Harpo Studios (also known as Harpo Productions) is a production company founded by television personality and entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey in 1986. Its name (not to be confused with one of the Marx brothers) is "Oprah" spelled backwards.
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| 1st Logo (November 4, 1988-2003) | 2nd Logo (November 15, 2005-2010) | 3rd Logo (March 3, 2010-) | 4th Logo (November 1, 2019-) |
Visuals: On a white background, there is a cartoon version of Oprah Winfrey, wearing a lavender jacket over a yellow dress, pulling a wagon that has "HARPO" (in an ITC Grouch font) with the "O" slanted on it, while on the wagon's outer base reads "PRODUCTIONS, INC." (set in Akzidenz-Grotesk BQ Medium Extended). As Oprah stops and lets go of the handle, the wagon continues moving and bumps into her, causing the "HARPO" to shake, then appearing normal. The copyright notice reading "© [YEAR] HARPO PRODUCTIONS, INC." (at the bottom of the screen) fades in midway through the duration. Oprah smiles and curtsies. After Oprah curtsies, her right hand points to the "O" in "HARPO".
Early Variant: The copyright notice fades in at the end, and it could either be filmed or videotaped.
Other Variants:
Technique: Cel animation by Saul Bass.
Audio: A dramatic 10-note synth string/horn fanfare, then 4 more quick notes, an off-key brief piano pluck, and a final string note with a faint glockenspiel glissando. Starting on August 29, 1991, the music is low-pitched. Composed by Paul David Wilson at Herschel Commercial.
Audio Variants:
Availability:
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Visuals: Over a black background, the logo starts with "HARPO PRODUCTIONS, INC." in the same font as the 1st logo, with the "O" slanted, rotating towards the camera. On the base is a reflection (that disappears at the end) of the name. The name itself shines with "pings". At the bottom of the screen, a copyright stamp appears. A short version starts with the name shining.
Variants:
Technique: CGI by WunderFilm, animated with Alias Maya.
Audio: A string theme with twinkle sounds. Otherwise, the closing theme.
Availability: The earliest known appearance of this logo is on The Oprah Winfrey Show: 20th Anniversary Collection DVD in 2005 (following the Paramount DVD logo). This later appeared in September 2006 on The Rachael Ray Show and Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball.
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Visuals: Against a white background, a ring moves up and copies into 5 multicolored rings (colored green, orange, purple, red and sky blue) like a gyroscope, revealing "HARPOSTUDIOS" (set in an Interstate font). There is a see-through shadow underneath the rings.
Variants:
Technique: CGI created in-house at Harpo Design.
Audio: A dramatic orchestral fanfare that later turns into a flourish at the end (somewhat resemblant of the 1988 logo's music), concluding with a harp/pizzicato string glissando. Starting in 2011 (with the exception of The Rachel Ray Show), the first few notes of the fanfare are cut off.
Availability: Seen on all Oprah Winfrey specials from 2010 to the present time. Also seen on later episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show as well as The Rachel Ray Show, The Dr. Oz Show from seasons 2 to 8, SuperSoul Sunday, and the short-lived The Nate Berkus Show. This plasters the 1st logo on OWN reruns of classic The Oprah Winfrey Show episodes.
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Visuals: Over a white background, the logo starts with the same rings from before, but this time in gold and silver, much like the Harpo Films logo, rotating as they form. The words "HARPO" and "PRODUCTIONS" then fade in one by one.
Technique: Same as before.
Audio: None.
Availability: Seen on Oprah's Book Club and Oprah Talks.
