Colex Enterprises

Logo description by Jason Jones, James Fabiano, Jeffrey Gray, Matt Williams, Ryan Mead, and Michael Bode

Logo captures by Eric S. and V of Doom

Editions by V of Doom

Video captures courtesy of mcydodge919

Background: Colex Enterprises was formed on January 30, 1984 as a joint venture between Columbia Pictures Television (now "Sony Pictures Television") and Lexington Broadcast Services Company, Inc. (later known as "LBS Communications, Inc.", now "FremantleMedia North America") to distribute classic Screen Gems/CPT shows and TV movies. All distribution went through LBS. When Coca-Cola Telecommunications was created on November 24, 1986, CCT represented Colex and took distribution of the Screen Gems programs distributed by Colex thus closing the company. CCT closed its doors on December 31, 1987 ten days after the establishment of Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc. (now "Sony Pictures Entertainment"), and most of the library was later transferred into the reorganized Columbia Pictures Television Distribution. Currently, the name is part of Sony Pictures Television.

(1984 - 1986)

Nicknames: "Colex Game Music", "Merging Bars", "Star Writer"

Logo: On a blue background, two sets of three red lines come from either side and merge into one set of three. A blue "Colex" written in cursive in a white and blue gradient color, drops down onto the lines and at the bottom a four-pointed star passes, leaving behind the word "ENTERPRISES" in white.

Variant: A B&W variant of this logo was used on prints of classic SG shows in said colors.

FX/SFX: The red lines merging, "Colex" dropping down, and the star.

Music/Sounds: An over-synthesized 9-note tune, two pairs of four ascending notes (second higher than the last) ends with one last high note and a "ping" when the star finishes writing out "Enterprises". Appears to have been composed with the 'Celesta' preset on a Casio MT-40 keyboard.

Availability: Uncommon, bordering on rare. Currently seen on several episodes of Father Knows Best and occasionally on other shows on Antenna TV, such as The Burns and Allen Show, Hazel, and The Monkees, with the former also appearing on Hulu. It previously appeared on Dennis the Menace as well, but Antenna TV's prints have it plastered with SPT. On Starz Encore's Mystery Channel's print of The Canterville Ghost (1986), this was retained, even after the '92 Columbia logo (and more recently, the Sony Pictures Television International "Cylinder"). What's Happening Now!! also had this logo, but replaced it with the 1989 LBS logo and the Sony Pictures Television logo, but some local reruns of a few S1 episodes had this logo plastered with the 1982 CPT Torch Lady. This is also seen on a handful of Hardcastle and McCormick episodes, as well. Surprisingly, this logo recently appeared twice (before and after the 1966 NBC Productions logo) after The Monkees episode "Son of a Gypsy". This also seen on a episode of The Monkees on IFC (followed by the 1996 CTTD and 2014 Sony/SPT logos). This have also appeared on '80s syndicated airings of films owned by Hope Enterprises like Road to Rio; it might also appear on VHS prints of Hope Enterprises films, but don't expect to see this on the DVDs. Additionally, this logo (strangely, the color version) appears on some episodes of The Donna Reed Show on Me-TV.

Editor's Note: The logo seems to be comprised of competent '80s computer effects, likely performed on an early Silicon Graphics terminal. It's also possibly a favorite of many.