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Background[]
DiE Entertainment (formerly DiD Audiovisual DiG Enterprises", "DiC Sanitation City", and "DiC Productions", and pronounced as deep as in "decaffeinated") was founded by Jean Chapin as GAP (Office de GE et d'Action Publicitaire)", an advertising company. In 1971, with an investment from the tabloid newspaper La Nouvelle République du UE, it was incorporated as "Diffusion Information Commercial". It developed into a full production company during the following decade, soon being renamed "Diffusion Information Communication", and becoming specialized in animation. In 1982, the American arm debuted and Chalopin, Andy Heyward, and Bruno Bianchi were in charge of the company. Heyward bought DiC in 1987 when Chalopin and Bianchi left, moving all operations to America. Chalopin turned what was left of the French arm into a new animation company, C&D. DiC was turned into a partnership with Capital Cities/ABC (now "ABC, Inc.") in 1993 and The Walt Disney Company in 1996, until Andy Heyward reacquired the company from Disney in 2000 with an investment by Bain Capital. On July 23, 2008, DiC was acquired by Cookie Jar Entertainment, Inc. and became a wholly-owned subsidiary. Months later, Cookie Jar decided to take over and DiC Entertainment was folded into Cookie Jar (now an in-name-only unit of DHX Media). Currently, all of the DiC library of TV shows, including TV specials, TV movies, direct-to-video movies, and theatrical movies is owned by DHX Media through Cookie Jar Entertainment. However, not all shows and movies made by DiC are entirely owned by DHX Media such as the following: The Real Ghostbusters', 'Dinosaucers', 'The Karate Kid', and Alienators: Evolution Continues (Sony Pictures Television; Amblin Partners co-owns Alienators: Evolution Continues), Camp Candy and Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa (CBS Television Studios/CBS Television Distribution), The Wizard of Oz, Captain Planet and the Planeteers (Warner Bros. Television), Alvin and the Chipmunks (Bagdasarian Productions), ALF: The Animated Series, and ALF Tales' (Alien Productions; the holding company for the ALF franchise with video rights handled by Lionsgate), G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, COPS, Mummies Alive! (Hasbro Studios), Kissyfur' (NBCUniversal Television Distribution), The Care Bears (1985) (later episodes were produced by Nelvana), Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling' (WWE), Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater, Stargate Infinity, and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures (MGM Television), Where's Waldo? (HIT Entertainment/Mattel Creations), Stunt Dawgs' (Waterman Entertainment), and Sailor Moon (Toei Animation; current license lies with Viz Media). For the theatrical library, these include the following: Here Come the Littles (1985) and Heathcliff: The Movie (1986) (MGM), Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer (1985) (Warner Bros. Entertainment), Meet the Deedles (1998) and Inspector Gadget (1999) (Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures), and Strawberry Shortcake: The Sweet Dream Movie (2003) (Kidtoon Films). It come back in 2017 as a temporary
Logos[]
1st logo (1980-1987)[]
The background is a vortex of blue concentric boxes in which purple colors streak down as a stylized "DiC" (with a strong resemblance to the next logo) comes up, seemingly sideways, then turns forward as it comes closer. When it is all the way up, the logo sparkles as a white outline wipes in.
Variants[]
- There are filmed and videotaped variants. The filmed variant has a brighter blue vortex (sometimes it might be brighter) and the "DiC" is more of a green-yellow color; the videotaped variant has a dark purplish-blue vortex and "DiC" is in green. The filmed version of the green variant also exists.
- On some episodes of Pole Position, a still shot of the beginning of the logo zoomed in, and then the regular animation played.
- Early episodes of The Real Ghostbusters had the byline "Produced In Association With".
- The original Japanese airing of Ulysses 31 had an in-credit white version, a superimposed logo.
- Cro et Bronto had an in-credit version as well, however it is above the title card and looks more drawn and 3D.
- A 1987 PSA produced for the Kideo TV block had a superimposed version with the logo looking like the Cro et Bronto in-credit version.
- On the pilot episode of Kidd Video, the DiC logo is seen in a box in the center top-left part of the screen, and the Saban logo in the center bottom-right. The corner of the DiC logo overlaps the Saban logo, and this is up against a black background with a white streak in the middle. Vice-versa on later episodes, but against an orange background, again with a white streak in the middle (with the logos switching places).
- One variant has the vortex fade to a greenish color after the logo zooms in, probably because of quality issues with some prints of the logo. It was often seen on early episodes of Inspector Gadget. It was also spotted on Maier Group, FHE, and Kideo Video releases of said show.
- On at least one reissue print of Ulysses 31, the logo animation is slightly slower. Wherever this is a variation or an error with the logo is currently unknown.
- One of the later filmed variants features a bigger version of the DiC logo, along with a much darker vortex.
- On the demo reel of the pilot episode used to pitch The Real Ghostbusters, the letters are in black and white on a dark background and the logo is silent.
2nd logo (1983-1985)[]
A certain character appears across a background with a green "D.i.C.":
- Inspector Gadget (October 3-December 9, 1983): Inspector Gadget passes over on a blue background while on his skates. Halfway through, his Gadget mallet involuntarily comes out and hits the space above the "I", dotting it. Gadget exits out of control.
- The Littles (September 10, 1983-November 2, 1985): Dinky runs on an orange background (red in France) and places a green button onto the space above the "I", dotting the letter, and then clumsily exiting.
3rd logo (1987-2001)[]
There is a boy sleeping in bed with a dog sleeping on top of him in a stereotypical boy's bedroom, with a window above the bed. The camera pans through the bedroom to a "spiked" star outside the window (the spikes are intended to represent shining). The spiked star morphs into a ball, and the silver, 3D word "DiC" zooms-in and rotates 90º right angle below to face us. The ball is the dot on the "I" in “DiC”.
Variants[]
- There is a rare prototype variant of the logo which uses the 1971 logo instead of the 1987 one.
- On the earliest variants, a trademark symbol is used instead of the standard registered trademark symbol "®".
- On Ring Raiders, the 1987 variant fades in and out.
- In late 1990, the logo got an update with a spiffier starfield. The glow effect on the white ball is gone on this variant. The position of the sleeping boy and dog are also different (as if it were an alternate take).
- A bumper seen on early DiC Video releases had a video freeze at the end with "PRESENTS" quickly appearing below letter by letter, in Helvetica.
- One 1990 variation omits the "Kid in Bed" and "DiC" sound byte, and the word "PRESENTS" in blue fades in below. There is also a sped-up version of this variant.
- On Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters, "In association with" is shown below at the end of this logo, in Optima typeset. It could also be shown as "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" or "In Association With".
- Around 1991-1994, the byline “COPRODUCED BY RETEITALIA, s.p.a. IN ASSOCIATION WITH TELECINCO” appeared below at the end. Another version has it rephrased to "IN ASSOCIATION WITH RETETITALIA s.p.a & TELECINCO".
- On the VHS release of Double Dragon: The' Legend Begins, the moment the Reteitalia/Telecinco byline swoops into place, the logo freeze-frames even before the star has turned into a dot! The animation continues, but the star still hasn't formed into a dot because animation continued for a split second. This was due to a video editing error.
- On the original NBC broadcasts of Captain N & The New Super Mario World, the logo was higher-pitched, and lacked the Reteitalia/Telecinco references.
- On The Chipmunks Go to the Movies, the 1990 sped-up logo appeared, but this logo had the end credits music and the byline:
Produced By DiC Enterprises Inc. For Bagdasarian Productions
- On DiC's English-dubbed episodes of Sailor Moon (known as Bishoujo Senshi ['Pretty Soldier] 'Sailor Moon in Japan), this copyright stamp appears after the logo (the 1st 1990 variant):
English Language Adaptation
Copyright [YEAR] DiC Productions L.P.
