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The Jackie Gleason Show (comedy variety)
(CBS Primetime, 1952 - 1966 as "The Jackie Gleason Show";
CBS Saturday Nights, 1962 - 1966 as "Jackie Gleason and
his American Scene Magazine";
CBS Primetime, 1966 - 1970 as "The Jackie Gleason Show")
[The show was one of the classics of television, which was
broadcast live from New York from 1952 - 1966 when the
show moved to Miami Beach for the remainder of its run;
See also "The Honeymooners", a sketch which was spunoff
into its own series in 1955.]
Main & End Title Theme : "Melancholy
Serenade"
[Although Gleason could not read music, arranger Pete
King worked with Gleason to transcribe his melodies,
and arrange them for orchestra.]
Composers: music by Jackie Gleason (ASCAP)
[professional name of Herman John Gleason, Jr.], and
lyrics added by Duke Enston (ASCAP)
Original Publisher: JaGlea Music Co. (ASCAP)
of New York, NY
1978 Publisher: Songsmiths, Inc. (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: Songsmiths Company (ASCAP)
Unpublished Copyright Date: Nov. 10, 1952; Eu 293 992.
Unpublished Renewal Date: Jan. 4, 1980; RE- 53-044.
[published piano arrangement]:
Published Copyright Date: Mar. 27, 1953; EP 70 746.
Published Renewal Date: Jan. 5; 1981; RE-90-612.
Recordings:
"And...awaa-aay we go..." bridge theme:
"That's-a Plenty"
[There was used as a short instrumental bridge which was
traditionally played by Sammy Spear and the orchestra at the
end of Gleason's opening monologue, as he introduced the
comedy skit portion of the show using his famous line,
"And....Awaa-aay We Go"]
Composers: music by Bert A. Williams (ASCAP), with
lyrics by Henry Creamer (ASCAP)
Orig. Publisher: Jerry Vogel Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: [now in the Public Domain]
Composition Date: 1909, according to "Who Wrote That Song"
reference book by Dick Jacobs
Copyright Date:
Renewal Date:
Recordings
"A little traveling music..." Bridge theme:
"The Gleason Glide"
[There was used as a short instrumental bridge theme which was
traditionally played by Sammy Spear and the orchestra whenever
Jackie Gleason said "A little traveling music please..." and
made an exit, gliding off the stage with his wrists
outstretched like wings.]
Composers: Benny Davis (ASCAP),
Jackie Gleason (ASCAP)
[professional name of Herman John Gleason, Jr.], and
Murray Mencher (ASCAP)
1978 Publisher: Songsmiths, Inc. (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: Songsmiths Company (ASCAP)
Copyright Date:
Renewal Date:
Recordings
Skit Theme: "La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la"
[above is title as originally filed for copyright;
aka: "La la la la la la la la la";
There was an instrumental "soft shoe" tune used
since 1962 for underscoring various comedy skits]
Composer: Jackie Gleason (ASCAP)
[professional name of Herman John Gleason, Jr.]
Original Publisher: Songsmiths, Inc. (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: Songsmiths Company (ASCAP)
[original arrangement as "La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la"]:
Unpublished Copyright Date: Jan. 3, 1963; Eu 751 348.
Unpublished Renewal Date: Jan. 7, 1991; RE-516-701.
[new arrangement as "La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la"]:
Published Copyright Date: Apr. 1, 1963; EP 174 069.
Published Renewal Date: Jan. 7, 1991; RE-516-755.
Recordings:
Skit Theme: "It's Such a Happy Day"
[There was another instrumental "soft shoe" tune used
since 1962 for underscoring various comedy skits]
Composer: Jackie Gleason (ASCAP)
[professional name of Herman John Gleason, Jr.]
Original Publisher: Songsmiths, Inc. (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: Songsmiths Company (ASCAP)
Copyright Date: Apr. 1, 1963; EP 174 068.
Renewal Date: Jan. 7, 1991; RE-516-754.
Recordings
The Honeymooners segment theme: "You're My
Greatest Love"
[The Honeymooners segment with Art Carney and Audrey
Meadows joining Gleason, appeared on "The Jackie Gleason
Show". Usually it was the last half hour. Then in 1955,
it was spun off into it's own series, filmed before a
live audience, and into syndication history;
Although Gleason could not read music, arranger Pete
King worked with Gleason to transcribe his melodies,
and arrange them for orchestra]
Composer: music by Jackie Gleason (ASCAP), with
[professional name of Herman John Gleason, Jr.]
lyric added by Bill Templeton (ASCAP)
Original Publisher: Songsmiths, Inc. (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: Songsmiths Company (ASCAP)
Copyright Date: Oct. 24, 1955; EP 93 814.
