Fries Entertainment

Background
Fries Entertainment was formed in 1974 as Charles Fries Productions by Charles W. Fries, producing TV series and TV movies. Some of the company's earlier film productions were distributed by Viacom Enterprises and the company also had a contract with Worldvision Enterprises. In 1984, the company was renamed to Fries Entertainment and launched a distribution company, Fries Distribution Company. The company operated a home video division, Fries Home Video, from 1987 to 1993. Fries Entertainment went out of business in 1996. The Fries library was acquired by the French bank Crédit Lyonnais and became part of the Epic Productions library, which was acquired by PolyGram Filmed Entertainment in 1998 and became owned by MGM in January 1999 under Orion Pictures. In 1997, Fries started an independent company, "Fries Film Group".

Note: "Fries", as a surname, is actually pronounced "freeze" as in "freezing" and "freeze tag", not "french fries".

1st Logo (October 29, 1974-1984)
On-screen variants

Logo: On a blue background, the letters "CFP" are seen in an abstract font, arranged in an abstract way. The text "Charles Fries Productions Inc." appears to the right of it.

Variants:
 * The logo is usually white, but it can be yellow.
 * Until 1977, the logo has the letters larger and outlined, with the text in a different font stacked on top of it.
 * There was a variation with "A Charles Fries Production" appearing instead of "Charlie Fries Productions, Inc.". Only known to be seen on High Noon, Part II (1980).
 * It would appear in credit either as an outline or filled in.
 * Sometimes, it would appear on a different colored background, such as on the 1977 TV movie, The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald It would appear on a red background and the logo outlined in black with the text in solid white lettering.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None or the ending theme of the show or TV movie.

Availability: Uncommon. It appears occasionally on many TV movies on This TV. May also appear on MGM HD and Amazon Prime.

2nd Logo (December 17, 1978-October 31, 1979)
Logo: Just an in-credit logo. A white, diamond-like symbol is seen, with a conjoined "FE" next to it made of lines. On the same line, "FRIES ENTERPRISES" is seen in a futuristic font.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the TV movie.

Availability: Rare. It's only seen on The Winds of Kitty Hawk and The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan, both were released on DVD-R via MGM's Limited Edition Collection.

3rd Logo (January 23, 1984-March 10, 1987)
Logo: On a navy blue background, the same diamond symbol from before, but in fuchsia, is seen in the middle of the screen. It then spins around clockwise as it zooms out and flies to the left. "FRIES ENTERTAINMENT" in a white Avant Garde font fades in beside it.

Variants:
 * Early uses of the logo had it spin to the upper left, and "CHARLES FRIES PRODUCTIONS, INC." appears instead while appearing to be larger. Below it, a byline for Fries Enterprises can be seen.
 * A opening variant has "presents" shown in Futura Bold appearing with the logo.
 * A rare variant has the logo still. The background is now brown, the diamond red, and the text in black and reading "A CHARLIE FRIES PRODUCTION", in a Art Deco font.

Technique: Camera-controlled animation.

Music/Sounds: A five-note synth tune (only used on the early version) or the closing music of the film or silence.

Music/Sounds Variant: On Starcrossed, a sound like shattering glass with a dramatic one-note theme that would later echo out is played (audio taken from the actual film itself, is not yet confirmed if this variant has different music than CFP on other productions).

Availability: The Charles Fries Productions variant was seen on the TV movies Jealousy and Dempsey, though on current prints of the former, it's plastered by the 2001 MGM logo. The Fries Entertainment variant can be seen on Starcrossed, Time Stalkers, LBJ: The Early Years, and Thrashin. The "presents" variant is seen on The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood.

4th Logo (January 13, 1986-1993)
Logo: Same as the Fries Distribution Company logo, but the camera starts from a top view panning downwards towards the logo. All the bars come down much quicker as well. When the logo tilts towards the screen "FRIES ENTERTAINMENT" flips in below.

Variants:
 * The logo may either fade out or cut out.
 * An opening variant exists. It's essentially the Fries Distribution Company logo, with "FRIES ENTERTAINMENT" replacing the aforementioned descriptor.
 * On Howdy Doody 40th Anniversary, the logo starts off in-credit before the footage fades out, continuing normally.

Technique: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: An abridged version of the Fries Distribution Company theme. Otherwise, none or the closing theme.

Availability: Uncommon. It appears on TV movies produced by Charles Fries such as Crash Course and Fight for Life, the latter of which can be currently found on Amazon Prime Video. The opening variant can be found on the StarMaker VHS releases of The Burning Bed and Small Sacrifices.