LBS Communications/Summary

Logo descriptions by Jason Jones, Jeffrey Gray, James Fabiano, Juniorfan88, and Logoboy95 Logo captures by Juniorfan88, Shadeed A. Kelly, wisp2007, Logoboy95, V of Doom, Pygmalion X, and others Editions by Juniorfan88, Shadeed A. Kelly, and Brendan Richards Video captures courtesy of JohnnyL80 and Eric S.

Background: 1976 was the year that Henry Siegel created Lexington Broadcast Services (commonly known by its initials, "LBS"). In the 1980s, the company was known as "Lexington Broadcast Services Company". In 1984, Siegel reincorporated the company to "LBS Communications, Inc.". LBS also joined forces with Columbia Pictures Television and created "Colex Enterprises" by distributing the series by Screen Gems and CPT and would last until January 1988. Over the years, the company would produce/distribute miscellaneous television shows such as Inspector Gadget and Heathcliff (DiC), What's Happening!! and What's Happening Now!! (CPT), Baywatch, Family Feud (Mark Goodson), and World of Wrestling. LBS was also an ad-sales barter until they formed "TV Horizons". LBS Communications started losing money in the late 1980s and went bankrupt in the early 1990s leaving LBS to give 80 to 85% of the assets to All American Television in March 1992. Despite all the adversity, LBS would still live on in the 1990s as an in-name-only unit of All American Television, and was sold to Pearson, plc. in 1997 and was later renamed to Pearson Television in 1998; the production company would close in 2001. Today, most of the LBS library, with some exceptions, is owned by FremantleMedia.

1st Logo (1982?-1984, March 7, 1986) Lexington Broadcast Services Company (1980) FilmedLexington Broadcast Services Company (1982)Lexington Broadcast Services Company (1983)LBS Movies logo

Nickname: "The Pan-Out"

Logo: On a black background, a white beam of light with several twinkles on it "scans" across the screen, leaving a large royal blue fused "LBS," consisting of an "L" and an "S" nearly fused together and a "B" in the gap between them, in its trail, in the center of the screen, then the Blue LBS logo slides back a little. After the LBS text slides, a small white flash appears, and leaving behind the words "LEXINGTON BROADCAST SERVICES COMPANY" in white.

Variants: • In 1983, the text is superimposed in the Helvetica white font with "INC." at the end, also blacking out the original text. •Later on in the same year, the flash was completely altered. • There is also a still variant of this logo with the texts "AN" above and "COMMUNICATIONS PRESENTATION" below the logo respectively.

FX/SFX: The beam of light, and the flash revealing the company name. Scanimate effects.

Cheesy Factor: The music and animation seem fairly primitive nowadays, but at the time this was a decent logo.

Music/Sounds: An uplifting synth tune accompanied by a rising series of beeps, and a synthesized "zap" (which sounds oddly like a person sneezing) accompanying the flash. All three elements of the soundtrack sound like they were made on a Moog synthesizer. None for the still variant.

Availability: All versions are now very rare. However, it can be found on the Inspector Gadget: The Original Series DVD set and on the Inspector Gadget: Go, Go Gadget Collection DVD (with the exception of the "Launch Time" episode, which replaces all logos at the end with a Cookie Jar Entertainment logo). It also appeared when This TV aired certain episodes of the aforementioned series. The variation with "INC." is quite rare, but can be seen on some early episodes of Tales from the Darkside on Chiller. Some airings of the previous show on Syfy has the Lorimar-Telepictures logo. The still variant can be seen at the end of Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation.

Scare Factor: Low to medium. The synth score, the black background and the flash at the end may make a couple of viewers feel uneasy. None for the still variant.

2nd Logo (1984-1987) LBS: 1984 (Filmed)LBS: 1984 (Videotaped)LBS (1984-1987, IAW)

Nickname: "The Unfolding Letters"

Logo: On a background consisting of a light-to-dark violet gradient, a Dodger blue curved "LBS" (exactly like the "LBS" in logo 1, but in a medium shade of light blue) zooms out while "unfolding." It stops in the center of the screen. "LBS COMMUNICATIONS, INC." wipes in under the logo as the LBS logo "shines".

Variants: • There are also two main sets of this version; a filmed version and a videotaped version. • There is a more recent variant seen on What's Happening Now!! in which the words "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" fade in at the bottom. This is then followed by the SPT logo.

FX/SFX: The Scanimated "LBS" unfolding, the company name "shining" in.

