New World Entertainment

Logo descriptions by Sean Beard
Logo captures by Eric S., Shadeed A. Kelly, and TheEriccorpinc
Editions by Eric S. and V of Doom
Video captures courtesy of Eric S., Sagan Blob, JohnnyL80, and Stephen Cezar

Background: New World Pictures established "New World Television" and entered TV production in 1984, when the soap opera Santa Barbara premiered on NBC. A year later, Roger Corman sold New World for $16.5 million to Larry Kupin, Harry E. Sloan, and Larry A. Thompson. The studio also formed New World International (for international television distribution), and New World Video (for home video releases). In 1987, New World acquired Learning Corporation of America, Highgate Pictures, and Marvel Comics and was renamed to "New World Entertainment" in 1987, but started to face financial problems in 1989. First, Marvel Comics was sold to Ronald Perelman and within months, Perelman acquired New World as well in 1989. New World's movie and home video divisions were shut down. In 1990, LCA and Highgate Pictures were shut down. In 1991, New World sold most of its non-Marvel program library to Sony Pictures Entertainment, who used the library to relaunch TriStar Television. New World then acquired the bankrupt television stations group SCI Television in 1992 and was renamed to "New World Communications" in 1993 after folding GCI Broadcast Services. New World also purchased stakes in the distributor Genesis Entertainment. New World bought former Brandon Tartikoff's production company, Moving Target Productions, when Tartikoff joined New World and plus, New World acquired the remaining of Genesis Entertainment all in 1994 and reincorporating it as New World/Genesis Distribution. New World acquired Cannell Entertainment on July 31, 1995 for $30 million. On January 22, 1997, News Corporation (later "21st Century Fox Inc.", now "The Walt Disney Company"), then-parent company of 20th Century Fox acquired the remaining of New World Communications, and with it the rights to many New World's television programs with some exceptions (Crime Story is held by Turner Broadcasting and Warner Bros. Television, Tour of Duty, Sledge Hammer! and Get a Life are held by Sony Pictures Television, the Marvel programs are held by Disney after acquiring Saban Entertainment; however, Disney acquired Marvel Comics on Dec. 31, 2009, and most of the Cannell library is currently owned by the Cannell Studios, with distribution rights currently held by the Carsey-Werner Company), some post-1988 feature films, the New World/Genesis backlog and Cannell Entertainment, which effectively ended the company.

1st Logo
(July 30, 1984-June 20, 1989)

Nicknames: "The Sphere", "The Globe", "Red Sphere"

Logo: This was merely a still version of the movie logo and the company name here is "NEW WORLD TELEVISION", or "NEW WORLD INTERNATIONAL" for international distribution.

Variants:

In 1988, the logo had "in association with" below the New World Television logo in Goddess of Love, then it cuts to the Phoenix Entertainment Group logo.
There's a variant that features two seconds of the end of the animation from the New World Pictures logo from the time, and then "NEW WORLD TELEVISION" is seen below, also in smaller font.
A long variant exists that features the full animation of the New World Pictures logo, but with "NEW WORLD TELEVISION" appearing under it instead (more further down than normal). This was seen in an '80s USA Network airing of the movie Def Con 4 and Movies! airings of the movies House (replacing the original New World Pictures logo) and at the end of Black Moon Rising (followed by the 2013 20th Television logo).
A still version with "NEW WORLD TELEVISION" seen more further down than usual exists.
On Crime Story, the logo would fade out slowly.
On the Harem miniseries, the logo is smaller than usual.
Gladiators has the "NEW WORLD TELEVISION" words in the same shade of red as the sphere.
Sometimes, a copyright notice can be seen under the company name.

FX/SFX: None. Sometimes it would fade in and/or fade out. In the animated version, the 3D sections merging into the globe.

Music/Sounds: Here are the music variants:

Mostly on television programs, this would appear silent.
Sometimes, this logo would appear with a fast-paced new age synth tune adapted from the New World Pictures logo music of the time. Theme is composed by Joel Altshuler, composer of the New World Pictures logo music of the time.
Sometimes, this logo would be accompanied with a thrilling futuristic-like synthesized jingle that sounds somewhat like the theme to the TV series V at the beginning, this version was featured on the short-lived 1987 program Once a Hero. This theme was composed by Dennis Dreith, the composer of the theme song of the program.
Sometimes, the long variant used a low tone version of Joel Altshuler's theme from the 1984 movie logo.
Sometimes, the ending theme would play over the logo.

Availability: Rare.

