Spelling Television

Logo descriptions by Jason Jones and Shadeed A. Kelly Logo captures by Eric S., V of Doom, Shadeed A. Kelly, Bob Fish, bmasters9, EnormousRat, snelfu, Logophile, Gilblitz112, Pygmalion X, and whatacuck/LogoCuck Editions by V of Doom, Shadeed A. Kelly, bmasters9, and Bob Fish

Background: The film and television producer Aaron Spelling established his own television production company initially known as "Aaron Spelling Productions, Inc." in 1969. In 1986, Spelling took his company public after raising $80 million. On March 11,1989, Aaron Spelling Productions was reincorporated as "Spelling Entertainment Inc." after acquiring Laurel Entertainment, Inc. and Worldvision Enterprises Inc. The same year, Spelling launched a sub-division named "Torand Productions, Inc.", which was named after Spelling's two children: Tori and Randy Spelling. On April 6, 1991, Spelling Entertainment Inc. was acquired by The Charter Company, who then merged with Spelling Entertainment Inc., and The Charter Company was renamed as "Spelling Entertainment Group" on October 5, 1992. In 1992, Spelling Entertainment was renamed again as "Spelling Television". In 1993, Blockbuster Entertainment Corporation acquired a 67% stake in Spelling Entertainment Group and established "Big Ticket Television" (a.k.a. "Big Ticket Entertainment" and "Big Ticket Pictures") in 1994. The same year in 1994, Blockbuster merged with Viacom, Inc. (later renamed "CBS Corporation" in 2006). In 1999, Viacom acquired the rest of the Spelling Entertainment Group, but Spelling continued producing shows until his death on June 23, 2006, at the age of 83. On April 4, 2007, it was announced that 7th Heaven's series finale on May 13, 2007 would be dedicated to Aaron Spelling. Every single episode from season 11, read these words at the beginning of the closing credits: "In memory of Aaron Spelling". Today, most of the Spelling Television library is owned by ViacomCBS through CBS Television Distribution, while the company still survives as an in-name-only unit of CBS Television Studios (formerly "CBS Paramount Network Television").

1st Logo (September 21, 1970-February 26, 1972, January 21, 1977-October 22, 1991) Aaron Spelling Productions (1970)Aaron Spelling Productions (1970)Aaron Spelling Productions (1970)Aaron Spelling Productions (1970)Aaron Spelling Productions (1971) Aaron Spelling Productions (1971)Aaron Spelling Productions (1971)Aaron Spelling Productions (1971)Aaron Spelling Productions (1971)Aaron Spelling Productions (1978) Aaron Spelling Productions (1978)Aaron Spelling Productions (1978)Spelling-Love Boat: 1979Aaron Spelling Productions (1980)Aaron Spelling Productions (1981) Fox-Cat/Spelling-Dynasty (1981)Fox-Cat/Spelling-Dynasty (1981)-bAaron Spelling: Strike ForceSpelling-Love Boat: 1982The Douglas Cramer Company/Aaron Spelling Productions Aaron Spelling Productions (1982)Aaron Spelling Productions (1982)Aaron Spelling, from "Matt Houston" pilotAaron Spelling: Matt Houston Company"Aaron Spelling Productions (Hotel, 1983) Spelling-Hotel (1983)Aaron Spelling Productions (1983)Cramer/Spelling-The Love Boat (1984)Aaron Spelling Productions (1984)Spelling: 1985 Ball IAW-Spelling-Life With Lucy (1986)Aaron Spelling ProductionsBall IAW-Spelling-Life With Lucy (1986)Aaron Spelling Hotel 1986Aaron Spelling Productions - Nightingales Richard and Esther Shapiro IAW Aaron Spelling, from "Dynasty" 1987Aaron Spelling Productions (1990)From "Dynasty: The Reunion" in 1991

Logo: In the ending credits of shows such as Dynasty and Hotel and TV movies, the text in the series type font would appear superimposed at the end:

AN AARON SPELLING PRODUCTION

Copyright © [YEAR] Aaron Spelling Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved

or

AARON SPELLING PRODUCTIONS

Copyright © [YEAR] Aaron Spelling Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Variants:

On shows like The Love Boat and others, the company name was in a serif typeface with swashes (decorative touches to letters that were popular in the '70s):

[COMPANY NAME]

In Association With

AARON SPELLING PRODUCTIONS

Copyright © [YEAR] Aaron Spelling Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Some series or TV movies would use a different copyright stamp mention instead of "Aaron Spelling Productions, Inc.", saying either "Spelling Ventures Organization", "The Oil Company" (another one of Spelling's in-credit companies), or for the final season of The Love Boat, "The Love Boat Company". On Matt Houston, the text reads as "AARON SPELLING PRODUCTIONS, INC." and would follow the text, "A LARGO PRODUCTION". Some early TV movies at the beginning would have the text "AARON SPELLING PRODUCTIONS, INC. presents". Nightingales has the logo with "AARON SPELLING PRODUCTIONS, INC." with a copyright stamp below. On Dynasty: The Reunion in 1991, the Richard and Esther Shapiro IAW Aaron Spelling card was in gold on a black screen.

FX/SFX: Seen on closing sequences with cut screens.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show.

Availability: Uncommon.

This was originally seen on Dynasty. It's currently on the DVD releases of Dynasty including the first two seasons of The Love Boat and Vega$ and the first seasons of Matt Houston and Hotel (it is also on the 2015 VEI complete-series DVD release of Hotel).

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (April 8, 1990-January 9, 1992) Spelling Entertainment, Inc. (1989)Spelling Entertainment, Inc.Spelling Entertainment, Inc. (1990)

Nicknames: "Abstract S", "Spiral S"

Logo: Just a black screen with "SPELLING ENTERTAINMENT INC." in a white Elephant font, and a stylized "S" that somewhat resembles the "S From Hell" Screen Gems logo. This "S", however, has three lines going upward, three lines going down, and a rounded rectangular structure behind it. "SPELLING" has the largest typeface, and "ENTERTAINMENT INC." is progressively smaller, and appear below the Spelling name.

Variant: On Twin Peaks, the logo is shown on a blue background. Plus, the words are in a different font (though some episodes have the normal font).

FX/SFX: None really, except for the zoom in effect seen on 2nd season episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210.

Music/Sounds: Once again, the ending theme would usually play over.

Availability: Uncommon.

This was seen on Twin Peaks, but the CBS DVD releases, Cloo, Crime & Investigation airings and Netflix viewings remove this logo (though it might be on the season 1 DVD from Artisan/Republic and possibly on Warner Home Video releases too). It's also seen on the first season of Beverly Hills, 90210 on Pop (not the UK one), Hulu, and the season 1 DVD, season 2 plasters it with the 4th logo with the 2006 CBS byline, Pop airings use the DVD prints.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo (January 23-May 7, 1992)

Nicknames: "Abstract S II", "Spiral S II", "Sliding/Sparkling Name"

Logo: Against a teal blue/white gradient background, we see the same "S" from the previous logo, but without the rounded rectangular structure drawing. Spelling Television (1991)The name "SPELLING ENTERTAINMENT INC." in the same font as before sliding in. A registered trademark symbol fades in. The name sparkles.

FX/SFX: The drawing of the "S", the sliding of the name, and the sparkling of the name.

Music/Sounds: The finishing of the ending theme from any show, or it is silent.

Availability: Extinct.

It was seen on Beverly Hills, 90210 episodes of the time. On Pop rebroadcasts and DVD releases of Beverly Hills, 90210, it's plastered by the next logo with the CBS byline. It was last seen when SoapNet aired it until their demise in 2013.

Editor's Note: None.

4th Logo (July 8, 1992-May 13, 2007) Spelling Television: 1992-1994Spelling Television: 1994-1995Spelling Television - Subsidiary of Blockbuster EntertainmentSpelling Television (1995)Spelling Daytime Television Spelling Television: 1999-2000Spelling Television: 2000-2006Spelling Television Inc. (2003) (16:9)Spelling Television: 2006-

Logo: Against a teal background, two lines (one with streaks; the other with a filmstrip) roll out parallel to one another, then they connect with an arch at the right side, resembling the shape of a magnet. The word "SPELLING" in Century Schoolbook font, slides-in from that direction, with the word "TELEVISION" inside the lower line. The "S" in Spelling is a bit larger than the rest of the logo, which shines in with "pings". From 1994 onward, the respective company byline fades in below the logo.

Bylines: Under it would read one of the following (as they appeared on screen):

1994-1995: "A UNIT OF BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT" (accompanied by the Blockbuster Video logo, a blue and yellow ticket stub) 1994-1995: "A SUBSIDIARY OF BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT" (accompanied by the Blockbuster Entertainment logo, like above) 1995-1999: "a subsidiary of SPELLING ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC." 1999-2006: "A PARAMOUNT/VIACOM COMPANY" (from September 1999-2000, it was in a plain Helvetica font; in October 1999, another version has the font changed to that of Viacom's "Wigga-Wigga" logo in a laser inscription effect) 2006-2007: "A CBS COMPANY" (appears in a laser inscription effect right under the Spelling logo; the text is in Viacom's "Wigga-Wigga" font, but thinner)

Variants:

This was referred to as "SPELLING TELEVISION INC." starting in 1999. This was referred to as "SPELLING DAYTIME TELEVISION" on Sunset Beach from 1997-1999. On a few episodes of the short-lived series Robin's Hoods, after the main logo is formed, the Blockbuster Video logo slides in from the left to its spot, making the byline appear as it moves.

FX/SFX: The sliding in of the "SPELLING" name, and the "S" in the name shining.

Music/Sounds: The finishing of the ending theme from any show, generic theme on NBC & The CW or it is silent (as it was when ABC Family reran 7th Heaven).

Availability: Common.

It can be seen on Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, among others. The "Daytime Television" variant is long gone, as Sunset Beach (the only show it was on) has not seen the light of day in over a decade. The 2006 variant is currently seen on Pop and DVD releases of Beverly Hills, 90210 as it plasters the older logos, and appeared on the final season of 7th Heaven.

Editor's Note: The animation is a bit simple, but worked well to maintain with the changing bylines.