(NBC Primetime, 1953 - 1954, with host Red Benson; CBS Primetime, 1954 - 1959, with hosts Bill Cullen and George DeWitt; Syndicated, 1970 - 1974, with host Richard Hayes; NBC Daytime, 1974 - 1975, with host Dennis James; Syndicated, 1974 - 1980, with host Tom Kennedy; this version in 1976 aka: "The $100,000 Name That Tune"; NBC Primetime, 1977, with Tom Kennedy and Cathie Lee; Syndicated, 1984-, with host Jim Lange) [For over three decades this show created by bandleader Harry Salter was seen on television; It had been on radio since the 1940s; contestants raced across the stage to ring a bell, so it was an athletic contest as much as a musical one... ...however with the entropy of tuneful memorable music degrading into the tuneless melodies of rock and rap... contestants would today have a hard time recognizing the melody only -- of most such songs]
[Theme title for this composition listed in Craig Patillo's "TV Theme Soundtrack Directory", which mistakenly credits music to Harry Salter, who was the show's creator/producer as well as its bandleader. Ted Fiorito, co-writer of the THEME was a famous orchestra leader himself; his collaborator Robert "Bobo" King wrote many songs for publishing companies using various aliases including some feminine names. Under the name "Mary Earl", he wrote his biggest hit "Beautiful Ohio."] Composers: music by Ted Fiorito (ASCAP) and lyric by Mary Earl (ASCAP) [pseudonym of Robert A. "Bobo" King] Original Publisher: Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., Inc. (ASCAP) of New York, NY 1997 Publisher: [in the Public Domain] Copyright Date: Dec. 23, 1920; E 495 570. Renewal Date: Oct. 1, 1948; R 38 738. Recordings:
[title credit appeared in Patillo, but music credit was erroneously made to Harry Salter, who was the show's creator/producer as well as its bandleader, but who didn't write the THEME.] Composers: music by Irving Caesar (ASCAP) and lyrics by Harvey Bacal (ASCAP) Original Publisher: Arcot Music Publishing Co. (ASCAP) 1997 Publisher: Arcot Music Publishing Co. (ASCAP) c/o TV Gems, Inc. Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings:
Composer: Bob Alberti (ASCAP) Original Publisher: Rabar Music Co. (ASCAP) 1997 Publisher: Rabar Music Co. (ASCAP) c/o Ralph Edwards Productions Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings:
Composers: music by Tommy Oliver (ASCAP) and lyric by Bruce G. Belland (ASCAP) Original Publisher: Rabar Music Co. (ASCAP) 1997 Publisher: Rabar Music Co. (ASCAP) c/o Ralph Edwards Productions Copyright Date: July 27, 1977; EU 806 847. Renewal Date: Recordings:
Composers: Gary Edwards (ASCAP), Bruce G. Belland (ASCAP), and Stan Worth (ASCAP) Original Publisher: Rabar Music Co. (ASCAP) 1997 Publisher: Rabar Music Co. (ASCAP) c/o Ralph Edwards Productions Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings:
[information provided by Dave Mackey, who mentions that publisher Sandy Frank was also producer of the show, and who provided the correct sequence of syndicated themes above, corresponding to bandleaders Alberti, Oliver and Worth. Tommy Oliver also worked for Sandy Frank Productions on the quiz "Face The Music] Composer: music by Tommy Oliver (ASCAP), and lyric by Bruce G. Belland (ASCAP) Original Publisher: Rabar Music Company (ASCAP) c/o Ralph Edwards Productions 1997 Publishers: Sandy Frank Productions, Inc. (ASCAP) and T & S Music (ASCAP) Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings: