Rysher Entertainment

Logo descriptions by Matt Williams and Adam Pringle
Logo captures by Eric S., V of Doom, Logophile, and Mr. Gann
Editions by Logophile and kidinbed
Videos courtesy of metrodfclpt and JohnnyL80

Background: Rysher Entertainment was founded by former Warner Bros. syndication executive Keith Samples in 1991 as a television syndication company, expanding into TV and feature film production. Cox Enterprises bought Rysher for $15 million in 1993. Rysher was shut down in 1999 by Cox, distribution rights to the company's library was acquired by Paramount Television (now "CBS Television Studios" and "CBS Television Distribution") the ownership of the library was later acquired by 2929 Entertainment in 2001 and by Qualia Capital on March 29, 2006. Most of the company's film library is currently owned by Paramount Pictures with the following exceptions: The Opposite of Sex (Sony Pictures Entertainment/Sony Pictures Classics), It Takes Two (Warner Bros. Entertainment), Big Night, Foxfire, and Hard Eight (Samuel Goldwyn Films, formally The Samuel Goldwyn Company). As for the television library, it is currently owned by CBS Corporation and distributed by CBS Television Distribution, while the Saved by the Bell franchise and California Dreams are currently owned by NBCUniversal Television Distributionwhile CBS Studios International has international rights to Saved by the Bell.

1st Logo
(September 14, 1991-May 22, 1993)

Nicknames: "Starry Chyron", "Star Night"

Logo: We see a black/dark blue gradient background with dozens of stars tingling away. The words "RYSHER ENTERTAINMENT" fade in on the background in a white, generic font. "RYSHER" is on top of "ENTERTAINMENT" with both words centered and has two stars on the left and right of "ENTERTAINMENT" fade in respectively.

Variants:

On the first season of Highlander, there is a still shot where it says "Distributed By" on top and "ENTERTAINMENT" is replaced with "DISTRIBUTION".
On The Making of Highlander: The Series, the distribution variant is seen animated and without "Distributed By" above it.

FX/SFX: The animation is simple, early CGI.

Music/Sounds: With a deep pin drop sound and chimes, we hear a jazzy saxophone tune that almost sounds like Kenny G playing.

Availability: Uncommon. Seen on early 90s syndicated prints, Saved By the Bell reruns, which are seen on Me-TV and the DVD box sets. Other local syndicated reruns of Saved By the Bell now have the NBCUniversal logo instead of this one. The distribution variant is very rare, as new prints of Highlander do not feature this logo.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo
(May 22, 1993-February 23, 2003)

Nicknames: "The Buildings", "CGI City Skyline", "Starry Night's Cousin"

Logo: On the top half of the screen, there is a picture of a city (with hills in the background) at what appears to be sunset. The sun "sets" and stars and the lights in the city buildings appear, as do the words "RYSHER ENTERTAINMENT" in beige. "RYSHER" is in a large extremely condensed Times New Roman-style font and "ENTERTAINMENT" is seen in a smallish font below it. A comet streaks in the city sky as the animation finishes.

Variants:

This logo was redone for movies. The notable differences are: the words are now done in CGI and are in copper, the city and sky look nicer, the hills have been changed to mountains and the sky is more blueish (it was purple on the standard version). A short version was used on TV around 1996.
Around 1995 or so, the words "A COX C O M P A N Y" appear beneath the logo.
When Rysher merged with Television Program Enterprises in 1995, the text read "RYSHER TPE", with a line under "YSHE", and the text shrinks as it sets.
Sometimes, "in association with", "And in Association with", or "Produced in Association with" would be seen above the logo.
One version of the logo featured the text "RYSHER ENTERTAINMENT" with "and" below.
A variant exists where the finished logo stays on screen longer than normal.
Another variant exists where the animation seems to be slowed down.

FX/SFX: The sky fading and comet.

Music/Sounds: A mellow horn tune with synth drums plays, with what sounds like a bird screeching (which was probably just a flute) at the end of the music. In other cases (usually with the "Cox Company" variant), it used only the opening/closing theme of the show or TV movie, or it's silent.

Music/Sounds Variants:

A very few number of times, this logo could be heard with the first logo's theme. This is usually heard with the "Cox Company" variant.
There is also an extended version of the 1993 music.
A short version of the music exists.
CBS airings of Nash Bridges and Four Corners used a generic theme.

Availability: Common. It appears on syndicated reruns of Saved by the Bell: The College Yearsand the first 3 seasons of Nash Bridges (except for season 4, which is plastered by the CBS Television Distribution logo, H&I airings use the DVD prints), and was used on the first season of Judge Mills Lane from 1998-99 and is retained on feature films produced by Rysher. The Rysher TPE logo is rare, but still remains intact on all 4 episodes of Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style, original prints of Highlander episodes from 1995-1996, and appears on the pilot of Robocop: The Series entitled "The Future of Law Enforcement", which can be found on VHS. The theatrical version can be seen on Destiny Turns on the Radio, Three Wishes, White Man's Burden, Private Parts, Zeus and Roxanne, Rasputin, It Takes Two, Turbulence, House Arrest, The Eighteenth Angel, and Kingpin. The "Rysher Entertainment and" variant can be seen on Shattered Image. The extended variant was seen on Thunder in Paradise. The "slowed- down" variant appeared on a Polish dub of the TV movie Siringo.

Editor's Note: None.

Rysher Entertainment

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