Review: Television's Greatest Hits: Black and White Classics
A look at the fourth volume of the collections of TV theme songs.
In 1996, TeeVee Toons rolled out four more volumes of Television's Greatest Hits. The first of these collections, "Black and White Classics," focused on additional themes from the 1950s and 1960s.
In this collection, TeeVee Toons featured a few themes from shows that lasted many seasons, while others were shows that lasted for short periods but happened to have themes by notable artists. Some of the artists are ones people wouldn't expect to have performed a theme to a TV show.
This collection may be the most interesting when it comes to obscure theme songs performed by famous musicians. In a couple of instances, I wondered why the theme had been featured in an earlier collection, considering how long the show lasted and became a significant part of TV history.
The original CD release featured a lenticular cover but later releases didn't have it.
Here's a look at some of the more interesting and noteworthy themes from this collection.
The Mighty Hercules: An animated version of the Greek mythological character, it debuted in 1963 and aired in five-and-a-half minute segments, usually packaged with other cartoons in syndication. The theme song is noteworthy, but the collection's liner notes aren't kind to singer Johnny Nash, describing his career being in a slump at the time he recorded the theme. Nash did have a lengthy musical career with plenty of chart success, though, and his most notable song, "I Can See Clearly Now," made it all the way to No. 1 in 1972.
Soupy Sales Show: A host of a kids' show in Detroit, Sales went on to greater fame when his show aired for a brief period on ABC, then later in syndication. He was known for his frantic humor, a bunch of animal characters (the meanest and friendliest dogs in the world were giants whose paws were only seen) and the pie-in-the-face gag that was the staple of his show. In one episode, Sales encouraged kids to go into their father's wallets and send him "those little green pieces of paper," which got him in trouble with studio management (Sales said he was only joking). The theme music may be one of the most hyperactive themes in TV history.
Karen: Here's a show people who grew up in the 1960s will likely not remember. It only lasted a single season, originally launched as part of a 90-minute block with two other shows, both set at the "90 Bristol Court" apartment complex. The theme song itself is likely one nobody remembers. However, people are likely to recognize who is singing the theme song: The Beach Boys. While it's not an example of a theme song that became big when the show did not, it does resemble other hits The Beach Boys had.
The Real McCoys: The show debuted in 1957 and was the first of a number of sitcoms to focus on rural families and settings. The show's creators had a hard time at first getting networks to listen to their pitches, even with Academy Award winning actor Walter Brennan in the lead. However, ABC finally gave it a shot and it became a top 10 hit. The theme song is performed by Jimmie Rodgers, who has been dubbed "the father of country music."
Lassie: Originally a radio series, the TV show first debuted in 1954 and had great staying power, lasting for 17 seasons on CBS, then continuing with new episodes in syndication for another two seasons. Lassie was a collie (supposed to be a female but played by a male) who could find a way to solve just about any problem, particularly situations in which somebody was in mortal danger. It was amusing, though, that Lassie changed masters several times throughout the series. For those who grew up on this show, they will likely remember the theme song once they hear it again.
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color: In 1954, Walt Disney was trying to raise money to finance a theme park in Anaheim, Calif., and made a deal with ABC, who paid him to produce a TV series. That led to Disney launching a prime time program featuring cartoons, live-action adventures, nature stories and documentaries. It stayed on ABC until 1961, then switched to NBC and was seen in color for the first time (it remained on NBC until 1990). The theme song on the collection is when the show switched to color. I'll let you dwell on the idea of a theme boasting about a show in color being featured on a collection of "black and white classics."
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier: Disney was also responsible for this miniseries about the nineteenth-century frontiersman. The mythology of Crockett became prominent thanks to the series, which was loved by kids and led to the phenom of marketing coonskin caps. The theme song was released as a record in 1955 and became one of those themes that you can't get out of your head once you listen.
Gunsmoke: Another long-running series that originated on radio in 1952, then debuted on TV in 1955. The radio show kept going until 1961, while the TV show lasted until 1975. I was surprised that this theme wasn't included on one of the first two volumes of the collection, given how popular the show was and how long it lasted. Perhaps there were some issues over the rights? At any rate, it was about time they featured this iconic theme song.
