| 1 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1547412280041436600 |
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| 4 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/incredible_world_of_dic.png]] |
| 5 | [[caption-width-right:350:[[LampshadedDoubleEntendre Get your mind out of the gutter.]] It's pronounced "deek".]] |
| 6 | |
| 7 | [=DiC=] Entertainment Corporation was a production company that started as a subsidiary of Radio-Television UsefulNotes/{{Luxembourg}} in 1971, that would go on to produce many kids' cartoons, particularly in TheEighties and TheNineties. Its name is an acronym for "Diffusion, Information et Communication". Originally founded by Jean Chalopin, [=DiC=] was acquired in 1986 by Andy Heyward, who continued to head [=DiC=] until its demise in 2008. Heyward is currently the head of Creator/GeniusBrandsInternational, which he bought in 2015. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | The company is mostly remembered for its [[VanityPlate closing logos]] that appeared at the very end of its shows. Its most notable was the "Kid in Bed" logo, in which a camera zoomed in above a boy who was sleeping in his bed and through his bedroom window, where the [=DIC=] logo formed outside. A child's voiceover then says the company's name. This closing logo, first used in 1987, went through various variations before being replaced altogether in 2001. More information on this and the other closing logos for [=DIC=] can be found [[https://avid.wiki/DIC_Entertainment here]]. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | [=DiC=] remained an independent studio for much of its days under Heyward's watch, until 1993 when it formed a limited partnership with Capital Cities/ABC, the then-parent company of the [[Creator/AmericanBroadcastingCompany ABC]] network. It became a subsidiary of Creator/{{Disney}} after their takeover of Capital Cities/ABC in 1996. Unlike ABC, however, Disney had little interest in [=DiC=], and so, Heyward purchased back [=DiC=] in 2000. In 2008, the studio was acquired by Creator/CookieJarEntertainment, which itself was acquired by Creator/WildBrain (then known as "DHX Media") in 2012. Currently, with certain exceptions, all of [=DiC=]'s programming archive remain controlled by [=WildBrain=]. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | [=DIC=] worked with Creator/TMSEntertainment early on [[note]]they also worked with other notable animation companies, such as Creator/{{Sunrise}}, Creator/ToeiAnimation, Creator/{{AIC}}, Creator/AshiProductions, Creator/StudioShaft, Creator/HanhoHeungUp, Creator/StudioPierrot, Creator/StudioGallop and Creator/WangFilmProductions during this period[[/note]], switching to studios like Creator/KKCAndDAsia, Creator/Visual80, Creator/MookDLE, Creator/HongYing, Creator/PacificRimAnimation, Creator/{{Saerom}} and Creator/SeiYoung later on as Creator/{{Disney}} and later Creator/WarnerBros were giving TMS more money for their shows. As a result, the higher-quality shows of the company's heyday in TheEighties (including ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'', ''WesternAnimation/JayceAndTheWheeledWarriors'', ''WesternAnimation/{{MASK}}'', ''WesternAnimation/HeathcliffAndTheCatillacCats'', ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'', ''WesternAnimation/RainbowBrite'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Dinosaucers}}'', and so on) gave way to cheaper cartoons such as the ones based on the ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow Super Mario Bros.]]'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog Sonic The Hedgehog]]'' video games, some of which have gained a minor cult following since their release. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | One reason for [=DiC=]'s decline in quality could be laid at the feet of [[http://joeguide.com/interviews/buzzdixon.shtml their 1980s business model]], which was to underbid on new projects (in hopes of denying competitors from landing the gig), often losing money on their shows (using the money from a second show to cover the losses of the first one, etc.) and also selling their stock like crazy based on their "predictions" of there being more and more kids TV on the air (when in fact that market was flooded in the late 1980s and led in part to a collapse in the syndicated kids TV market). |
| 16 | |
| 17 | It is also infamous among the anime community for its [[DubInducedPlotlineChange dub]] of ''Anime/SailorMoon'', although in that case it is often a subject of {{misblame|d}} since the voices, dub script, and most of the editing was done by Optimum Productions (the dubs of ''Manga/SaintSeiya'', aka ''Knights of the Zodiac'', and ''Anime/SpeedRacerX'' can be laid directly at their feet however). Voice acting since TheNineties were (mostly) provided by the Vancouver talent pool, with some other shows recorded in Toronto, Los Angeles, Ottawa, and Omaha (or some mix thereof). |
| 18 | |
| 19 | They also released [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzK00wW1G1o EasyPlay]] [=DVDs=] in the early 2000s distributed by Creator/{{Lionsgate}}, in which you can hear Inspector Gadget (who essentially served as the company's mascot and spokesperson) deliver [[ForcedTutorial an extremely long and detailed lecture on how to use them]]. |
| 20 | |
| 21 | ---- |
| 22 | !!Notable shows produced by the company include: |
| 23 | |
| 24 | [[index]] |
| 25 | * ''WesternAnimation/ActionMan1995'' |
| 26 | * ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'', ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'' and ''WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground'' |
| 27 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfTeddyRuxpin'' (co production with Alchemy II and Creator/AtkinsonFilmArts; distributed for syndication by LBS Communications) |
| 28 | * ''Series/{{ALF}}: The Animated Series'' (co production with Alien Productions and Creator/SabanEntertainment) |
| 29 | * ''WesternAnimation/ALFTales'' (co production with Alien Productions and Creator/SabanEntertainment) |
| 30 | * ''WesternAnimation/AlienatorsEvolutionContinues'' (2001-2002) (co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Creator/{{DreamWorks|Animation}} Television) |
| 31 | * Later episodes of ''[[WesternAnimation/TheChipmunks Alvin and the Chipmunks]]'', including the {{Retool}} of Season 8 as ''The Chipmunks Go to the Movies'' |
| 32 | * ''Archibald le Magichien'' (Archibald the Magic Dog; rights currently owned by Disney) |
| 33 | * ''WesternAnimation/ArchiesWeirdMysteries'' |
| 34 | * ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheRockersOutOfThisWorld'' (co-produced with Creator/SabanEntertainment) |
| 35 | ** ''Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back To Earth'' |
| 36 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Battletoads}}'' (pilot only) |
| 37 | * ''Beulebeul Ermite'' (rights currently owned by Disney) |
| 38 | * ''WesternAnimation/BeverlyHillsTeens'' |
| 39 | * ''WesternAnimation/BillAndTedsExcellentAdventures'' (when Creator/HannaBarbera lost the rights after the first season) |
| 40 | * ''WesternAnimation/BumpInTheNight'' (distribution only; actual production was by Danger Productions and Greengrass Productions; copyrights owned by Disney) |
| 41 | * ''Cake'' (co-production with Brookwell [=McNamara=] Entertainment) |
| 42 | * ''WesternAnimation/CampCandy'' (first two seasons only) |
| 43 | * ''WesternAnimation/CaptainNTheGameMaster'' |
| 44 | * ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'' (The first three seasons only; Co-produced with Turner Program Services) |
| 45 | * ''WesternAnimation/CaptainZedAndTheZeeZone'' (co-produced with Scottish Television and Creator/HITEntertainment) |
| 46 | * ''Franchise/CareBears'' |
