(ABC Daytime, 1965 - 1973; ABC Primetime, 1966 - 1970; Syndicated, as "The New Dating Game", 1973, 1977 - 1980, 1986; Syndicated, as "The All-New Dating Game", 1988) [One of the first TV quiz shows to cross into "reality" territory -- meaning that after the show, contestants actually went on a date -- was this series produced by that over-achiever Chuck Barris, a Philadelphia-born man who got his start working backstage at Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" -- who produced and sometimes hosted several other shows like "The Newleywed Game" and his most well-known hosting effort, "The Gong Show"; Barris was also a budding songwriter -- he wrote the 1962 song "Palisades Park" which was recorded by Freddy Cannon -- a recording that reached #3 on the Billboard "Hot 100" pop singles chart and got to #15 on the Billboard "R & B" (Rhythm & Blues) chart; So even as he began producing and hosting shows, Barris wrote or collaborated on several of their catchy theme tunes as well; Even Michael Jackson appeared on "The Dating Game" at one time... no doubt an appearance orchestrated by his publicist; The show had been such a big hit in the 1960s and early 1970s that no less than 4 attempts at syndication were made -- it was attempted three times under the name "The New Dating Game" hosted by Jim Lange twice and then by Elaine Joyce; following that was the fourth and final attempt called "The All-New Dating Game" in 1988 hosted by Jeff MacGregor; It now lives in perpetual re-run heaven on "The Game Show Network" (a cable-TV network.]
[Chuck Barris collaborated with Milton DeLugg and sometimes Anne Renfer DeLugg on a number of early game show themes that Barris produced and hosted; But this one seems to have begun as a 1959 instrumental composition written six years before "The Dating Game" first aired -- published by Steve Allen's music publishing company -- Rosemeadow; although it appears to have been sold to Barris's firm later; The original composers were the DeLuggs in collaboration with Dick Hyman (another radio/TV organist) and Stanley Clayton; it ended up with shared ASCAP royalties that included Chuck Barris -- although copyright records make no mention of Barris -- only the other four composers were listed in the official filings.] Composers: Milton De Lugg (ASCAP), Anne Renfer De Lugg (ASCAP), Richard R. ("Dick") Hyman (ASCAP) [professional name of Richard R. Hyman], Chuck Barris (ASCAP) [professional name of Charles Hirsch Barris], and Stanley Clayton (BMI) [pseudonym of Robert Thiele] 1978 Publisher: Rosemeadow Pub. Corp. (ASCAP) 2006 Publishers: Amy Dee Music Corporation (ASCAP) of Los Angeles, CA; and Game Show Network Music, LLC (ASCAP) c/o Sony/ATV Tunes, LLC of Nashville, TN; and Barris Productions Music, Inc. (BMI) of Culver City, CA Copyright Date: April 6, 1959; Eu 571 098. Renewal Date: Dec. 1, 1987; RE-359-624. Recordings:
[Producer-host Chuck Barris was composer or co-writer on most of the television series which he created; Like many in the 1960's this one had an arrangement very similar to the popular instrumental group of the day, "The Tijuana Brass" and the second Herb Alpert group "The Baja Marimba Band."] Composers: David N. Mook (BMI), and Chuck Barris (ASCAP) [professional name of Charles Hirsch Barris] 1978 Publisher: [not found in the 1978 "ASCAP Index of Performed Compositions"] 2006 Publishers: Game Show Network Music, LLC (ASCAP) c/o Sony/ATV Tunes, LLC of Nashville, TN; Unichappel Music, Inc. (BMI) c/o Warner-Chappell of Los Angeles, CA; Barris Productions Music, Inc. (BMI) of Culver City, CA; and Little A Music (January) (BMI) div. of Schroeder International LLC of New York, NY Composition Date: Copyright Date: Dec. 28, 1965; Eu 919 436. Renewal Date: Jan. 11, 1993; RE-615-843. Recordings:
[During the 1960's Phil Bodner had an instrumental group called "The Brass Ring" that featured two harmonizing saxophones, much like "The Tijuana Brass" and "The Baja Marimba Band" often featured harmonizing pairs of trumpets; Bodner's group was marketed as "The Now Sound" -- and so this South-of-the-Border happy party sound was influential in pop music for a fleeting moment during the early 1960s -- before the strident anti-war heavy metal bore down on the culture; This composition appears in the "ASCAP 1978 Index of Performed Compositions", and may have been the origin or genesis of "The Dating Game Show Theme" that was arranged by Chuck Barris and given royalties above; or it may have been a different theme tune used for reruns or the syndicated version of the series.] Composer: Philip L. ("Phil") Bodner (ASCAP) 1978 Publisher: American Broadcasting Music (ASCAP) div. of ABC-Television network of New York, NY 2006 Publisher: Universal MCA Music Publishing (ASCAP) c/o Universal Music Publishing Group of Los Angeles, CA Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings:
[Producer-host Chuck Barris's "Dating Game Show" theme was arranged in a style very reminiscent of the popular 1960's instrumental group, "The Tijuana Brass" led by Herb Alpert; Barris selected this hit tune written by Julius Wechter of the "Baja Marimba Band" (another A & M records group produced by Herb Alpert); The first recordings of this tune were by both Alpert's "Tijuana Brass" and the "Baja Marimba Band" itself; as a "walk-on" bridge theme for "The Dating Game"; It was used when prospective daters were introduced to the audience -- unseen by contestants who sat on the other side of a stage "flat"; Because this tune was so well-known, people often mistakenly think this was the Main theme of "The Dating Game"; The instrumental later had a lyric added by Cissy Wechter.] Composer: Julius L. Wechter (ASCAP) 1978 Publisher: Almo Music Corp. (ASCAP) 2006 Publisher: Almo Music Corp. (ASCAP) c/o Rondor Music International, Inc. of Los Angeles, CA Unpublished Copyright Date: Sep. 24, 1965; Eu 904 120. Unpublished Renewal Date: Jan. 4, 1993; RE-608-260. Published Copyright Date: Sep. 30, 1965; EP 207 878. Published Renewal Date: Jan. 4, 1993; RE-608-219. Recordings: