Showtime (Feature Presentation Bumpers)

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


1st ID (1976-1980)

ID: On a black background, with a shiny glittery circle coming down the center of the screen. Once it goes down, it flashes into a white screen. Then it reveals the light in the shape of what appears to be a woman twirling a wand like device which shoots out glittering stars. Then colored bars zoom out along with the glitter woman and additional flashing stars. Then the text "SHOWTIME" slowly zooms in. As it happens, the stars start to flash. Then once the "SHOWTIME" text is fully zoomed in, a multi-colored marquee (which is all made up of stars) fades in.

Technique: Motion-controlled and cel animation.

Audio: A disco like orchestral fanfare, which is actually “Rise and Shine” by John Fiddy, followed by a male announcer saying "Tonight’s [insert program here] Will Be Presented Without Intermission."

Availability: Extinct.

2nd ID (1979-1980)

ID: Unknown

Technique: Unknown

Audio: "You're watching Showtime. We're sure you're going to like what you see."

Availability: Same as the last logo.

3rd ID (1980-1981)

ID: The sequence begins with multi colored bars flashing through the letters which make up the Showtime logo. Then we see the Showtime logo on a space background.

Technique: Motion-controlled animation.

Audio: A disco fanfare followed by a male announcer saying "You're watching Showtime. We're sure you're going to like what you see."

Availability: Same as the last logo.

4th ID (1981-1985)


ID: On a black background an yellow-orange light in the shape of a TV screen flashes revealing it in side a circle with a ray of orange light surrounding it. In the process, the background changes to a black/blue gradient. The TV screen then zooms in revealing a nighttime city skyline. Then searchlights then come on and start moving. As this happens, the text "SHOWTIME MOVIE PRESENTATION" (in a Century Gothic font) zooms in.

Technique: The TV zooming in, the searchlights moving and the text zooming in.

Audio: An orchestral fanfare.

Availability: Same as the last logo.

5th ID (1985-1987)


ID: On a black background, a filmstrip starts moving. Inside it is stock footage of a bird flying. It then changes to a sunrise. As this happens, another filmstrip starts coming in the opposite direction. Inside it is a man with fearful eyes watching another man running. Then another filmstrip comes in with footage of fireworks on the inside. Once we fully zoom in, There is a blue circle like shape with green flashes zooming in along with pink streaks revealing zooming squares which are in the shape of TV screens. The screens have the same fireworks footage which then switches to segments of the Showtime logo. The screen then zooms to the bottom left screen which fully reveals the Showtime logo. It then zooms back to the center, as it happens a light shines through forming the text "FEATURE PRESENTATION" with two purple stripes on the top and bottom. The background then changes back to the footage of the fireworks.

Technique: CGI and live action.

Audio: A soft synthesizer tune which slowly transitions into an instrumental cover of "I'm So Excited" by The Pointer Sisters. It is accompanied by a male voiceover saying "This is a Showtime Feature Presentation".

Availability: Same as the last logo.


6th ID (1987-1990)

ID: The sequence begins with black background with lights zooming down. As it zooms down it reveals a film crew lifting up a set wall. The sequence then fades to two more crew members carrying a model of the Showtime logo. We then see multiple angles of crew members preparing the Showtime logo. For the final shot, the camera zooms back up at an angle revealing the completed set as well as a TV Set with the words "Feature Presentation" inside it. Then the Showtime logo with the words "Feature" and Presentation fades in at the bottom left hand corner of the screen.

Technique: Live action.

Audio: A soft pop score along with a male announcer saying, "This is a Showtime Feature Presentation".

Availability: Same as the last logo.


7th ID (1990-1994)

ID: On a purple background there is the beginning portions of the showtime logo inside a film countdown. As the count down proceeds, the sequence starts to see more of the logo. There are also two triple stacks of orange stripes on the center left and right corners of the screen sliding in. The screen then zooms in closer to the count down circle. Once we fully zoom in to the circle. the stacked orange stripes turn transparent and then the screen zooms in to the second one, revealing the letters for movie fading in one at a time on the right corner. As this happens five dark pink stripes in a circle shape start to rotate. As this happens, the swipes start to reveal equipment of a likely projector booth as another circular formed shape with black stripes also starts to rotate and zoom in at the same time. Then an orange "L" like shape zooms in anong with it. Once the black rotating stripes zoom in, the final swipe reveals the Showtime logo flipped on the left side with the formed "MOVIE" text tilted at an angle. The background also has filmstrips pouring down the screen.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A soft synthesizer score with a male announcer (Bill St. James) saying "The following movie is brought to you by Showtime, unedited and commercial free."

Audio Variant: There is a variant without the Bill St. James voiceover.

Availability: Same as the last logo.


8th ID (1994-1997)


ID: On a black background there is the Showtime logo. But the "Show" in "Showtime" is missing. In it's place we see the test "Start" blinking. Then it cuts to footage of the beginning of something. When we cut back to the "Start TIME" until "Start" eventually fades out. Once it fades out the letters "S", "H", "O" and "W" zoom out one at a time, forming the full Showtime logo.

Then it fades out to one of these two backgrounds, one of them being a wallpaper with various Showtime logos and the text "Talk about exciting" underneath it. The other background used is a colored background full of shining lights.

Variants: Every time you see this, the footage shown is different. Here's a list of the footage:

  • An egg hatching.
  • A light bulb turning on.
  • Footage of a pool table.
  • A ceremonial ship launching
  • A showgirl applying makeup and jewelry
  • An orchestra tuning their instruments
  • A drawing of two hands meeting
  • A series of race lights turning on
  • Footage of a rocket being launched.
  • The beginning of a roller coaster.
  • The creation of a monster
  • A cartoon bluebird preparing for its first flight


"Showtime Wallpaper" Background Color Variants:

  • Red
  • Dark Blue
  • Dark Green
  • Dark Brown

"Shining Lights" Background Color Variants:

  • Orange/Purple/Light Blue Gradiant
  • Blue
  • Gold
  • Green
  • Orange
  • Red/Pink Gradiant

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A three note drum/synthesizer beat followed by a majestic fanfare.

Availability: Same as the last logo.

9th ID (1997?-2000)


ID: On a red background there is a woman inside a circle looking around in amazement. The screen then zooms out to a white background to a montage sequence of people doing various water-related activities, ending with the reveal of the Showtime logo and the text "No Limits" (in two different font styles).

Technique: Live action footage.

Audio: A pop/synth score followed by a female voiceover whispering "It's Showtime".

Availability: Same as the last logo.


10th ID (2000-2003?)


ID: There is a black and white film of people performing various outdoor activities. After about 11 seconds, the 'SHO' circle and slogan "No Limits" appear.

Technique: Live action with CGI and computer effects for the logo.

Audio: A series of ambient fanfares ending with an announcer saying "It's Showtime".

Availability: Same as the last logo.


Final Note: Starting around 2004/2005, Showtime stopped using "Feature Presentation" bumpers altogether and started using "Next On" promos instead.

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