| 47 | ** The first season of ''WesternAnimation/CareBears1980s'', before losing the rights to Creator/{{Nelvana}} (with LBS Communications) |
| 48 | * ''Chip and Pepper's Cartoon Madness'' |
| 49 | * ''A Christmas Adventure'' (adaptation of Mori no Tonto-tachi; co-distributed with Creator/SabanEntertainment) |
| 50 | * ''WesternAnimation/AChristmasCarol1997'' (with Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox) |
| 51 | * ''[[WesternAnimation/COPS1988 C.O.P.S.]]'' (co-produced with Claster Television) |
| 52 | * ''Cro et Bronto'' (rights currently owned by Disney) |
| 53 | * ''[[VideoGame/{{DanceDanceRevolution}} Dance Revolution]]'' (with ''Creator/GeffenRecords'') |
| 54 | * ''VideoGame/DefendersOfDynatronCity'' (failed pilot) |
| 55 | * ''WesternAnimation/DennisTheMenace'' (with UsefulNotes/GeneralMills; yes, ''that'' General Mills) |
| 56 | ** ''The All New Dennis The Menace'' |
| 57 | * ''Film/DennisTheMenaceDinosaurHunter'' (co-produced with Coca-Cola Telecommunications) |
| 58 | * ''WesternAnimation/DICMovieToons'' [[note]]Series of Made-for-TV movies[[/note]] |
| 59 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'' |
| 60 | ** ''WesternAnimation/DennisTheMenaceInCruiseControl'' |
| 61 | ** ''WesternAnimation/GrooveSquad'' |
| 62 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Dinosaucers}}'' (co-produced by Creator/ColumbiaPictures Television) |
| 63 | * ''WesternAnimation/DinoSquad''[[note]]One of two of the last [=DiC=] programs ever made[[/note]] |
| 64 | * The ''WesternAnimation/DoubleDragon1993'' animated series |
| 65 | * ''WesternAnimation/ExtremeDinosaurs'' |
| 66 | * ''WesternAnimation/GadgetAndTheGadgetinis'' |
| 67 | * ''WesternAnimation/GadgetBoyAndHeather'' |
| 68 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheGetAlongGang'' |
| 69 | * ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero'' (a continuation made after Sunbow lost the rights to the series that lasted two seasons) |
| 70 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Hammerman}}'' |
| 71 | * ''WesternAnimation/HeathcliffAndTheCatillacCats'' (with LBS Communications) |
| 72 | * ''WesternAnimation/HelloKittysFurryTaleTheater'' (Co-produced with Creator/{{MGM}}) |
| 73 | * ''[[Film/ErnestPWorrell Hey Vern, It's Ernest!]]'' |
| 74 | * ''Series/TheHitchhiker'' (season 4 only) |
| 75 | * ''WesternAnimation/AHollywoodHoundsChristmas'' |
| 76 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Horseland}}'' |
| 77 | * ''WesternAnimation/HulkHogansRockNWrestling'' (co-produced with the [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} WWF]]) |
| 78 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Hurricanes}}'' (Co-produced with Siriol Productions and Scottish Television) |
| 79 | * ''Hypernauts'' (acquired from ABC Entertainment and Greengrass Productions; copyrights still owned by Disney) |
| 80 | * ''I'm Telling!'' (with Saban Entertainment; rights currently owned by Disney) |
| 81 | * ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'' (with LBS Communications; first season co-produced with Creator/{{Nelvana}}) |
| 82 | ** ''Inspector Gadget's Field Trip'' |
| 83 | * ''WesternAnimation/JayceAndTheWheeledWarriors'' (with LBS Communications) |
| 84 | * ''Jingle Bell Rock'' |
| 85 | * ''The Karate Kid'' (co-produced with Creator/ColumbiaPictures Television) |
| 86 | * ''WesternAnimation/KiddVideo'' (Co-Produced with Creator/SabanEntertainment; rights currently owned by Disney) |
| 87 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Kissyfur}}'' (co-produced with Creator/{{NBC}}) |
| 88 | * ''La Vie des Botes'' (rights currently owned by Disney) |
| 89 | * ''La Lucarne d'Amilcar'' (rights currently owned by Disney) |
| 90 | * ''WesternAnimation/LadyLovelyLocks'' (with LBS Communications) |
| 91 | * ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda1989 The Legend of Zelda]]'' |
| 92 | * ''Les Aventures de l'Energie'' (The Adventures of the Energy)[[note]]Their first program[[/note]] |
| 93 | * ''Les Aventures de Plume d'Elan'' (The Adventures of Moose Feather; co-produced with Belokapi) |
| 94 | * ''The Legend of the Hawaiian Slammers'' (failed pilot) |
| 95 | * ''The Legend of Sarmoti: Siegfried & Roy'' |
| 96 | * ''WesternAnimation/LibertysKids'' (including the CD-ROM title of the same name) |
| 97 | * ''Literature/TheLittles'' (co-produced with Creator/{{ABC}}; copyrights currently owned by Disney) |
| 98 | * ''WesternAnimation/LittleGoldenBookLand'' (co-produced with WesternAnimation/GoldenBookVideo) |
| 99 | * ''Lupin VIII'' (co-produced with Creator/TMSEntertainment; pilot only) |
| 100 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{MASK}}'' (with LBS Communications) |
| 101 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Madeline}}'' (Co-Producers with Creator/{{CINAR}} for the 1988-1992 specials, Producers of the TV series and subsequent specials) |
| 102 | * ''WesternAnimation/MaryKateAndAshleyInAction'' |
| 103 | * ''WesternAnimation/MaxiesWorld'' (co-produced with Claster Television) |
| 104 | * ''Meet Julie'' |
| 105 | * ''WesternAnimation/MonsterMash2000'' |
| 106 | * ''WesternAnimation/MummiesAlive'' |
| 107 | * ''Anime/TheMysteriousCitiesOfGold'' (co-produced with Creator/StudioPierrot and NHK) |
| 108 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheNewArchies'' (co-produced with Saban Entertainment) |
| 109 | * ''WesternAnimation/NewKidsOnTheBlock'' (starring the BoyBand [[Music/NewKidsOnTheBlock of the same name]]) |
| 110 | * ''Old [=MacDonald=]'s Sing-a-Long Farm'' |
| 111 | * ''WesternAnimation/OurFriendMartin'' |
| 112 | * ''Photon'' (co-produced with SFM Entertainment) |
| 113 | * ''Poochie'' (based off Mattel's toyline of the same name) |
| 114 | * ''WesternAnimation/PolePosition'' |
| 115 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Popples}}'' (with LBS Communications) |
| 116 | * ''WesternAnimation/ProStars'' |
| 117 | * ''WesternAnimation/RainbowBrite'' (both the series and TheMovie ''Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer'', the latter distributed by Creator/WarnerBros) |
| 118 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' (co-produced by Creator/ColumbiaPictures Television) |
| 119 | * ''Record Breakers'' |
| 120 | * ''Rimba's Island'' |
| 121 | * ''WesternAnimation/RingRaiders'' (co-produced with Bohbot Entertainment) |
| 122 | * ''Robotman and Friends'' |
| 123 | * ''WesternAnimation/SabrinaTheAnimatedSeries'', and its spin-off, ''Sabrina's Secret Life'' |
| 124 | * ''Anime/SailorMoon'' - The 1995 English dub of the 1992 series (first two seasons only) (Now licensed by Creator/VizMedia, who are re-dubbing it from scratch) |
| 125 | * ''WesternAnimation/SherlockHolmesInTheTwentySecondCentury'' |
| 126 | * ''Anime/SpeedRacerX'' (first thirteen episodes only due to the [[ScrewedByTheLawyers lawsuit]] with Speed Racer Enterprises.) |
| 127 | * ''WesternAnimation/StarcomTheUSSpaceforce'' |
| 128 | * ''WesternAnimation/StargateInfinity'' (with Creator/{{MGM}}) |
| 129 | * ''WesternAnimation/StrawberryShortcake'' (the 2003 relaunch, ''The Sweet Dreams Movie'' (with Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox), and the 2007 redesign episodes with American Greetings, before losing the rights to [=MoonScoop=] Entertainment, whom they sold the rights to ''Creator/DHXMedia'' twice) |
| 130 | * The ''Knights of the Zodiac'' dub of ''Manga/SaintSeiya'' |
| 131 | * ''WesternAnimation/StreetSharks'' |
| 132 | * ''WesternAnimation/StuntDawgs'' |
| 133 | * ''Super Dave: Daredevil for Hire'' |
| 134 | * ''WesternAnimation/SuperDuperSumos'' |
| 135 | * ''Series/SuperhumanSamuraiSyberSquad'' (A ''Franchise/PowerRangers''-style ImportationExpansion of the {{Toku}} series ''Series/DenkouChoujinGridman'') |
| 136 | * ''{{WesternAnimation/Super Mario Bros|DiC}}'' |
| 137 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' |
| 138 | ** ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfSuperMarioBros3'' |
| 139 | ** ''WesternAnimation/{{Super Mario World|1991}}'' |
| 140 | * ''WesternAnimation/SushiPack'' (with American Greetings) |
| 141 | * ''Swamp Thing'' |
| 142 | * ''WesternAnimation/SylvanianFamilies'' |
| 143 | * ''Series/TattooedTeenageAlienFightersFromBeverlyHills'' (Yes, ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'' fans, this ''is'' a thing.) |
| 144 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Trollz}}'' |
| 145 | * ''Ultraforce'' (co-produced with Bohbot Entertainment) |
| 146 | * ''Anime/{{Ulysses 31}}'' (co-produced with TMS Entertainment) |
| 147 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheWackyWorldOfTexAvery'' |
| 148 | * ''Literature/WhatAMess'' (the American version produced for Creator/{{ABC}} in 1995, adapted from the original UK series created by Frank Muir) |
| 149 | * ''WesternAnimation/WhereOnEarthIsCarmenSandiego'' |
| 150 | * ''WesternAnimation/WheresWally1991'' |
| 151 | * ''WesternAnimation/WishKid'' (starring Macaulay Culkin) |
| 152 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheWizardOfOz'' (co-produced by Turner Program Services) |
| 153 | * ''Wolf Rock TV'' (co-produced with Dick Clark Productions) |
| 154 | * ''Zak Tales'' (co-produced with Creator/SesameWorkshop) |
| 155 | * ''Series/ZoobileeZoo'' |
| 156 | [[/index]] |
| 157 | |
| 158 | ---- |
| 159 | !! Tropes present in [=DiC=] Entertainment's work: |
| 160 | * TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects: The famous "Kid in Bed" logo has a 3D star and a 2D photograph of a kid laying in bed. Also pops up in some of their later output like ''Dino Squad'' and ''Stargate Infinity''. |
| 161 | * AmateurCast: Several of the company's series from the late 1990s up until the company's demise, such as ''Archie's Weird Mysteries'', ''Strawberry Shortcake'' and ''Horseland'' used voice actors based out of Omaha, Nebraska, most of whom had never acted before or at best, had involvement in local theater and/or were local/regional radio and/or television personalities. A majority of them have became [[OneBookAuthor One-Book Authors]] and faded into obscurity, with the exception of Creator/AndrewRannells, who became a major star in his own right. |
| 162 | * SixtyFiveEpisodeCartoon: ''The Super Mario Bros. Super Show'', ''Sabrina: The Animated Series'' and more. |
| 163 | * AnimationBump: The animation in intros of shows such as ''Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog'', ''All-New Dennis the Menace'' ([[https://youtu.be/dQk-T2miZRE alternative intro with different animation style]], seen in international releases of "Navy Destroyer"), ''Ultraforce'' and ''Hammerman'', range from slightly better to way more fluid that the actual feature. This also applies for the ''Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog'' pilot. |
| 164 | * {{Animesque}}: As a result of shipping much of their work over to Japanese studios in the 1980s, many of their shows from that period exhibit this on full display. |
| 165 | * HehHehYouSaidX: Regardless of how it's officially pronounced, there's no denying that hearing the name can make you chuckle. |
| 166 | * LimitedAnimation: A popular joke among detractors was that [=DiC=] stood for "do it cheaper". ''Super Mario World'', ''Hammerman'', ''All-New Dennis the Menace'' and pretty much all of their AudienceAlienatingEra series suffered from this. Some of their earlier shows like ''Inspector Gadget'' and '' The Real Ghostbusters'' devolved into this over time. |
| 167 | * OnlySoManyCanadianActors: Despite not being a Canadian company (at least until Creator/CookieJarEntertainment bought them out), many of their shows feature Canadian voice actors more typically associated with Toronto's Creator/{{Nelvana}}, Montreal's Creator/{{Cinar}} and Vancouver's [[Creator/TheOceanGroup Ocean Group]]. |
| 168 | * VanityPlate: Its ending logos. |
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