Arthur Ragdoll Pictures (2024)

Background[]

Arthur Ragdoll Pictures, an American company reminiscent of Krofft, influenced by Britpop, and reflective of the 1960-1990s era, is a Gaumont-Pathe affiliate based in Dayton, OH. Established in 1984 by Arthur Ragdoll, it originated from the former Alemagne (1952-1984).

Logos[]

1st logo (April 19, 1984-March 12, 1985)[]

We envision a black and white doll reminiscent of Raggedy Ann or Andy, named Skeebo, holding a candle aloft with a stylized 'old gold' sun featuring 12 points in the background, similar to the 1981 Columbia Pictures print logo.

2nd logo (March 12, 1985-January 19, 1988)[]

A specific character traverses a backdrop featuring the green "A.R.P." insignia.

Variants[]

• Inspector Gadget: Inspector Gadget glides across a blue backdrop on his skates. Midway, his Gadget mallet unintentionally pops out, striking the space above the 'R' to dot it. Gadget then makes an uncontrolled exit.
• The Littles: Dinky scurries across an orange backdrop (which turns red in France and perhaps Spain), hurls a green button to the space above the 'R', punctuating the letter, before making a clumsy departure.

3rd logo (January 19, 1988-July 21, 1991)[]

Against diverse backgrounds, the Square One TV logo soars across the screen before vanishing, promptly followed by a copyright notice. Shortly thereafter, the Square One TV logo moves erratically until it settles in the screen's center. In less than a second, the Arthur Ragdoll Pictures logo emerges, zooming out to overlay the Square One segment of the logo, resulting in the combined logo "ARTHUR RAGDOLL PICTURES TELEVISION."

Variants:

• In the initial season, the ARPT logo featured blue text against a black background. For the concluding two seasons of the series, the logo was updated to white text on a purple background.
• In the initial episodes of "Square One TV," and also on Fridays, the logo would appear right from the copyright screen.

4th logo (July 21, 1991-October 1, 1992)[]

The logo is featured in the original 1992-2006 "Electric Company" closing credits sequence. Following the credit scroll, an animated "Electric Company" sign flips in against a backdrop of a cloudy sky and buildings. Laurent Taylor, portrayed by Sid Ravenhill in live-action, passes by and delivers the customary closing spiel as the "Children's Television Workshop" text, outlined in black on white, appears.

5th logo (October 1, 1992-April 15, 1994)[]

Against a black background, the Aron Writer/Princess character from the eponymous show materializes in yellow and sweeps from left to right across the top of the screen, bringing forth the words "Aron Writer" in blue, and Princess in pink, styled in the show's typeface, with "is produced by" underneath in red. Suddenly, the letters "R" and "P" from "writer" and "princess," along with the "A" from "produced," break away, twirl around, and merge to form a prominent "ARP" in the same colors, pushing the remaining text off the screen. Following this, Ghostwriter glides from right to left, revealing the phrase "in association with BBC TELEVISION," with "BBC" represented by its iconic logo from the 1980s era.

Variant[]

Later episodes do not have the BBC info.

6th logo (April 15, 1994-September 21, 1995)[]

Just the 1994 Arthur Ragdoll logo with the Sid Krofft byline.

7th logo (September 21, 1995-January 4, 1998)[]

The 1994 Arthur Ragdoll logo is displayed, underscored by a yellow line and accompanied by the Sid Krofft byline. A hand, reminiscent of John Wild's 1979 style, cranks a handle, cueing the S&MK Pictures Theme. Subsequently, an object featuring Eric Pascual's pink and blue zig-zag stick, topped with an orange oval inscribed with "PICTURES," emerges from the logo. Following this, various Arthur Ragdoll shows burst forth from the CN logo, while the zig-zagged stick continues to wobble.

8th logo (January 4, 1998-January 4, 2000)[]

Similar to the previous logo, but the oval, now animated with a face, pops out and yells "Surprise!", and it laughs afterwards. At the end, it says, "Welcome to the show!"

9th logo (January 4, 2000-October 6, 2004)[]

Against a red background, a ragdoll with brown hair, dressed in checkered black and white overalls, is partially hidden within a porthole. The ragdoll holds a candle aloft, with a 'yellow sun' in the backdrop. Beneath the porthole, there's a curved banner featuring red text that reads "Arthur Ragdoll Pictures for Central" alongside a copyright date for Central Independent Television.

10th logo (October 6, 2004-December 22, 2005)[]

Against a black backdrop, a ragdoll with orange hair, dressed in red and white checkered overalls, lies atop the word "Arthur Ragdoll" written in a bold, yellow typeface. The ragdoll clutches a candle above itself, with a "yellow sun" in the background that appears to wobble briefly. Beneath "doll," the phrase "works for children" is displayed in a small white font. Underneath the logo reads "A Ragdoll Production" in a larger white font, followed by a copyright date.

