The Maltese Companies

Background: Founded in 1986 by Edd Griles and Ray Volpe.

1st Logo (September 21, 1987-1990) The Maltese Companies

Nickname: "The Maltese Bird"

Logo: On a light-dark blue gradient background, a yellow-outline of a maltese bird lays on top in the left corner with a stack of two yellow lines. At the bottom of those two lines is the text that reads "THE MALTESE COMPANIES".

FX/SFX: None

Music/Sounds: A dreamy 8-note synthesizer theme.

Availability: Rare. Appears on VHS tapes of Maple Town, Spiral Zone and some TV movies.

Scare Factor: None to low. The music is soothing, but some may be put off by the font.

2nd Logo (May 8, 1988-June 23, 1989)

The Maltese Companies, Inc. (1988)Nickname: "The Maltese Bird in Gold", "The Shadowing Maltese"

Logo: On a white and gold marble background, a shadow of the maltese starts flying and flapping its wings all over the text, landing and lays on top in the left corner with one long line (similar to the 1st logo). Then, the bird transforms into a 3-D image as it moves its head to the right. On top of that line in the right corner, there's the outline text that reads:

THE MALTESE COMPANIES, INC.

FX/SFX: The shadowing effect of the Maltese, transforming into a 3-D image at the end.

Music/Sounds: None, or just the closing theme of the show.

Availability: Extremely rare. It's intact on the Canadian DVD of the 1988 TV-remake of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial from Lions Gate, as well as the VHS from Vidmark Entertainment. Also appeared on the short-lived game show, Relatively Speaking, as well as other TV movies and shows.

Scare Factor: Low. The "shadowing" effect and the transforming of the bird may get to some.