HIT Entertainment

Credits

Descriptions by
codyfinke, JamsterYT, Logoarto and PAV123

Captures by
Eric S. and others

Editions by
Henrynguye5, TagTheRhino 880, Thesquidgeeks‎, Michael Kenchington, Anticritic12, TheRealMarcel2000 and TheLogoFan2004

Video captures courtesy of
Broken Saw

HIT Entertainment Ltd.
Founded:	1982 (42 years ago)
Founder:	Jim Henson Peter Orton Sophie Turner Laing
Formerly:	Henson International Television (1982-1989) Gainbase PLC (1989) HIT Communications PLC (1989-1992) HIT Entertainment PLC (1992-2005)
Defunct:	March 31, 2016 (8 years ago)
Fate:	Absorbed into Mattel Creations
Successors:	Mattel Television
Location:	United Kingdom United States
Parent:	Henson Associates/Jim Henson Productions (1982-1989) Independent (1989-2005) Apax Partners (2005-2012) Mattel (2012-2016)
Subsidiaries:	HIT Movies HIT Toy Company HIT Video

Background

Jim Henson Productions started negotiations with The Walt Disney Company regarding a possible purchase of the company in the late 1980s. Because of these negotiations, Orton and other employees at Henson International Television convinced Henson to allow them to spin off the distribution arm as an independent distribution company. Henson agreed, and Orton led a management buyout of the Henson International Television division from Henson in 1989, forming a new company named HIT Communications PLC (later HIT Entertainment PLC). In 2001, HIT made a number of acquisitions such as Lyrick Studios (the owners of Barney & Friends and Wishbone), the Pingu franchise and in 2003 purchased Gullane Entertainment (the owners of Thomas & Friends and Fireman Sam).

On March 22, 2005, HIT was acquired by Apax Partners. Apax Partners agreed to sell HIT (except their stake in Sprout) to Mattel on October 24, 2011 for $680 million, the sale was complete on February 1, 2012.

In 2016, HIT Entertainment was absorbed into Mattel Creations.

HIT Communications PLC

Contents   Logo (1990-1995)

HIT Entertainment

Contents 1st Logo (September 10, 1994-January 21, 1995) 2nd Logo (December 31, 1995-April 3, 2001) 3rd Logo (September 7, 1996-May 15, 1997) 4th Logo (1997-2008) 5th Logo (September 25, 2000-September 18, 2007) 6th Logo (January 23, 2007-)

HIT Communications PLC

Logo (1990-1995)

Visuals: On a teal marble-like background, a silver disc rolls around a bit before it rests still. Then, four light blue lasers strike it from different directions twice, with the lasers remaining on the second as they start to rotate clockwise, and the camera pans to an aerial view and rotates around it. As this is happening, the word "HiT", in a tall silver font, zooms out from the centre of the screen and the camera rotates so that the letters are pointing upwards normally. As it does so, one of the lasers types in "COMMUNICATIONS PLC" in blue along the side of the "T", and the screen freezes just as the last letter appears.

Variants: There are two short versions: one that has the music intact and starts with the camera moves up and the word "HiT" zooms out, and another one without music and starts when the logo finishes zooming out.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An eerie gong sound leading into a catchy synth theme with drums and bells. Laser noises are also heard.

Audio Variant: A silent version exists.

Availability: Seen on the company's programmes from the time-period until 1995.

• This logo was used back when HIT transitioned into a full distributor of various shows.
• This logo is preserved on old Where's Waldo/Wally?: The Animated Series VHS releases from the era.
• It is also seen on the English dubs of D'Ocon Films' TV series, Basket Fever, and the cartoon Captain Zed and the Zee Zone, among others.
• It is also seen on Casper & Friends and Felix the Cat syndicated packages.
• It is also preserved on the 1995 UK VHS release of Felix The Cat: The Leprechaun King from BBC Video, and also on the Felix the Cat: The Golden Bug VHS and DVD releases from Right Entertainment/Universal.

1st Logo (September 10, 1994-January 21, 1995 [international])

• 
  English version
• 
  French version

Visuals: On a black background, the bluish-gray letters of "HIT" fly outwards to the centre to form a result similar to the previous logo, but with thinner letters and no dot. Below it all is "Distributed by HIT Entertainment PLC." in white and in quotation marks.

