Dick Clark Productions/Summary

Background: Dick Clark Productions was an entertainment production company established in 1957 by entertainer Dick Clark, producing television shows, television specials, and television movies. In 2007, it was sold to Daniel Snyder, owner of American football team Washington Redskins and former chairman of amusement park company Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, for $175 million. In 2013, it teamed up with Keshet International to launch Keshet-DCP to acquire Keshet's unscripted formats for the American format. Around September 2016, Chinese family-owned conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group (which owns a controlling interest in AMC Theatres and fully owns Legendary Entertainment) was in talks of acquiring the company for $1 billion. The transaction was confirmed on November 4th, however the Wanda Group called off the deal in March 2017. In February 1, 2018, the company merged with Media Rights Capital and Billboard-Hollywood Media Reporter Group to form Valence Media. In September 2021, MRC officially discontinued the Dick Clark brand, with its productions now falling under their Live & Alternative banner.

1st Logo
(February 8, 1964-1965)

Logo: Superimposed in the credits, we see the white text "A DICK CLARK PRODUCTION".

FX/SFX: The scrolling.

Music/Sounds/Voiceover: The end theme of American Bandstand, with the voiceover (Charlie O'Donnell) saying "(New) American Bandstand is a Dick Clark Production!"

Availability: Seen at the end of 1964-65 episodes of American Bandstand.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo
(1964-1969)

Nicknames: "dc", "The Original dc", "The Normal dc"

Logo: Superimposed in the credits, we see the big letter "d". Inside the "d" was the letter "c". Below it was the word "dick clark productions" in a plain lowercase font.

Variants:

• Sometimes, the text reads "a dick clark production".
• On the pilot of Where the Action Is, the "dc" logo is on the left, and the text and the copyright is on the right side. Below it was "IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE CBS Television Network" and the "ALL RIGHTS RESERVED" byline. The Television Code symbol is shown below.
• On the series of Where the Action Is, the "dc" logo is shown, and on the near side, is a slash and the ABC circle logo. On the right side is the words "a dick clark production in association with the abc television network".
• Starting in 1968, the text reads "Dick Clark Television Productions Inc." underneath the "dc" logo.
• On It's Happening and Happening '68, the text below the "dc" logo reads "A DICK CLARK ENTERPRISE" and below it was "In Association With ABC TELEVISION NETWORK".

FX/SFX: The scrolling of the credits or superimposed.

Music/Sounds: The end title theme from any show. From 1964 to 1968, Charlie O'Donnell announced American Bandstand and said, "American Bandstand is a Dick Clark Production".

Availability: Seen on American Bandstand, Swinging Country, Shebang, Where the Action Is and It's Happening.

Editor's Note: The first appearance of its familiar lowercase identity for the logo, but the "dc" logo is different compared to others.

3rd Logo
(May-November 1968)

Logo: On a black background is the white text "a dick clark production" with "dick clark" larger than the rest of the text.

Variants:

• On Psych-Out, the text is in yellow.
• On The Savage Seven, it was superimposed into the opening credits and the logo was in red.

FX/SFX: A fade-in and out.

Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Seen on The Savage Seven, Psych-Out and Killers Three, which are distributed by American International Pictures.

Editor's Note: It's a superimposed logo blended into the opening credits.

4th Logo
(1969-1979)

Nicknames: "dc II", "A Dick Clark TV Production", "The Normal dc II"

Logo: On a black background, we see a yellow line drawing downward. Then a circle is placed along the left of the line, forming the letter "d". Then, an orange "c" is drawn inside the "d" counter-clockwise, forming the logo like the 2nd logo. The yellow stacked words "a dick clark TV PRODUCTION" appear vertically along the "d", with "a" and "TV PRODUCTION" in orange.

Variants:

• A black-and-white version exists on kinescope prints of said shows.
• On American Bandstand, the logo was superimposed.
• Starting in 1975, the text on the right now reads "a dick clark TELEVISION PRODUCTION" with "TELEVISION PRODUCTION" stacked below "dick clark".
• On post-1977 episodes of American Bandstand, the text was in either orange or purple, depending on tape deterioration.

FX/SFX: The drawing of the "d" and "c".

