Dragnet (police drama, starring Jack Webb)

     (NBC Primetime, 1952 - 1959;
      Syndicated, as "Badge 714";

      revival as "Dragnet '67", "Dragnet '68", etc, on
      NBC Primetime, 1967 - 1970;
      Syndicated as "Dragnet");

     [premiered as a radio series in 1947;
      TV premiere as a 1951 episode of "Chesterfield Sound-Off Time";
      originally Produced by Jack Webb's "Mark VII Productions"]


Open Theme: "Dragnet Main Title", aka: "Danger Ahead"

    [the Dragnet Main Title was a very familiar motif, which became very
     well known. A record of the Main Title open and closing credits 
     march was made by Ray Anthony with a "jazzed-up" (or "jitterbug")
     mid-section. Dick Reynolds is believed to have written this
     historic arrangement for the Anthony band, which was one of
     the first times a TV theme had success in the pop music market.

     After Anthony's jazz single rose high on the Billboard sales chart
     (Billboard position #2), a similarity was noticed between the short 
     "dum-de-dum-dum" Dragnet opening, and a cue written by veteran film 
     scorer Miklós Rózsa, in his music for the 1946 film "The Killers".
     
     According to the Internet Movie Database, the motif in question
     "can be found prominently in the restaurant shootout scene toward
     the end of the film."

     Although the Universal picture had been scored six years earlier,
     and Dragnet had aired on radio since 1947 with no complaints,
     after the Dragnet Theme achieved success on the record charts,
     the publisher who brought suit--Robbins Music--contended that
     Walter Schumann had access to "The Killers", since he was on
     same film lot scoring Abbott and Costello pictures.

     It is not clear how a person busy scoring comedy pictures would have
     time or inclination to go around the studio, listening to other cues.
     But one of the bases for plagiarism is having the opportunity to
     hear it. Since Schumann was somewhere on the studio lot, that was
     considered enough "access" for legal purposes.

     So Robbins Music sued Schumann for plagiarism. Although the
     conscious intent to copy was doubtful, a jury was convinced by 
     the publisher's lawyers, and so awarded a judgement to Robbins 
     Music. As part of the settlement, Miklós Rózsa's name was added to 
     Dragnet cue sheets, under the cue title "Danger Ahead" -- the name 
     used in Rózsa's score for "The Killers". Walter Schumann, in frail 
     health, did not live much longer after that

     According to contributor T. Perrone, the arranger of the famous
     1953 hit version recorded by Ray Anthony's band with it's
     jitterbug-style middle section, was Dick Reynolds -- whose
     version was selected over arrangements by two others who had 
     been commissioned by Ray Anthony to adapt and expand the famous 
     TV Theme into a popular arrangement which was the length of a 
     record side (approx. 2 1/2 - 3 min.)]

     Composers: Miklós Rózsa (ASCAP/BMI), and
                Walter Schumann (ASCAP)

     Original Publisher [of "Dragnet Original Music":] 
                         Schumann Music Company (ASCAP),
                         sole selling agent: Alamo Music Co.,
                         administered by: Chappell & Co.
                         of New York, NY

     1978 Publishers [of "Dragnet Original Music":] 
                         Anne Rachel Music (ASCAP)
                     [of "The Killers" cues:] 
                         Robbins Music Corp. (ASCAP)

     1998 Publishers: Dragnet Music Company (ASCAP)
                         of Knoxville, Tennessee; and
                      EMI/Robbins Catalog, Inc. (ASCAP)
                         c/o EMI Music Publishing, Inc.
                         of New York, NY

    [as "The Killers"]:
     Creation Date: 1946

    [as "Dragnet Orig. Music"]:
     Creation Date: 1953

    [as "Themes from Dragnet"]:
     Copyright Date: Aug. 19, 1953; Ep 74 835.
     Renewal   Date: 

     Recordings:
        78rpm single: "Dragnet"
                       by Ray Anthony
                       Capitol 2562 [1953]

        45rpm single: "Dragnet"
                       by Ray Anthony
                       Capitol MA-1-1587 [1953]

        Re-issued single: "Dragnet"
                       by Ray Anthony
                       Capitol 6102 [1967]


        CD Re-creation: "Television's Greatest Hits" Vol. 2
                        TeeVee Toons TVT 1100 CD [1986]
    
        CD:           "Dragnet--the Movie"
                      (soundtrack, arr. Ira Newborn)
                      MCA MCAD 6210 [1987]  


Closing Credits Theme 1: "Dragnet March"

     Composer: Walter Schumann (ASCAP)

     Original Publisher: Schumann Music Company (ASCAP),
                         sole selling agent: Alamo Music Co.,
                         administered by: Chappell & Co.
                         of New York, NY

     1978 Publisher: Anne Rachel Music (ASCAP)

     1998 Publisher: Dragnet Music Company (ASCAP)
                         of Knoxville, Tennessee

    [as "Themes from Dragnet"]:
     Copyright Date: Aug. 19, 1953; Ep 74 835.
     Renewal   Date:

     Recordings:
        78rpm single: "Dragnet"
                       by Ray Anthony
                       Capitol 2562 [1953]

        45rpm single: "Dragnet"
                       by Ray Anthony
                       Capitol MA-1-1587 [1953]

        Re-issued single: "Dragnet"
                       by Ray Anthony
                       Capitol 6102 [1967]

        CD Re-creation: "Television's Greatest Hits" Vol. 2
                        TeeVee Toons TVT 1100 CD [1986]
     
        CD:           "Dragnet--the Movie"
                      (soundtrack, arr. Ira Newborn)
                       MCA MCAD 6210 [1987] 


Closing Credits Theme 2 [for Dragnet '67]: "Dragnet Closing (End Title)"

     [title as filed for copyright: "One-K-80-March";
      aka: "Dragnet Closing Theme"]

     Composer: Lyn Murray (ASCAP) 
              [pseudonym of Lionel Breeze]

     1978 Publisher: Leeds Music Corp. (ASCAP)

     1998 Publisher: MCA/On Backstreet Music (ASCAP),
                     c/o MCA/Music Pub. Division of Universal Studios
                     of Los Angeles, CA

     Copyright Date: Nov. 20, 1967; EP 246 143.
     Renewal   Date: Jan. 11, 1996; RE-722-427.

     Recordings:
        CD:  "Dragnet--the Movie" [in medley...]
              (soundtrack, arr. Ira Newborn)
                 MCA MCAD 6210 [1987]  


Mark VII Logo Tag: "Mark VII (Signature)"

     [a memorable visual for the day, scored for Timpani drum and Anvil,
      scoring the image of a man's sweaty hands, as they chisel the producer's 
      logo into a big piece of metal with a sledge hammer...a macho logo for
      Jack Webb's "Mark VII Productions."]

     Composer: Ray John Heindorf (ASCAP)

     1978 Publisher: Leeds Music Corp. (ASCAP)

     1998 Publisher: MCA/On Backstreet Music (ASCAP),
                     c/o MCA/Music Pub. Division of Universal Studios
                     of Los Angeles, CA

     Copyright Date:
     Renewal   Date:

     Recordings:


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