(1999-2001) Version of Columbia TriStar Television
Columbia TriStar Television (CTT) was the third name of the television studio Screen Gems, itself part of Sony Pictures Entertinment and the second company to use the Columbia and TriStar names together (the first being Columbia TriStar Home Video, now Sony Pictures Home Entertainment). Like Wheel of Fortune
Logos[]
1st logo (1994-2000)[]
On a solid blue background, we see two boxes, the left one contains the Columbia Torch Lady (90s version), and the right one contains the TriStar Pegasus (again, 90s version over Columbia cloud background). Above the logo, "COLUMBIA TRISTAR" is seen, with the words positioned over their respective logos, and on the bottom is the word "TELEVISION" and the standard Sony Pictures Entertainment byline.
2nd logo (Early 1995-2003)[]
It's almost the same as the second 1995 Columbia TriStar Home Video logo, except "TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION" replaces "HOME VIDEO" and the Sony byline is intact. Plus, the cloud background in the TriStar box is replaced with the one from its movie logo and the text has a shadow effect.
Variants[]
- Depending on the unit that the show originated from (Television, Television Distribution, or Domestic Television), the logo was modified accordingly.
- In February 1997, the word "TELEVISION" is seen. In this version, the word "TELEVISION" along with the Sony byline, do not have the shadow effect while the words, "COLUMBIA TRISTAR" still have the shadow effect intact. Plus, the logo has the red-pink tint and the Sony byline is in a different font (as Helvetica).
- There is a version used for CTTD, where a darker box with the animation of the clouds zooms back and then splits to form the logo. This version was seen on Walker, Texas Ranger, Seinfeld, and Born Free: A New Adventure.
- On widescreen international versions of some programs such as season 2 of The King of Queens, there is a widescreen version of the CTT logo.
- A silent version existed for the short version of CTTD.
- On 1997-2002 episodes of Jeopardy!, there would be a freeze frame effect at the end of the logo. The logo would sometimes fade-out instead of disappearing.
- Starting in late 1999 on some series, the logo was expanded in ratio size in observance to early high definition programming. This version has been nicknamed "Enhanced Boxes of Boredom". The animation here is a bit cheaper and is filmed, the Torch Lady along with her cloud background both have a zooming out effect as the box splits, the TriStar Pegasus animation is slowed down a bit, the boxes have a thin white border and the text doesn't have the shadow effect and are in blue color. The studio's name was changed entirely to Columbia TriStar Domestic Television on October 25, 2001 with "DOMESTIC TELEVISION" below the boxes with the SPE byline a bit smaller.
- There are three versions of the "DOMESTIC TELEVISION" variant of the logo. The first version was where the logo is up close and looks like the boxes are almost touching the screen. The second version is where the logo is in the letterbox format, stretched to fit the screen. The third version is where the logo is in the far-distance known as the "Open Matte" boxes and the SPE byline is a bit bigger and not bold.
- There also was a variant featuring an "in association with" on the top left corner of the logo on CTTD.
- There are also black and white variants of all three logos.
- On some TV movies like Rag & Bone, Into Thin Air: Death on Everest and Double Platinum, there is a filmed version of the logo for CTT.
- On German shows such as Powder Park and Ritas Welt (translated as Rita's World), there is a still in-credit version of the CTTD logo superimposed into the credits. Plus, "TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION" is replaced with "FILM UND FERNSEH PRODUKTIONS GMBH" (translated in English as "FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS LTD") and it doesn't have a shadow effect.
- On the short-lived series, The $treet for CTTD, the words, "TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION" is in a different font (as Eurostile) and the SPE byline is in a different font (as Futura Medium). Plus, the words (except for "COLUMBIA TRISTAR") don't have the shadow effect.
- An extremely rare filmed variant for CTDT exists and appears on the TV movies, Blood Crime and Breakaway (also known as Christmas Rush). Both movies are available on DVD.
- An extremely rare enhanced variant for CTTD was recently discovered on the TV movie The Linda McCartney Story, along an open-matte version seen on First Shot. Both variants has been spotted on airings of the films on the Sony Movie Channel.
Music/Sounds[]
1st logo[]
A re-arranged version of the infamous CPT '93 theme done by Steven Kaplan.
Music/Sounds Variants[]
- Like CPT, from 1994, the logo theme was re-orchestrated.
- From 1996-2000, the logo would fade out at the last note. This wouldn't happen on WOF or Jeopardy!.
- On some season four episodes of Early Edition such as "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", it uses the 1993 TriStar Television theme.
- A silent version appears on Jeopardy! for the Philips CD-i and the promo for Godzilla: The Series, as seen on the 1998 VHS of Godzilla (although non-USA releases have the logo theme).
- Voice-overs: From September 1994-November 1996 on Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, there were different announcements over the logo and fanfare:
- Wheel of Fortune:
- (September 1994-Early 1995): (on the Wheel of Fortune/Califon card with the drum roll) Wheeeeel of Fortune is produced by (on the CTT logo) Columbia TriStar Television! (on the King World logo) Distributed by King World!
- (Early to summer 1995): Created by Merv Griffin. (On the Wheel of Fortune/Califon card with the drum roll) Wheel of Fortune is produced by (on the CTT logo) Columbia TriStar Television! (on the King World logo) Distributed by King World.
- (September 1995-1996): This is Charile O'Donnell speaking. Wheel of Fortune was created by Merv Griffin. (Later turns to the Wheel of Fortune/Califon card with drum roll by a page flipping effect. O'Donnell would sometimes announce on this card) (On CTT logo) Produced by, Columbia TriStar Television. (On the 1990 King World logo with the theme) Distributed by King World.
- (Johnny Gilbert) (November 1995) (on the Wheel of Fortune/Califon card with the snare drum roll) Wheeeeel of Fortune was created by Merv Griffin! (on the CTT logo) Produced by Columbia TriStar Television. (on the 1990 King World logo) Distributed by King World.
- Jeopardy! (Johnny Gilbert):
- (September 1994-1995): (On the credits) This is Johnny Gilbert speaking. (Later turns to the Jeopardy! title card) (on the CTT logo) Jeopardy! is a production of Columbia TriStar Television. (on the 1990 King World logo) Distributed by King World.
- (1995-November 1996): (On the credits) This is Johnny Gilbert speaking. Jeopardy! was created by Merv Griffin. (on the Jeopardy! title card) Produced by (on the CTT logo) Columbia TriStar Television. (on the 1990 King World logo) Distributed by King World.
This was the time when both game shows were taken over by Columbia TriStar Television.
A rare variant just like the 1997 logo. Charlie O'Donnell says "Columbia TriStar Television" over the fanfare. This is also presumably done to blend in with the spiel at the end of the program and cover up the end reference to King World. This happened in 1997.
2nd logo[]
Same as the last logo. Starting in 1999 with CTT (and later CTDT), the first note is cut off.
Music/Sounds/Voice-over Variants[]
- Sometimes a shorter version of the jingle is used, only about the second half of the long version. This version of the music sounds like a re-orchestration and not a truncation of the regular logo. This is mostly seen on the "TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION" variation of the logo. However, it was also used on the "DOMESTIC TELEVISION" variant of the logo on at least season four episodes of V.I.P.
- On some TriStar produced shows (especially Mad About You and Early Edition), the 1992-93 or 1993-99 TriStar Television themes were used. However, some shows produced by CTT such as Cupid used the 1993 TriStar Television theme as well. This was first used in 1997.
- The 1988 CPT theme was also heard on this logo on several Three Stooges shorts part of Stooge TV on The Family Channel. Short version of CTTD only.
- On a MeTV airing of the season 4 Jeffersons episode "984 W. 124th Street, Apt. 5C", the 1988 CPT theme is heard under the CTTD logo due to botched plastering.
- The 1993 CPT theme was also heard on the CTTD logo on 1996-2001 episodes of Ricki Lake and the 1999 CTT logo on Phantom Investigators.
- On several 2001-02 episodes of Jackie Chan Adventures, high and low tone versions were used, and alternated depending on the theme song. On the short-lived series, Secret Agent Man, it used the standard, high, low, and very low tone variants.
- On Married... with Children: The Most Outrageous Episodes: Volume 2, at the end of the episode "If Al Had a Hammer", the Sony Pictures Television logo music is heard on the third version of the CTDT logo.
- On some Game Show Network reruns (mostly old episodes of Wheel of Fortune, excepting the 1988-1990 seasons, and Jeopardy!), Charlie O'Donnell says "Columbia TriStar Television" over the fanfare. This is presumably done to blend in with the spiel at the end of the program and cover up the end reference to King World. On the 1994-1995 and 1995-1996 seasons on both shows, the original voice over is intact, but plastering the 1994 logo with this logo. This even happened on reruns of game shows where this situation was not needed, such as the 1976 network version of Break The Bank, and on a rerun of The 25,000 Pyramid finale on New Year's Eve 1999, as there was no voice over in the end.
- On the CTT logo in 1999, the last 2 1/2 notes of the short CTTD theme were played. This was heard on Dilbert. A higher-pitched version of this was sometimes used.
- A silent version appears at the end of a promo for Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, which can be seen on the 2002 VHS of Spider-Man.
- On The $treet, only the final note of the logo music is heard on the CTTD logo.
- In other cases, the ending theme of the show plays over it, such as on The King of Queens.
Scare Factor[]
1st logo[]
None.
2nd logo[]
None. While this is a good logo, it was also wildly hated by many people for several years due to its over-common presence and use of plastering old logos, until the Sony Pictures Television logo came around in 2002 and in an ironic twist, began plastering over logos in a much worse manner than this.
Video[]
Columbia TriStar Domestic Television alt. logo (2001-A)