Written and compiled by Nicholas Aczel, Dan DeCosta and Jeffrey Gray
Editions by mr3urious


Henson Associates, Inc.

1st Logo
(1973-1986)

Nickname: "HA!"

Logo: The logo mainly looks like the following:


The Muppet Show Variant: There is a special in-credit logo variant that was used on 80s prints of The Muppet Show to replace the outdated ITC in-credit logo (ITC only distributed the show). In the final shot of the end credits when Zoot blew his saxophone, instead of fading out as on ITC prints, a white bubble flies out of the sax with the "HA!" logo displayed on it and takes it’s place in the center of the screen, to the amusement of the audience. Sadly, this variant is no longer seen since 90s prints used the 1989 Jim Henson Productions logo, and current DVD releases merely use the shot of Zoot blowing his sax with a newer Muppets Holding Company copyright notice on the bottom. What a shame.

FX: Like the MTM and Cartoon Network Studios logos, the animation varied on whatever show it was used on.

Cheesy Factor: The "zoom-out" on the 1985 variant of the logo is very rough, and the in-credit "bubble" seen on The Muppet Show is animated with 80s computer FX.

Music/Sounds: Plays over the ending theme. The closing theme for the short-lived Muppets, Babies and Monsters as well as the second season of Muppet Babies onward, a distorted trumpet fanfare was heard at the end of the theme and played over the logo. On The Muppets 30th Anniversary, we hear Zoot blew his saxophone that played with the in-credit "bubble" variant of the "HA!" logo.

Availability: Very rare. Sometimes it's saved on 1984-1986 episodes of Muppet Babies, but usually replaced with a Jim Henson Productions/Jim Henson Television logo on that show or other shows. However, it was seen on Playhouse Disney in the UK when they reran the show. This logo is usually preserved on the 1986 special The Muppets 30th Anniversary.

Scare Factor: Medium; the large letters, exclamation point, and rough animation depending on the variant make this one of the scariest of in-credit logos, especially when combined with the "bad trumpet" that was heard over the end credits of Muppet Babies in the second season. Although The Muppet Show variation is pretty amusing.



2nd Logo
(1986-1987)

Logo: On a white background, we see:

with copyright information below in black.

FX: None, it's a still logo.

Music/Sounds: Plays over the ending theme.

Availability: Was originally seen on 1986-1987 episodes of Muppet Babies. Usually preserved whenever someone decides to show the series.

Scare Factor: Minimal.
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Jim Henson Productions/Television

1st Logo
(1987-1988)

Nickname: "The Shining Kermit"

Logo: On a white background, we see the words in a generic font:


"im" and "enson" are written in a script font, and the "J" is placed near the words "PRODUCTIONS". Then a small flash of light appears above the "I" and becomes a still drawing of Kermit the Frog's head, which is used to dot the "J". Underneath is a Henson Associates copyright notice [(c) HENSON ASSOCIATES, INC. (date in Roman numerals)].

FX: The Kermit head appearing and "shining".

Music/Sounds: The end of the show's theme.

Availability: Usually preserved on 1987-1988 episodes of Muppet Babies. This can be spotted on the failed cartoon version of Fraggle Rock as well, if it should be rerun again (but don't count on it!).

Scare Factor: Low.



2nd Logo
(1988-1992)

Logo: As with the logos for MTM and Cartoon Network Studios, the logo described below comes in many animated variations. Basically, we see the words:


displayed on an object against a black background. The words "Jim Henson" are in the now-familiar corporate "Henson" logo font introduced in 1988.

Variants: There are many more variants than currently listed.

• "Kermit Head": On a white background, the "Jim Henson Productions" logo appears under a still drawing of Kermit the Frog’s head.
• "Arrow": An animated version of Kermit the Frog’s hand holds out a white sign against the wall reading "Jim Henson Productions." Suddenly an arrow flies into the sign pinning it to the wall, and taken by surprise Kermit lets go.
• "Sign": An animated Kermit the Frog’s puts a white sign with a string on a nail on the wall reading "Jim Henson Productions." Suddenly the sign tilts and the lettering falls off, clattering to the ground, sometimes the sign itself will fall from the string and crash to the ground.
• "Window Shade": The "Jim Henson Productions" text is on a scroll similar to a window shade, already pulled down. The animated Kermit hand pulls up the shade and it rolls around a bit before settling.
• "TV Set" We see the "Jim Henson Productions" text already formed, but then the animated Kermit hand comes up holding a TV remote and clicks it, and the screen goes black like a television set being shut off.
  