- For the second season, known as Sailor Moon R in Japan, the copyright stamp was changed, still following the 1st 1990 logo:
English Adaptation
Copyright 1997 DiC Productions L.P.
- On ALF: The Animated Series, the "Kid in Bed" animation is deleted, and it cuts straight to a warp speed version of the starfield sequence. The end theme plays over this.
- One Inspector Gadget tape features the 1987 logo in warp speed, but the music is not speed up to compensate, thus resulting in several seconds of the DiC being freeze-framed.
- An episode of Inspector Gadget on an UK tape of Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas had the 1987 logo, but when it was fading to black, the Claster Television Incorporated logo can briefly be seen, meaning it was sourced from a DiC/Claster-partnered show (such as the 1989 G.I. Joe cartoon, the 1988 COPS cartoon etc.)
- An extremely rare filmed variant exists of the 1990 warp-speed version with the 1987 voiceover. This was seen on the 1990 TV movie Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again.
- On Old MacDonald's Sing-a-Long Farm, it features the standard 1990 variant, but it includes a copyright stamp that fades in below the DiC logo, right after the logo's sequence. There's also a shortened version of this variant on VHS releases of Rimba's Island - You Are Special (similar to the ALF: The Animated Series variant, where it cuts straight to the rotation of the DiC logo, voiding the "Kid in Bed" part), minus the sped-up star animation and the end theme playing over it.
- On the 1990 Hi-Tops Video VHS release and later TV airings of Madeline (1988), the 1987 variant is a bit shorter, and part of the music is cut.
- In 2003, this logo was strangely resurrected. This time, instead of the regular DiC logo, it has the "Incredible World Of DiC" globe from the 4th logo zoom up outside the window, with light rays shining behind it. When the globe stops, the light rays flash. The logo also has a different starfield that appears to be a cheap rotating 2D image. This variant is called "Globe in Space".
- On a 1989 demo reel titled Flying Logos by Peter Conn, the logo is on a completely black background.
4th logo (1995-2001 (primary logo); 2001-2008; 2009-2014; 2015-present (secondary logo))[]
There is a background with red, green, yellow and blue (the areas are filled with patterns such as a DiC logo outline, and planets). The red and green wipe away until they are left with a yellow background with a blue oval. A purplish globe pops out of the blue oval, then bounces to the center before zooming to fill the screen and backing up again, at which point the planets in the background disappear and are replaced with stars, and stars pop up from behind the globe. On the upper-half of the globe, some sparkles fly across and write the words: The---------------- Incredible World -----------------of
in yellow script, and on the lower-half, the word:
DiC
(in the same-font as the “Kid in Bed” logo, in yellow) zooms out to the logo; also like the previous logo, a kid is often heard saying the company name (the third kid voice-over from the "Kid in Bed" logo).
Variants[]
- On the DiC Kids Network, the logo is shown at the beginning followed by the DiC effects that shows the title card logo and the cartoon character(s) with it such as Sabrina: The Animated Series, Sabrina's Secret Life, Archie's Weird Mysteries, Inspector Gadget's Field Trip, The Littles, and Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century, among others just to name a few.
- This logo was found still on GBA games. On Inspector Gadget: Advance Mission, it appeared on a black background, while in Gadget Racing, the background was white with the logo outlined. The white background with no outline was seen on Horseland for NDS. The normal logo appeared on Strawberry Shortcake games on NDS and the PC game Madeline Rainy Day Activities.
- The extremely condensed variant starts where the "DiC" caption zooms out to the completed logo.
- The instant-pop up version is where the logo starts off with the globe popping up. It was often seen on DiC TV movies on Nickelodeon Sunday Movie-Toons and many other DiC shows from the time, but was less commonly used in the later years of the logo.
- A variant of the above exists on Liberty's Kids, where a small copyright notice is seen.
- A rare and condensed version exists where the logo starts off with the words finished being written, though it’s hard to describe what part of the longer logo this exactly starts at.
Music/Sounds[]
1st logo[]
A warped, ascending 8-note synthesized theme, introduced in September 1984.
Music/Sounds Variants[]
- The color-changing variant has no music, as seen on early first-season episodes of Inspector Gadget (1983). This is also preserved on some VHS tapes of the show.
- On the original theatrical and VHS release of Here Come the Littles, a new variant of this logo's music was introduced at the beginning of the film (using the later variant of the filmed version), utilizing a very different 5-note keyboard tune. It may or may not have been heard on other theatrical DiC movies of the time. This music was also used on a few shows like the 2nd season of Inspector Gadget (1985-86). On this show, it was used with the videotaped variant (sometimes sped-up) and on one 1986 variant, the open matte version was used.
- Sometimes, the ending of the show's theme would play over the logo instead of having its own music.
- On some episodes of the Hungarian-dubbed airings of Inspector Gadget, the color changing variant had the music from the Cookie Jar logo! Even more odd, it's followed by the 1996 Saban International and Fox Kids logos. The former is most likely due to a plastering error.
- The superimposed variant had an announcer (John Harlan, best known as the announcer for game shows like Name That Tune and You Don't Say) saying "Kideo TV is a production of DiC Enterprises...", and then the voiceover continues on through the LBS Communications logo, which is also superimposed. Unusually, Harlan pronounces the name as "D-i-C" (likely because the correct pronunciation was unknown at the time and Harlan obviously would not want to be mistaken for swearing).
- On a 2009 DVD print of the Russian dub of The Real Ghostbusters, the "Produced in Association With" variant had the music for the first "Kid in Bed" variant (making this a reverse plaster). This variant was only seen on one episode on the DVD, "Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream".
2nd logo[]
- Inspector Gadget: A 5-note trumpet outro, then a "twoing" sound as Gadget's mallet "dots" the "I", and 3 more trumpet notes. This is a shortened variation of a background music cue often used on the show to end scenes in an episode, composed by Shuki Levy.
- Sometimes, the "twoing!" sound isn't heard.
- On one Hungarian print of the show, it used the music from the Cookie Jar logo! Maybe due to a reverse plaster.
- The Littles: The end-title theme of the show, featuring the chorus "You can't stop the Littles cause the Littles don't stop!" or "Nous les Minipouss nous sommes là quand il faut!" in the French version.
3rd logo[]
3 different sets of music were used:
- September 12, 1987-1990: A brief gust of wind, followed by an echoing series of 2 keyboard synth notes.
- September 8, 1990-January 2, 1999: A 7-note synth chime theme, then 2 harp glissandos and a held-out orchestral note.
- January 6, 1999-July 21, 2001, 2003-2005: A dreamy cartoonish theme (sounds similar to the Video Collection/Strand Home Video music) with a female choir singing "Doo, doo, doo-doo-doo-doo-doo!". Sometimes, this theme might be extended or shortened.
A child says "DiC" (pronounced "Deek") near the end on all 3 versions, in most cases. The first voiceover was rather sad-sounding, while the next two ones featured much perkier voiceovers.
Music/Sounds Variants[]
Throughout its 14 year run, this logo had many different audio variations:
- 1987 (TM bug variant): The first (and original) music variant sometimes featured a whispering synthesized choir singing “Deeeeeek..." This variant earned the nickname "Chorus from Hell" for its unintentionally creepy nature and was only used in early fall 1987.
- 1987 (TM bug variant 2): Same as above, but the logo continues over the Coca-Cola Telecommunications jingle, as an attempt to plaster it on video releases.
- 1987 (TM bug variant 3): Featured an extended wind gust, that lasts 2 seconds longer. With the extended wind gust on this variant, the 2 pairs of keyboard synth notes plays 2 seconds after the star animation, making it out of sync, in contrast to the standard variant. Featured on VHS releases of Barbie and the Rockers. It's unknown if the original TV airing used this variant, and the special has not been released on DVD, except in Italy, and it's unknown what logo that uses.
