The Wonderful Animated HBO Sign-Off (1975-1981)

The Museum of Classic Chicago Television shared the earliest known HBO sign-off animation from 1976, before the invention of 24-hour television. The classic sign-off features a calm programming disclaimer.

This concludes our schedule of events for today. If you’ve missed a program, or would like to see one a second time, Feature Presentations are repeated throughout the month on Home Box Office. Consult your Program Guide for exact dates and times.

It also features an amusing animation of a yawning man calling the animals in, pulling down the shades, performing nighttime ablutions, and saying goodnight to those whom he loves. This particular version aired on local Texas cable.

This aired on local Texas TV (via cable) early Sunday, April 25th 1976 at about 12:30am…here is the earliest yet known representation (albeit with different music) of the animated sign-off of HBO …as used from about 1975 to the point they went to a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week schedule in 1981.