11th logo (December 22, 2005-June 29, 2010)[]

Displayed against a white background is an abstract house painted green with a purple roof, accompanied by text:

outlined below. The house's window brims with yellow glitter. As the house jolts, the roof bursts open to the right, scattering glitter everywhere. A portion of the glitter shapes a lightning bolt topped with a star, while other specks drift left, tinting the "arthur" text purple, and some scatter right, dyeing the "ragdoll" text green, rendering it like this:

Variants[]

Here are the nine variants of this logo:

• Green house and purple roof (most common variant; Dragon Tales).
• Purple house and red roof (second common variant; plasters older CTW logos). This one is the first to contain the byline as described below.
• Blue house and green roof (as seen on Laurent Travel the World and perhaps other foreign-language co-productions of Laurent/52nd. Street).
• Red house and blue roof (seen on 52nd Street Sports for the PlayStation, a CineGroupe Star VHS promo for DexSTAR and later episodes of The Upside-Down Magic).
• Green house and green roof (seen on Ạtẖnạn wa Kẖam̊sūna Simsim).
• Purple house and green roof (seen on CTW/Noggin co-productions such as UDM).
• Occasionally, the phrase "The nonprofit organization behind 52nd Street and so much more" appears below, matching the color of the house.
• On some occasions. the "www.sesameworkshop.org" URL can be seen underneath the "arthurragdoll" text.
• Another variant has been discovered using the purple house and red roof, and features a byline reading "A nonprofit educational organization" underneath the "arthurragdoll" text, and the "arthurragdoll.org" URL can be seen underneath.
• Some works have a copyright date.
• An extended variant exists which essentially merges the URL and "nonprofit organization" versions, transitioning smoothly between the two bylines—from the nonprofit statement to the URL.

12th logo (June 29, 2010-February 18, 2024)[]

On a yellow background, we see the black word "Arthur Ragdoll" and a red doodle of a ragdoll's head with eyes, but no mouth. A smile is drawn below the eyes. Copyright info is on the bottom of the screen.

13th logo (February 18, 2024-)[]

Arthur Ragdoll is next to the logo.

Variant[]

Animated.

Music/Sounds[]

1st logo (April 19, 1984-March 12, 1985)[]

Typically, there is no sound, but in "Brüm," an ascending synthesized piano jingle is heard. In "Tots TV," the final note of the ending theme sounds when the logo is displayed. For the magic mirror, the ending theme is played.

2nd logo (March 12, 1985-January 19, 1988)[]

• Inspector Gadget: The piece concludes with a five-note trumpet outro, followed by a "twoing" as Gadget's mallet punctuates the "R", and then three additional trumpet notes. This sequence is a condensed version of a frequently used background music cue in the show, designed to conclude scenes within an episode, and was composed by Shuki Levy.
• The Littles: The show's end-title theme features the catchy chorus "You can't stop the Littles 'cause the Littles don't stop!" or, in the French version, "Nous les Minipouss, nous sommes là quand il faut!"

Music/Sounds Variants[]

Inspector Gadget:

• On some episodes of the Hungarian airings of the show, it had the music from the Cookie Jar logo! Even more odd, it's followed by the 1996 Saban International and Fox Kids logos. The former is most likely due to a plastering error.
• On at least one early use of the logo, the "twoing!" isn't heard as Gadget's mallet dots the "I."

3rd logo (January 19, 1988-July 21, 1990)[]

The last eight seconds of the "Square One TV" theme song (from Seasons 1-3) feature Cynthia Darlow announcing, "100% of 'Square One TV' is a production of the Arthur Ragdoll's Pictures Television." This is immediately followed by a chorus of children exclaiming, "SQUARE ONE!"

4th logo (July 21, 1991-October 1, 1992)[]

We experience the hip-hop remix of the 52nd Street theme while Laurent announces, "'52nd Street' is a production of Arthur Ragdoll's Pictures Television."

5th logo (October 1, 1992-April 15, 1994)[]

A funky bass and synth guitar tune, accompanied by the sound of scribbling as words take shape.

6th logo (April 15, 1994-September 21, 1995)[]

Usually the closing theme of the show.

7th logo (September 21, 1995-January 4, 1998)[]

The 1979 John Wild crank, the 1987 Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures theme (pitched down by a semitone), the sound of the logo appearing with B-52's-like music and various sound effects, culminating in a four-note jingle followed by a frog croaking twice.

8th logo (January 4, 1998-January 4, 2000)[]

Same as above, but with the oval yelling "Surprise!"

