CBS Home Entertainment

Logo descriptions by codyfinke, PAV123 and indycar

Logo captures by Eric S., JohnnyL80, snelfu, Dean Stewart Rumsey, Supermarty-o, Derrick Anderson, and indycar

Editions by codyfinke, mr3urious, V of Doom, wisp2007, Ben Masters, Donny Pearson, Liz Tetlow and indycar

Video captures courtesy of JohnnyL80, winerrs, DudeThatLogo, EnormousRat, Eric S., 4R Geo, iMediaEntertainment55's Logo Archive, Zack Pictures, ClosingLogosHD and Pepsi9072

Background
The Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) established its own home entertainment division as "CBS Video Enterprises, Inc." in 1975 to distribute CBS releases on video. In 1979, they joined forces first with MGM, forming "MGM/CBS Home Video" a year later, dissolving this venture in 1982 after MGM acquired United Artists a year earlier. Later in the same year, CBS teamed up with 20th Century Fox to form "CBS/Fox Video". Under this new label, two sub labels were created: Key Video (later reactivated as "Key DVD" by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment), and Playhouse Video, but both became inactive in 1991, and CBS/Fox Video was reincorporated as Fox Video the same year, alternating with the CBS/Fox name until 1998 when Fox Entertainment Group acquired CBS's interest in CBS/Fox, and CBS merged with Viacom. After the merger was completed in 2000, Fox stopped distributing standalone CBS releases on video, and CBS Video created "CBS DVD" for DVD releases of CBS shows in tandem with Paramount Home Entertainment. In 2005, CBS and Viacom were split again, with the "old" Viacom, Inc. reincorporated as "CBS Corporation", and the other retaining the "Viacom" name. On September 26, 2006, CBS Corporation merged this label with King World Productions, CBS Paramount International Television (later "CBS Studios International" and now the "ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group"), and CBS Paramount Domestic Television to form CBS Television Distribution, relaunching this label under its current name as CBS Home Entertainment one year later. However, Paramount Home Entertainment continues to distribute CBS material on DVD and Blu-ray to this day. As of 2015, Lionsgate Home Entertainment handles the distribution of CBS Films theatrical releases on DVD.

MGM/CBS Home Video
See MGM Home Entertainment for description.

CBS/Fox Video
See 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment for description.

1st Logo (October 1980-March 1981)


Nicknames : "Abstract Multicolored CV", "</", "CV" "Choppy </"

Logo : On a black background, an abstract conjoined "CV" (shaped kind of like this: </) zooms-in from the upper right while color bars can be seen scrolling in it. "CBS", in blue, slides in from the right, and "VIDEO", also in blue, slides up from the bottom, and the "</" turns white on the last note of the music.

FX/SFX : The zoom-in effect, and the words sliding in, which is simple, early computer animation.

Music/Sounds : Same as the 1st MGM/CBS Home Video logo.

Availability : Rare. Seen at the end of MGM/CBS video releases of the era.

Editor's Note : As with the MGM/CBS logo, it's just simple computer animation, though the rainbow effect looks hideous.

2nd Logo (June 1981-July 1982, 1984, 1988)


Nicknames : "Abstract Silver CV", "</ II", "CV II"

Logo : On the top-right corner of a black screen, five lines are drawn in rays of light, to form a shape resembling the letters "CV", shaped like this: "</". When that is fully formed, a bar of light forms "CBS" to the left of the logo, then "VIDEO" is formed below the "CBS" and the </ in a similar fashion.

FX/SFX : The "drawing" of the lines, and the "bars of light".

Music/Sounds : A longer, slower variation of the 2nd MGM/CBS logo's fanfare.

Music/Sounds Variant : On the 1981 VHS of Gigi, the music starts after the third note.

Availability : Rare. Like the last logo, it was seen at the end of MGM/CBS releases from period as well on early CBS/Fox releases, with the CBS/Fox music. The 1984 CBS/FOX release of S.O.B. has this logo at the beginning, but with the MGM/UA music. (MGM/CBS had released the film in 1982 as one of their last releases of CBS Video material.) Surprisingly, the 1985 Playhouse Video release of Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure retains this logo at the end of the film (as it was sourced from the 1981 MGM/CBS release). Appears at the start of later MGM/CBS releases of CBS material, such as Early Days and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. Don't expect this to appear on First Run Home Video Theatre rental-only tapes, such as Rich and Famous, as those instead have a promo for other releases in the line.

Editor's Note : While this logo reeks of early '80s animation, it's notable for the longer version of the 2nd MGM/CBS fanfare, which would be more prominent in the 1st MGM/UA Home Video logo.

3rd Logo (1985-1993)
Nickname : "The Flipping Filmstrip"

Logo : On a blue background we see an abstract filmstrip containing the white text "CBS" in its corporate font (called CBS Didot) and "VIDEO" beneath it flip into the center of the screen.

FX/SFX : The flipping.

Music/Sounds : A techno theme.

Availability : Rare. Seen on VHS and LaserDisc releases from the era such as The Forbidden Dance (is Lambada).

4th Logo (1991-1998)
Nicknames : "CBS Box", "The Flipping CBS Eye", "CBS Eyemark", "CBS Eyemark Box"

Logo : On a black background, we see a box, with the CBS Eye inside the box, outlined with white, and a white rectangle with "CBS VIDEO" in the Compacta font, at the bottom of the box, flipping diagonally. Then a "shine" reflects on the sides of the box as it stops flipping.

Variant : On the 1992 VHS of Who Killed JFK?, a still variant is used, set over a black-blue gradient background.

FX/SFX : The box flipping diagonally, the "shine" reflection.

