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)

J2 Communications - First logo

Logo: On a black background, a letter and number "J2" slide in from both sides of the screen and stop at the center. Then "COMMUNICATIONS" (in the same font as "J2" fly in from us and beneath the letters.

FX/SFX: The sliding of the letters and flying in of "COMMUNICATIONS".

Music/Sounds: A warbling synth note with a drumbeat that echoes 5 times.

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

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (1987-1991)

J2 CommunicationsJ2 Communications (1987, alt)

Nickname: "Space Jam"

Logo: Against a starfield, the lilac-colored CG letter J and numeral 2 are seen at extremely close range as they begin to rotate and move back, first separating shortly from one another in a diagonal direction, then reuniting. After they slow down and come to a stop, a pinpoint of light forms near the top of the screen and sweeps down in an arc, leaving the word "communications" trailing very rapidly from right to left in purple font. The J and 2 both emit one "sparkle," in that respective order, and the logo fades out.

Variant: A version exists with the logo on a solid black background without the starfield. On the 1987 releases of Groucho: A Life in Revue and How to Have a Moneymaking Garage Sale with Phyllis Diller, there seems to be a placeholder variant. We simply see the conjoined "J2", in sky blue, zooming in, with "COMMUNICATIONS" fading under it with lines above and below the word. The former tape uses the standard synth theme, while the latter has a horn fanfare.

FX/SFX: The rotating CG letters, the starfield, the "sparkling."

Music/Sounds: 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.

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.

Editor's Note: None.