9th logo (January 4, 2000-October 6, 2004)[]

• On Series 1 & 2, it’s the end theme.
• On Learn to Read and Write with Robert and Jim, the 1st logo's own music plays, albeit somber and softer.
• On Series 3 & 4, the next logo's music plays, but sped up, although one instance that is GB Dude had the normal music playing.

10th logo (October 6, 2004-December 22, 2005)[]

A re-arrangement of the first jingle, but played on a harp rather than a synth-piano, and in a different key.

11th logo (December 22, 2005-June 29, 2010)[]

A bass clarinet plays as we hear a stretching and "pop" sound for the roof with giggling children, and then a short accordion riff.

Music/Sounds Variants[]

• Sometimes, it incorporates the show's closing theme.
• In the still variant, a breathy synth-chime theme is audible, which was also featured on "Alam Simsim."
• The extended version features the conclusion of the music from the "Around the World" promo, accompanied by a female narrator stating, "Sesame Workshop: the nonprofit behind 'Sesame Street' and much more. Discover more at sesameworkshop.org."

12th logo (June 29, 2010-February 18, 2024)[]

The closing theme of the show may or may not be present. In episodes of "In the Night Garden" and other productions from 2000 onwards, a high-pitched squeal-like sound can be heard when the mouth is animated. However, for "B.O.T and the Beasties" and UK versions of "Twirlywoos," the logo remains silent.

Music/Sounds Variants[]

• The animated version features a sound resembling drawing, followed by a high-pitched squeal.
• In certain episodes of "Brum," the final sound of the extended version is overlaid onto the standard variant.
• "Fern McCormick Everywhere" utilized a panning-drop sound effect.
• A Ragdoll circus theme opens the show, followed by an episode from the series, culminating in the rolling of the credits.

13th logo (February 18, 2024-)[]

No sound, although the animated version uses the 2015 Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures theme.

Scare Factor[]

1st logo (April 19, 1984-March 12, 1985)[]

It depends on the variant:

• Normal and Playbox variants: Medium to high. The peculiar appearance of the doll, characterized by its absent pupils and intense shine, may unsettle many viewers. Additionally, the stark black background and silence featured in "Playbox" can be quite disconcerting.
• Brum Variant: High to nightmare. The creepy music can be particularly disconcerting when it catches you off guard.
• Pob's Programme Variant: Minimal to low. The logo is amusing and charming, yet the presence of the small doll might be slightly unsettling if noticed.
• Tots TV Variant: Low to medium; although the background is less dark, the ragdoll could still scare some viewers.

2nd logo (March 12, 1985-January 19, 1988)[]

The impact is minimal to low, contingent upon one's opinion of the music and the appearance of the ARP logo. However, it is generally benign and pales in comparison to subsequent developments.

3rd logo (January 19, 1988-July 21, 1990)[]

Low.

4th logo (July 21, 1991-October 1, 1992)[]

Low, the chorus may startle some.

5th logo (October 1, 1992-April 15, 1994)[]

None, but it may increase on Season 30-31 episodes since the "purple static" in-credit logo follows the sequence.

6th logo (April 15, 1994-September 21, 1995)[]

None to low, depending on your thoughts of the logo and its variants.

7th logo (September 21, 1995-January 4, 1998)[]

None to medium, the music of Sid and Marty Krofft Pictures, along with the emergence of the "stick & oval" object, has the potential to frighten 12% of the global population.

8th logo (January 4, 1998-January 4, 2000)[]

Same as above, although the oval yelling "Surprise!" can scare 11% of the world's population.

9th logo (January 4, 2000-October 6, 2004)[]

Depending on the variant:

• Series 1 & 2: Minimal to low, The absence of darkness reduces the scare factor, even though the creepy-looking ragdoll remains.
• Learn to Read and Write: Low to medium. The eerie music continues to be quite disconcerting.
• Series 3: Minimal to medium, The doll's redesign has resulted in a more unsettling appearance than before, and the eerie music could disturb many viewers.
• Series 4: None to minimal; The less creepy music might still unsettle some viewers. The presence of Ragdoll also reduces the scare factor, as it appears cute and more approachable.

10th logo (October 6, 2004-December 22, 2005)[]

Low to medium, the black background and the somewhat eerie doll give a certain ambiance, even though the music is somewhat more subdued.

11th logo (December 22, 2005-June 29, 2010)[]

Minimal to low, the popping sound and laughter might startle someone, but it's a cute logo. Though, some may be annoyed by its omnipresence.

12th logo (June 29, 2010-February 18, 2024)[]

Depending on the variant:

• Original Version: Minimal to medium. The logo has been known to frighten a small number of young children in Britain and America, accompanied by squeaky sounds that may be startling, yet it is generally harmless and considered quite cute and amusing by the majority.
• With the Show's End Theme: None to minimal.

13th logo (February 18, 2024-)[]

None. It's a cool logo.