Background: Hammocks Animation was an American animation production company based in Southaven, Mississippi, first founded back in 1957 by Thomas Hammocks. Its first project was a comic series called Five K. Gagnon, which ran from 1957 to 1963, with a television series airing from 1962 to 1981. Hammocks was also known for its animated series Wally Down Under, Fred and the Nature Gang, Adventures of Benjamin the Magical Train, Lenny the Genius, and the animated soap operas, Beautiful Times, Southland, and The Animals. The company became defunct in 1996.
1st logo[]
(1962–1978)
Logo: On a blue or light blue background, there is text that reads:
A HAMMOCKS ANIMATION P r e s e n t a t i o n
At the top left is a white circle containing a blue circle in the center. Inside of it features Five K Gagnon's head inside the blue circle. The circle is surrounded by a text that says "HAMMOCKS ANIMATION" in a different position (a la Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television or Sunbow Productions). The closing variant is on a navy blue background having only Five K Gagnon's head in a white circle and the text above in center position.
Variant: Starting in 1967, the logo is now in color.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: The opening variant is usually silent, but on the closing variant, the closing theme of the show was used.
Availability: First seen on Five K. Gagnon since its premiere, as well as Beautiful Times. The color version came on starting with the sixth season of the series, as well as on 1978 and pre-1979 episodes of Southland.
2nd logo[]
(1979–1988)
Logo: On a purple background, we see the "HAMMOCKS text in a yellow outline, zooming downwards from the center. It then stops, causing the logo to flash and completely become filled in yellow. After that, stars twinkle on the following letters: the first M, H, S, and K, while the text "Animation" in white slides in from the left.
Variant: There is a short version at the end of Hammocks' shows since the debut of Fred and the Nature Gang's 3rd season, where the logo starts off with the stars twinkling on the aforementioned letters.
FX/SFX: The text, the flashing, the stars
Music/Sounds: Two synth-tuba notes along with a "warbling" sound in the background, followed by a loud, squeaky, five-note synth-chime tune. The short version starts with the 2nd part of the music. This theme would later be used for the KUED Salt Lake City logo from 1985-1993.
Music/Sounds Variant: Sometimes, the logo is silent.
Availability: Seen on Hammocks' shows and specials from 1979 to 1988 including the first 5 seasons of Fred and the Nature Gang, Adventures of Benjamin the Magical Train, the first season of Lenny the Genius, and later prints of Wally Down Under. and Five K. Gagnon. It also appears on The Fred and the Nature Gang/Scooby Doo Hour and the animated soap operas Beautiful Times and The Animals and post-1979 episodes of Southland.
3rd logo[]
(1988–1995)
Logo: In space, we pan out through a series of glowing 2D bars. As the bars rotate up towards us, we see that it is the Hammocks Animation logo, done in glorious 2D. In the background, a 2D Nature Cat leaps up, and the logo is "absorbed" into his body. The space background turns into a "timewarp mode" into a silver background, as the words "Animation" rise up from the bottom-right with a trail behind it. The "Hammocks" logo returns to the screen, as Nature Cat somersaults to the top of it and takes a prowler-like stance above it as the logo takes its place on the center of the screen (Fred's eyes return shortly after). The Hammocks Animation text takes its place below the logo.
Trivia: The reason for the Hammocks logo being absorbed and then mysteriously reappearing is to provide a place to cut the logo so that it is not as long. In most cases, however, the logo is shortened so that only the tail-end of the animation is seen. This logo was animated by Brian Coukis. The concept of Fred flying through space was bizarre, but that was the assignment.
Variants:
- In its logo's first year, the logo is tinted entirely in light blue.
- Starting in 1989, a byline "A WARNER COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY" is shown below the logo.
- On later episodes of The Animals, a copyright stamp for Procter & Gamble Animation fades in below.
- A still version exists.
- On some shows, this logo is bylineless.
- World Events-Hammocks Combo Variant: See World Events Productions for description.
- On Birdboy and Waterjaguar, the logo fades into the Warner Bros. Television Distribution logo.
FX/SFX: The zooming and panning of the Hammocks, as well as Nature Cat.
Music/Sounds: A THX-like "chord" sound with some futuristic "whooshes". On original airings of The Hammocks Hour and 1989 video releases of Cats and Dogs, a dramatic synth tune is heard. At other times, the ending theme plays over it. On Ben and the Wild West, it has the last few notes of the logo theme.
Availability: Uncommon, bordering on rare. The short version was seen on many shows, including the late 1980's Hammocks Hour block (Cats and Dogs, Birdboy and Waterjaguar, and Denver the Last Dinosaur), the first and second seasons of Birdboy and Waterjaguar (with the third season Marvel Productions took over), the animated Fred and the Nature Gang specials, Ben and the Wild West, Dazzle the Dinosaur, and the animated adaptation of A Fish Called Wanda. It was most notably seen on Procter and Gamble Animation co-produced shows like The Animals, Southland and Beautiful Times. The long version is very rare, and was used to plaster the original logos on later prints of Hammocks shows such as Wally Down Under, Five K. Gagnon, Adventures of Benjamin the Magical Train and even the 1982 series Snuffysticks; it also appeared on early '90s video releases of Hammocks material.
Editor's Note: This logo had some of the most impressive 2D animation for an '80s television logo, and it remains a popular one by logo enthusiasts.