Music/Sounds : None.

Availability : Rare. Generally seen on CBS titles distributed by Fox during this period. Can be seen on tapes of On the Road with Charles Kuralt, as well as Fox Kids Video tapes of 1970s Dr. Seuss TV specials, such as the 1971 The Cat in the Hat TV special. Although 60 Minutes archive tapes have this logo on the tape label and box, they do not have this actual logo.

5th Logo (March 15, 1992)
Nicknames : "CBS Box II", "The Sliding CBS Eye", "CBS Eyemark II", "CBS Eyemark Box II"

Logo : On a black background, we see a box with the CBS Eye inside the box, outlined with white, and a white rectangle with "CBS VIDEO" in the Compacta font sliding in from the bottom off-center to the right. A yellow line parallel to the logo on the left also appears from the bottom with a grey backdrop with patterns sliding in from the top to the left of the logo. As the logo animates, various pink and grey streaks fly in the background.

FX/SFX : The logo, line, and backdrop sliding in, and the streaks flying.

Music/Sounds : A piano and horn jingle.

Availability : So far it has only been spotted on the 1992 Winter Olympics Highlights Video VHS.

6th Logo (1998-April 21, 2009)
Nicknames : "CBS Box II", "The Globe", "CBS Eyemark II", "CBS Eyemark Box II"

Logo : On a gray/silver wall background which waves, we see many colorful streaks (these are the same colors as the lights in CBS's 1992 ident). As the streaks fly by, the background fades into a watery blue globe with silver continents rotating around it. The streaks turn grey and morph into two copies of the CBS Eye, while the background rotates into a box with the now-completed eye in a black section and with a lower white section. The globe wipes into a completely silver color and "CBS VIDEO" (or "CBS DVD" on DVD releases), in the same font as the last logo, fades in underneath. As all that happens, the background turns into a cool gray/black gradient. The finished product resembles the last two logos.

Variants :
 * On the "CBS DVD" variant, the Registered trademark "®" symbol, or the Trademark "™" symbol would sometimes appear on the bottom-right corner of the logo.
 * On some DVD releases, at the end of the logo, two selections would appear in the middle with "PREVIEWS" and "MAIN MENU" on them (a la the Paramount DVD logo).
 * Depending on the aspect ratio of the DVD, the logo may appear in either widescreen or fullscreen.

FX/SFX : The streaks, the CBS Eye, and the transformation of the background into a box. Fantastic CGI.

Music/Sounds : A synthesized jingle with "air" that eventually leads to a choir tune and then an ascending piano glissando, ending with three orchestral hits (similar to the 1991 CBS Entertainment Productions) logo. Sometimes, it's silent.

Availability : Common. Seen on all I Love Lucy DVD box sets, all three volumes of The Wild Wild West on VHS, the first six seasons of Hawaii Five-O (1968) on DVD, most DVDs of Survivor, various other Paramount Television series, a good amount of CBS-produced TV movies, and movies produced through either Cinema Center Films or CBS Theatrical Films, such as Big Jake, Adam at 6 A.M., Back Roads, Target, Prime Cut, and The Lightship. However, some CBS DVD releases co-distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment do not feature this logo. Also, some releases feature both this logo and the Paramount DVD logo, such as a few Wings and NCIS DVDs. The UK DVD release of Snoopy, Come Home and the French DVD release of One Kill (the latter in high pitch, surprisingly) features the "CBS VIDEO" variant of this logo. This was first seen on Fox VHS releases until Viacom's purchase of CBS in 2000, such as Who is Harry Kellerman (and Why is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me)?. Strangely, on the 2005 DVD of Target, this appears before the CBS Productions logo after starting the movie!

7th Logo (March 10, 2009-)
Nicknames : "CBS Vortex", "CBS Eyemark III"

Logo : On a background full of spirals, we see five crescent-like shapes moving from the center to the right of us, unveiling a circle, and, at the same time two remaining crescent-like shapes flying in different directions. The two crescent-like shapes and the circle form the CBS Eye, which loops and zooms out to its position while "CBS" (in the same font used for the logos for Eyemark and CBS Enterprises, both currently known as CBS Media Ventures, and CBS Broadcast International, now known as the "ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group") zooms-out to the right of the CBS Eye and the words "Home Entertainment" appear below "CBS". The blue and silver spirals fade out as "CBS" shines.

Variants :
 * On some releases, after the logo finishes, the menu selections "Previews" and "Main Menu" zoom in.
 * A widescreen version exists on Blu-ray releases.

FX/SFX : The two crescent-like shapes and circle that forms the CBS Eye on a vortex-like background, all in great CGI. Done by Pembrook Creative and Studio Cassis.

Music/Sounds : Same as the 5th logo, but with whoosh-like sounds.

Music/Sounds Variant : A low-tone version exists on the 2013 Mill Creek Entertainment reissue of seasons 1 & 2 of Wings.

Availability : Common. Seen on releases such as authorized collections of The Lucy Show, the first seasons of Hotel and Matt Houston (the former also known as Arthur Hailey's Hotel; both shows were later reissued by Visual Entertainment, Inc), seasons 7-12 of Hawaii Five-O (1968) (as well as all 10 seasons of the 2010 remake), the Blu-rays of Star Trek: The Original Series, seasons 4 and 5 of Taxi, seasons 3-6 of Becker, and seasons 5-7 of Family Ties. Also appears on CBS Films theatrical releases, such as Extraordinary Measures, The Back-Up Plan, and Winchester. It also appears on seasons 1-6 of The Game.

Editor's Note : Overall, a great logo with nice animation.