Variants:

• The byline was at least translated into French by simply placing a black bar over the original byline with a translation on top of it.
• On a Rede Manchete (?) airing, the HIT logo is cut-out, but the thin line can be seen during the beginning of it (which is actually the bottom of the CGI letter "I").
• A variant exists where when the animation is complete, the logo fades out.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: None.

Availability: This was possibly a prototype logo, and so far, it has only been known to appear on some international TV prints of season 1 episodes of ReBoot.

2nd Logo (December 31, 1995-April 3, 2001)

• 
• 
  4:3 variant (with just the byline) #2
• 
  URL and byline variant #1
• 
  URL and byline variant #2
• 
  14:9 cropped variant #1
• 
  14:9 cropped variant #2
• 
  Native 16:9 version #1
• 
  Native 16:9 version #2
• 
• 
  With CITV URL

Visuals: On a shady grey background, the new HIT Entertainment logo is seen in a metallic sheen. The logo is similar to the HIT Communications logo, but "HiT" is now colored blue and slightly thicker, "ENTERTAINMENT PLC" is present in white, and a large hole is cut out around the top of the "i" to make room for a spinning globe of the Earth, with blue water and gold continents and is spinning counterclockwise. Under that is the URL "www.hitentertainment.com" and the byline "DISTRIBUTED WORLDWIDE BY HIT ENTERTAINMENT PLC". A spotlight can be seen in the top left of the screen, and the logo casts a long shadow along the bottom of the screen.

Variants:

• An early version exists, which is seen on Riding High. Here, the globe has a white halo around it and there is also no byline.
• A version where the URL and byline swap places also exists, which is seen on early episodes of Bob the Builder.
• There are instances where the logo is just seen with the byline, such as Scandinavian versions of Bob the Builder.
• On some later prints of Basket Fever, the background is now a white/lavender gradient background, with a slightly-yellowed map of the world on it, "ENTERTAINMENT PLC" in black, and no text on the bottom. The screen also jumps when the lasers are heard.
• A still version of this logo exists, which can be found on VHS releases.
• An in-credit variant exists, which is seen on Archibald the Koala.
• A true 16:9 widescreen version exists.
• On CITV UK airings of Kipper, the logo is still and the URL and byline are also replaced with the "www.citv.co.uk" website in the bottom right corner.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The ending theme of the respective show.

Audio Variants:

• For international prints of Basket Fever, the 1989 theme is heard.
• At the beginning of the Greek VHS release of Barney and Friends, the tail end of the Bob the Builder theme song plays over the logo. This implies the logo was sourced from the end of a Bob the Builder episode.
• The still version plays either silent or the show's ending theme to Kipper. Like the above variant, the latter version implies the logo was sourced from the end of a Kipper episode.

Availability: Seen on the company's programs during this logo's heyday until 2001.

• Its first appearance was on Riding High.
• This logo debuted when HIT transitioned from a third-party distributor into a full producer of programs.
• This logo is seen on much of HIT's original programming from the time period: The Wind in the Willows and The Willows in Winter, Brambly Hedge, Percy the Park Keeper, Kipper, Sheeep, and the first three seasons and early season 4 episodes of Bob the Builder.
• Third-party programs that also feature this logo include Archibald the Koala, Ted Sieger's Wildlife and some prints of Pablo, the Little Red Fox.
• It is also seen on the 1996 version of Dennis the Menace and Gnasher, however it is mainly seen only on TV prints, as the company only held television rights to the series, so most episodes on DVD do not have this logo at all.
• It is also spotted on later prints of Basket Fever.
• This logo does not appear on the TV movie The Phoenix & the Carpet, despite being a co-production with the BBC.
• The 5th logo plasters this logo on DVD releases of programs that used this logo.
• It is also intact on pre-2001 VHS releases of Kipper.

3rd Logo (September 7, 1996-May 15, 1997)

Visuals: On a black background, a more realistic globe of the Earth is seen rotating above a batch of blue blocks along the bottom of the screen, along with a faint column of gold light emerging below the globe. The blocks then rotate up, with a notable slant to the right, to face the screen and reveal themselves as the previous logo, but with a flatter look to it and "ENTERTAINMENT PLC" in a different silver font.

Variant: On Professor Bubble, a still version is used on a white background, and the screen is shared with the GMTV and Look Lively TV logos.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: None or the respective show's end theme.

