What are examples of library music in US TV themes?

[kpmhill]

Who has some examples of library music in US TV themes?

I don’t think we have an equivalent for Grange Hill. The only thing that immediately comes to mind for me is “People’s Court,” using Alan Tew's "The Big One.”

[Retronic]

That’s the first one I think of. Maybe stateside friends know others.

[kpmhill]

It seems like there would be something – maybe less mainstream than People’s Court. But I’m not coming up with anything…

[kpmhill]

I mentioned this in a related thread by Skeewiff on fb today:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=804498444576468

[Lord Thames]

The best known examples seem to be in sport - Monday Night Football famously using Johnny Pearson's Heavy Action, while This Week In Baseball used Mike Vickers' Jet Set and John Scott's Gathering Crowds.

Some US game shows also used library - there's one (can't remember which) that used some Golden Ring tracks, and the 1987 revival of Blockbusters used Richard Myhill's Run Don't Walk, but embellished with extra brass in a version that seems to be unique to the show.

[Metacity]

While a lot of theme music for local news in the U.S. is bespoke (which makes for a far more difficult treasure hunt - albeit not an impossible one ), there's a lot of examples of library tracks being used too. In fact, that's how I meandered over this way.

For two quick examples out of many others, here's WTVT in Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL using Keith Mansfield's Prestige Theme 1 on KPM-1066 ...

... and KTSP (now KSAZ) in Phoenix, AZ using Bruton - Best Endeavours from BRG 25, a track far more famous in the U.K. as the theme to Channel 4 News.

[kpmhill]

Thanks for the tips! Surprisingly rare, aside from sports & local news…

[Retronic]

Yes, Heavy Action- forgot about that.  Great track.  I love Johnny Pearson's use of strings on this LP.

[apmnut]

In the world of childrens' TV over here in the US, one example I can think of is Edward White's sprightly ditty "Puffin' Billy" from Chappell, repurposed for many years as the theme to the "Captain Kangaroo" show.

On a more local scale, the local Chicago series "Garfield Goose and His Friends" used one of Robert Farnon's "Sounding Brass" tracks for Chappell as an opening fanfare. The main theme itself ("Monkey on a String", performed by organist Ethel Smith) isn't library, however, although the composer (Denes Agay) composed some ditties for Sam Fox.

[Don M Yowp]

By "library music," do you mean ENGLISH library music? Capitol Hi-Q is a library, and it was the source of the theme of "The Donna Reed Show."

The Goodson-Todman panel shows used various library cues. "What's My Line?" featured Wilfred Bruns' "Melody in Moccasins" in the opening and Henri Rene's version of "Roller Coaster" at the end. Dolf van der Linden's "Peter Pan" was the original theme for "To Tell The Truth," to name a couple of shows.

Yowp
https://yowpyowp.blogspot.com

[kpmhill]

…one example I can think of is Edward White's sprightly ditty "Puffin' Billy" from Chappell, repurposed for many years as the theme to the "Captain Kangaroo" show.

Good one!

[kpmhill]

The Goodson-Todman panel shows used various library cues. "What's My Line?" featured Wilfred Bruns' "Melody in Moccasins" in the opening and Henri Rene's version of "Roller Coaster" at the end. Dolf van der Linden's "Peter Pan" was the original theme for "To Tell The Truth," to name a couple of shows.

Thanks!

[AverageLibraryMusicFan]

Another example I can of think of is Frank Sterling's "Moviescope" which was used as the theme song for WGN's Family Classics hosted by Frazier Thomas and aired in Chicago from 1962 to 1984. The theme would later be re-arranged for the next two incarnations of the program in the 1990s and 2010s respectively.

[Craig-UK]

I collect World Championship Wrestling (WCW) themes and they have used quite a few production tracks for their regular TV, such as:
"Dynamics (a)" (KPM) for World Championship Wrestling (1982-1987); Best of Championship Wrestling (1985-1987); Championship Wrestling (1985-1989); World Championship Wrestling - Sunday Edition (1986-1988)

"Trans-Am Highway" (KPM) for World Championship Wrestling (1987-1989)

"World Cup Shuffle" (Castle Music) for Power Hour (1989-1993)

"Drive Train Open (Vamp)" (Non-Stop Music) for Prime Wrestling (1995-1997)

"Touchdown" (Cavendish) for Pro Wrestling (1990-1992)

"Accidents Happen" (AirCraft Music) for Pro Wrestling (1995-1998)

"Rock & Groove" (De Wolfe) for Saturday Night (1998)

"Bad Seed" (JW Media) for Saturday Night (1998-1999)

"Positive Hits" (Themes International) for World Championship Super Bouts (1987-1988)

"Out To Lunch" (Atmosphere) for Thunder (1998-2000)

"Diamond Head" (Major Records) for World Wide Wrestling (1975-1978)

and "Chemistry of Sound" (De Wolfe) for World Wide Wrestling (2001)

[potzorbie]

Not strictly US per se but North America (I grew up in Pennsylvania watching this show). SCTV, a Canadian show, used a library track for its season 2 & 3 opening.