The Eleventh Hour (medical drama)

     (New York Local series on WNBT, 1954;
      NBC Primetime, 1962 - 1964)
      
     [Following on the success of their long-running Dr. Kildaire medical
      drama, MGM produced this series about a court-appointed psychaitrist,
      which was adapted from a local drama series aired in New York ten 
      years earlier starring Wendall Corey.
      
      Wendall Corey was again cast in the lead role, but after the 
      ratings sagged, he was replaced by actor Ralph Bellamy; and a
      new THEME was composed by Harry Sukman replacing the original
      theme based upon a library track, which had become a nationally 
      known melody through instrumental and vocal recordings during
      the late 1950s and early 1960s.
      
      Neither change boosted the ratings. So after two network seasons
      the series was dropped from the NBC lineup.]
      

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Theme 1 (1954): "The Film Opens"

     Composer: Cedric King Palmer (ASCAP)

     Original Publisher: W. Paxton & Co., Ltd. (ASCAP)
     
     1997 Publishers: Atmosphere Music, Ltd. [British]
                        [as seen on re-issue CD]
                        
     2004 Publishers: [not found in ASCAP or BMI databases]
                        
     Copyright Date: 
     
     Recordings:
          78rpm single: "The Film Opens"
                         in the Paxton Mood Music Library
     ReIssue:
          CD: "1940s Atmosphere Archive: drama, heritage and landscape"
               Atmosphere Music AACD-5 (reissue of 78rpm Mood Music single)
              [available via the Robert Farnon Society, England.]

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Theme 2 (1962 - 1963): "Eleventh Hour Theme", based upon "The Film Opens"

     [vocal title: "Eleventh Hour Melody";
    
     "Eleventh Hour Theme" was an instrumental adaptation of the 
      original Paxton Mood Music Library composition "The Film Opens"
      used for the local New York series. The adaptation of the 
      library track was made for commercial recordings, and during
      the 1950s and early 1960s both the instrumental and vocal
      version -- knwon as "Eleventh Hour Melody" -- became popular 
      as a romantic ballad.
      
      By the time MGM revived the series for the NBC network,
      some 10 years after its first appearance on local New York
      TV, its theme had already established a national audience]
     
     Adapters: music adapted by Winifred Palmer (ASCAP), and
               lyrics added by Carl Sigman (ASCAP)

     Original Publisher: W. Paxton & Co., Ltd. (ASCAP)
     
     1997 Publishers: Theodore Presser Company (ASCAP), and
                         The Songwriters Guild (ASCAP)
                         
     2004 Publishers: Theodore Presser Company (ASCAP)
                          of King Of Prussia, PA; and
                      Major Songs, Ltd.
                          c/o Bughouse
                          div. of Bug Music, Inc.
                          of Hollywood, CA
                         
     Copyright Date: 
     
     
     Recordings:
          45rpm single: "Eleventh Hour Melody" (vocal)
                         Decca 9-29789 (1955)
                         vocal by Al Hibbler

          45rpm single: "Eleventh Hour Melody" (instrumental)
                         Capitol F3349 (1956)
                         Lou Busch, piano with orchestra

          45rpm single: "Theme from The Eleventh Hour"
                         Kapp 533 (1963)
                         Roger Williams, piano with orchestra

          LP: "Young America Dances To TV's Greatest Themes"
              20th Century Fox TFM-3109/TFS-4109 (1963)
              Bill Ramal and his Orchestra

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Theme 3 (1963 - 1964): "Theme from 'The Eleventh Hour'"

    [Apparently used only during the last season, the same time as
     lead actor cast change from Wendall Corey to Ralph Bellamy]

     Composers: Harry Sukman (ASCAP),
                Irving Elman (ASCAP) and
                Sam Rolfe (ASCAP)

     Original Publisher: Miller Music Corporation (ASCAP)
     
     1997 Publishers: Miller Music Corp (ASCAP)
                         
     2004 Publisher: EMI-Miller Catalog, Inc.
                        div. of EMI April Music Inc.
                        c/o EMI Music Publishing
                        of New York, NY
                        
     Copyright Date: 
     
     Recordings:

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