Availability: This logo is only seen on the unaired pilot to Bob the Builder. The variant is preserved on the aforementioned Professor Bubble.

Legacy: This logo was lost until November 2020, when it along with episodes of Professor Bubble and the full pilot of Bob the Builder were found. Also, given its usage, this could be seen as a prototype of the next logo seen below.

4th Logo (1997-2008)

• 

Visuals: On a sky blue background with stripes and shines, a yellow/orange/black gradient ribbon flies around from the right edge of the screen, eventually swirling itself into a spiral shape as the background zooms in. Eventually, the end of the spiral explodes and releases multi-coloured fireworks from it, along with a beam of cyan light shooting out of the middle along with several smaller ribbons in various colours, confetti, bubbles, and white dots from the end of the tunnel. The background also pops back into place and moves a bit, and a lens flare appears and swoops towards the camera, causing the entire screen to fade to white. Then, the tunnel then repositions itself into becoming a flat spiral as more ribbons and fireworks are shot towards the screen, and a couple of bottle rockets also pass by the screen. Finally, the tunnel fades away into a swirling dust cloud coloured yellow and light blue, and then a toy-like globe of the Earth zooms in as the dust forms the HIT Entertainment logo. It looks similar to the 2nd logo, but with a flat, sky blue colour.

Trivia: This logo would be modified for the HIT Video logo from 1998 to 2000.

Variants:

• A short version exists, which shows only the finished result of the logo.
• A middle-length version also exists, which starts in the middle of the logo.
• At the end of a ride on video-optioned Bob the Builder kiddie rides from Jolly Roger, Lofty the crane pushes away the title card of the show from the left, and then uses his crane to pull the finished product of the logo into the screen.

Technique: CGI, and possible chroma key for the fireworks.

Audio: It depends on the version:

• Full version: A big whoosh, then a variety of cartoon sound effects are heard whilst the items come out of the ribbon tunnel:
  • A fluttering slide whistle with an explosion sound.
  • Twinkling and popping sounds along with the whoosh from the start of the logo played in reverse, followed by a car engine sputtering.
  • Whooshing sounds and explosion sounds as the firecrackers fly out of the ribbon tunnel and explode.
  • Pop sounds and a boing sound, followed by a party horn noise, a "falling" sound (done on a slide whistle) and a cuckoo clock sound.
  • A "zing-in" sound (also done on a slide whistle) followed by another fluttering slide whistle.
  • One final pop sound, accompanied by a faint train whistle.

  Then finally, a grand and majestic nine-note fanfare plays with strings and brass instruments.

• Short version: The ending theme of the show.
• Middle-length version: Shortened from the full version which starts at around the second note of the fanfare.
• Bob the Builder kiddie ride variant: Starts from the last five notes of the long version's fanfare.

Audio Trivia:

• The fanfare was composed by David Lowe, who is best known for producing and arranging the theme tune to BBC News from 1999.
• On the DVD versions of Brightest Children's Favourites (2004) and Ultimate Children's Favourites (2005), the sound effects from the start of the full version of logo plays while transitioning between menus.

Availability: Mainly seen on UK home media releases from the company from the time-period up until late 2003, although it continued usage on UK releases of Thomas & Friends until 2008.

• The full version is preserved as a de-facto home video logo on HIT Entertainment's VHS and DVD releases in the UK until late 2003.
• The short version of the logo is seen on the television series Anthony Ant and at the end of a ride on video-optioned Bob the Builder kiddie rides from Jolly Roger, while the middle-length version is seen on said rides when not in motion. In the latter scenario, Thomas & Friends rides from the same company use the full version.
• This logo can also be found on all VCI/2 Entertain-distributed Thomas & Friends releases as well, starting with "The Chocolate Crunch and Other Stories" from 2003.
  • Despite the logo being used all over the packaging, this logo does not appear on The Fogman and Other Stories, the 2000 Gullane Entertainment logo is used instead.
  • Inexplicably, later 2 Entertain-distributed Thomas & Friends DVD releases continued to use this logo until their distribution rights expired in 2008, despite the 6th logo being used all over the packaging. The last DVD release to use this logo overall is The Spirit of Sodor, although as mentioned below, the reissue plasters it with the 6th logo.
• It is most likely seen on Marks & Spencer-exclusive compilation VHS releases of Angelina Ballerina, The Magic Key, Kipper and Percy the Park Keeper, respectively.

