I haven´t been around much lately, so if this topic has been discussed recently, please feel free to direct me to one such thread.

In any event, I thought it could interesting to start a little discussion about our favoite television music.
Normally, television music is not regarded with the same respect that filmscors are. Mostly, because the buissness does not set the same high standards for music, that a film does - and arguably doesn´t really need to...
BUT there cases where TV music is right up there with some of the best filmscores - and interestingly, most of that music is composed by filmcomposers.

So, what are some of your favoirte television themes???

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And permit me to list mine: (in random order of course...)

THE SIMPSONS - DANNY ELFMAN
I have a feeling this might be the most recognizable TV theme ever...and who could argue against it´s brilliance?

ER - JAMES NEWTON HOWARD
Well, ER has always been my favorite show, so natually Howard´s wonderfull theme deserves to be mentioned. A true classic. As soon as I can, I´m getting the CD release with the full version!

THE TWILIGHT ZONE - BERNARD HERRMANN
Herrmann´s theme may not be that which is mostly remembered from the series, but it is certainly superior to Constant´s...although I doubt many of you will agree with me on that one.

TALES FROM THE CRYPT - DANNY ELFMAN
Again Mr. Elfman delivers a great theme for a classic television show. His music is simply perfection.

...darn. That seems to be all I can think of for now. But I´ll get back with some more later. Until then, please post your own favorites. I have a feeling it could be interesting.

Thanks,
SFT

I also enjoyed the theme from the Ellery Queen Show. (Very Big Band)

Voyager with its deliberate Ilia rif.

Simon and Simon (The one without the words)

Hardcastle and McCormick (The hard rock one with the words)

Farscape (Very weird. Don't know why I Like it)

Stargate SG1 (This is probably cheating since it is heavily based on the movie score which was awesome)

Peter Gunn (RIP Henry Mancini)

NBC Nightly News by the J Williams fellow.

Lost in Space (All three versions are pretty cool)

Police Story

And I have to make a special category for the great themes of TV game shows, which I loved so much growing up.

Bill Conti's first version of DYNASTY is a beautiful theme. So also his NORTH AND SOUTH (although that's a miniseries, not a proper series.)

Joe Harnell pilfered Franz Waxman's BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN quite a bit throughout his run on INCREDIBLE HULK, but also came up with that lovely little piano bit that closed nearly all the episodes, the "Lonely Man" theme.

I forget which one it is...Star and Stripes Forever, perhaps? They all sound the same to me after a while.

Route 66--Nelson Riddle
The Persuaders--John Barry
The Loner--Jerry Goldsmith
Ripley's Believe It or Not--Henry Mancini
Wagon Train--Jerome Moross
Stacatto--Elmer Bernstein

ER
The X-Files
ST Voyager
Buffy
Angel
Millennium
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

--Kyp

As a kid I loved VICTORY AT SEA.

Great western themes were:

RAWHIDE
THE VIRGINIAN
HIGH CHAPARRAL

My favorite was Morricone’s MEN FROM SHILOH.
I’d love to hear that theme loud and FULLY orchestrated.

NP Legends of the Fall

THE FLASH
THE SIMPSONS
STAR TREK VOYAGER AND DEEP SPACE NINE

and...

<sigh> I hate to admit this

FRIENDS

Goldsmith: QB VII, MASADA, THE RED PONY, THE WALTONS (Theme), STAR TREK - VOYAGER (Theme)

Philips: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

didn't Jerry Goldsmith write the title theme and some eipsode scores for The Waltons ? My brother swears he saw Goldsith's name attached at the end of an episode.

All the themes you've mentioned are great. I agree with every one of them. The Jerry Goldsmith TV show themes are wonderful- especially the moving Dr. Kildare theme!

Seeing as Chicken Run is about to come out, I also have the Wallace and Grommit theme in mind.

Then of course, Zimmer's The Critic theme (performed on clarinet, I believe) was perfect for that show.

But how could I mention all of these and not the theme for the Alfred Hitchcock Hour?? It's a great musical representation of the Master's cleverness and wit.

Yeah. I guess I'm done now.

Al - I also love the theme from THE CRITIC, particularly as heard when it was on ABC; that was its first season.

I also like the theme for the BBC series Brideshead Revisited (I think John Powell was involved)

I also liked HILL STREET BLUES, BRISCO COUNTY, and THE A TEAM.

Terrible, gauche guilty pleasures were the songs from Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, and Greatest American Hero.

The Six Million Dollar Man (Oliver Nelson)
The Man From UNCLE (Jerry Goldsmith)
The Fantastic Journey (Robert Prince)
Kolchak: The Night Stalker (Gil Melle)

I always insist on putting in my pair o'pennies for one theme for one show nobody seems to remember: the short-lived Steve Bochco show BAY CITY BLUES, scored by the inevitable Mike Post. I think it's the loveliest thing he's ever done, mournful and weirdly nostalgic, somehow summing up the thrills and pains involved in being part of America's Pastime -- at a real low-end of it, that is (minor-league baseball in a small, small town). The show wasn't that great, though I DO remember Bochco was already doing the surprise bare-butts thing that later caused such a furor around NYPD BLUE -- and BAY CITY BLUES was produced in 1983! He got away with it though. The cast included Dennis Franz and Sharon Stone, though the real breakout stars of the show were promoted as (big laugh) Michael Nouri and Ken Olin.

Of current TV themes, I really love Christopher Tyng's FUTURAMA. I think I read in FSM that he got the job based on writing that same theme as a demo. Love them bells.

And I always loved the opening and closing theme songs for the original LAND OF THE LOST. (Sentimental favorite. I'd love to see the whole series again. Yes, they probably run it on cable someplace, and no, I still don't have cable. Remember, Brooklyn didn't even HAVE cable until the last few years.)

The Waltons
Lost In Space
The Time Tunnel
Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries
Wonder Woman
Room 222
Barnaby Jones
Police Woman
Stingray
Knots Landing
The Colby's
Falcon Crest
Land of the Giants
That Girl (original theme)
Hawaii Five O
Route 66
Mission Impossible (80's version)

Elmer Bernstein did a marvelous theme for the short-lived TODAY'S F.B.I. Big, heroic, almost militaristic.

Recently I've heard several versions of Jerry Goldsmith's HOLLISTER; Joel scored the series (or maybe just the pilot, I'm not clear that it ever aired. Has anyone heard Goldsmith's score to the DUSTY pilot, circa 1983?)

And I was always fond of SWAT, which was by Barry DeVorzon, I think. It appears that DeVorzon made so much money off "Nadia's Theme" (and its subequent adoption as the anthem for THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, another TV perennial) that he never has to work again. And therefore doesn't, except for the odd job like those for his golfing buddy William Peter Blatty (who wrote and directed the great NINTH CONFIGURATION and EXORCIST III.)

quote:

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It appears that DeVorzon made so much money off "Nadia's Theme" (and its subequent
adoption as the anthem for THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, another TV perennial) that he never has to work again.

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QUESTION: Has ANY composer in history EVER received THREE seperate paychecks for the same piece of music?

Barry DeVorzen did.

He composed a romantic theme for the film Bless The Beasts And The Children, and several years after that film was well forgotten, he recycled the theme for the Olympics as Nadia's Theme, and then once more for the TV soap The Young And The Restless!!!