Compilation and photos by Lenhill and Mr. Logo Lord
Editions by Lenhill and V of Doom


Background: Columbia Pictures Corp. opened its own animated division in the 1920s as a joint venture with the producer Charles B. Mintz and his wife Margaret J. Winkler to produce animated film shorts, using various vanity cards, which include "Color Rhapsody", "Phantasy" and "Fable" among others; however, when Mintz became indebted to Columbia in 1939, he ended up selling his studio to them. Under new management, the studio was renamed as Screen Gems until 1946 when it was closed by Columbia Pictures. All information about Columbia/Screen Gems cartoons is HERE.


Color Rhapsody

1st Logo
(1934-1935)

Note: This is the first opening title of the short-lived series of animated shorts named "Color Rhapsody", created by Charles B. Mintz.

Logo: In a black background with red, gray and blue bubbles, are the words "COLUMBIA PICTURES CORP. PRESENTS A" and below, in huge fonts, "COLOR RHAPSODY". Underneath, the credits and the copyright disclaimer. There are two characters and a pup with a cello.

Closing Title: Following an iris-out, in light cyan (or orange due to the film deterioration) BG, or superimposed in the final scene of a short, like "Little Rover (1935), we see "A Color Rhapsody" very above in red (sometimes teal) majestic font and the 30s Columbia Pictures' print logo with the world-famous "The End" words over it. Underneath, two disclaimers, the RCA Victor one, seen on nearly all the 30s shorts from many other companies, and "A CHARLES MINTZ PRODUCTION" very below.

FX: None as far as I know.

MusicMusic/Sounds: The opening/closing theme of a short.

Availability: Long extinct. But the end title has been recently spotted on a cartoon shown on "Totally Tooned In".

Scare Factor: Very low. The dark background of the opening may bother some, but it's harmless.



2nd Logo
(1935-1940)

Note: This is the opening from 1935-1939 of the Color Rhapsodies.

Logo: In a curtain background, are the words "SCRAPPY PRESENTS" in little letters above blocks with "A COLOR RHAPSODY" written. Then, the opening cuts off to the credits.

Closing Titles: Three closing titles were used in the 1935-1939 period:

• 1st Closing Title (1935-1937): The first closing title was on white background. There are the words "A COLOR RHAPSODY" in red on a "musical diagram", with "IN TECHNICOLOR" in yellow. Underneath, a simplified drawing of the Columbia Pictures' Torch Lady, with the words "COLUMBIA PICTURES" in bold inside a circle. Below the Columbia logo is the disclaimer "A CHARLES MINTZ PRODUCTION" in red. No "THE END", though.

• 2nd Closing Title (1937-1938): The 2nd closing title was nearly the same as the 1935-1937 end title. Nearly, because the Columbia Pictures logo is inside a square this time, with the Torch Lady more detailed compared to the 1st closing title. Again, no "THE END".

• 3rd Closing Title (1938-1942): This closing title is different. It's Columbia Pictures' official logo, with the words "COLUMBIA" in chiseled letters, with the clouds behind the Torch Lady drawn in blue. It also has the disclaimers "A COLOR RHAPSODY" and "IN TECHNICOLOR". Still, no "THE END".

Closing Variant: A rare variant of the 3rd closing title has been spotted recently on "Totally Tooned In", The same concept, but the "A COLOR RHAPSODY" and "IN TECHNICOLOR" disclaimers were pulled from below to the middle of the screen to give space to another disclaimer: "A Charles Mintz PRODUCTION", with "Charles Mintz" in script.

FX: None, except for the iris-out in the opening and the ending.

MusicMusic/Sounds: Again, the music of a short.

Availability: Some recent prints only shows the "Blocks" opening without the credits and the Torch Lady ending. "Totally Tooned In" shown the 1937-1938 end title.

Scare Factor:

• Opening: None.
• Closing: None, despite the cheap drawing of the clouds behind the Torch Lady.

3rd Logo
(1940-1942)

Note: This is the first opening title from the Frank Tashlin era.

Logo: In majestic BG, with a castle above the clouds, the "COLUMBIA PICTURES CORPORATION PRESENTS" opening title above "A COLOR RHAPSODY" in huge letters, with an "IN TECHNICOLOR", a copyright disclaimer and an odd RCA logo. Then, it cuts off to the opening credits.

Closing Title: The closing title used in this period was the 1938-1942 Torch Lady. No "THE END" again.

FX: Only the iris-out in the opening and the ending.

MusicMusic/Sounds: The theme of a short or a customized fanfare.

Availability: Shorts on "Totally Tooned In" only shows the "Castle" opening title without the credits and the Torch Lady ending or the "A Columbia Favorite" reissue ending.

Scare Factor:

• Opening: Low. The huge letters in the opening title may get to some, but it's harmless due to the BG.
• Closing: Low. See above in the scare factor section for the "Blocks" opening.

4th Logo
(1942-1946)

Trivia: Cartoons from this era were produced by Dave Fleischer.

Logo: The logo is nearly the end title, but the clouds are orange instead of blue. And it has a "Presents" below in script. It also has a difference in the Torch Lady. Instead of an USA flag, she is grabbing a pink (or purple due to print deterioration) drape. Then it cuts off to the opening credits.

Closing Titles: Two end titles were used during this period:

• 1st Closing Title (1942-1945): The 1st closing title was the 1938-1942 Torch Lady ending, only with two differences:

1. It has the "The End" words in white script.
2. The pink (or purple due to print deterioration) drape explained above.

• 2nd Closing Title (1945-1946): The 2nd ending was a simplified one. Was only the "The End" in script and the disclaimers "A COLOR RHAPSODY" in bold and "In Technicolor" in script on blue background.

FX: The iris-out and the characters moving in the opening credits.

MusicMusic/Sounds: Again, the theme of a short or a customized fanfare.

Availability: The opening is quite rare. On TV, via "Totally Tooned In", only the end titles survives.

Scare Factor: None.



5th Logo
(1947-1949)

Logo: In a background with red and metallic stripes, zooms in rapidly a "TV Tube" with the opening "A COLOR RHAPSODY" in yellow bold and "Cartoon" in red script. Underneath, the disclaimer "IN TECHNICOLOR".

Closing Titles: Two end titles were used in the last years of the Color Rhapsodies.

• 1st Closing Title (1947): Nearly the same as the 1945-1946 closing title, but it has a background that resembles the Merrie Melodies ending from the 30s.

• 2nd Closing Title (1947-1949): Same as the 1947 short-lived ending, but the background has been updated and looks like the Merrie Melodies "Bullseye" title, with two blue rings and yellow-red outside.
  

FX: The zooming in on the opening title.

Cheesy Factor: The zooming in of the opening is too fast-paced and rough.

MusicMusic/Sounds: The theme of a short or a customized fanfare. It also have an exclusive theme for the ending.

Availability: Saved on many cartoons on "Totally Tooned In".

Scare Factor:

• Opening: High for people who hates titles zooming in rapidly towards them.
• Closing: None.