(NBC Early Evening, 1947 - Present)
["NBC Telenews" - a assembly of footage from MGM-Hearst
theatrical newsreels hosted by Hearst producer
Paul Alley -- which had started airing on the
local New York NBC station WNBT before airing
on the network (circa 1947);
"Camel Newsreel Theatre" a 10-minute Fox/Movietone Newsreel
narrated off-screen by John Cameron Swayze
Feb., 1948 - Feb., 1949;
"Camel News Caravan" a 15-minute newscast
hosted on-camera by John Cameron Swayze,
Feb., 1949 - Oct., 1956;
"The Huntley-Brinkley Report" a 15 minute newscast until
1963, when it expanded to 30 minutes a night,
with reporters Chet Huntley and David Brinkley
Oct., 1956 - July, 1970;
"NBC Nightly News"
with David Brinkley
July, 1970 - Aug., 1971;
"NBC Nightly News"
with John Chancellor, and commentator David Brinkley
Aug., 1971 - Oct., 1979;
"NBC Nightly News"
with John Chancellor
Oct., 1979 - April, 1982;
"NBC Nightly News"
with co-anchors Tom Brokaw and Roger Mudd
April, 1982 - Sept., 1983;
"NBC News At Sunrise"
with Connie Chung
August., 1983
"NBC Nightly News"
with Tom Brokaw
Sept., 1983 - Dec. 1, 2004
"NBC Nightly News"
with Brian Williams
Dec. 2, 2004 - Present
In the years 1958 - 1963 each half of the Huntley-Brinkley news team
had their own news analysis shows:
"Chet Huntley Reporting" from 1958 - 1963; and
"David Brinkley's Journal" from 1961 - 1963]
[Swayze had come from Kansas City to Hollywood and then
joined NBC in New York, creating the quiz show "Who Said That?"
on which he was also a panelist. His news narrating job for Fox/
Movietone led to being in front of the camera when NBC decided
it was time for a network newscaster to be seen as well as heard.
Before he was given the network opportunity, he hosted a twice-a-week
broadcast on the New York NBC affiliate -- WNBT -- where he admitted
later, he was chosen more for his looks than his news skills.
He was quoted as saying the "audition" for this first news job
consisted of several candidates for the position sitting in a
row without speaking while producers looked them over... ]
Composer: John Marion Gart
Orig. Publisher: [listed in ASCAP Index of Performed Compositions
of 1978, without publisher]
2000 Publisher: Music Sales Corp. (ASCAP),
of New York, NY
Copyright Date:
Recordings:
[an as yet unidentified library track]
Composer: under investigation
Original Publisher:
1997 Publisher:
Copyright Date:
Recordings:
["Royal Pride" on the Bruton Music CD;
"Royal Command" in the Chappell Mood Music Library]
Composer: Charles Williams (British PRS/ASCAP)
[professional name of Isaac Cozerbreit]
Original Publisher: Chappell & Co., Ltd. (British) (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: Marlowlynn Ltd.,
a Zomba Company (British)
1997 US Publisher: Jim Long Companies Inc. (Music Div.) (ASCAP)
of Dallas, TX
[as "Royal Pride"]:
Copyright Date: 1943, from the Bruton CD liner notes
[as "Royal Command", published by Chappell & Co. Ltd. of London]:
U.S. Copyright Date: Feb. 7, 1950; EFO-1908.
Recordings:
78rpm single in the Chappell Mood Music Library
Queen's Hall Light Orchestra
conducted by Charles Williams
Chappell C205
CD Re-issue: "Royal Pride" on
"The Vintage Collection 2"
Bruton Music Ltd., a Zomba Company
BRO16
[available only through the
Robert Farnon Society]
[based upon the three-note "NBC Chimes" motif]
Composer/Arranger: Ray Ellis (ASCAP/BMI)
[professional name of Raymond S. Ellis]
Original Publisher: probably Blackwood Music (BMI)
1997 Publisher: probably EMI/Blackwood Music (BMI)
Copyright Date:
Recordings:
[This tune was formerly attributed to Henry Purcell as
the "Trumpet Tune and Air in D"; but then scholars
changed their minds and said that the tune was
really written by Jeremiah Clarke and had the
name "Trumpet Voluntary"; The debate may not
yet be completely settled...]
Composer: Jeremiah Clarke (predates ASCAP & BMI)
Original Publisher:
1997 Publisher: [Public Domain]
Original Composition Date: circa 1700
Recordings: [numerous]
[used behind closing credits only]
Composer: Ludwig von Beethoven (predates ASCAP & BMI)
Original Publisher: B. Schotts, Soene, Mainz and Paris
of Vienna, Austria and Paris, France
Publication Date [first edition]: August, 1826
1997 Publisher: [Public Domain]
Original Composition Date: 1822 - 1824
Recordings: [numerous]
[according to David R. Jackson who corresponded with ASCAP
about this theme, it aired beginning in the first quarter
of 1962...so that would make its use as a theme from
1962 - 1977 before the following Mancini theme first appeared.]
Composer: Irwin A. ("Bud") Bazelon (ASCAP)
Original Publisher: Stein & Van Stock, Inc. (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
c/o EMI Music Publishing
of New York, NY
Copyright Date: Aug. 5, 1963; EU 783 446.
Renewal Date: June 25, 1991; RE-535-676.
