Hanna-Barbera Home Video

Background

Hanna-Barbera originally released their products on VHS through fellow Taft Broadcasting Company subsidiary Worldvision Home Video, the home video division of Worldvision Enterprises, itself then owned by Taft. During the shakeup at then-owner Taft, which was transformed into Great American Communications, Worldvision and its home video division were both sold off in 1988, with them ultimately being acquired by Aaron Spelling's then-current production company.

Accordingly, after the sale, Hanna-Barbera got its own home video line (though distribution continued through the by-then Spelling-owned Worldvision for a short period) in 1989. The first release under the label was The Man Called Flintstone. This lasted until late 1991, when Turner Broadcasting System 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).

Contents

1st Logo (1988-1989)	2nd Logo (1989-1991)	3rd Logo (1989)	4th Logo (The Flintstones 30th anniversary logo) (1991)	5th Logo (1991)

Unused Logo

Contents

Logo (1988(?))

1st Logo (1988-1989)

Visuals: On a black starry-blue gradient background, there is 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 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, there is the address for the Hanna-Barbera video club shown with yellow and red lines above and below the address text.

Technique: Computer animation.

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

Audio Variants:

On the Superstars 10 version, the fanfare is extended. The announcer says "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 send 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 (including the first ever release, A Man Called Flintstone), typically after the 1986 H-B Swirling Star.

The full version is seen on VHS releases of movies from the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10 collection, such as The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones.
This logo is also seen on the 1988 UK VHS release of The Flintstone Kids from The Video Collection.

2nd Logo (1989-1991)

Visuals: 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 (more on that below) "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: Computerized 2D effects, alongside reused footage of the original "Swirling Star" logo.

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

Audio Variants: In the Hanna-Barbera Superstar Movies promo: A synth-rock rendition of the original logo with an announcer saying "Superstar Movies all from Hanna-Barbera Home Video".

Availability:

Hanna-Barbera Home Video did release 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 feature this logo on the packaging (usually orange clamshell cases with a Worldvision byline) do not have this logo, but rather use either the 1979 "Swirling Star" logo or, in some cases, the 1st logo.
It also turned up on a Christmas Day 2011 airing of Yogi's First Christmas (1980) on Australian television networks, plastering the 1977 Operation Prime Time logo. This was due to the fact that said networks used the LaserDisc release of the special as a source.
It is also preserved on the Warner Home Video TV Premiere DVD release of The Jetsons: Microchip Chump due to using the 1990 VHS master.
It can also be found on UK VHS releases such as the 1990 UK VHS releases of Meet the Flintstones, Hanna Barbera's Personal Favourites: The Flintstones, Timeless Tales: The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Hanna Barbera Superstars: Wiki Waki Sports, Hanna-Barbera: Happy Hour Vol. 2, Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy: A Pup and His Pop, Have Picnic Basket, Will Travel, Yogi's Treasure Hunt: The Greed Monster, Potsworth & Co.: King Potsworth/When Bubba Rules, The Jetsons: First Episodes, and Hanna-Barbera's Christmas Sing-A-Long!, respectively, among others.

3rd Logo (1989)

Visuals: On a black background, a square appears and it spirals and forms a pattern that changes colors as the camera quickly zooms in to reveal a picture of Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, Fred Flintstone, and Scooby-Doo, all standing together with big, goofy grins. Then, they disappear to reveal the 1979 H-B "Swirling Star" starting to animate like usual and then the star quickly zooms in with the letters "HB" in black. It then cuts to another scene with the words "HANNA BARBERA" stacked and zoomed up on the screen and it then zooms out and moves up slightly while changing multiple colors before flashing red and becoming a dark red. The words "home video" in yellow wipes themselves on screen.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: A "whoosh" sound followed by a synth-orchestra rendition of the first few notes of The Flintstones theme.

Availability: This logo was discovered on the 1989 U.S. VHS release of Top Cat: T.C.'s Back in Town as an intermission bumper. It's unknown if any other tapes use this.

4th Logo (The Flintstones 30th anniversary logo) (1991)

Visuals: On a sky-blue background, Fred Flintstone, in a purple "caveman tuxedo", waves a 'magic cane' to make a box with the words "THE FIRST 30 YEARS" inside it appear next to him. He puts away the cane and proceeds to tap-dance in front of a purple baseball diamond-like shape. Above that in an arc is a sign reading "THE FLINTSTONES", with "THE" in a small black triangle above the arc. Below is the Hanna-Barbera Home Video logo. Fred then strikes a pose with his top hat out, and "FLINTSTONES" shines.

Trivia: This logo is essentially a modified version of the 1990 Hanna-Barbera logo, with the difference being that the blue Hanna-Barbera script wordmark is replaced with that of the Hanna-Barbera Home Video logo. As with that logo, this was created in celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Flintstones' premiere back in 1960.

Technique: Traditional animation designed by Iwao Takamoto and animated by Mike Kazaleh with an animation layout by Scott Shaw.

Audio: A synthesized instrumental of the Flintstones theme with a "zap" and a drumbeat.

Availability: Seen on VHS releases from the Flintstones Anniversary Collection, including The Flintstones Meet Samantha and The Flintstones Meet the Great Gazoo.

It is also seen at the end of Warner Archive's DVD release of Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears (1988).
It may also appear on other VHS releases from this era.

5th Logo (1991)

Visuals: On a black background, "Hanna-Barbera" in its corporate font is written out in white. A large flash then appears, causing it to become a blue-gradient color. The words "HOME VIDEO" appear below the "Hanna-Barbera" text.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: The audio from the 2nd logo.

Availability: Seen on the final releases from H-B HV as an independent distributor, including Young Robin Hood VHS releases and The Cabbage Patch Kids First Christmas.

Once Turner bought out Hanna-Barbera and took over distribution, most releases started with the 1986 Turner Entertainment logo, then the "Presents" version of the 10th Hanna-Barbera logo, thus signaling the end of the label.
Releases using the logo have the print version of the 2nd logo on the cover and on the labels.

Unused Logo

Logo (1988(?))

Visuals: A circle cutout with Fred Flintstone holding his hat & cane (remniscent of the 4th logo) appears against what appears to be the logo's background consisting of long black rectangles stacked on top of each other. Below the cutout is the text (colored in red): "HANNA-BARBERA" in a large round font, below said text are the words: "HOME ENTERTAINMENT" in a smaller plain typeface. Below the company's name is the byline: "A DIVISION OF THE TAFT ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY" and a notice stating: "Distributed by WORLDVISION ENTERPRISES, INC." with the Worldvision portion being the print logo.

Technique: Cel animation, presumably from Hanna-Barbera.

Audio: Unknown, as only a cel frame exists.

Availability: Unused. The only evidence of this logo's existence are auction listings for this specific single cel layout.