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Location: Tokyo, Japan – More Info
TV Broadcaster: NBC
Logo Status: Found (B/W Only)
NBC 1964 Summer Olympics Logo
So off to Tokyo we head for the Summer Games, and we've got a newcomer on the scene… NBC. This would be their first crack at the whole Olympic Broadcaster role, serving up 12 hours of total coverage (of a schedule 14 hours). This is also the first time that the rights fee for a Summer Olympics broke the $1 million mark, with the network paying $1.5 million for the rights.
NBC's entry is notable because they introduced satellite coverage to the Games, producing more timely coverage. The Opening Ceremonies were also broadcast in color for the first time, capturing the first Olympics in Asia, though the events themselves remained in black/white.
This is the earliest U.S. broadcaster logo I've been able to unearth to date. This image was found in a NBC media guide, but unfortunately, it's only available in black & white.
1956 NBC Peacock icon
You'll note that the original NBC Peacock icon is used, nicknamed "The Bird". This Peacock logo originated in 1956, and emphasized NBC's color television programming. A revised version of The Bird was created in 1962 with additional animation, making its debut in front of the Western TV show, Laramie… thus earning the nickname "Laramie Peacock." While the design of the bird is pretty much the same as the 1956 version, the animation and supporting background music were drastically different. It's most likely this version of the Peacock that was combined with the Olympic rings in this Tokyo representation.
1964 Summer Olympics Emblem
Observe that the logo does not reflect the official host city emblem for Tokyo, as later broadcasters such as ABC later used. Not being in color, I'm not sure what hues the background stripes behind the Olympic rings are supposed to be.
In short, it's a rather simple logo, heavily emphasizing the location of the Games in large type ("TOKYO"); the font does not match the official logo. At the same time, this logo visually brands the network that showcased the event, and you'll see NBC's Peacock appear in later logos as well.
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