Turner Program Services

Logo descriptions by Lee Cremeans, Sean Beard, James Fabiano, and Matt Williams

Logo captures by Eric S., V of Doom, EnormousRat, snelfu, and Mr.Logo

Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly, mr3urious, and thehugetvfan

Video captures courtesy of MachineryNoise, mcydodge919, BenIsRandom and English1stud

Background: Turner Program Services was established in 1982 as the syndication arm of Turner Broadcasting System. It was best known for Captain Planet and some of its game shows, as well as distributing The Wonder Years, Hanna-Barbera's programming when Turner purchased the animation studio in 1991, and all material by Turner Entertainment Co. Upon Time Warner's purchase of the Turner properties on October 10, 1996, the unit was dismantled and some of the assets were folded into Telepictures Distribution, which eventually folded into "Warner Bros. Television Distribution" in 2003.

1st Logo

(1983-1992)

Nicknames: "TPS", "Rainbow-Fill", "Rainbow TPS" Logo: Two trails of rainbow colors come in from the left and right of the black screen and move towards each other. You can barely make out a "TPS" logo in each. When they join, a blue burst of light shines, and when that clears a rainbow-colored "TPS" remains. Below that, the words "Turner Program Services" appear in yellow, one by one and in small bursts of light. Variants:

Music/Sounds: A dreamy, synthesized tune with "shining" sound effects and 3 notes at the end for the words that go "down-up-down". It's very similar to the LBS "pan-out" logo. The end theme of the show or silence might play instead. Music/Sounds Variant: A variation exists which has the standard logo, yet the "fourth note" is added to make this a long version. This is seen on the syndicated version of the colorized print of Gunga Din and is also used on the opening variant. Availability: Rare.
 * The opening variant is the same, except "presents" flashes-in below and a spark appears on the "Program" word when it flashes. Sometimes, this would be superimposed over the start of the program (and/or is cut down to where the name appears).
 * Another closing variant has the text "Distributed by TURNER PROGRAM SERVICES, INC.".
 * On occasion, the logo is still. A copyright date may also be present below the logo.
 * One version has the opening variant, however there is a freeze frame before "presents" appears. This also used the long version of the music.
 * A short version exists that starts with "TPS" already formed and the blue burst of light shining.FX/SFX: Merging colors, the burst of light, and appearing logo. Typical Scanimate effects.


 * This appeared on all three seasons of Captain Planet and the Planeteers.
 * The long version can be found on Hans Christian Andersen's The Wild Swans.


 * The still version appeared on season 2 of Starcade in syndication, and can be seen on some of the episodes on the Starcade.tv website starting with #109. It was also seen on the short-lived 1989 Merrill Heatter game show The Last Word (with copyright date).


 * The short silent variant was spotted in the short-lived series The Beach Boys: Endless Summer.

2nd Logo
 * The superimposed variant and and the "Distributed by" end variant were sighted on the TPS/Cinar dub of Ultra Seven when it last aired on TNT in the mid '90s.Editor's Note: None.

(1992-1994)

Nickname: "Silver Letters" Logo: On a shaded gray screen, the word "TURNER" (in white) swings downward into place. Under it is "PROGRAM SERVICES" fading in, forming the logo like this:

TURNER

PROGRAM SERVICES

The logo shines when it's formed. Variant: The short version has the logo fully formed, shining. It's slowed down on some episodes of The Wonder Years. FX/SFX: The swinging "TURNER", the shining logo, and "PROGRAM SERVICES" fading in. Music/Sounds: A three-note mellow orchestra tune ending with a "ping" sound. This is an excerpt of a track entitled "Straight from the Heart," composed by Al Capps for production music company Killer Tracks. May also have the end theme playing over it. Music/Sounds Variant: There is a variant that has the music slowed down, making the logo last a bit longer. Availability: Uncommon.


 * It was seen on syndicated prints of The Wonder Years (late 1990s Nick @ Nite airings plastered this logo with the 1994 Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Pay TV logo) and Boomerang repeats of season 3 of The Adventures of Captain Planet, three episodes of SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron, and 2 Stupid Dogs.


 * Local re-runs of classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons in the early '90s, such as reruns of The Jetsons and Dastardly and Muttley in their Flying Machines, had this logo as well.

3rd Logo
 * The version with the slowed-down music was seen on some episodes of The Wonder Years, as well as early '90s syndication prints of The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones.Editor's Note: None.

(1994-1996)

Nickname: "Globe Logo & Turning Letters" Logo: On a white background is a black "Turner" logo (as seen in the globe logo). Underneath, a gold line is drawn and under that, letter by letter, the words "PROGRAM SERVICES" quickly unfold (also in black). Variant: A variant was shown on a gray gradient BG and had "PROGRAM SERVICES" in white and the Turner logo fading-in first, with the Turner logo's text shimmering afterward. FX/SFX: Line and words appearing. Music/Sounds: An uninspired synth tune, beginning with a pound, then 11 notes and another pound on the 11th note with a drum hit. The end theme may also play over it. Music/Sounds Variant: There is a much longer version where the logo theme is preceded by a whoosh (which sounds similar to the Windows NT startup sound), and ending with three drumbeats and shimmering noises at the end. Availability: Uncommon.


 * Last seen on 1995 TBS airings of Scooby Doo, Where Are You!, and seen the last two seasons of The New Adventures of Captain Planet and the final two episodes of SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron.


 * The gray variant can be found on TV broadcasts of the infamous Scooby-Doo in Arabian Nights.Editor's Note: None.