Logos[]
Jim Henson Productions
1st logo: The logo mainly looks like the following:
For
ha!
HENSON ASSOCIATES, INC. or... ha!
HENSON
ASSOCIATES, INC. with the text "HENSON ASSOCIATES, INC." in an ITC Avant Garde font featuring a copyright stamp below in black, all taking place against a beige background. It would sometime be animated depending on the show used. For instance, the first season of Muppet Babies had a still shot of the logo, with the exclamation point shining, and the second season had the Marvel Productions logo fade away on a blue background as the huge "ha fades in and zooms out, and when it stops zooming, it looks like the generic logo as the background fades to white.
Variants[]
- An early version exists of the 2nd version of the logo that had the word "For" next to "ha!" (like the first version).
- There is a special in-credit logo variant that was used on '80s prints of The Muppet Show to replace the outdated ITC in-credit logo (ITC only distributed the show). In the final shot of the end credits when Zoot blew his saxophone, a white bubble flies out of the sax with the "HA!" logo (or "HIT!" for Henson International Television) displayed on it and takes it’s place in the center of the screen, to the amusement of the audience. this variant is no longer seen as the current prints (as on DVD releases) merely use the shot of Zoot blowing his sax with a newer Muppets Holding Company copyright notice on the bottom.
2nd logo: On a white background, we see:
HENSON
ASSOCIATES, INC. with a copyright stamp below in black. The text bears a strong resemblance to the zooming variant of the previous logo. 3rd logo: On a white background, we see the words in a generic font:
jim henson
PRODUCTIONS "im" and "enson" are written in an italic script font, and the "J" is placed near the words "PRODUCTIONS". Then a small flash of light appears above the "J" and becomes a still drawing of Kermit the Frog's head, which is used to dot the letter. Underneath is a Henson Associates copyright notice.
Variant[]
In Fraggle Rock: The Animated Series, the logo is still, the script font is colored blue, and there's no copyright notice.
4th logo: As with the logos for MTM and Cartoon Network Studios, the logo described below comes in many animated variations. Basically, we see the words: Jim Henson
——————————————————-
P R O D U C T I O N S displayed on an object against a black background. The words "Jim Henson" are in the now-familiar corporate "Henson" logo font introduced in 1988.
Variants[]
There are many more variants than currently listed.
- Kermit Head: On a white background, the "Jim Henson Productions" logo appears under a still drawing of Kermit the Frog’s head. This variant is most likely mistaken for the 1987 logo, and is probably fake.
- Arrow: An animated version of Kermit the Frog’s hand holds out a white sign against the wall reading "Jim Henson Productions." Suddenly an arrow (with an orange or pink fletching) flies into the sign pinning it to the wall, and taken by surprise Kermit lets go.
- Sign: An animated Kermit the Frog puts a white sign with a string on a nail on the wall reading "Jim Henson Productions." Suddenly the sign tilts and the lettering falls off, clattering to the ground. A variant of this has the string breaking, causing the sign itself to fall to the ground.
- Window Shade: The animated Kermit hand pulls down a scroll that reads "Jim Henson Productions". The shade moves back up and it rolls around a bit before settling.
- TV Set: We see the "Jim Henson Productions" text already formed, but then the animated Kermit hand comes up holding a TV remote and clicks it, and the screen goes black like a television set being shut off.
- Rifle: One of the Kermit hands holds a sign that reads "Jim Henson Productions". Eventually, an off-screen rifle fires at the sign, destroying it.
- Dart: Similar to the arrow variant, be instead of an arrow, three darts fix the sign.
Other Variants[]
- A copyright stamp may be seen under the logo.
- TNT reruns of The Muppet Show had a variant to replace the first logo's variant; here, when Zoot blows out of his saxophone at the end of an episode, a black circle with a white outline emerges from it, and the circle zooms in to engulf the screen; when that occurs, one of the normal animated variants then played.
5th logo: On a white background, we see the words:
Jim Henson
_____________________________________
P R O D U C T I O N S
Displayed on the background with the same font as introduced in the 4th logo but with black coloring.
