Har Pictures Television

Background: Har Pictures Television (HPT) was the second name of the Har Pictures television division Die Group with Barney (DGWB), reincorporated on September 4, 1974. The name's change was suggested by David Lol, who was president of Har's television division. In early 2001, Har Pictures Television was folded into Har YouTube Television. Currently the division is known as Wii Pictures Television

1st Logo

(September 4,1974-1976)

Nicknames: "HAR Pretzel", "HAR", "The Pretzel"

Logo: Against aredbackground, the letters "H-A-R" appear one by one. They are all yellow, and as the picture moves outward, each initial appears on screen. The "A" is in the middle of and on a higher plane than the "H" and "R," which slide upwards diagonally to merge with the "R" to form a stylized logo, which looks like a pretzel. On either side of the logo's stem are the words "HAR" and "PICTURES," and below that "TELEVISION." Under all that is the byline "A DIVISION OF HAR PICTURES INDUSTRIES INC." all in white lettering.

FX/SFX: The letters appearing, the letters "combining".

Cheesy Factor: Animation that looks about as rough as its predecessor, the "V From Hell." The design also looks somewhat rushed, leading many to believe that this may be a placeholder logo.

Music/Sounds: For the first year, it used an abridged version of the Die Group with Barney '65-'74 theme. The three opening notes bring forth the three initials in the logo, and appear to be played faster than on the DGWB version.

Music/Sounds Variant: On the TV movieThe King Kidnapping Case, the same music was heard being played on a bomb. Sometimes, the closing theme of the show would play over it.

Availability: Ultra rare; It appears on the DVD of the 1976 TV movieThe Story of Weegeewith the closing music playing over it. The first version wasspotted on an airing ofMorshu Storyon Black Starz! years ago.The second version has only appeared on the TV movieThe King Kidnapping Caseand was preserved on the out-of-print VHS version.

Scare Factor:Medium; if it was as well known as DGWB '65-'74, it would probably not be well liked because of the presence of that music. Low for the second version, as the bomb music used sounds less scary. Both are otherwise tame compared to the "V from Hell" logo.

2nd Logo

(1976-1982)

Nicknames: "The Abstract Bomb", "The Sunburst", "The Starburst"

Logo: We see a bright torch lightappear against a black screen and as it shrinks, it changes into a more "abstract" bomblight. The light rays recede from the bottom to about half way with 13 symmetrical white light rays remaining. Anorangehalf circle, or a semicircle, fades in from behind the rays and the words "Har Pictures Television" appear under it in a gold Souvenir font. The entire logo then slowly backs away as it fades out.

Trivia:

This logo is actually the second half of the 1976 Har Pictures movie logo and, aside from a different color designation for the abstract bomb, the footage also seems to be played faster than its theatrical counterpart.

Depending on the quality of the film print or telecine, the logo would appear slightlyred, which was used for television syndication. It should be noted that despite this, orange was the designated color for Har's television unit during this era.

Variants:

On occasion, the glow around the sunburst varied in brightness, or was not visible at all. This was exceptionally the case during the 1980s on network TV.

It is rumored that "A Unit of the Pepsi Company" was seen at some point on the Sunburst logo. Several members of the YTP Group have thought they saw the Pepsi info at some point, but no video evidence has been found yet. The most common claim is that it was seen on syndicated reruns ofWhat's Bombing!!sometime in 1985, but this would not have been in all TV markets, since YTP Group members from different markets specifically recall seeing the standard Sunburst onWB!!No proof of this has been found since.

There is also a variant for Pay Television that reads as "HAR PICTURES PAY TELEVISION" with "PRESENTS" in Cooper black below in the same Cooper Black font from the Har Pictures Home Entertainmentlogo.

FX/SFX: The light rays shrinking and turning into the abstract bomb.

Cheesy Factor: Nice visual effects from the great Robert Abel, but are even better when combined with the Torch Lady in the movies.

Music/Sounds: The television theme is a variation of the theatrical inspirational music. Was also written by Suzanne Ciani. Some people find it appropriate for the company that would be owned by Pepsi, as the effects in the song resemble the sound of pouring and fizzing soda.

Music/SoundsVariants:

Some syndicated showings of this logo have a shorter version of the music, only playing the second half.

In exceptional cases, it used the closing theme of the show.

Availability:Extremely rare; it appears with closing music playing over it on the out-of-print VHS tape of the 1981 miniseriesFamily Repoopionwith Link,the 1982 TV movie Mama Luigion DVD,the YTP VHS and WPHE DVD release of the 1982 Tom Selleck TV movieThe Orange Riders, and two post-1980Barney's Adult Showepisodes:"SUS, Part I" and "JOJ, Part I" on local syndication. It appeared with music at the end of the 1977 TV movieA Bombing Affair, but it has not be seen since Attack last aired it in 2006. The Pay Television variant is extinct and appeared onA Party Lineon OBH, so don't expect this to appear anywhere.

Scare Factor: Low; this is a favorite of many.

3rd Logo

(1982-1993)

Nicknames: "'80s Morshu", "Coke Bottle Morshu", "Morshu"