5th Logo (September 25, 2000-September 18, 2007)

• 
• 
  Version with just the byline, taken from CBeebies airings of season 4 of Bob the Builder.
• 
  14:9 cropped variant #1
• 
  14:9 cropped variant #2
• 
• 
• 
• 
  Early Version
• 
  Early "PLC" Version
• 
• 
• 
• 
  Seasons 8-10 of Thomas & Friends, also seen on All Aboard With The Steam Team, It's Great To Be An Engine, Peep Peep Hooray and Tales From The Tracks.

Visuals: On a dark blue background, a flat, dark blue version of the HIT Entertainment logo is seen in the centre of the screen, surrounded by a white glow with moving rays on the border of it. The globe is also still and more detailed, as a lens flare appears across it. The URL "www.hitentertainment.com" and byline "DISTRIBUTED WORLDWIDE BY HIT ENTERTAINMENT PLC" are seen below the logo.

Trivia: This logo debuted in the UK in 2000 with the premiere of The Magic Key; and then in the U.S. during 2001. However, it did not appear on UK VHS and DVD releases until late 2003 or early 2004, starting with the following releases:

• The "Classic Collection" range (earlier VHS prints from December 2003 carry the 4th logo instead)
• The DVD releases of the first two Angelina Ballerina titles (The Gift and Rose Fairy Princess)
• Superstar Children's Favourites (earlier VHS prints carry the 4th logo instead)
• Christmas Children's Favourites

Variants:

• On U.S. prints and releases of their material, the text along the side just says "ENTERTAINMENT" slightly spaced out, and a TM mark appears in the upper right corner. The byline is also modified to reflect the change.
• A prototype version exists and it has a few differences. The text along the side is in a different font, the glow has a flatter look to it, there are no bylines, and the globe is also darker in colour.
  • One variant has the "ENTERTAINMENT PLC" text and the globe is positioned slightly higher.
• The lens flare may not appear over the logo.
• On Barney's Christmas Star (except for the Christmas Children's Favorites release), the globe is bigger.
• On the 2003 restored versions of seasons 1-5 of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (the 1998 remastered versions still use the Britt Allcroft logo), there is a white background. On the top half, there's an outline rectangle containing the blue text "A Britt Allcroft Company Production" with the company's logo in between the words "Britt" and "Allcroft"; while on the bottom half, there's the HIT Entertainment logo. In between them there's the word "For". The following copyright notice that says "(C) 1984-2003 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. All rights reserved" can be seen under both logos. Post-2007 releases of the DVD have this logo replaced with the next logo, with the copyright notice still intact.
• A still version on a white background exists. "CONSUMER PRODUCTS" sometimes replaces "ENTERTAINMENT" in this version.
• Two in-credit versions exist. One is just of the logo, the other is of the logo on a white background.
• On 2004-06 episodes of Thomas & Friends and its related home media releases (at least in the UK), there are several versions of the logo. Copyright info is below:
  • The first variation is seen on individual episodes and airings. The logo is placed on a cloudy sky background, and has the copyright notice for every episode per year of release (2003, 2004, 2005 or 2006) and the disclaimer about the series below it.
  • The second variation is seen on several home media releases, such as Hooray for Thomas and Other Adventures. It has the copyright notice for the episodes (2003, 2004, 2005 or 2006) and the disclaimer about the series. (The font of the copyright notice is the same as the collaboration with Nick Jr.)
  • The third variation is seen on several PBS airings. It is also similar to the first two variations, but instead of the cloudy sky as the background, the blue original background is seen on the logo.
  • The fourth variation can be found on Thomas' Halloween Adventures. The copyright notice used from the restored formats of previous seasons is used, along with the North American disclaimer.
  • The fifth variation is seen on Thomas & Friends: Calling All Engines!. The logo is placed on the original background, with the words "Thomas the Tank Engine, Created for Television by BRITT ALLCROFT" plus the 2005 copyright notice and disclaimer below the logo.
• On the sixth and seventh seasons of Thomas & Friends, there are three variations of the logo:
  • The first variation uses the logo with the URL and byline, with the copyright notice "© 1984-2003 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. All rights reserved." below the byline. (seen on season 6)
  • The second variation uses the logo with the URL and byline, but with the title "Thomas & Friends" on top of the logo, and the copyright notice "(C) 2003 Gullane (Thomas) Limited" on the bottom of the byline. (seen on season 7)
  • The third variation is the logo with the Nick Jr. logo. It has the copyright notice "(C) 2002/2003 Gullane (Thomas) Limited" on the bottom of the logo, and sometimes the words "Produced in association with Nickelodeon UK" can be seen on top of the logos. The background is a cloudy sky, which also appears in the next three seasons. This was seen on episodes aired via Nick Jr. in the UK.
• Like the 2nd logo, there are instances that the logo is seen only with just the byline (or along in this case, with just the URL), or the logo can be bylineless.
  • The Latin-American (Spanish and Portuguese, among those that are aired on Discovery Kids Latin America, the standard (bylineless) version is used in in the USA and Canada) and European (Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German, the standard version is used in the UK) airings of the ninth season of Barney & Friends (Especially Universal Kids airings in North America) and iTunes releases of Thomas & Friends including Thomas & His Friends Get Along and Thomas & His Friends Help Out use the version with just the byline.
  • Fraggle Rock, Animal Jam (along with other programs made by Jim Henson) use the version with just the URL.
  • Another version of the logo with just the URL exists. The URL is slightly shifted down to where usually the byline is placed. The URL is also in bold, which would be later used in the HD version of the logo.
  • There are other variations of the logo with just the byline. This is usually seen on Bob the Builder, which aired on CBeebies for a short time before switched to 16:9 widescreen, depending on the season of episodes and whether domestic or international. One instance is that the URL is missing from the logo used in 2001-2004 (usually seen in Europe, the original version is used in North America), and another is the same instance as the first, but this time, the byline is shifted upward (rare, usually seen in Welsh airings). Another instance is that the byline is in a different font, and it also has a much larger font size.
  • The logo is bylineless on CITV repeats of Kipper, Angelina Ballerina, Thomas & Friends, and Percy the Park Keeper. It was also seen on original U.S. PBS airings of 2004-2006 episodes of Bob the Builder and Barney & Friends, and is also preserved on the retail DVD release of Children's Favorites: Spring Made Fun!
• Original and international prints of the 10th season episodes of Barney & Friends, along with its related retail home media releases from 2005-07 (such as Can You Sing That Song? (VHS version only), Let's Go to the Beach, Let's Make Music and Let's Go to the Firehouse) uses a short-lived HD version of the logo, with its URL and byline in bold (This is the final variation of the standard logo). The Sprout and later PBS versions use the next logo (still or original). VOD releases (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) and Universal Kids (in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil) re-airings of this season also use this HD logo.
• On Prime Video prints of shows that use this logo, the URL is blurred out.
• On S4C Welsh airings of Pingu, the byline is translated.
• On The Magic Key, a small version of the logo appears on a black background above the 1997 BBC logo. Copyright and website info is below.
• On HIT's television adverts/promos (mainly in the UK), a special version of the logo is seen - with the logo on a white background and a light glowing rapidly from the top left of the logo.
• A special bumper appears exclusively on HIT Entertainment Children's Favorites Vol. 1 (2004) before and between each episode. It starts off normally with both the URL and byline in their respective places, but the background fades into a zooming space backdrop as all the text disappears and the globe becomes more lifelike and starts to spin. The HIT text then zooms through the camera as the globe moves to the centre. A circle playing a clip from the upcoming show then peeks out from behind the globe on either the left or right side and zooms towards the screen before soaring in the opposite direction. All other volumes in the series use the standard logo.

Trivia: On Barney & Friends, the closing theme heard over the logo (composed by Joe Phillips) is done on a Roland D-50 synthesizer, as it uses the "Living Calliope" preset.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: The ending theme of the show or none.

Audio Variants:

• Some home media releases of Barney & Friends (starting from Let's Go to the Farm (2005), until Let's Go to the Firehouse (2007), and again on Best Fairy Tales (2010)) have a synthesized jingle that is used either at the beginning, at the end, or after the feature presentation.
  • Similarly, a version with a long, held choir note appears on the aforementioned Let's Go to the Firehouse.
• On an early 2000s print of Felix the Cat, the 1989 HIT Communications PLC music is heard.
• The Children's Favorites variant starts with a low drone sound with bells at the start, with a digital playing as the backdrop changes followed by a regular whoosh as the HIT text zooms in, afterwards the drone sound and bells changes into a higher pitch and start playing faster as a deep whoosh continuously plays.