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on American Bandstand and Get All Together. It may have appeared on Soul Unlimited.

Editor's Note: The first actually animated Dick Clark logo ever. This is the last time we have a different "dc" logo.

5th Logo (December 31, 1972-1979)

Nicknames: "dc III", "The Spinning Text"

Logo: A giant blue "dc" is seen on a black background. the red "a" and "teleshow" and the yellow "dick clark", which was in between "a" and "teleshow" fly into their respective positions.

FX/SFX: The words spinning into view. Simple cel/camera animation.

Music/Sounds: A descending glockenspiel scale.

Availability: Extinct. Was seen on shows produced by the Dick Clark Teleshows subsidiary. "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve", "American Music Awards", and "Rock n' Roll Years" were the programs to have this logo.

Editor's Note: The first appearance of the "dc" logo we know and love.

6th Logo
(1978-1979)

Nicknames: "dc IV", "The Changing Text"

Logo: On a pink background, we see the image of the "dc" logo flipping and connecting, in blue, via a trail effect. The logo zooms out, and we see "the" and "company" in blue above and below the "dc" logo. The sides of the "dc" logo stretch and flip over to reveal the word "dick clark".

Variant: On Dick Clark's Live Wednesday, the logo appears from an iris effect.

FX/SFX: The flipping and trailing of the logo.

Music/Sounds: A short keyboard tune.

Availability: Seen on several shows like Frankie & Annette: The Second Time Around and Dick Clark's Live Wednesday.

Editor's Note: Unlike the last logo, the "dc" logo design is different.

7th Logo
(1978-1980)

Nicknames: "dc V", "dc Snake", "dc ∞"

Logo: On a black background, we see the forming of a line in the center. At the same time, a strange shape forms on top of the line, almost forming the infinity symbol. The image appears to be an Avant Garde font "d" and "c" joined together. The name "dick clark motion pictures, inc." or "dick clark cinema productions, inc." appears below.

Variants:

• On Birth of The Beatles, the logo lacks text.
• On Elvis, the logo is magenta.

FX/SFX: The forming of the "dc" logo, whose animation is similar to the NBC "Snake" logo.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show/movie. Elvis, however, used the keyboard tune that was used for previous logo. Future airings of the show have the music removed.

Availability: Was used for TV movies produced by Dick Clark Motion Pictures. Appeared on the TV movies Elvis, The Man in the Santa Claus Suit, and Birth of The Beatles.

8th Logo
(1979-1982)

Nicknames: "dc VI", "Golden dc Bar", "Spinning Bar", "80s dc"

Logo: On a black background, we see a golden bar zooming in, and starting to spin clockwise. The bar forms a circular image which splits in two and turns into two gold letters "o" and "c". All three images stick together to form the "dc" logo. The text "A Dick Clark Production" in blue appears below.

Variants:

• On TV's Censored Bloopers #3, after the credits wipe away, the cartoon chef man jumps over and walks away. The logo animates as normal, but then, a hand puts out a "CENSORED" stamp sign, referencing how "dick" was censored in some places. A man offscreen says "Oh-ha-ha! Catch out for that" appears before the logo fades out.
• On TV's Censored Bloopers #4, a cartoon chef man slides onto the credits, and we see the model "BLOOPERS" text from the opening. The man knocks out the "BLOOPERS" text and the logo animates as normal as the man walks away.

FX/SFX: The spinning of the golden bar. Scanimate animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 5th logo.

Availability: Extremely rare. It appeared on American Bandstand. This was also spotted in the 1982 ABC Saturday Morning Pac Preview Party special.

Editor's Note: The first Dick Clark logo to be centralized by every unit. The Bloopers variants can also be seen as funny.

9th Logo
(1982-1990)

Nicknames: "dc VII", "Golden dc Bar II", "80s dc II"

Logo: We see a yellow outlined bar rising from the center of the screen. A circle emerges to the left to form the "d" and revolves around to the right to form a "c", forming the "dc" logo. It then shines to gold. As this happens, the word "dick clark productions" in an Avant Garde Bold font appears below.

