TM Books and Video

Background

TM Books and Video is a children's video distributor founded by Tom McComas in 1974.

1st Logo (1989-1995)

Visuals: On a black background, there are the words:

TM B O O K S V I D E O

fade in and stay there for five seconds before fading out.

Variant: When this logo was first introduced, it was in a rounded square, and only had the word "Video" under the line, the size also varied on the tapes, on some of them it would be extremely small, while on other times it'd be massive.

Technique: A still computer graphic.

Audio: It begins with a crowd chattering, then the sound of a baseball being hit by a bat and a crowd cheering.

Availability: Seen on early releases from this company, including early prints of the first I Love Toy Trains volume (later prints use the next logo, which was used in tandem with this one from 1994-95), I Love Cat Machines, Big Trains and Toy Trains, and More Big Trains and Toy Trains. Check Amazon.com, your local library, mom-and-pop video stores for tapes with this logo! It would also be good to note that this is both a placeholder logo, and the company's print logo.

2nd Logo (1997?-)

Visuals: On a blue/black gradient BG is the TM Books & Video logo fading in on screen.

Variants:

On some tapes, the text is blue as well as the circle. "QUALITY SINCE 1974" is absent.
From 1999-2000 in honor of the company's 25th anniversary, "25" in silver appeared above the logo, and "1974-1999" appears in lieu of "QUALITY SINCE 1974". Also the underlines and red.
On 2004 releases, "30th" fades in on top of the logo.
Starting in 2005, a dark blue flame background is seen and the logo flashes instead of fading.
On I Love Big Trains, the logo does not fade in and is not present, although DVD releases had a dark blue flame background, the DVD had the same variant. It also has a much more upgraded look.
On certain parts of I Love Toy Trains, the TM Books & Video logo bounces up & down, followed by cartoony sound effects and an audience saying "Oooh."
Starting in 2009, the text "BRINGS FAMILIES TOGETHER SINCE 1974" spinning around the words "TM Books and Video." Two red join to the center of the logo. Once they join the center, a lens flare covers the screen, followed by the crowd cheering from the many variants of this logo.

Technique: 2D computer animation.

Audio: Same as the 1st logo, and is perfectly synced with the company logo fading in. On the bouncing variant, it's cartoonish sound effects.

Availability: The more upgraded variant appears on later volumes of I Love Toy Trains starting with volume 5 and earlier releases from this company, while the much more modern variant is seen on most volumes of John Deere Action. Also seen on RFD-TV airings of I Love Toy Trains.