6ht logo: A series of green circles appear near the middle of the screen, from which emerges a long and wavy line that flails until if contracts and forms the words "Jim Henson" (in the company's corporate script font), as well as a line below them. The word "PRODUCTIONS" then appears below the script, letter by letter, with a shine effect.(this also turns the green line red). Finally, a flash appears to create a red dot above the "I".
Variants[]
- On The Jim Henson Hour, the logo's animation is superimposed over the credits background, which then fades to black just before the "dot the I" part.
- There is a short version that starts with the "Jim Henson" script already formed.
7th logo: On a black background, a blue laser carves out a line across the screen. The line flips towards the screen, revealing a blue outline of Kermit the Frog, who is then filled with color from left to right. After shining brightly, Kermit is then swallowed by a dot of light that dances across the screen, which from left to right sweeps out the words:
Jim Henson
_________________________________
P R O D U C T I O N S then flies back to the logo to dot the "I".
Variants[]
- Usually on TV shows from Jim Henson Productions, only the "dot the I" sequence of this logo plays, silent or over the end theme.
- In 1997, starting with Bear in the Big Blue House, the word "PRODUCTIONS" is replaced with "TELEVISION" (a.k.a. Jim Henson Television).
- When Sony distributed Jim Henson Productions in 1997, under the home entertainment label, the dot sweeps out the word "HOME ENTERTAINMENT" instead of "PRODUCTIONS" (a.k.a Jim Henson Home Entertainment) on the full-version of the logo after the Kermit head was swallowed by the dot of light and buzzes around.
- On Dinosaurs, a pterodactyl flies over the logo from right to left. Sometimes, the pterodactyl sits on the logo either squawking or looking left. Also, the logo is in it's 3D style look with the gradient shines on it. However, season 1 and the first 8 episodes of season 2 use a still version of the normal variant.
- One version of the 1997 version has "The Jim Henson Company" in place of "TELEVISION" and the text below the logo is in grey coloring instead of red. This was only known to exist on It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie.
- Sometimes, the dot on the "i" is red.
- There is also a still version of the logo.
- On Muppet Meeting Films, the logo in a regal blue background displays "A Muppet Meeting Film Produced by" on top of the logo. Another variant where the text fades in after the dot flies onto the "I" has the location info text "117 East 69th Street New York, NY 10021" below the logo and above the byline.
- On the music videos for "Kokomo" and "She Drives Me Crazy", the word "RECORDS" replaces "PRODUCTIONS". It's also in place after the program/presentation of The Muppet Show, The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper where it uses the style from the Jim Henson Video logo and with the text above it with "Soundtrack Available on" (for film releases only) and "Music From The Muppet Show Available On" (for The Muppet Show).
- There is also a version with copyright info on the bottom of the screen, sometimes with the URL "www.henson.com" just above it.
- On the North American VHS releases from Jim Henson Video including The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, Muppet Babies: Explore With Us, Muppet Babies: Time to Play, Muppet Babies: Let's Build, It's The Muppets: Meet the Muppets, It's the Muppets: More Muppets Please! and The Tale of the Bunny Picnic, the logo is off-center whereas the left and bottom perspective is extended which has content placed on the upper right of the screen. There is also a difference on how Kermit's eyes were designed and the dot of lights appearing brighter on this variant. It was fixed starting on later 1993 VHS tapes like The Muppet Christmas Carol and the Kermit graphic was re-touched. In Muppet Babies: Let's Build, there is a video editing error of the off-center variant that has small amount of the beginning and ending frames (including the fade out) edited out to where the logo cuts straight to the Muppet Babies intro at the end.
- On Muppet Classic Theater, the "dot the I" variant plays as the word "PRESENTS" (in the same font as "PRODUCTIONS") fades below the logo.
- A silent medium-length version, starting with the text being wiped onto the screen, was spotted at the end of Sesame Street Home Video Visits the Hospital.
- On The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, the logo is still and superimposed over a large pile of old TVs showing scenes from the Muppets' entirety.
- On Mopatop's Shop in the UK, a still version of the "TELEVISION" variant is shown alongside the Carlton Television logo in orange or white.
- On Jim Henson's Animal Show, it's on a blue background and Tizzy the Bee flies to the logo when the dot comes in.
- On The Hoobs, the logo is seen with the Channel 4 "Squares" logo and the Decode Entertainment logo.