Hopalong Cassidy: Like Davy Crockett, this was a TV show that became a marketing sensation. Based on a film series, the character made its way to television, though the series was originally edited versions of the films. However, it proved so popular that NBC approved 52 half-hour episodes to air on Saturday afternoons. Actor William Boyd played the title character in both the films and the series. For anyone who saw the show as a kid, they are likely to remember the theme.
Dr. Kildare: Richard Chamberlain rose to prominence thanks to this series, in which he played the title character, a young doctor who sometimes clashed with his mentor when it came to treating patients — which, in some cases, meant it was for the best to simply comfort a dying patient rather than find every way possible to keep the patient alive. The theme song is titled "Three Stars Will Shine Tonight" but no lyrics were featured on the TV broadcast. However, Chamberlain recorded a version with lyrics and it proved popular.
M-Squad: Lee Marvin made frequent appearances on this police drama series set in Chicago. The show focused on officers fighting organized crime, corruption and violent crime. The show had modest success and Stanley Wilson, who recorded the theme for the first season, won a Grammy Award for his efforts. However, the theme featured here was used in the second and third seasons. Jazz great Count Basie recorded a new theme and it became one of several crime dramas that would feature themes from jazz greats — a number of them that are included on the collection.
Naked City: Another big-city cop show, this one lasted multiple seasons and had the distinction of featuring three theme songs during its five-season run. All the themes were performed by jazz artists, sticking with the concept of a crime drama that featured jazz music. The theme included on the collection was the third one, “Somewhere in the Night,” performed by Billy May and Milton Raskin, and is the one those who remember the show are most likely to recognize.
Note: I'll step away from talking about specific themes to highlight multiple themes that were included because they were jazz themes composed by noteworthy musicians. Those would include:
Checkmate: Performed by Johnny Williams, better known as John Williams, who was involved with jazz before switching to orchestral themes.
Mr. Lucky: Performed by Henry Mancini, whose star was on the rise at this point.
Pete Kelly's Blues: Performed by Dick Cathcart, a notable jazz musician.
Asphalt Jungle: Performed by Duke Ellington, who produced all the music for this short-lived series.
Mr. Broadway: Performed by Dave Brubeck, another jazz great.
Johnny Staccato: Performed by Elmer Bernstein. Though the show didn't last long, the theme was later covered by other jazz artists.
The Fugitive: The show was based on the case of Sam Sheppard, an Ohio doctor who was accused of killing his wife, convicted in the first trial, but appealed and won a new trial, in which he was acquitted. The TV show focused on Richard Kimble, who was sentenced to death for the murder of his wife, but the train taking him to death row derailed and he escaped to search for the real killer. The show lasted four seasons, but make no mistake, it was a popular series and the final episode on Aug. 29, 1967 — in which the real killer was finally caught and Kimble's name cleared — drew the largest TV audience of a single TV show episode at that point. The show's theme song is a great example of setting the mood.
Candid Camera: Originally launched on radio as Candid Microphone, it made its way to TV and changed the title to fit with the medium. The show had multiple runs on networks and featured a simple premise: Take ordinary people and see how they react to potentially comic situations. Anyone who remembers the show should remember the host: Allen Funt. The theme song, which is taken from a recording of the show and is complete with audience applause, reminds everyone to "smile, you're on Candid Camera!"
The Lawrence Welk Show: The longest running musical hour on television, Welk was a believer in wholesome entertainment and orchestral performances. It debuted as a local show in Los Angeles in 1951, before making its way to ABC and lasting 16 years, then aired in syndication for another 11 years. The show eventually made its way to PBS in reruns. The original theme song was "Bubbles in the Wine" and is the theme included in the collection.
Miss America Pageant: The first pageant was held in 1921 and it finally made its way to television in 1954. Bert Parks took over as host in 1955 and remained in that position until 1979. It was his recording of "There She Is, Miss America" that became most identified with the pageant and it's the one featured on the collection. Since Parks was replaced as host, the pageant has mostly featured one-time hosts for a single year.