Renewal Date: Jan. 11, 1983; RE-166-357.
Recordings
Reggie Van Gleason III (The Great One)
segment theme: "Shangri-La"
[There was used as a short instrumental bridge which was
traditionally played by Sammy Spear and the orchestra at the
beginning of Gleason's comedy skit in the character of
"Reggie Van Gleason III (aka: The Great One)"]
Composers: music by Robert Maxwell (ASCAP)
and Marty Melnick (ASCAP), with
lyrics by Carl Sigman (ASCAP)
Original Publisher: Robbins Music Corp. (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: EMI/Robbins Catalog Inc. (ASCAP)
Composition Date: 1946, according to "Who Wrote That Song"
reference book by Dick Jacobs
Copyright Date:
Renewal Date:
Recordings
The Poor Soul segment theme: "Tenderly"
[There was used as a short instrumental bridge which was
traditionally played by Sammy Spear and the orchestra at the
beginning of Gleason's comedy skit in the character of
"The Poor Soul"; a 1955 recording of it by Rosemary
Clooney was a bit hit and it became her signature song]
Composers: music by Walter Gross (ASCAP), with
lyrics by Jack Lawrence (ASCAP)
1978 Publisher: Edwin H. Morris & Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: Edwin H. Morris & Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
Composition Date: 1946, according to "Who Wrote That Song"
reference book by Dick Jacobs
Copyright Date:
Renewal Date:
Recordings:
Joe, The Bartender segment theme: "My Gal
Sal"
[This was used as a short instrumental bridge which was
traditionally sung by Jackie Gleason at the opening and
closing of Gleason's comedy skit, in the character of
"Joe, The Bartender" who played straight man to the
"Crazy Googenham" character played by Frank Fontaine.]
Composer: Paul Dresser (ASCAP)
Original Publisher: The Paul Dresser Pub. Co. (ASCAP)
1997 Publisher: [now in the Public Domain]
Composition Date: 1905, according to "Who Wrote That Song"
reference book by Dick Jacobs; and also
in "The Book of World Famous Music" by
James Fuld.
Copyright Date:
Renewal Date:
Recordings:
News of the Day segment theme: "World Events (March)"
[The first theme of this rousing march was used as a
short instrumental bridge at the opening of Jackie Gleason's
"News of the Day" comedy segment.
John Stepan "J. S." Zamecnik wrote many stock pieces for silent
movie and later sound movie and radio use -- much of it published
by Sam Fox Publishing Co. of Cleveland, Ohio. In fact this
company published a series of printed arrangements called
"Sam Fox Motion Picture Music", and Zamecnik was the composer
of most of the pieces in the earliest volumes.
In the past Gleason's segment theme was identified as "Movietone
Signature" attributed to Jack Shaindlin; But when the piano
sheet music of the Zamecnik "World Events" march was located,
its melody was positively identified as the one used for the
"Fox Movietone News", the "British Movietone News" and for the
"News of the Day" segment theme on the Gleason show.
The confusion with Shaindlin may have occurred because the
first "A" theme of Zamecnik's march appears in an abridged
version with a different intro and coda for the Movietone
newsreel signatures both in the U.S. and in Great Britain.
So if Jack Shaindlin did NOT compose a different signature later,
then the "Movietone Signature" attributed to Shaindlin may have
referred to an adaptation Shaindlin made from the first
theme of Zamecnick's march with an original intro and coda.
Although it has been heard on newsreels as far back as 1934,
this march may have been composed much earlier -- perhaps even
as early as 1927 when the Movietone Newsreels began accompanied
by silent film orchestras in large theaters and accompanied by
pianists and organists elsewhere.
This is one of Zamecnik's most famous works -- not only
as the Movietone News signature, but it was also played live
under the "Big Top" for various circuses during the 1930's.]
Composer: John Stepan ("J. S.") Zamecnik (ASCAP)
Original Publisher: Sam Fox Pub. Co. (ASCAP)
of Cleveland, Ohio
1976 Publisher: Sam Fox Pub. Co., Inc. (ASCAP)
2009 Publisher: W. B. Music Corp. (ASCAP)
c/o Warner-Chappell Music, Inc.
of Los Angeles, CA
Original Publication Date on Sheet Music: 1935 (piano arr. 1941)
Copyright Date:
Renewal Date:
Recordings:
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