Availability: Seen on programmes and releases from the company from this time-period until 2007.

• This logo is seen on every HIT Entertainment-produced or distributed program from the period including The Magic Key (the show in which, the logo made its first appearance), seasons 7-10 of both Thomas & Friends and Barney & Friends, Bob the Builder, Angelina Ballerina, Rubbadubbers, Oswald, Pingu, and the VeggieTales: The Ultimate Silly Song Countdown 2001 VHS release.
• It can also be found on the remastered versions of episodes from seasons 1-4 of Pingu, as well as the 2000s DVD releases of The Jim Henson Company productions they distributed at the time, such as Fraggle Rock and Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas, usually alongside the Jim Henson Family Classics logo.
• The normal in-credit variant is seen on seasons 5-6 of Pingu, while the white background one is seen on the 2003 series of Fireman Sam and at the end of games from the company.
• Both the "ENTERTAINMENT" and "CONSUMER PRODUCTS" white background variants can be found on games of the company’s shows, and the "ENTERTAINMENT PLC" version is seen on the remastered versions of the original Fireman Sam alongside the 1987 Bumper Films and 1995 S4C logos.
• The prototype version of the logo was used as a de-facto home video logo on HIT’s VHS and DVD releases in the UK from January 2004 until April 2007, and it is also seen at the end of certain programmes.
  • The second prototype version of the logo can be found on early VHS releases.
• This logo was also used to plaster over the HIT Communications PLC logo and the 2nd logo at times, and also makes an appearance on the Britbox print of episode 1 of Dennis the Menace and Gnasher (1996-1998) through plastering the 2nd logo.
• The "ENTERTAINMENT PLC" version can also be found on 2000s international prints of seasons 1-6 of Barney & Friends.
• For some reason, Thomas & Friends DVD releases from 2003 to 2008 owned by 2Entertain used the 4th logo at the start instead of this, though it is still seen at the end.
• It is also preserved on the Spanish DVD releases of the first season of Postman Pat.
• It also appears at the end of Sprout prints of Big Sister & Little Brother (the English dub of Storasyster & Lillebror).
• It was also seen at the end of Thomas and the Magic Railroad when it aired on Discovery Kids Latin America in 2006, and it can also be found on the Brazilian DVD release of the same movie by ST2 Kids.

Legacy: This is a well-loved logo to people who grew up with their shows on VHS and DVD.

6th Logo (January 23, 2007-)

• 
• 
• 
• 

Visuals: On a white/light blue gradient background, a CGI block is seen with "H" (white on red), "i" (blue on yellow), and "T" (white on blue) on its 3 visible sides, with "HiT entertainment" below it. Then, all of a sudden, two more of the same blocks come out from behind the main block, and they all jump around as the company name fades out. The blocks stack to reveal the "HiT" name before the two blocks (left and right) disappear. As it leaves only one block, the block looks around before becoming still as the company name fades back in below.

Variants:

• There are short versions in which the text is already at the bottom of the screen (except for some variants) while the HIT blocks move in various different sequences:
  • The HIT block is at a farther away angle. Then, the two other blocks come in and jump before exiting, as the middle one bounces closer to the screen.
  • The blocks chase each other around before they bump into each other, and the screen zooms into the middle block dazed for a moment.
  • The blocks roll and jump around on top of the middle block before it rolls closer to the screen.
  • The blocks look at each other, slide to the other direction, and slide to the start position, then two of the other blocks leave as the screen zooms toward the one in the middle.
  • The block just drops down. This is a very short variant.
  • The blocks bounce on top of each other, then fall off the first block before jumping into it, making the first block grow. Notably, the text doesn't fade in until later.
• A prototype version exists, which is still, with a plain white background and a slightly different block with a smaller H and T being viewed from a higher angle. Sometimes, the words "Distributed worldwide by" appears above the logo.
• In-credit variants exist. One is of the still worldwide distribution variant, one is an in-credit still of the normal animated version, and the final one shows just the HIT block with the text "Distributed Internationally by HIT Entertainment" to the left of it.
• On DVD releases of HIT Entertainment shows with Auto Play (just like Disney's FastPlay), such as Lionsgate releases of the CGI Thomas & Friends, the prototype variant is shown with two blue buttons below it, one reading "Auto Play" and the other reading "Main Menu".
• On the Little People 2016 TV series and the first two seasons of the Bob the Builder reboot, it has a copyright notice on the bottom middle of the HIT Entertainment text.
• On the 11th season of Thomas & Friends, the logo (still version) has the copyright notice (red) for individual episode per year of release (2007 or 2008) and the disclaimer about the series. Several home videos (in fullscreen) have the copyright notice dated 2006, 2007 or 2008. PBS airings use the original variant.
• The Sprout re-airings of Barney & Friends season 10 use the very last part of the logo's sequence (ie. the HIT block is already there after the animation). The 9th season re-airings on PBS and Sprout plaster the previous logo with this one. However, the 10th season episodes aired on Universal Kids in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Colombia use the previous logo as done in their PBS original airings (the HD version used in 2006-07).

