Hanna-Barbera Home Video

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Hanna-Barbera originally released their products on VHS through fellow-Taft subsidiary Worldvision Home Video. During the shakeup at then-owner Taft who was transformed into Great American Communications, Worldvision Enterprises and its home video division were both sold off in 1988.

Accordingly, after the sale, Hanna-Barbera got its own home video line (though distribution continued through Worldvision) in 1989. The first release under the label was The Man Called Flintstone. This lasted until late 1991, when Turner bought H-B and subsequently put the video line on moratorium.

Thereafter, all H-B product was distributed through Turner Home Entertainment, then Warner Home Video (now Warner Bros. Home Entertainment).

1st Logo (1988-1989)

Logo: On a black starry-blue gradient background, we see a yellow marquee flying in with the words "HANNA-BARBERA HOME VIDEO PRESENTATION" inside the marquee. The marquee then shines.

Variant: On the Superstars 10 movies, the logo is extended, and the word "PREVIEW" is shown instead. The marquee flies away and we see a yellow star with the image of the Hanna-Barbera stars which later flies away, beginning the previews. After the previews finished, the logo appears again, but the text reads "HANNA-BARBERA FEATURE PRESENTATION"

Closing Variant: On the same background, we see the address for the Hanna-Barbera video club reading ""H-B VIDEO CLUB, 3400 CAHUENGA BLVD., HOLLYWOOD, CA 90068" is shown with yellow and red lines above and below the address text.

Technique: Computer animation.

Music/Sounds: A majestic theme with an announcer saying "Welcome to a special Hanna-Barbera Home Video presentation!".

Music/Sounds Variants:

  • On the Superstars 10 version, the announcer and fanfare was extended to say "Welcome to a special Hanna-Barbera home video presentation, brought in part by General Foods! And now, a preview of coming attractions! Your favorite Hanna-Barbera stars invite you to enjoy these movie specials on home videocassette. Fun for the whole family."
  • On the "Feature Presentation" version, the announcer says "And now, your Hanna-Barbera feature presentation!"
  • On the closing version, the announcer says "To learn how you get more exciting Hanna-Barbera home videos, just sent your name and address to H-B Video Club, 3400 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, CA, 90068" over a tropical jingle.

Availability: Seen on earlier Hanna-Barbera Home Video releases from the era. The full version was seen on VHS releases of movies from the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10, such as Jetsons Meet the Flintstones.

Legacy: This truly started the home video branding of Hanna-Barbera itself.

2nd Logo (1989-1991)

Logo: On a blue-violet background wallpapered with the “Hanna-Barbera” script logo, a picture of the same character images from the 9th Hanna-Barbera logo, “flips” up and moves towards the screen. When it is in position, there is a large flash, then the “Hanna-Barbera” script logo, in red, is “wiped” in from both sides with a “sparkly trail” effect. Then, after that forms, the "Swirling Star" (1979-86 version) animates, as per usual, below the script logo. A long, elongated rounded rectangle with the words “HOME VIDEO” on each side, flips up so that the words flank the "Swirling Star".

Technique: The flipping motions, the spark trail, and the animation of the "Swirling Star".

Music/Sounds: A synth-piano tune that builds up into a rendition of the first few bars of the Flintstones theme.

Availability: Rare.

  • Hanna-Barbera Home Video did release a morass of product (almost 200 titles), but most (if not all) are pretty hard to find these days.
  • Most of the titles are in slipcovers released after 1989; the very first titles to use this logo on the packaging (usually orange clamshell cases with a Worldvision byline) do not have this logo, but rather the original "Swirling Star" logo, or in some cases, no logo at all.
  • It also turned up on a Christmas Day 2011 airing of Yogi's First Christmas on Australian television networks, plastering the 1976 Operation Prime Time logo. This was due to the fact that said networks used the LaserDisc release of the special as a source.
  • Don't expect this on Flintstones Anniversary Collection tapes, as they have a special Flintstones anniversary logo in this logo's place.
  • It also appeared on the Warner Home Video TV Premiere DVD release of The Jetsons: Microchip Chump due to using the 1990 VHS master.

3rd Logo (1989)


Logo: Same as the 9th Hanna-Barbera logo, except the text moves up slightly at the end, making room for the words "home video" in yellow to wipe themselves on screen.

Technique: Same as the 9th H-B logo.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 9th H-B logo.

Availability: Rare. It was discovered on the 1989 VHS, Top Cat: T.C.'s Back in Town as an intermission bumper. It's unknown if any other tapes use this.

4th Logo (1991)

Logo: Same as the Hanna-Barbera logo from this era, but with the Hanna-Barbera Home Video logo instead of the normal Hanna-Barbera logo.

Trivia: This logo was created in celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Flintstones' premiere back in 1960.

Technique: Same as the Hanna-Barbera logo from that era.

Music/Sounds: Same as the Hanna-Barbera logo from that era.

Availability: Rare.

  • Seen on tapes from the Flintstones Anniversary Collection, including The Flintstones Meet Samantha and The Flintstones Meet the Great Gazoo.
  • It's also seen at the end of Warner Archive's DVD release of Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears (1988).
  • It may have appeared on other VHS tapes from this era.

5th Logo (1991)


Logo: Same as the 10th Hanna Barbera logo, except the words "HOME VIDEO" appear below the "Hanna-Barbera" text.

Technique: Same as the 10th H-B logo.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 2nd logo

Availability: Rare.

  • It was seen on final Hanna-Barbera Home Video releases as an independent distributor, like the Young Robin Hood videos and The Cabbage Patch Kids First Christmas.
  • From the point on, once Turner bought out Hanna-Barbera and took over distribution, even though most releases started with the 1987 Turner Entertainment logo, then the "Presents" version of the 10th Hanna-Barbera logo, thus signaling the end of the label.
  • Releases using the logo had the print version of the 2nd logo on the cover and on the labels.
Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.