- On The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, the logo is still and superimposed over a background of TV monitors displaying clips of Henson's work.
- On some prints of Muppets Tonight, the animated "PRODUCTIONS" variant is seen alongside the 1988-97 BBC logo in white.
8th logo: On a black background, a series of flying computer-like lasers and streaks write the green words:
THE JIM HENSON
COMPANY with the word "THE" in superscript format. 9th logo: On a black background, the white Jim Henson Company logo fades in.
10th logo: Same as the last logo, except the logo is stretched out a bit, the logo cuts in, and the Jim Henson text and line are red.
11th logo: On a black background, a Jim Henson logo in corporate font appears in a box. Below the bar, we can read "THE JIM HENSON COMPANY". The whole logo is in golden colors. While slowly zooming in, the logo flash with rainbow sparks and then turns blurred before fading out.
12th logo: Against a white grainy background, we see a dragonfly buzzing from the right side of the screen to the left, leaving a star trail and before a giant robot spider appears, the dragonfly wipes the Jim Henson Company logo from left to right, consisting of a blue "Jim Henson" in its corporate font, with a gold line and "THE JIM HENSON COMPANY" underneath. The dragonfly flies around while the giant robot spider chases after the dragonfly by scampering off the screen.
Variant[]
A long version exists.
Music/Sounds[]
1st logo: Plays over the ending theme. The closing theme for the short-lived Muppets, Babies and Monsters, as well as the second season of Muppet Babies onward, an off-key trumpet fanfare was heard at the end of the theme and played over the logo. On The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years, we hear Zoot blew his saxophone that played with the in-credit "bubble" variant of the "HA!" logo.
2nd logo: The end theme of the show, but on Muppet Babies, the same off-key trumpet theme from the previous logo's variant from that said show.
3rd logo: The end theme of the show, but again on Muppet Babies, the off-key trumpet once again.
4th logo: A particular variant’s sound effects, but on some shows the end theme finished over it; Muppet Babies has the off-key trumpet theme, combined with the sounds.
5th logo: None.
6ht logo: The end theme of the show. On The Jim Henson Hour, its end theme syncs with the logo's animation.
7th logo: The long version has a weird "phaser"-like sound when the laser appears, and when the Kermit head "flips" into view, an orchestrated horn/string fanfare is heard. A whoosh, 3 timpani hits, and chimes/shining sounds are heard when the head is colored in and shines. A louder whoosh and a cymbal crescendo are heard when the head gets sucked into the dot of light, followed by a woodwind section with plucked strings and "bumbling"-like sounds (not unlike a cartoon bumblebee) as the dot of light flies around, and another whoosh when it sweeps out the text. A "ding" and a gong hit are heard when the "I" is dotted, followed by a triumphant horn/string/woodwind chord to finish the logo. Composed by Miles Goodman. The end theme of the show may also play over it.
Music/Sounds Variant[]
On PAL VHS releases by Jim Henson Video except for programs, the long version of the music is high pitched.
8th logo: The end theme of the movie.
9th logo: The opening/ending theme of the show.
10th logo: The end theme of the movie.
11th logo: The opening theme of the movie.
12th logo: A twittering flute sound, followed by an ascending xylophone scale, then the same twittering flute sound, followed by a descending xylophone scale.
Music/Sounds Variant[]
On Fraggle Rock on The Hub and The Hub on Demand, the end theme is used.
Scare Factor[]
1st logo: None to low. The large letters, exclamation point, and rough animation depending on the variant may get to some, although The Muppet Show variation is pretty amusing. Low with the closing theme of Muppet Babies, due to the trumpet.
2nd logo: None. Minimal with the closing theme of Muppet Babies.
3rd logo: Same as the previous logo.
4th logo: It depended on which version; it's mostly none. These variations are fun to watch.
5th logo: None.
6ht logo: None.
7th logo: Low to medium for the full version. The lasers and Kermit the Frog's stare had scared more than a few, but it's a favourite of many, especially for Muppet fans. None for the TV version.
8th logo: None.
9th logo: None.
10th logo: None.
11th logo: None.
12th logo: None. It's a cute logo.
Video[]
Jim Henson Logo History (1987-2005)