Death Valley Days (western adventure)

     (First-run Syndication
      episodes produced 1952 - 1975)

     [Alternate rerun and syndication titles:

     "The Pioneers"        (1960), hosted by Will Rogers, Jr.;
     "Trails West"         (1962), hosted by Ray Milland;
     "Western Star Theatre"(1963), hosted by Rory Calhoun;
     "Frontier Adventure"  (1968), hosted by Dale Robertson;
     "Call Of The West"    (1969), hosted by John Payne;

     Originated as a New York radio series in 1930; its original
     long-running sponsor was The Borax Company (now known as Rio 
     Tinto Borax) makers of 20 Mule Team Borax laundry detergent 
     and Boraxo hand soap; The main ingredient -- borate -- came out
     of a Death Valley pit mine near the town of Boron, California
     after the discovery of the substance there in 1879;

     In the late 1800s mule teams were used to carry borate from the
     desert, hence the phrase "20 Mule Team"; today most of the 
     Borax company's products are used as agricultural and chemical 
     additives used in everything from water softeners to laundry
     starch to permanent wave hair style kits;

     Hosts of the First Run "Death Valley Days" series included:
      
     (1952 - 1963) Character actor Stanley Andrews as "The Old Ranger";
     (1963 - 1965) Ronald Reagan;
     (1965 - 1968) Robert Taylor and Rosemary DeCamp;
     (1968 - 1970) Dale Robertson;
     (1975)        Merle Haggard]


Opening Signature: "Borax Trumpet Call"

    [Above is the title on the 1930 copyright and 1958 renewal;
     with a subtitle: "Death Valley Days trumpet signature...in B-flat";
     a solo trumpet introduction used as a signature on both the TV and
     radio series as well; the ASCAP title: "Death Valley Days"]

     Composer: Josef Bonime (ASCAP)

     1978 Publisher: [listed without publisher in the 1978 ASCAP 
                      Index of Performed Compositions]

     1999 Publisher: [listed without publisher in the 1999 ASCAP 
                      ACE Repertoire database]

     Copyright Date: Sep.  18, 1930; Eu  27 996.
     Renewal   Date: April 17, 1958;  R 213 082.

     Recordings: 


Theme 1 (1952 - 1961): "Twenty Mule Train"

     Composers: music by Herb Taylor (ASCAP), and
                lyric by Milton W. ("Milt") Raskin (ASCAP)

     1978 Publisher: John Paul Music (ASCAP)

     1999 Publisher: John Paul Music (ASCAP),
                        of Los Angeles, CA

    [vocal version]:
     Published Copyright Date: Dec. 23, 1957; EP 116 311.
     Published Renewal   Date:

     Recordings: 
         78 rpm in the "Mutel" (Music For Television) library,
      and 78 rpm reference disks in the Capitol "Q" Series library.
           Q- 99:3 Theme No. 216 OPENING (Western-Full)
           Q- 99:4 Theme No. 216 CLOSING (Western-Full)
           Q-101:2 Theme No. 216 LONG Version (Western)


Theme 2: "Death Valley Days (M and ET)"

    [because Herschel Gilbert owns the publishing company John
     Paul Music, he may have contracted the above THEME by Herb
     Taylor and Milt Raskin as a "work for hire" originally;
     Another possibility is an introduction to "Twenty Mule Train"
     that was inserted in order to claim ASCAP credits.]

     Composer: Herschel Burke Gilbert (ASCAP)

     1978 Publisher: John Paul Music (ASCAP)

     1999 Publisher: John Paul Music (ASCAP),
                        of Los Angeles, CA

     Copyright Date:
     Renewal   Date:

     Recordings:


Theme 3 [synd. title theme, 1962] : "Trails West (Signature)"

    [It's possible that this THEME was the same music as the
    "Western Star Theatre (M & E)" below, under a different
     syndication title] 

     Composers: Marlin H. Skiles (ASCAP)

     1978 Publisher: International Mus. Assn. (ASCAP)
                        of San Diego, CA

     2001 Publisher: International Music Associates (ASCAP),
                        of Washougal, WA

     Copyright Date:
     Renewal   Date:

     Recordings:


Theme 4 [synd. title theme, 1963] : "Western Star Theatre (M & E)"

    [its possible that this THEME was the same music as the
    "Trails West (Signature)" above under a different
     syndication title]

     Composers: Marlin H. Skiles (ASCAP)

     1978 Publisher: International Mus. Assn. (ASCAP)
                        of San Diego, CA

     2001 Publisher: International Music Associates (ASCAP),
                        of Washougal, WA

     Copyright Date:
     Renewal   Date:

     Recordings:


Theme 5 [synd. title theme, 1969] : "Call Of The West (Sig) (M & E)"

    [its possible that this THEME was the same music as the
    "Trails West (Signature)" above under a different
     syndication title]

     Composers: Marlin H. Skiles (ASCAP)

     1978 Publisher: International Mus. Assn. (ASCAP)
                        of San Diego, CA

     2001 Publisher: International Music Associates (ASCAP),
                        of Washougal, WA

     Copyright Date:
     Renewal   Date:

     Recordings:



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