Big Apple Movie (WNEW-TV Channel 5, 1981-1986)

New York City television station Channel 5 (WNEW-TV) showed a “Big Apple Movie” on Sundays from 6-8 p.m. The “Big Apple Movie” was usually a classic; its subject matter didn’t necessarily involve New York City. Previous titles before “Big Apple Movie” were “Sunday Playhouse” and then “Weekend Playhouse.”
 
The opening showed the New York City skyline, and then an apple rose above it, with an antenna as its stem and the words “BIG APPLE MOVIE” written over it. The music was “Manhattan” by Craig Palmer. The “Big Apple Movie” began on September 27, 1981, and continued with this title until about 1986.
 
Channel 5 (WNEW-TV) also broadcast “Big Apple Minutes” from 1980 until 1987.
       
   
Wikipedia: WNYW   
WNYW, channel 5 (UHF digital channel 44), is the flagship station of the Fox television network, licensed to New York City and serving the New York metropolitan area.
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WNEW-TV was the highest-rated independent in New York. From the early 1970s to the late 1980s, channel 5 was available as a regional superstation in large portions of the Northeastern United States, including most of upstate New York, and portions of eastern Pennsylvania and southern New England.
 
The Fox era (1986–present)
On May 4, 1985, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, which had recently bought a controlling interest in the 20th Century Fox film studio, announced its purchase of Metromedia’s six independent television stations, including WNEW-TV. Upon taking control in nearly one year later, on March 7, 1986 channel 5’s call sign was slightly changed to the present WNYW.
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In 1980, the station began producing one minute vignettes entitled Big Apple Minute featuring the station’s on-air team touring New York City-area attractions, the vignettes lasted until 1987, following the station’s acquisition by Fox and the call letter change in 1986.
   
21 August 1981, The Herald-News (Passaic, NJ),  “Channel chit chat” by Mike Botta, pg. C-12, col. 3:
WNEW-TV Channel 5: (...) Umbrella title for 6 p.m. Sunday movie changes from “Weekend Playhouse” to “Big Apple Movie” on Sept. 27.
 
YouTube
The Big Apple Movie opening theme 1982
Yourfood1993
Published on Nov 9, 2013
For all those who lived in the NY tri-state in the 80s.
COMMENTS
NY Retro Vault
Those who are curious as to what this piece of music is, it’s titled “Manhattan”, and is composed by Craig Palmer.
wmbrown6
“Big Apple Movie” was essentially a rebranding of the Sunday 6 P.M. movie skein that was previously known as “Weekend Playhouse” (and, before that, “Sunday Playhouse”).
     
YouTube
Craig Palmer - Manhattan - NFL Films-Type Music
Dave Volsky
Published on Feb 1, 2016
ESPN tune from the 1980’s
COMMENTS
thelatebrianjones
I remember this from WNEW/ 5’s Sunday “Big Apple Movie” around 1980 or so and NY Daily News TV ads a couple years later
 
YouTube
WNEW, Big Apple Movie Open and Bumps
Hugo Faces
Published on May 15, 2016
Here’s a slightly clipped Big Apple Movie open from WNEW, New York City’s channel 5, along with two bumps, one of which shows the movie title (“The Blue Knight”). I think it’s missing about seven seconds off the beginning, but that part is more or less the same as the bumps. No rights held or implied. (If you’d like this video removed for copyright reasons, please contact me rather than notifying YouTube, I will gladly take it down from this channel.) This is on compilation 57 at oldtvads.blogspot.com…
     
YouTube
Craig Palmer - Manhattan (Music From NBA Films)
José Teixeira
Published on Nov 8, 2016
Track used in 1980 “That Magic Season” NBA film.
COMMENTS
Doc Trower
“The Big Apple Movie” on WNEW-TV (now WNYW) Channel 5 in New York.
 
YouTube
NY Daytime TV: WNEW-TV Sunday Playhouse 1958-78
discodjinn
Published on Mar 4, 2018
Since the beginning of WNEW-TV there was a Sunday evening film, known for many years as SP and in the late 70s as Weekend Playhouse. Random years are shown along with images from Ch 5 programming from 1958-78.
 
YouTube
WNEW Block (Big Apple Movie) from February 1986, Part 2
Hugo Faces
Published on Oct 15, 2018
Part two of this 1986 block begins with a Big Apple Movie bump, then Willie B. Williams touting the “Door to Your Dreams” contest on 1130 WNEW-am