This is currently seen on episodes of Sledge Hammer! on Me-TV, followed by the short Columbia TriStar Television Distribution (for season 1 episodes) and SPT logos.
This was seen on early episodes of The Wonder Years on The Hub (now Discovery Family).
Originally appeared on Santa Barbara, the first two seasons of Tour of Duty (intact when aired on GetTV), and other shows and TV movies from this era.

Editor's Note: Same as the 1984 New World Pictures logo, but is seen still in most of its appearances.

2nd Logo
(September 15, 1988-September 1, 1995)

Nicknames: "The Sphere II", "The Globe II", "Crystal Sphere", "CGI Sphere", "The Ocean"

Logo: On a purple background we see a purple-bluish ocean and the now-crystallized New World globe (smaller than the previous logo variant), and below that is the text "NEW WORLD TELEVISION" (in later years, "NEW WORLD ENTERTAINMENT") or "NEW WORLD INTERNATIONAL" on international distribution prints.

Trivia: This logo premiered originally on Santa Barbara sometime in September or October of 1988 and was phased in fully by 1989 for all New World television movies and shows.

Variants:

An opening version of this logo features the New World globe slowly rising out of the ocean and then the company name fading in. The music used in this version was the full New World Pictures logo music.
On Valley of the Dolls, the logo simply says "NEW WORLD".
On Robocop: The Animated Series, the logo fades in from the Marvel Productions logo.
On 1992-1993 episodes of the soap opera Santa Barbara, a copyright notice can be seen under the logo.

FX/SFX: The ocean waves flowing; CGI animation abounds here.

Music/Sounds: Here are the music variants:

A slower version of the New World Pictures logo derived theme from the 1st logo composed by Joel Altshuler.
Also, a fast-paced version of the previous jingle was heard.
Sometimes, the jingle is shortened down to either one or two notes.
The theme song finishing.
The long version uses the New World Pictures music.
Sometimes, it's silent.
On some Marvel-produced shows, there would be a guitar tune for both logos.
When The Wonder Years were shown on ION Television, it played with generic ION music.
Also, some syndicated prints of that show would have the Turner Program Services jingle playing over it.
On Iron Man, the 1994 Genesis Entertainment music is heard.

Availability: Rare.

This was seen on The Wonder Years on The Hub (now Discovery Family) and when reran on Nick @ Nite (like the previous logo, it is plastered by the current 20th Television logo on Netflix and on Time Life releases of the show).
Tour of Duty and Crime Story retain this logo also.
It survived, complete with music, on some episodes of Real Stories of the Highway Patrol as last seen on Heroes and Icons.
Originally, the version with the music that would also be covered on the Dobson logo, would appear on Santa Barbara.
The New World Entertainment logo is retained on one episode of The Incredible Hulk on Disney XD.
It's also seen at the end of Checkered Flag.

Editor's Note: This was top-notch stuff for its time that still holds up well today. It remains a favorite to many for its state-of-the-art CGI, which is further complemented with the calming atmosphere, ocean animation and music.

3rd Logo
(September 2, 1995-January 22, 1997)

Nicknames: "The Sphere III", "The Globe III", "Red Sphere II", "CGI Sphere II", "New World Comet"

Logo: Over a space background, a comet swirls form the bottom left to the center, explodes, and leaves behind the New World globe, in red, and below that is text reading "NEW WORLD ENTERTAINMENT".

Variants:

There is a variant with "DISTRIBUTED BY" zooming out below and disappearing as the explosion occurs.
Some showings of this logo have only the tail end (where the globe appears) play.
There is a longer version where the space background rotates and zooms slowly. After the regular animation plays, the globe sits there for several seconds.

FX/SFX: The fireworks, and the sphere clearing up.

Music/Sounds: Here are the music variants:

A synthesizer sounder that ends with a series of Caribbean-style drumbeats.
In the long version, a synth chime plays, then a two note bass sounder holds out before the standard theme.
On PAL releases, the music is high-pitched.
A silent variant of the short version exists.

Availability: Very rare.

This was seen on 1995-1997 episodes of Real Stories of the Highway Patrol and most season 2 episodes of Iron Man and Fantastic Four
The long variant is ultra rare, as it was used mainly for international releases, such as on home video releases of HBO's Vault of Horror.
The silent/short version can be seen on the 1996 ABC TV movie Wiseguy.

Editor's Note: Again, this is more first-rate CGI from New World. It's an excellent send-off for the company.

New World Entertainment

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