Background[]
Worldvision Home Video Inc. was the home media division of television production company and syndicator Worldvision Enterprises that primarily released television programs (Worldvision's own material, along with material from ABC Films and QM Productions that Worldvision controlled the distribution rights to the former and all rights to the latter), Hanna-Barbera shows (owned by Taft Broadcasting, Worldvision's owner at the time) and special-interest releases (such as the golf legend Jack Nicklaus' Golf My Way series). Worldvision was later sold to Spelling Inc. (later Spelling Entertainment Group) and began releasing Spelling Entertainment programs. In 1994, Spelling purchased Republic Pictures and Worldvision Home Video was folded into Republic Pictures Home Video (now Paramount Home Entertainment).
1st Logo (1983-1985)[]
Nicknames: "Print Globe", "Radar W", "Worldvision W Globe"
Logo: A still version of the 1974 Worldvision Enterprises logo, albeit with modified text.
Variants:
- There is a variant where the logo zooms in.
- Another variant has clips from the company's material being shown in the globe's area.
FX/SFX: None for the standard variant.
Music/Sounds: None for the standard variant. The second variant has the "whoosh" noise from the next logo.
Availability: Very rare. This was only seen during the "We're Comin' At 'Cha" promo used on most Worldvision tapes from 1983-85, located after the end of the program.
2nd Logo (1983-1995)[]
WARNING: This logo contains loud noises. Please ensure your volume is turned down before watching videos of this logo.
Nicknames: "Radar Globe", "Radar W II", "Worldvision W Globe II", "WHOOSH Globe (of Doom)"
Logo: On a white screen, the Worldvision Enterprises globe with a red "W" zooms-out from the center. As the camera zooms out, the word "WORLDVISION" emerges from the front, and both plaster themselves into place. The red text "HOME VIDEO INC." slides in from under the Worldvision name, as the background fades to black. Afterwards, the radar globe shines and the "World Vision International" print stamp (in very small type) fades onto the bottom of the screen. The finished logo then cuts to black.
Trivia: This logo became the basis of the 1988 Worldvision Enterprises logo.
Bylines:
- 1983-1987: "A TAFT COMPANY" and the "World Vision International" print stamp replacing the byline a second later.
- 1987-1989: Bylineless
- 1989-1994: "A UNIT OF SPELLING ENTERTAINMENT INC." (with the "World Vision International" print stamp below the byline) Starting in 1991, a trademark symbol was added.
- 1994-1995: "A UNIT OF SPELLING ENTERTAINMENT INC., A BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY"
Variants:
- A filmed variant exists.
- On the 1991 release of the 1987 television movie Hands of a Stranger, as soon as the text "HOME VIDEO INC." stops sliding in, it cuts to the finished 1988 television logo (which also cuts out after it finishes). That last second of the the globe zooming in on the television version is seen for a split second.
- One trailer variant featured the phrase "COMING SOON FROM" in a red/black gradient on a white background before the logo begins. the words "COMING SOON" and "FROM" are divided by a black line.
FX/SFX: The zoom out, the lettering layering effects and the shining radar globe.
Music/Sounds: It starts with a loud, long "whoosh". After the "whoosh" dies down, an 8-note synthesized tune with "air" in the background plays, which is actually a slowed-down version of Andy Clarke's "Moog Statement 14".
Music/Sounds Variant: There is a quiet (but not silent) version of the music.
Availability: Rare.
- It's seen on most releases of material from the Hanna-Barbera Productions and Spelling Entertainment libraries. Other notable releases were Sam's Son, The Goodbye Bird, Happily Ever After and Get Smart…Again!
- Much of the back catalog (mainly the feature films, television films and some mini-series) were reissued by Republic Pictures Home Video in the mid-1990s (much of it in EP mode with Worldvision packaging and even recycling the original tape masters.)
- Could also be seen on EP mode reissues of films from AIP Home Video.
- Also seen on the first releases of Beverly Hills 90210 and any show that had the Worldvision Enterprises logo on it.
- The quiet version is only used after the 1986 Taft Video logo.
- This can be found on a Canadian VHS of The Stand from Malofilm Video.
- The filmed version is extremely rare, but can be found on a Guild Home Video VHS release of Atom Ant.
- It was also seen at the start of an HBO broadcast of the 1994 film Crackerjack.
- Also found on a few early 1990s GoodTimes Home Video reissued tapes that were under license from the company.
- A 1994 VHS of Cujo doesn't have this logo; instead it uses the Worldvision Enterprises logo, both at the beginning and end.
- It makes surprise appearances on the CBS Home Entertainment MOD DVD-R of The Stepford Children and on the Netflix print of The Stand episode "The Plague".
Editor's Note: The first appearance of the Worldvision identity everybody knows and loves. You'll grow to love it once you don't get startled by the loud whoosh at the beginning. The Hands of a Stranger variant is one of the most abysmal attempts of splicing ever.