Johnson Studios (CLG Wiki page) (Johnsonverse)

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1st Logo
(September 4, 1912 - August 16, 1968)

Nicknames: "Classic Johnson Filmstrip", "The Grandfather of Movie Logos"

Logo: We see a 2D film reel rolling into the screen. It turns, and a roll of film comes out. The words "JOHNSON STUDIOS" fade in, in white.

FX/SFX: The film reel unwinding. Very advanced by 1912 standards.

Variants:

  • As the logo's lifespan went on, its animation got more refined and became smoother.
  • Starting in 1933, the logo was always seen in full color due to Johnson switching to the three-strip Technicolor process.
  • In 1953, a widescreen version was made, used for widescreen movies.
  • Every time a major milestone was celebrated, the logo was adjusted to reflect this, and was used at the beginning of every movie released that year.

Music/Sounds: Starting in 1929, a fanfare by Wilbur Johnson (the first composer and conductor of the Johnson Philharmonic Orchestra) was used.

Availability: Common. Lived for nearly 60 years, and seen on Johnson Studios productions of the time. Was last seen on Burton, released in 1968.

Editor's Note: It's a beloved logo. In fact, one of the most beloved logos of all time. If you think that's good, though, see the next one below...

2nd Logo
(October 25, 1968 -)

Nicknames: "The Blue J", "60s J", "The Greatest Movie Logo Ever Made", "Filmstrip/Blue J Combo"

Logo: We see the filmstrip from the previous logo unwinding, in a more polished and realistic way. The filmstrip pans in to reveal a blue field. A stylized, shiny blue letter J (which happens to be Johnson Industries' current "Blue J" logo introduced the previous year) rotates and zooms out, before turning to its position, accompanied by a light behind it and a brief lens flare. The word "JOHNSON" fades in below, in Clarendon.

FX/SFX: The animation , which is extremely impressive for 1968!

Trivia: The film reel was animated by Richard Williams and a team of twenty other animators, all of whom had worked for Disney, Warner Bros., or Johnson Cartoon Studios either at the time or in the past. Then-CEO Sheldon Johnson wanted animation on par with Disney classics such as Lady and the Tramp. The blue "J" was a wood model coated in resin, spray-painted blue, and placed in front of a sheet of black fabric to avoid reflecting. The model was then rotated on a small stage covered in a black cloth. It resides in the Johnson Studios museum today.

Variants:

    • Like the previous logo, every time a major milestone was celebrated, it would be added to the logo for every film released that year.
    • For films distributed by 20th Century Fox, the second half of said logo pans up to the second half of this logo, which is slightly sped up to maintain the timing of the music.
    • For films released during the Phil Stacker years, the word "JOHNSON" is in Futura instead.

Music/Sounds: An even more triumphant version of the previous logo's fanfare by Cal Johnson, with the addition of more instruments, including bongos, saxophones, and a chorus.

Music/Sounds Variants: For films distributed by 20th Century Fox in the US during the two studios' partnership from 1994 to 2015, the 1953 Fox fanfare is used for the Fox logo, which continues to the second half of the Johnson Studios logo. This was done at the request of Sheldon Johnson, Jr.

Availability: Common. First seen on Hot Cuba, this logo has been seen in every Johnson film ever since, including movie-exclusive variants. Also seen on films distributed by 20th Century Fox during its partnership with the studio from 1994 to 2015, such as the Mother films.

Editor's Note: Probably the most beloved logo ever made with revolutionary effects and a powerful score. The logo's lifespan (52 years) is a testament to its popularity.