FX: The animations in the logo variation.

Cheesy Factor: The animation isn't always as detailed as it is.

Music/Sounds: None really, apart from a particular variant’s sound effects, but on some shows the end theme finished over it.

Availability: Still preserved on 1988-1990 episodes of Muppet Babies, but sometimes replaced with newer logos.

Scare Factor: It depended on which version; these variations are fun to watch.



3rd Logo
(1989-2004)

Nicknames: "Laser Kermit" "Kermit Head"

Logo: On a black background, a blue laser carves out a line across the screen.The line flips towards the screen, revealing a blue outline of Kermit the Frog, who is then filled with color from left to right. Kermit shines brightly, then he is swallowed by a dot of light that dances across the screen, which from left to right sweeps out the words.The television logo would either be still or it would have the dot for the i flying on top of the



then flies back to the logo to dot the "I".


Variants:

• On TV shows from Jim Henson Productions, only the "dot the I" sequence of this logo plays, silent or over the end theme.
• In 1997, starting with Bear in the Big Blue House, the word "PRODUCTIONS" is replaced with "TELEVISION" (a.k.a. Jim Henson Television).
• On Dinosaurs, a pterodactyl flies over the logo from right to left. Sometimes, a pterodactyl sits on the logo ethier squawking or looking left.
• One version of the 1997 version has "The Jim Henson Company" in place of "TELEVISION". This was only known to exist on A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie.
• There is also a still version of the logo.
• On the music videos for "Kokomo" and "She Drives Me Crazy", the word "RECORDS" replaces "PRODUCTIONS".
• There is also a version with copyright info on the bottom of the screen.
• On Muppet Classic Theater, the logo plays as the word "PRESENTS" appears from above "PRODUCTIONS".

FX: The blue laser "carving," the color "filling," the dot of light "swallowing" and "sweeping" out the logo.

Cheesy Factor: The blue laser "flipping" is old hat even by 1989. Also, most of the animations have no significance to the end formation of the logo, and seem presented merely for visual amusement; for example the blue laser line "flipping" into the Kermit logo for a few seconds only to have him swallowed up in favor of the "corporate text" logo instead. A waste of film if you ask me.

Music/Sounds: The long version has a weird "phaser"-like sound when the laser appears, and when the Kermit head "flips" into view, an orchestrated horn fanfare is heard, and a timpani booms followed by a woodwind section when the head gets sucked into the dot of light, with "bumbling"-like sounds (not unlike a cartoon bumblebee) as the dot of light flies around, and a gong when the "I" is dotted and a triumphant horn note at the end. The end theme of the show may also play over it.

Availability: The short TV version is intact on all 90s shows from the company (except for Sesame Street). If classic Jim Henson shows like The Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock are rerun in the future, this logo might be tacked on unless they decide to use a different logo (such as Muppets Holding Company Ltd. or HiT Entertainment). The long version can be seen on several 90s VHS prints from Jim Henson Video including the movies The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island, as well as various Muppet Babies videos as well, before the show's opening theme. The still version can be seen on early Season 1 episodes of Dinosaurs.

Scare Factor: Low to medium for the full version, and none for the TV version.
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The Jim Henson Company

1st Logo
(2001)
Logo: On a black background, a series of flying lasers write the green words


FX: The laser "writing" effects.

Music/Sounds: TBA

Availability: Only seen on Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story..

Scare Factor: None; I don’t see anything.

2nd Logo
(2008-)

Logo: Against a white background, we see a still "Jim Henson Company" logo, consisting of a green "Jim Henson" in its corporate font, with a gold line and "The Jim Henson Company" underneath. A fly buzzes by, leaving a star trail, and a giant robot spider appears, chasing after the fly.

FX: The fly buzzing and the robot spider chasing after it.

Music/Sounds: A twittering flute sound, followed by an ascending xylophone scale, then the same twittering flute sound, followed by a descending xylophone scale.

Availabilty: First seen on Frances on PBS Kids Sprout, and also seen at the end of Sid the Science Kid on regular PBS Kids after the KCET logo. I believe Pajanimals has this logo, too. Don't count on seeing this logo on mature stuff from the company like TBS' Puppet Up! or Logo's Tinseltown, though.

Scare Factor: None.