Variants:

• On TV movies, the logo is filmed.
• On the VHS of Elvis, the text reads "a dick clark motion picture" in a Helvetica font, instead of the usual text.
• On TV's Censored Bloopers #6, the logo animates as usual. The cartoon chef man walks by with a mop. He looks up, and does some slap, and some cartoon chef man walks by over the logo and it claps.

FX/SFX: The logo forming and the shining gold letters. Pretty neat early CGI animation.

Music/Sounds:

• 1982-1984: It begins with a high pitched synth chord that holds out for 2 seconds, and then is abruptly interrupted by a lower synthesizer drone, as it descends and then crescendos throughout the rest of the logo. It was later used for the Dick Clark Video logo, as well as the next logo.
• 1984-1990: Mystical synthesizer music that ends with what sounds like a low bass sound.
• Sometimes, the end theme plays over the logo.

Availability: Extremely rare. It was seen on TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes, American Bandstand, and Puttin' on the Hits.

10th Logo
(1990-April 7, 2019)

Nicknames: "90s dc", "dc VIII", "Golden dc Bar III", "CGI (Golden) dc", 3D dc"

Logo: On a black background, a yellow line shoots up the screen, curving around an object that is revealed to be the "dc" logo in gold, which seems to be thicker than before. A purple light appears in the background, as the camera rotates around so the "dc" is seen from the right. A light forms "dick clark productions", also in gold, and the "dc" logo later shines.

Variants:

• A shorter version exists, starting with the light forming the company's text.
• In July 2000, the company's website "www.dickclark.com", in gold appeared on some network shows.
• In 2007, the logo was graphically enhanced to feature a background with various red and blue lights, a brighter "dc", and a brighter company name. This is normally seen with the short version, but a long version of it exists on Dick Clark Interviews.
• On American Dreams, the logo is next to the Once a Frog logo.

FX/SFX: The streak of light, the "dc" shining. Polished CGI animation, although the enhanced version was designed by Design On the Fly.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 1982 version of the previous logo, complete with whooshes and lasers.

Music/Sounds Variants:

• The shorter version only uses the "crescending" synthesizer note.
• The 2007 long version features more powerful-sounding whooshes.
• On The Challengers, Don Morrow says "In association with Dick Clark Productions" over the logo.
• On the short-lived FOX game show The Chamber, a generic rock tune plays.

Availability: No longer current, but easy to find given its lifespan of 30 years. Can still be found on various TV specials, including New Years Rockin' Eve, The American Music Awards, and Bloopers. Also appears on The Weird Al Show and 19 Entertainment's So You Think You Can Dance.

Editor's Note: This logo held up very well during its lifespan, and was a huge favorite for fans of Dick Clark's later works.

11th Logo
(June 22, 2014-September 10, 2015)

Nicknames: "dcp", "Rainbow Circle", "Keshet DCP"

Logo: Same as the Keshet fifth logo.

FX/SFX: Same as the Keshet fifth logo.

Music/Sounds: Same as the Keshet fifth logo.

Availability: Rare. Seen on the short-lived American adaptations of Rising Star on ABC and Boom! on Fox.

Editor's Note: None.

12th Logo
(April 7, 2019-September 12, 2021)

Nicknames: "dcp II", "Silver dcp", "CGI (Silver) dcp", "3D dcp"

Logo: On a black background accompanied by a light, we see a close up of the silver letters "dcp" in a more straightforward font rotating downwards from the left. As the logo fades in and fades out again, the "dcp" pans from the bottom right, now accompanied by the text "dick clark productions", also in silver, to zoom into the center of the logo, while at same the the light and its lens flare move to the top left and bottom right respectfully. The finished logo zooms out slowly.

Variants:

• Sometimes, the byline "a division of MRC", in gray is below.
• A shorter version exists, which cuts the close-up.

FX/SFX: The light and lens flare, the "dcp" panning and zooming out.

Music/Sounds: A new synthesized choir-like theme, with whooshes heard throughout.

Availability: No longer current. First appeared on the 54th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, and was seen on the company's other shows and TV specials.

Editor's Note: This logo marked Dick Clark Productions' first overall logo change in 42 years, and, compared to the iconic golden "dc", a very bland and disappointing one at that, especially in regards to the 10th logo. A sad ending for 57 years' worth of logos!