Hallmark Entertainment

Credits

Descriptions by
James Fabiano

Captures by
Eric S. and TheEriccorpinc

Video captures courtesy of
Eric S., EnormousRat, and mcydodge919

Background

Hallmark Entertainment was a production company owned by Hallmark Cards. It was formed in 1994 after Hallmark purchased and renamed RHI Entertainment. In 2006, the founders of RHI re-purchased the company and reverted it back to the RHI name.

1st Logo (October 8, 1994-September 28, 1996)

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Nicknames: "The Stamp", "The Plate", "Hallmark Plate"

Logo: On a stylized brown or black background, a gold plate with the word "HALLMARK" on it backwards fills the screen. As the camera backs away, it's revealed to be a stamp that stamps a silver rectangle as the image turns around. The rectangle continues to rotate until it stops in the center, revealing the following text on it (with lines above and below it):

HALLMARK
ENTERTAINMENT

Variant: Sometimes, "Distributed By" or "In Association With" fades in after the logo forms.

FX/SFX: The "stamp".

Music/Sounds: None or the ending theme.

Availability: Rare. It used to be seen on reprints of Filmation Associates shows of the time like Fat Albert or He-Man. It also appeared on UPN's short-lived series Live Shot and on some TV movies, like Bye Bye Birdie.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (October 23, 1994-June 17, 2006)

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Nicknames: "The H Ribbon", "Hallmark Ribbon"

Logo: On a black background, we see a stylized "H" made of ribbons, which is surrounded by a box zooming in, while "HALLMARK ENTERTAINMENT" in a silver Times New Roman font moves up and places itself under the box. When it's completed, the logo zooms back a bit.

Variants:

• A filmed version exists.
• Sometimes, "Distributed by" or "In Association With" appears above the logo.
• At the beginning of some TV movies, "PRESENTS" appears below.
• Occasionally, the copyright stamp is omitted.
• There is a version where the logo appears on a dusty light yellow background. The border is smaller while the text is much larger, and both are in black.
• A still variant without the "H" logo can be seen in a few 2000s TV movies, like The Poseidon Adventure and Earthsea, among others.

FX/SFX: The zooming.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show, silence, or a short flourish fanfare.

Music/Sounds Variant: Sometimes, especially during the logo's early years, an alternate 8-note orchestral theme is heard.

Availability: Rare. It was seen on TV shows and movies made by Hallmark Entertainment of the era.

• It's retained on DVD releases of The Secret World of Alex Mack and Farscape.
• This can be seen on the 1996 TV movie pilot of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, which despite being produced by Viacom Productions (like its TV show) isn't surprisingly owned by CBS these days.
• On recent prints of Alice in Wonderland (1999 TV movie), the Sonar Entertainment logo plasters this one.
• The IAW variant appeared on the original CBS airing of Get To The Heart: The Barbara Mandrell Story.

Editor's Note: It's a well-crafted logo for its time, though some might think the "H" ribbon represents an "X".