Recordings:
Composer: Henry Mancini (ASCAP)
[professional name of Enrico Nicola Mancini]
Original Publisher: Hollywood Music (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: All Nations Music (ASCAP),
of Beverly Hills, CA
Copyright Date: 1977, on photocopy of Sheet Music
Recordings:
45rpm single: Henry Mancini and his Orchestra
RCA PB-11423 (1978)
LP: "The Theme Scene"
Henry Mancini and his Orchestra
RCA AQLI-3052 (1978)
LP: "Best of Mancini, Vol. 3"
Henry Mancini and his Orchestra
RCA AQLI-3347 (1979)
[Original title: "Decision '76";
revised as "Decision '78";
revised as "Decision '80";
ASCAP title variation on Cue Sheets: "Decision '84"; and revised
finally as "Decision '88 -- Salute To The President"; and
ASCAP title variation on Cue Sheets: "Decision '92"]
Composer: Henry Mancini (ASCAP)
[professional name of Enrico Nicola Mancini]
Orig. Publisher: Hollyweed Music (ASCAP),
a div. of Henry Mancini Enterprises, Inc.
2000 Publisher: Universal Music Publishing (ASCAP),
a div. of Universal Studios, Inc.
of Los Angeles, CA
[Orig. version, "Decision '76"]:
Copyright Date: June 28, 1976; Eu 647 779.
[Updated arr. as "Decision '78"]:
Copyright Date: Dec. 1, 1978; PAu-78-530.
[Updated arr. as "Decision '80"]:
Copyright Date: Nov. 14, 1979; PAu-174-087.
[Updated arr. as "Decision '88, aka: Salute To The President"]:
Copyright Date: Nov. 16, 1987; PAu-1-042-429.
Recordings:
[an arrangement using electronic synthesizer, based upon
the three-note "NBC Chimes" motif;
In the BMI database, both for the Original and in 1997, additional
ASCAP Publishers were mentioned but not identified. In the ASCAP
ACE database, no work by this title was found.]
Composer: *Traditional* [Bell chimes motif], with
Adapters: Joseph Paul ("Joe") Sicurella (ASCAP),
Tony Smythe (BMI), and
Bob Christianson (BMI)
Original Publisher: Blackwood Music, (BMI)
c/o NBC-Television
of New York, NY
1997 Publisher: Living Music (BMI),
c/o EMI Blackwood Music
of New York, NY
Composition Date: probably 1982
Copyright Date:
Recordings:
[aka: "The Mission";
aka: "NBC News Theme";
In a preface to the full orchestral score of this work,
John Williams states he composed it in 1984.
An article on News Themes reported the first date that
this THEME aired was Sept. 9, 1985;
Several versions of this THEME and its counter-melodies
and secondary themes were filed for copyright separately
under the following titles...(presumably "The Mission"
was N B C News Theme No. 3)...
aka: "Scherzo for Today (N B C News Theme No. 1)";
aka: "The Pulse of Events" (N B C News Theme No. 2)";
aka: "Fugue for the Changing Times" (N B C News Theme No. 4)"]
Composer: John Towner Williams (ASCAP/BMI)
Original Publishers: John Williams
d.b.a. Deep Dell Music (BMI); and
Blackwood Music (BMI),
c/o NBC-Television
of New York, NY
1997 Publishers: Deep Dell Music (BMI); and
Living Music (BMI),
c/o EMI Blackwood Music
of New York, NY
[as "The Mission Theme (N B C News)"]:
Copyright Date: Sep. 29, 1986; PAu-891-892.
Renewal Date:
[as "Scherzo for Today (N B C News Theme No. 1)"]:
Copyright Date: Sep. 29, 1986; PAu-895-809.
Renewal Date:
[as "The Pulse of Events" (N B C News Theme No. 2)"]:
Copyright Date: Sep. 29, 1986; PAu-895-808.
Renewal Date:
[as "Fugue for the Changing Times" (N B C News Theme No. 4)"]:
Copyright Date: Sep. 29, 1986; PAu-883-043.
Renewal Date:
Recordings:
LP: "By Request--Best of John Williams
and the Boston Pops"
John Williams conducting the
Boston Pops Orchestra
Phillips 420.178-1 (1987)
[above is title as filed for copyright; this open THEME was first
used for the "NBC Sunrise" show (1974) which had a looser format
similar to "Today" and the first show titled "Early Today",
which had been attempted from 1982 - 1983 just prior to this
name and format change focusing on News...]
Composer: Ray Ellis (ASCAP/BMI)
[professional name of Raymond S. Ellis]
Original Publisher: Living Music, Inc. (BMI)
2001 Publisher: Living Music, Inc. (BMI)
c/o EMI Blackwood,
a div. of EMI Music Publishing
of New York, NY
Copyright Date: Dec. 10, 1974; Eu 541 474.
Renewal Date:
Recordings:
[above is title as per BMI;
It is possible that this may be derived from "The Mission"
THEME by Williams written as a Nightly News THEME in 1986
since no separate copyright has yet been found by Williams
under this title...]
Composer: John Towner Williams (ASCAP/BMI)
Original Publisher: Living Music, Inc. (BMI)
2001 Publisher: Living Music, Inc. (BMI)
c/o EMI Blackwood,
a div. of EMI Music Publishing
of New York, NY
Copyright Date:
Renewal Date:
Recordings: