Genesis International

Credits

Descriptions by
Nicholas Aczel and Sean Beard

Captures by
AsdfTheRevival, V of Doom and Eric S.

Editions by
V of Doom, Lee Cremeans and Michael Kenchington

Video captures courtesy of
JohnnyL80, Eric S., mcydodge919 and TheEriccorpinc

Background

Genesis International was initially known as "Genesis Entertainment", a syndication company founded by Gary Gannaway in 1982. The company introduced the concept of barter syndication, which is still in use today. On May 21, 1993, Ronald O. Perelman, owner of New World Communications, acquired 50% of Genesis from Gannaway, and the remaining stock in 1994, reincorporating it as its then-new name. On January 22, 1997, News Corporation acquired New World Communications, and folded New World/Genesis into 20th Television. As of September 2021, former Genesis Entertainment CEO Wayne Lepoff currently runs Genesis International, a syndication company that shares from its predecessor the "G" logo from 1989 as well as the distribution rights to Highway to Heaven.

Genesis Entertainment

1st Logo (1986-1989)

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Nickname: "The Cloudburst”

Logo: On a cloudy sky background, we see a shady blue card with a logo on it zooming out rapidly. The logo is a teal abstract segmented cloud with a sunburst popping out of its top. Below the sunburst on the cloud is the text “GENESIS ENTERTAINMENT” in a white old-fashioned serif font. The logo shines.

Variants:

• There was an earlier variant which showed the logo flipping toward us on a light cornflower blue/black gradient background. There are four “still” sparkles and a “pop-up” shadow effect surrounding it. Also, the cloud is given a more sapphire color and the body of the sunburst is white. The cloud sometimes lacks segmenting lines.
• A variant with the byline "A DIVISION OF GANNAWAY ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED" was used until 1988. The font of the logo can sometimes vary in shape and size.

FX/SFX: The zooming and shining.

Music/Sounds: The end theme of the show or none.

Availability: Extremely rare.

• This can be seen on a few episodes of Highway to Heaven on INSP and Retro TV, but not on UP airings or most digital prints (like on Amazon Prime) nowadays.
• The flipping variant appeared on S1 episodes of The Judge.

Editor's Note: The graphics may be a bit tacky, but it does the job well enough.

2nd Logo (1989-1995)

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Nicknames: "G of Doom", "G in Space”, "Cheesy CGI G", "Ice G", "Moving Block Of Ice G", "The Genesis G"

Logo: On a space background, we see legions of shooting stars. From the right, a giant “G” (looking as if carved from a block of ice) zooms out, turning at an angle towards the screen. As shooting stars fly by the “G”, it sparkles, and turns into a TV-tube ice shape with the “G” appearing as a cutout with small streaks flying from the left. Below the “G” tube, a bunch of sparkles form the words:

GENESIS
ENTERTAINMENT

Variants:

• The 1992 game show Infatuation shows this logo with a Genesis Entertainment Group copyright stamp.
• When Genesis Entertainment merged with New World Entertainment in 1994, the byline "A NEW WORLD ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY" was seen below the logo. This variant appeared on 1994-1995 episodes of Real Stories of the Highway Patrol and the shows that comprised the Marvel Action Hour (Iron Man and Fantastic Four).
• A sped-up version exists.

FX/SFX: The shooting stars, the sparkle effects, and the zooming “G”.

Music/Sounds:

• 1989-1995: Starts with skittering effects as the starts shoot by, leading into a droning, atonal synth track that adds an ominous bass note when the "G" comes in. "GENESIS" shines in with a strange, distorted bell-like effect.
• 1991-1995: A series of laser-shooting sounds, then an ascending THX-like synth note that leads up to a calm synth note and a shimmering sound when "GENESIS" shines in.
• Season 1 episodes of Iron Man begin the theme over the Marvel Entertainment Group and Marvel Films logos; in at least one case, it abruptly switches from the 1991 music to the 1989 music. In turn, most season 1 episodes were later plastered with the 1996 Saban Entertainment logo and as a result, the Genesis theme plays under that logo.
• Some series would use the end-title theme from any show.
• A high tone variant of the 1989 music also exists which is mostly heard on PAL prints.

Availability: Very rare.

• It was last seen on Real Stories of the Highway Patrol on H&I and syndicated prints of Tales from the Crypt on the now-defunct Chiller network, both of which had the 20th Television logo following right after and both have gone defunct. May be preserved on VHS tapes of the former series.
• It was also seen on the Iron Man episode "The Origin of Iron Man" when Disney XD last aired it; most other season 1 episodes (and episodes of Fantastic Four) were plastered by the 1996 Saban Entertainment logo and Netflix prints removed all the original logos for the 2009 Marvel Animation logo instead.

Editor's Note: This features some rather primitive CGI effects for the '90s, though its most notorious aspect was the 1989 theme, which has frightened a number of viewers.

New World/Genesis Distribution

(1995-1997)

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Nicknames: “CGI Sphere”, “New World/Genesis Distribution”, "New World Comet"

Logo: It's basically the same as the 1995 New World Entertainment logo, except the text below reads “NEW WORLD/GENESIS DISTRIBUTION”. Occasionally, only the "explosion" is shown.

Variant: This is seen on Access Hollywood episodes of the era; on a background filled with spotlights, the still logo is placed to the left with the KNBC logo on the right. A copyright stamp can be seen below the two logos.

FX/SFX: Same as the 1995 New World Entertainment logo.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 1995 New World Entertainment logo.

Availability: Very rare.

• This was last seen on Tales from the Crypt on the now-defunct Chiller channel, like the previous logo.

Editor's Note: Same as the 1995 New World Entertainment logo.

Genesis International

(2008?-2014)

Nicknames: "The Genesis G II", "The Return of the Genesis G".

Logo:

Variant:

FX/SFX: CGI animation with the clouds moving.

Music/Sounds: Just the sound of the sprinkles.

Availability:

Editor's Note: None.