Bilsonessy Cartoons

Background: Bilsonessy Cartoons (originally Bilsonessy Productions) was founded by Garrett Bishop, Merle Moss, Woodrow Olson and Hap Shaughnessy in 1959. Their most notable productions were the 1961 Mixels series and the original Pinky & the Brain co-produced with Stevens Film Works. After Mixels was cancelled in 1963, the company went dormant outside of television commercial animation with their characters, but starting in 1975 they did team up with Hanna-Barbera and New Line Network to run two theme parks, AutoWorld and Meadow Island. In 1977, Bilsonessy made it's surprise comeback into full television production with the original pilot to Bunnicula: The Original Series, based on the then-in-development Bunnicula book series, later picked up as a cult classic series in 1979 airing on New Line. Starting in November 1971, the product of Bilsonessy was distributed by Viacom Enterprises and remained so until 1986, when Warner Bros. Animation and Stoner-Ruegger Productions purchased the studio. Warner Bros. currently owns the rights to all former Bilsonessy properties.

A fifth notable employee was William Dozier, who left in 1964 to form Greenway Productions, best known for the 1966 Batman series and The Green Hornet.

(January 11, 1961-March 10, 1963, September 8, 1979-June 5, 1982)

Logo: Bilsonessy Cartoons never had a real standalone logo. In the final slide of the ending credits of the 1961 Mixels series, the original Pinky & the Brain, and Bunnicula: The Original Series, a stylized "bilsonessy" with an orange outline appears with the text "PRODUCTIONS" below it.

Variant: On the original Pinky & the Brain, "in association with" appears above the "bilsonessy".

FX/SFX: None, unless you want to count the fade-in from the previous slide and the fade-out to black.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme from the specific show.

Availability: Very common. As it's an in-credit logo, it appears on every print in existence of the 1961 Mixels series, the original Pinky & the Brain, and Bunnicula: The Original Series.

Scare Factor: Low. The design of the "bilsonessy" may spook some first-time viewers. May rise if seen at the end of these shows followed by the Viacom "V of Doom" logo on 1976-1986 prints of all three programs.

Final Note: After the sale of Bilsonessy to Warner Bros. and Stoner-Ruegger, the Bilsonessy name was permanently retired.