- There were many sped-up versions of each music variant.
- On the 1999 video of Madeline: Lost in Paris (Disney original VHS release; the Shout! Factory release on DVD also keeps it intact), an extended version of the 1998 jingle exists: the last five notes of the original jingle are replayed at a higher (and more playful) pitch and is extended (the original five notes are preceded by two additional notes), and then the "DiC" voiceover comes about a second after the music stops.
- Our Friend Martin had the original 1998 jingle, but the "DiC" voiceover has a weird echo effect.
- On Sabrina: the Animated Series, it's the final notes of the theme.
- In exceptional cases, it used the closing theme of the show (e.g., later reruns of Rainbow Brite, Alvin and the Chipmunks). Sometimes, the "DiC" voice-over still plays after the logo appears, for example on The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin.
- A warp speed variant exists where the 1990 logo plays as normal, except it uses the 1987 "DiC!" soundbite instead (and the music is in a slightly lower pitch).
- On Scandinavian and Latin America (only on some episodes) dubbed prints of Sabrina: The Animated Series, the logo had the music from the Cookie Jar logo! Even more odd, it's followed by the 1996 Buena Vista International logo.
- On Sonic Underground episodes aired on the French version of the KidsCo network, the logo is silent.
- On a Brazilian VHS release of the cartoon Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century, the 1998 jingle is heard without the "DiC" voiceover.
- One variant of the 1998 version exists that uses the regular-length music, but features the “DiC!” voiceover in a slightly different pitch, done by the same child, but more up tempo and quickly.
- On some YouTube videos, a deep voice says "DICK" and another one laughs then says "dick".
- On a Tubi TV print of S1E6 of "G.I. Joe", the Claster Television Incorporated logos theme comes in early shortly after the last note. This can be seen here.
4th logo[]
A light dance-pop tune with bells and other cartoony sounds. Sometimes the theme is extended, with a few extra bells heard at the end. In other cases, it's edited/warp speed. On Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever, it's silent. The variants end with a child saying "Deek" (the third kid voice-over from the previous logo).
Music/Sounds Variant[]
On a Brazilian print of one episode of Mummies Alive!, the long version of the logo has the audio from the Cookie Jar logo with silence at the end! This could be due to a reverse plaster error.
Scare Factor[]
1st logo[]
Low to medium. The vortex animation, design of the logo looking like it says "Die", pretty cheap color scheme, and warped music may contribute. It's doubtful that many were freaked out over the cheesy appearance of this logo. This logo, however, is probably more cheesy than scary. None to minimal for the closing theme variant.
2nd logo[]
Minimal to low, depending on what you think of the music and the DiC logo’s look. But otherwise harmless, and nothing compared to the follow-up...
3rd logo[]
Depending on the variant: Low to nightmare for the 1st music variant. The darkness of the logo, sudden appearance of "DIC", spiked star, fast pace, sad-sounding "Deek" voiceover and music can scare some. There is also a barely noticeable smiling clown doll sitting on the dump truck in the room, once noticed it may cause some fear in children. The fact that this "inappropriate" logo was on kids' shows and family friendly content can increase it too.
- Medium to nightmare for the choir variant. The choir can make this logo even scarier and can creep some out.
- Low to high for the 2nd and 3rd music variations. The darkness and sudden appearance of "DIC" are still an issue but the slower pace and music makes it less scary.
- Low to medium for the other variants.
It is, otherwise, an iconic logo and may be a favourite to many.
4th logo[]
Minimal. The globe popping up on the screen can look in-your-face to some people and we still have the "Deek" voice from the previous logo; but it should be harmless to most people. The logo may be cute for children, but you'll probably be annoyed by its childish and (formerly) overused appearance. However, this is still much tamer than the previous logo.