Network

[@michaelpardo625]

6:06: Election 70 Fastest mathematics.

[@genejq]

Fantastic - well done!

[@Variety1985]

Bob Bibb and Lew Goldstein did well to promote NBC, FOX, and the WB.

[@tony.morosof]

What's the font you've used in credits?

[@jayjay-bz3rr]

That is one handsome peacock

[@michaelpardo625]

5:08: Outlined 11-feathers peacock

[@ENunn]

there was actually a nbc peacock parody from when the peacock returned and played on the radio for a while. it was "loud as a peacock"! There was also a SNL (saturday night live) parody! Limo for a Lame-O, i believe

[@tinosan26]

3:17 sneezing peacock

[@1limey1a]

I absolutely LOVED the sneezing Peacock! :-D

[@purpleviolet207]

Cute!

[@Robin1996ify]

where did you get the NBC Special bumper at 3:05?

[@jehobden]

4:28 NBSee Us, possibly the low point for NBC in 1978.

[@ivanthevaluable2559]

0:33 That's from Howdy Doody!

[@colettenasielski4194]

I sure did Thank You

[@Zekrom734]

I like the one on 5:43, it has all of the logos

[@paullarue2010]

Xylophone represents that network.

[@yiik710]

dude that first 3 chime

[@michaelpardo625]

2:06: the Scope version. 2:18: the Scope 2 version.

[@ColetteNasielski-me1tk]

Love NBC

[@juliusjoa3463]

6:25-7:06 Gets me everytime

[@juliusjoa3463]

6:21 Love that one

[@yondrisferguson9739]

0:33. I remember that from the Howdy Doody Show.

[@juliusjoa3463]

5:47 Love this

[@tadc345fan]

So the NBC ident used on defunct local NBC TV stations except WRLH-TV in West Lebanon, New Hampshire.

[@appelearbuds]

5:46 Valentine Peacock!

[@derikdragon80]

Well I just figured he'd be allergic to his own feathers, but that sounds reasonable. Haha!

[@feandesign]

6:09 - is this animation from 1998/1999?

[@seanytchannelyay1188]

From 1993

[@michaelpardo625]

3:17: Peacock 2: Mixing with Scope and Sneeze.

[@danielthelevel100]

It all just started in black and white!

[@meajur]

The one that said that was aired before "The Wizard of Oz", which not everyone was aware had both black & white and color segments.

[@michaelodonnell9756]

Nobody ever answered my question. What show pre-empted Hot Dog and Jambo? Does anyone remember?

[@michaelpardo625]

5:32: None, Just only just a picture of a peacock.

[@joanesguerra8275]

1:12 That Was Kinda Look Like Scary Thing

[@michaelpardo625]

1:18: Colored peacock. 1:40: B&W peacock.

[@antares5561]

Anyone else getting "Hellier" vibes, from season 2, episode 6? Are these the tones, Dana hears over their device? 🤔

[@michaelpardo625]

1:29: RCA picture 1:34: RCA B&W picture

[@johnmiller8338]

nbc saturday-morning starts right-now on nbc-10 wcau-tv philadelphia-pennsylvania.

[@michaelpardo625]

2:33 NBC News ID.

[@michaelpardo625]

4:13: Spinning N. 4:14: Election 70.

[@fatimarodrigues5939]

3:40 The Following NBC Sports Program is Brought you in Living Color

[@blazerbobcat]

Good job!

[@michaelpardo625]

5:46: It just starts in B&W 2

[@hojoma5610]

So that’s how nbc got it’s little jingle 0:11