Father Knows Best (situation comedy)

     (CBS, 1954 - 1955)
     (NBC, 1955 - 1958) 
     (CBS, 1958 - 1962)
     (ABC, 1962 - 1963)
     (Syndicated)

     [began as an NBC radio series in 1949 which had a question
      mark appended to the title "Father Knows Best?", for even on
      TV it was the Mother who was often the steadier hand of the
      two parent characters.
      
      This perennial TV series bounced around the three TV networks 
      for nine years; and then ran in re-runs and syndication many 
      years afterwards. Over 200 episodes were "in the can" by then.
      
      Star Robert Young was the co-creator of the concept with
      Executive Producer Eugene Rodney; The two had known each 
      other via the radio business since 1935.
      
      The quintessential family sitcom starred Robert Young as a
      genial Insurance Salesman named Jim Anderson, his wife
      Margaret played by Jane Wyatt and their three children;
      
      The older daughter Betty (nicknamed "Princess") was played
      by Elinor Donahue; middle sibling -- son "Bud" was played by
      Billy Gray; and the youngest child Kathy (nicknamed "Kitten")
      was played by Laurin Chapin.
      
      Along with "Ozzie and Harriet" and "Leave It To Beaver", this
      gentle, rather bland, sitcom espoused 1950's family values,
      and came to represent what was right about American families
      or seemed to be right in retrospect.]

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Opening Fanfare: "Jamboree" (excerpt)

     Contributor Ronnie James identified the opening fanfare heard on
     the network version of the series, as the introductory fanfare of 
     this piece composed by Clive Richardson for the British 
     Chappell Recorded Music Library in 1948;
     
     He said that on later syndication versions of the TV series 
     the opening music may have been trimmed down for length
     so the fanfare is no longer recognizable or gone altogether.
 
     Composer: Clive Richardson (ASCAP)

     Orig. Publisher: Chappell & Company Ltd., of London (PRS)
     
     1978 Publisher: Chappell & Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
                        of New York, NY

     2006 Publisher: ZFC Music
                     c/o Zomba Enterprises, Inc. (ASCAP)
                        of Beverly Hills, CA
                         
     Date of Composition: 1948.

     U.S. Copyright Date: Feb. 20, 1951; EFO- 6907.
     U.S. Renewal   Date: Jan.  5, 1979; RE-14-238.

     Recordings:
          CD - "Nostalgic Themes Vol 2" (±1990)
                CHAP 120
               (available through the Robert Farnon society)
               
          CD - "Archive - Nostalgic Themes Revisted" (±1994)
                CHAP 187
               (available through the Robert Farnon society)

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Theme: "Father Knows Best"

    [above is instrumental title as filed for copyright;
     ASCAP database title "Father Knows Best (Theme)";
     vocal title as filed for copyright: "Waiting";
     vocal title on sheet music: "Waiting (For Love To Find You)"

     theme credit "Waiting" in TV Guide article "It Seems To Me
     I've Heard That Song Before" 7/28/56;

     The lyrics which were added in 1960 necessitated a couple
     of changes to the melody for the vocal version, which was
     not heard on the air...]
 
     Composers: music by Don Ferris (ASCAP) and
                Irving Friedman (ASCAP), with
                lyrics added by Leon Pober (ASCAP)

     Orig. Publisher: Criterion Music Corporation (ASCAP)

     2001 Publisher:  Criterion Music Corporation (ASCAP)
                         of Hollywood, CA

     Copyright Date [instrumental]: April 29, 1958; EU 525 831.
     Renewal   Date [instrumental]: Jan.  31, 1986; RE-283-943.

     Copyright Date [vocal vers. "Waiting"]: May  2, 1960; EU 624 948.
     Renewal   Date [vocal vers. "Waiting"]: May 10, 1988; RE-399-269.

     Recordings:

     New Recording:
          CD - "Television's Greatest Hits (Vol. 4): 
                Black and White Classics" (1996)
                TVT Records TVT 1600-2
               (by an uncredited studio orchestra) 

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