The Avengers / New Avengers (adventure, starring Patrick MacNee)

     (ABC Primetime, 1966 - 1969;
       Syndicated in the U.S.;
       "The New Avengers" ran on CBS Primetime, 1978 - 1979;
       CBS Reruns aired as part of "The CBS Late Movie", circa 1979 - 1982)

     [a stylish 60's British import that first ran on the BBC
      from 1961 through 1965. The series was a mixture of a
      secret agent adventure with whimsical 60's diversions; in
      the original episodes, shown only in Britain, the plot had
      centered around a man "avenging" the death of his wife, who
      was aided in this effort by Patrick MacNee; 

      After awhile, MacNee's character "John Steed" got involved
      with episodes involving Cathy Gale who played sexy "Honor
      Blackman"; and eventually both of them were revealed to
      be British government secret agents;

      By the time The Avengers was exported to the US in 1966, it
      was only known as a "spy adventure"; And a new character had
      appeared -- "Mrs. Emma Peel" played by Diana Rigg -- a talented
      amateur with a thirst for adventure; Honor Blackman exited;

      The evolving convoluted premise was in some ways "The Fugitive"
      meets "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." and Mrs. Marple -- or Jessica
      Fletcher of "Murder She Wrote" -- and the "Avenging" arc 
      which started it all in motion was part of the unknown and 
      by now irrelevant series "backstory".

      After a solid three-year run on ABC, the series became a 
      kind of cult classic; and proved it had "legs" in Syndication;
      which inevitably led to an attempt at a sequel...which again
      starred MacNee and newcomers Joanna Lumley and Gareth Hunt;
      the sequel marked the end of the saga after a year, but
      it sometimes showed up being aired as part of "The CBS Late
      Movie" when CBS had nothing better to do.]


Theme 1 (1961 - 1965, 1991): "Avengers Theme"

    [above is title as filed for US copyright and in ASCAP and 
     BMI databases; this THEME was only heard in Britain until
     episodes were re-run in 1991 as part of "The CBS Late Movie"]

     Composer: Johnny Dankworth (British PRS/ASCAP/BMI)
              [professional name of John Philip William Dankworth]

     1978 Publisher: Essex Mus. Inter., Inc. (ASCAP); and
                     Key Music, Ltd. of London (PRS)

     2001 Publishers: Essex Music International, Inc. (ASCAP)
                         c/o The Richmond Organization
                         of New York, NY; and
                      David Platz Music, Inc. (USA) (BMI)
                         of Verona, NJ

     Creation Date: 1961

    [note: despite the creation date of 1961, it took another
     25 years for a US copyright filing...no doubt due to the
     revival interest in THEME recordings...]

     US Copyright Date: Feb 11, 1986; PAu-810-019.

     Recordings:


Theme 2 (1966 - 1969; Synd.): "Avengers Theme (from Television [Series])"

    [above is title in ASCAP ACE database;

     ASCAP title variations:
        aka: "Avengers Theme";
        aka: "Avengers TV Theme"; 
     
     BMI title variations:
        aka: "Avengers Title Caption";
        aka: "Avengers";
     
     Original title:
        aka: "The Shake";

     This was the THEME most US viewers associated with the series
     during its various showings on ABC and CBS and in Syndication;
     
     It was in the "Go-go 1960's" that Laurie Johnson first recorded
     this piece as a kind of dance tune ala "The Frug" under it's 
     first title: "The Shake"; But after it was repurposed for TV, 
     no one remembered it as "The Shake"; From then on, it was only
     known as "The Avengers Theme";

     The "Avengers Title Caption" was the introductory logo motif
     which segued into the THEME]

     Composer: Laurie Johnson (British PRS/ASCAP/BMI)
              [professional name of Laurence Reginald Ward Johnson]

     1978 Publisher: M. Witmark and Sons (ASCAP); and
                     Warner Bros./Seven Arts, Ltd. (ASCAP)

     2001 Publishers: M. Witmark & Sons (ASCAP),
                         c/o Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.,
                         of Los Angeles, CA; and
                      David Platz Music, Inc. (USA) (BMI)
                         of Verona, NJ

     US Copyright Date:
     US Renewal Date:

     Recordings:
           CD: "The Avengers and other Top Sixties TV Themes" (1998)
                Various Artists
               (a 2-CD set)
                Sequel Records (British)
                SEM CD 976

           CD: "...With A Vengeance" ("The Easy Project") (1997)
                Laurie Johnson conducting the studio orchestra
               (a re-release of a Pye LP)
                Sequel Records (British)
                SEM CD 935

           CD: "The Rose and the Gun -- 
                    the Music of Laurie Johnson" (1992)
                Laurie Johnson conducting the 
                    London Studio Symphony Orchestra
                FLY Records c/o Polygram International
                FLY CD 103


Sequel Theme 3 (1978 - 1979): "[The] New Avengers"

     This THEME used the same INTRO as above (called "Avengers 
     Title Caption"); but then segued into a wah-wah guitar disco
     beat and a less-recognizable THEME with accented brass figures]

     Composer: Laurie Johnson (British PRS/ASCAP/BMI)
              [professional name of Laurence Reginald Ward Johnson]

     1978 Publisher: M. Witmark and Sons (ASCAP); and
                     Warner Bros./Seven Arts, Ltd. (ASCAP)

     2001 Publishers: M. Witmark & Sons (ASCAP),
                         c/o Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.,
                         of Los Angeles, CA

     US Copyright Date:
     US Renewal Date:

     Recordings:
           CD: "The Rose and the Gun -- 
                    the Music of Laurie Johnson" (1992)
                Laurie Johnson conducting the 
                    London Studio Symphony Orchestra
                FLY Records c/o Polygram International
                FLY CD 103



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