ABC Circle Films

Logo descriptions by Adam P., Nicholas Aczel, and GreenLantern40 Logo captures by Eric S., Silversword55, AsdfTheRevival, Shadeed A. Kelly, snelfu, bmasters9, Logophile, StephenCezar15, Derrick Anderson, Gilblitz112, and Supermarty-o Editions by Shadeed A. Kelly, Mr. Logo Lord and Lee Cremeans Video captures courtesy of TVLOGOS708090, Eric S., and TheEriccorpinc

Background: ABC Circle Films was the made-for-TV motion picture division of the ABC Television Network (later part of "Capital Cities/ABC", now "ABC, Inc."), later reincorporated as "ABC Productions" in 1987. Today, most of the ABC movie library and all television series is currently held by The Walt Disney Company.

1st Logo (1972-1977)

Nicknames: "Cheesy Word Circle", "Mismatched Circle"

Logo: We see the words "AN ABC CIRCLE FILM" in an outlined pink Peignot font (similar to the one used on Viacom's first production logo around this time) over a black background. Then, the words become curved, and begin to rotate in a circular motion, as though they are about to circle around the screen's middle. However, the exact same phrase in the exact same font, outlined, is seen going across the screen in an outward curve, as if it was the other half of the circle. Meanwhile, the phrase is seen going back to its original position, and when the logo stops, it is exactly in the same position.

Variants:
 * Most of the time, especially as a closing logo, it's only a still shot.
 * Also used as an in-credit notice.

FX/SFX: The words "circling"; all 2D Scanimation effects.

Cheesy Factor: The logo itself is just text, the final result also looks like something out of a silent movie, why not have something more creative? Not only that, the effects are ugly.

Music/Sounds:
 * A Christmas-like orchestral tune, complete with bells.
 * The short version uses a similar, yet different tune.
 * Most of the time it's silent.

Availability: Extremely rare. It was seen on Murder at the World Series, which was released on VHS by Heron Home Entertainment and its opening counterpart was last seen on a DVD of Love Among the Ruins. The in-credit notice appeared on The President's Plane is Missing.

Scare Factor: Low to medium, due to the in-your-face animation of the words circling. None for the still version.

2nd Logo (1977-1978)

Nicknames: "Constellation", "ABC in the Space"

Logo: On a space background, we see a 3D transparent ABC logo, at an angle. The logo then turns to face us and comes closer to the camera, ending up with "abc" in neon blue, and the circle in neon pink.Below, the neon-red text "circle films" in the same font as the "abc" letters, pans from the right.

FX/SFX: The ABC logo flying and rotating, the "circle films" panning.

Cheesy Factor: The space background and panning effects. This was another early example of combining cel animation and motion-control camera tricks, which is usually impressive (and even looks good on the screenshot), but most surviving prints are in such bad shape that it looks more like two 2D ABC logos merging together, ruining the 3D effect.

Music/Sounds: Originally silent. However, there was also a version in the later '70s with a disco-like tune (the tune was actually a snippet of ABC's slogan of the late '70s, "Still the One!", which came from the actual song itself).

Availability: Ultra rare. Last seen on VHS releases of Curse of the Black Widow and Three on a Date.

Scare Factor: Low to medium, due to the overly cheesy FX and dramatic music. None without any music.

3rd Logo (1978-1983)

Nickname: "Multicolored Circles"

Logo: Against a black background, six multicolored circles scroll into the near-top of the screen while five multicolored circles scroll into the screen below them. Once the two are aligned in the middle, they become the orange letters "CIRCLE FILMS", in a font reminiscent of the Terminator film title. The ABC logo then drops from the top of the screen and lands on the "I" in "CIRCLE".

FX/SFX: The circles moving, forming of the letters. It's all cel animation...

Cheesy Factor: ...which is cheap for 1978. It looks (and sounds) as though it was made in the 1960s.

Music/Sounds: A dramatic fanfare with an ending similar to Paramount Television's 1969 "Closet Killer" music.

Availability: Ultra rare. Can be found on a VHS of the miniseries IKE. Also seen on Pray TV (1982).

Scare Factor: Low to medium. The dramatic music, usually after a dramatic theme, may unnerve some people.

4th Logo (1983-1989)

Nicknames: "The Shining", "ABC Shining"

Logo: On a blue background, we see the stacked words:

ABC CIRCLE FILMS

in the same crystal lettering as used in "ABC Motion Pictures" logo, zoom-in upward from the bottom of the screen. The logo "shines".

Variants:
 * There is another variant of this logo with a red and a teal background.
 * Another variant appears in the end credits.

FX/SFX: The words zooming, the logo "shining".

Cheesy Factor: Simple animation.

Music/Sounds: Usually the closing theme of the show. When it did have music, it had the 1978 logo's music as was used at the end of the TV movie The Day After.

Availability: Rare. Seen on Moonlighting, as well ason some TV movies from the era. The in-credit version can be found on War and Remembrance.

Scare Factor: Low.