Cheesy Factor: While the animation is really good for the time, the background scheme is dated and the letters shine the same way the bottom text does.

Music/Sounds: A pretty dramatic 9-note synthesizer score. The first note is an orchestral hit; the next 4 notes are played in an electric-guitar style; and the last 4 notes are played on a synth-piano, accompanied by flourishing brass. The theme ends in 2 drumbeats.

Availability: Uncommon. This logo is the easiest to find from the company. The videotaped version still survives on Tales from the Darkside on Chiller and Syfy. Airings of the previous show on Syfy plaster it with the Lorimar-Telepictures logo. Unfortunately, the CBS Television Distrbution logo deleted this logo on Tales From The Darkside DVD releases, but it's intact on DVD releases of The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin and What's Happening Now!! It was also seen on season two of Inspector Gadget and was on most of the seasons of Heathcliff and the Cadillac Cats (DVD releases of both preserve the logo). The filmed version is hardly seen on television again, but was seen on Rainbow Brite, which does not rerun on TV anymore, along with other DiC shows from this era. (Though if it is reran in future, this logo might be intact).

Scare Factor: None.

3rd Logo (1987-1991) LBS Communications Inc. (1987)LBS Communications Inc. (1988)LBS Communications (1988)LBS-21 Jump Street: 1990-1991LBS Communications (1988)

Nicknames: "CGI Space and Dots", "Comets and Dots", "Slide-In"

Logo: A group of round balls pan to the left of the screen. The "LBS" logo slides in from the right of the screen, during which 2 groups of 5 conical lights (possibly representing meteors) streak through. The logo makes a stop at the front of the screen, and "LBS COMMUNICATIONS, INC." fades in below. The words "Distributed by" appear at the top of the company name.

Variants: • The 1987 LBS version without "Distributed by" exists as a filmed and a videotaped version. • Would appear blue, dark blue, or purple. • As a distributor, would sometimes have the copyright stamp.

• A still in-credit variant with magenta lettering with the text "In association with" in white was seen on the final season of 21 Jump Street.

FX/SFX: The panning-out and sliding-in of the logo and background. Nice CGI, if a bit simplistic (even for the late 80s).

Music/Sounds: • 1987-1989: An ascending/descending jingle with twittering sounds as the meteors streak through, followed by a whoosh and a tense remix of the '84 LBS theme. A short version starts just as the meteors streak. • 1989-1991: A rather eerie descending synth jingle with a deep wind sound, then a dark 2-note synth jingle. Exists having a longer version. • 1990: A quiet synth piano sounder. There is also a low toned version.

Availability:•'87 Variant: Extremely rare. The distribution version appears occasionally on Father Knows Best on Antenna TV. It was spotted on a repeat of Hazel on TV Land years ago and the very last season of Inspector Gadget. It was also intact on the final season of Tales from the Darkside (that would feature the 2nd Tribune logo), but airings of the show on Syfy plaster it with the Lorimar-Telepictures logo. •'89 Variant: Rare, but you can still find the '89 version on some shows currently like What's Happening Now!! and occasionally on Father Knows Best and The Monkees on Antenna TV. •'90 Variant: Extinct. It was seen on a few syndie episodes in tandem with the 1989 logo on Family Feud. •Print Variant: This is also extinct. It was only seen on the final season of 21 Jump Street in syndication, so don't expect this to appear on DVD. This can also be found on Inspector Gadget tapes released by Maier Group.

Scare Factor: Low on the '87 version, low to medium on the '89 version because of the almost ghostly music associated with the logo, none for the 1990 variant, and none for the 21 Jump Street variant.

4th Logo (1991-1992)

LBS Communications Inc. (1991, 15th Anniversary)

Nicknames: "15th Year Anniversary Logo", "The LBS Egg Logo", "Happy Birthday LBS!"

Logo: It starts out with a yellow/white oval coming out first. Then, the LBS logo in red goes down from the top of the screen, and afterward, it displays a purple banner which reads "15th ANNIVERSARY" in gold. After the logo is completed, the entire logo shines near the dates.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The CGI animation in here is rather simplistic compared to the previous logo.

Music/Sounds: A mellow synthesizer score with a "ching" sound to indicate the sheen. Short versions have a three note tune.

Availability: Ultra rare. Appeared on season two of Baywatch as well as on the 1991-1992 syndicated season of Family Feud. Currently, the logo can not be seen on TV and is plastered with FremantleMedia on season 2 Baywatch episodes on DVD.

Scare Factor: None.