J2 Communications

Background

J2 Communications was founded by James P. Jimirro, who also founded The Disney Channel and Walt Disney Home Video while head of Walt Disney Telecommunications and Non-Theatrical Company. The company's name came from his initials.

1st Logo (1987)

Visuals: On a black background, the text "J2" slide in from both sides of the screen and stop at the center. Then, "COMMUNICATIONS" flies in from us and stops beneath the text.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: A warbling synth note with a drumbeat that echoes five times.

Availability: Found on early VHS prints of Dorf On Golf.

2nd Logo (1987)

Visuals: On a black background, the text "J2 Communications" flips in a Century Gothic-like font.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Found on early VHS prints of The Mother Goose Treasury.

3rd Logo (1987-1991)

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Visuals: On a black background, or a starfield, 2 large light blue monoliths, both semi-transparent and with darker sidings, twirl around and pop out from in front of the screen, revealing themselves to be "J2" as they twirl around and shine. The "J" flies towards the top left, while the "2" flies towards the bottom right, and then they combine in the top center, with the "J" facing the left and on the bottom, and the "2" facing the right and on the top. A star then appears in the top left corner before doing a U-Turn and swooping under the text, revealing "COMMUNICATIONS" as it stretches below. 2 stars then appear on the logo, one on the tip of the "J", and then another on top of the "2".

Variants:

• Later on, a TM symbol appears when "COMMUNICATIONS" stretches in.
• Sometimes, the logo is colored in lavender.
• An early version has the "J2" flat and still, which swoops up from the background. "COMMUNICATIONS" then fades in below it, with lines bordering the top and bottom of the text.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A groovy synth jingle with four gradually louder two-note bursts from a brass section, combined with a descending slap-bass line, and ending in three brass notes, a cymbal on the third note and a short synth drumroll.

Audio Variant: Some tapes with the early variant have a horn fanfare.

Availability:

• Found on VHS releases of The Mother Goose Treasury, Dorf on Golf, Dorf's Golf Bible, and Dorf and the First Games of Mount Olympus, as well as Star Wars: Droids and Star Wars: Ewoks. Also found on ITC Home Video releases in the United States.
• The early variant can be seen on Groucho: A Life in Revue, Elton John Live in Australia and How to Have a Moneymaking Garage Sale with Phyllis Diller, and at the end of Carol Burnett's My Personal Best.