Genesis Entertainment
Written and Compiled by Nicholas Aczel and Sean Beard


1st logo
(1982-1990)

Background:  Genesis Entertainment was founded by Nashville-based television producer Al Gannaway. The byline “A Division of Gannaway Productions, Inc.” was seen on the 1st logo until 1988, when Genesis became independent.

Nickname: "The Cloudburst”

Logo: On a shady purple background, we see a shady blue card with a logo on it flipping toward the screen. The logo is a dark blue cloud with a sunburst popping out of its top, surrounded by four “still” sparkles and a “pop-up” shadow effect. Below the sunburst on the cloud is the words “GENESIS ENTERTAINMENT” in an old-style font.

SFX: Apart from the “flipping” effect, it’s a still logo.

Cheesy Factor: The “flipping” is totally 80s, the cloudburst appears as an unrealistic model (probably early computer graphics) and the sparkles look like Christmas lights.

Music: Plays over the end theme.

Availability: Pretty much gone, last seen on “The Judge,” “Highway to Heaven,” and 1980s episodes of “Divorce Court.” Given the surprise 2nd logo preservation, chances are this logo will remain intact if the shows are rerun in the future.

Scare Factor: Median, the graphics and flipping effect are tacky, and combined with the dramatic end themes of certain shows, some may be startled by it. But even this logo is pretty harmless compared to what followed…


2nd logo
(1990-1995)

Nickname: "G in Space,” “G from Hell”

Logo: On a space background, we see legions of shooting stars. From the right a giant “G” (looking as if carved from a block of ice) zooms out, turning at an angle towards the screen. As shooting stars fly by the “G,” it sparkles, and turns into a TV-tube ice shape with the “G” appearing as a cutout with streaks flying from it. Below the “G” tube, a bunch of sparkles form the words

GENESIS
 
E N T E R T A I N M E N T

USA Today: In 1990, Genesis was sold to Gannett Corporation (publishers of the newspaper USA Today). A variant with the byline “A Division of the Garrett Corporation” appeared on the short-lived series “USA Today on TV.” Gannett spun it off after the show’s failure, again making it independent until 1994…

A Brave New World: When Genesis Entertainment merged with New World Pictures in 1994, the byline “A Division of New World Entertainment” was seen below the logo. This variant appeared on 1994-95 episodes of “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol” and “Marvel Action Hour.”

SFX: The shooting stars, the sparkle effects, the zooming “G.”

Cheesy Factor: Primitive early CGI effects, and the synthesizer soundtrack is unmusical to the point of evil. 

Music: A droning 80s synthesizer score.

Availability: Extremely Rare, last appeared on “Top Cops” in syndication and 1993-95 episodes of “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol.” Survives on AMC’s prints of “Tales From The Crypt,” followed by the 20th Television logo.

Scare Factor: High, the eerie music, the scary “G,” and the sparkle effects make this a logo to watch with the lights ON.


 

3rd logo
(1995-1997)

 

Then in 1995, a clean cut logo for the New World/Genesis merge appeared, but as a variant of the New World Television logo. Alas, the logo was to be Genesis’ last, as the New World Pictures buyout by News Corporation in 1997 effectively put an end to both companies.

 

Nickname: “CGI Sphere,” “New World/Genesis Distribution”

 

Logo: With a shooting star effect we see a blurred red-orange sphere that clears up to create a small reddish-orange abstract globe and below that is text reading “New World/Genesis Distribution.”

SFX: The fireworks, the sphere clearing up.

Music: A synthesizer sounder that ends with a series of non-musical noises resembling a seagull.

Availability: Extinct, as it was only seen on 1995-96 episodes of “Marvel Action Hour.” The New World Entertainment variant of this logo was much more common, replacing the Genesis logo altogether on 1995-97 episodes of “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol.”

Scare Factor: Median, the shooting star/fireworks EFX animation can startle many viewers.