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An upbeat flute/horn tune with rhythmic finger snaps. Composed by Thomas & Friends composer Peter Hartshorne.

Audio Variants:

• Sometimes, it's the ending theme of the show or none.
• The theme varies by variant. Every short variant, including the very short variant, had this theme shortened (which vary on how it is shortened). However, in two variants, the music plays as normal but there are two extra notes at the end after the normal fanfare is finished. The longer versions also begin with a rising sparking sound.
• The Auto Play variant has a male announcer saying "For your convenience, this DVD has been enhanced with HIT Entertainment's Auto Play. Your program and a selection of bonus features will begin automatically. To bypass Auto Play, select the "Main Menu" button at anytime. Your feature presentation will begin in a moment. Enjoy!"
• On Channel 5 airings and prints of Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps, the WNET Thirteen and/or the HIT logo theme play over the in-credit variant.
• Low-pitched versions exist, mostly due to PAL-to-NTSC conversion.
• On one Cartoonito airing of a 2011 episode of Fireman Sam, the very short version’s theme played over the Xing Xing logo and the start of the first alternate short variant of the HIT logo. Also, some Cartoonito airings of the show have the very short version out of sync with the music.
• Sometimes, the music from one short variant will play over another short variant.

Availability: Seen on shows such as seasons 6-10 of Fireman Sam, Barney & Friends from the 2007-10 seasons, Bob the Builder (original and seasons 1-2 of the 2015 reboot), seasons 11-20 of Thomas & Friends, Little People (2016 series), and Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps.

• It first appeared on the 2007 DVD releases of Thomas & Friends: Trust Thomas and Other Stories and A Big Day for Thomas.
• The still logo can be found on games, early DVD releases and sometimes at the end of shows, while the still Worldwide Distribution version is seen at the end of some Bob the Builder and The Likeaballs episodes, as well as on Wobbly Land (with the text in a different font and colour) and later reprints of Pic Me.
• The long version is used as a de-facto home media logo on UK DVD releases, and some U.S. DVD releases.
  • Beginning with the Thomas & Friends DVD "Extraordinary Engines", until "A Colourful World", the Mattel Creations logo appears after the warning, but the HIT logo still appears when "Play All" is selected and at the end of DVD releases, though with some exceptions. The HIT logo then returned at the beginning of releases with "Thomas & Friends: Digs & Discoveries".
• This logo is also preserved on later Fraggle Rock DVD releases and U.S. Aardman releases such as Wallace & Gromit in Three Amazing Adventures, the Blu-ray release of Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Collection, Shaun the Sheep, and Timmy Time.
• This version is also present on the Frances compilation Bedtime for Frances (DVD & Book Collection).
• The second alternate short variant can be found on several shows such as Mike the Knight.
• The very short variant is seen on 2008 episodes of Fireman Sam and on some airings of Wishbone.
• This logo is also seen at the end of U.S. releases of Fifi and the Flowertots and Roary the Racing Car, since the company owns the U.S. distribution rights to these shows.

Legacy: A departure from the globe logos to favor more a preschool demographic (although the company has distributed some non-preschool content), it is still nostalgic for those who grew up with it.

Final Note

From 2017 onwards, HIT Entertainment programming now has the Mattel Creations (and later the Mattel Television) logo instead of the HIT logo. However, the 2007 HIT logo is still used on DVD releases and trade ads.

◄ Henson International Television Lyrick Studios Gullane Entertainment

HIT Entertainment

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