Screen Gems Cartoons

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum

Revision as of 19:52, 25 February 2023 by imported>Ebondehd



Background

George Winkler (with Charles B. Mintz as head manager) opened his animation studio in 1928 to produce animated film shorts, using various vanity cards, which include "Color Rhapsody", "Phantasy", and "Fable" among others. Columbia Pictures Corporation distributed the cartoons and then later acquired a stake in the company in 1933 and launched "Screen Gems". However, when Mintz became indebted to Columbia in 1939, he ended up selling his studio to them. Under new management, the Screen Gems became a full time animation studio in 1940 until 1946 when Columbia closed its animation unit.

The "Screen Gems" name was inspired by an early Columbia Pictures slogan, "Gems of the Screen", itself based on an American patriotic song entitled "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean".

Columbia later revived the "Screen Gems" name for its its television arm, and then as Sony's genre film division.

Krazy Kat

1st Logo (1929-1931)

Logo: It's Columbia Pictures' then-current print logo used onscreen, overlapped with the second credits.

Closing Title: Same as the opening, but instead of the credits, we can now see clearly the Columbia Pictures print logo overlapped by "The End" written in script and "A KRAZY KAT COMIC" below. Later in 1930, the disclaimer changed to "A WINKLER KRAZY KAT COMIC", and beginning with The Apache Kid, the end title is filled to the screen.

Technique: 2D animation for the first opening/closing titles.

Music/Sounds: The intro/outro of the cartoon's music.

Availability: Rare. Only seen on the Krazy Kat cartoons.

2nd Logo (1931-1939)

Logo: On a black background with an outline looking like a TV screen, the words "A KRAZY KAT CARTOON" appear in big bold letters on the top of the screen. In the middle is the Columbia Pictures print logo overlapped by "The End" written in script and on the bottom of the screen is “a Charles Mintz Production”.

Technique: None, except for the iris in and outs.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the cartoon.

Availability: See 1st logo

Scrappy

1st Logo (1931-1939)

Logo: Same as the previous logo, except the word “SCRAPPY” replaces “KRAZY KAT”.

Technique: See 1st logo

Music/Sounds: Same as the 2nd logo

Availability: Rare.

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