(NBC Primetime, 1950 - 1961; Summer Rerun/Syndication title: "The Best of Groucho"; aka: "The Groucho Marx Show"); [A Sequel series was: "Tell It To Groucho" (CBS, 1962), which see; The Marx Brothers madcap comedy team of Groucho, Chico, Harpo and originally Zeppo had been a familiar mainstay of theatrical motion pictures throughout the 1930s and early 1940s; But their slapstick-vaudeville humor had a visual component that was hard to translate to the first broadcast medium of radio; A couple of radio series on which Groucho appeared made that point apparent; Still, the irrepresible talents of Groucho were obvious, and low-budget TV producer John Guedel finally found a format in which Groucho's talent for spontaneous humor could be showcased under the guise of hosting a silly quiz show; Part of the ingredients which made it a success were the well- chosen contestants who often were characters themselves, who became foils for Groucho's wit as they were first interviewed and then attempted to answer quiz questions for meager prizes Guedel's show offered; In some cases, people who were promoting a curious book or seeking publicity were brought on -- if they had enough quirky characteristics to provide fodder for humor; One of the show's oddball features was "Say The Secret Word", which was announced to the audience prior to the show; If any contestant happened to utter this word, they would win extra prize money; to announce this, a silly looking stuffed duck (who bore a striking resemblance to Groucho) would be lowered from the ceiling and the band would launch into a raucus rendition of "Be Kind To Your Web-Footed Friends" (a parody song based upon the trio section of John Philip Sousa's march "The Stars and Stripes Forever") Since some of the people brought on as contestants and foils for Groucho's rapier wit were not of the brightest mental capacity; if they failed to answer many of the simple questions on the quiz, Groucho would often demonstrate the show had a heart by asking an final obvious question like "Who is buried in Grant's Tomb?" just so the contestant might win $25 as a kind of consolation prize; if they failed to even provide the answer to the final obvious question, often Groucho would give the prize money to them anyway just so they wouldn't leave empty handed for being humiliated on the show, and Groucho would thank them "for being such a good sport"...]
[Verified as the THEME in the TV Guide article "What's The Name of That Theme Song?" Feb. 19, 1954 on p.21; Appearing in the Marx Brothers Broadway musical of 1928, and the subsequent 1930 film version, this was Groucho's signature THEME on radio. It was incorporated in various ways into Themes for both the radio and TV series known as "The Groucho Show" and/or "You Bet Your Life", and "The Best Of Groucho." This melody found its way in part or whole in arrangements by Billy May, Jerry Fielding, and later Groucho's long-time bandleader John Brunker ("Jack") Meakin...even though they combined it with original melodies of their own. Billy May had supplied arrangements beginning in November, 1947 for Groucho's radio show, some of which may have been part of the library used for the TV series...May sent an audio letter to the author of a discography "The Music Of Billy May" by Jack Mirtle, in which May quoted producer John Guedel as saying when they first met: "I don't think we need a band at all, but the sponsor thinks a band will make the stage look better for the studio audience, so HOW LITTLE will it cost?" May continued, sarcastically, "That got us off to a good start right away." He concluded, "Needless to say, I didn't last very long" [as Music Director on the radio show]; May was soon replaced by Jerry Fielding as music director. The un-aired TV Pilot (made in 1949) with Groucho in a rather bland sport shirt and George Fenniman wearing glasses appeared like a simulcast of the radio program. The TV pilot used an original theme by Jerry Fielding and Sidney Robin. The sponsor was mentioned in the title "The Elgin America Show - You Bet Your Life". The same theme for Elgin America was used during the Desoto-Plymouth sponsorship later during the 1951 - 1952 season. At first, when the TV series debuted, it used a recorded opening fanfare and upbeat "show-biz" style End Title THEME for 39 episodes. These two cues were supplied by Alexander Laszlo's "Structural Music Library." Laszlo was a transplanted Hungarian who had scored some films in Germany before World War II. After he emigrated to the U.S. he specialized in low budget music scoring services which he recorded in Stuttgart, Germany and re-cycled for "tracking purposes." The fact his music was recorded outside got around the U.S. Musician's union requirement for live musicians -- at least for TV shows pre-produced on film (see THEME 2); The second season someone must have persuaded penny-pinching producer John Guedel there needed to be a live band, at least for TV. So Jerry Fielding was brought in to lead it and arrange musical cues for the 1951 - 1952 season. A theme he co-composed with Sid Robin used the "Hooray For Captain Spaudling" motif (Groucho's signature from the film "Animal Crackers") only during a short musical introduction for the opening. The Fielding-Robin Theme quickly segued into a nice original "show-biz" style tune which is associated with DeSoto sponsorship. This theme was used behind the DeSoto commercial opening film and the show's End Credits thru 1953 (see THEME 3 below.) But Fielding was having troubles during this period -- he was unfortunately blacklisted in the McCarthy era. He left the show when it was suggested his political troubles might cause problems for Groucho, although it was never clear how any so- called subversive message might have gotten across by his "conducting fanfares" on the show, as he put it. He wasn't to find steady work again for years. But eventually he did. In 1953 his replacement was hired -- the former Music Director for "The Great Gildersleeve" radio series -- Jack Meakin; At first even Meakin was suspect as not being completely "cleared" by the House Un-American Activities Committee. But eventually he was cleared, so he was given the green light to become the music director, and remained Groucho's bandleader until the end...(he also worked for Groucho and Guedel on the later 1962 CBS series "Tell It To Groucho".) After Fielding left, while Meakin was still being "cleared", a couple of other pre-recorded themes were used -- a melody by the songwriters Harry Tobias and Stan Myers. Then when DeSoto started licensing the Gershwin tune "It's De-Lovely" for their ad campaign and radio/TV jingles, this tune was the Groucho theme. The person who arranged it has not as yet been identified. Eventually, after the DeSoto sponsorship ended, Meakin incorporated "Hooray For Captain Spaulding" into a theme he arranged -- called "You Betcha Life." He composed a nice original "B" Theme bridge for saxophones. This was used for an opening animation which he wnamed "Groucho And The Wolf" on cue sheets. The cartoon featured a sly cartoon Groucho leering and raising his eyebrows; The Meakin "B" theme was incorporated with "Hooray For Captain Spaulding" into a THEME medley so succesfully now that most people think that Meakin's original saxophone section is part of "Hooray For Captain Spaulding" which it is not. See more below under THEMEs 6 and 7.] Composers: words & music by Bert Kalmar (ASCAP), and Harry Ruby (ASCAP) Original Publishers: T. B. Harms and Co. (ASCAP) 1998 Publishers: Harms, Inc. (ASCAP) c/o Warner Brothers, Inc. of Los Angeles, CA Composition Date: 1928 Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings: CD - "Television's Greatest Hits (Vol. 4): Black and White Classics" (1996) TVT Records TVT 1600-2
[above is the title credit found in ASCAP; In the early days of this series, a recorded THEME was supplied for the show by writer/publisher Alexander Laszlo who recorded music for low-budget filmed TV series in Germany with the Stuttgart Radio Orchestra. A letter in Laszlo's business files to the series producer FilmCraft, verified use of a Laszlo THEME on 39 episodes of "The Groucho Marx TV Program" aired "from October, 1950 til May 3rd, 1951." This referred to music from Laszlo's "Structural Music" library, but no positive identification as to which cues has been made as yet. On airchecks of the period -- from the DVD "The Lost Episodes" -- dating from 1950, there is a pre- recorded generic fanfare behind the opening announcement, and a two-beat "show-biz" style piece used for the closing credits. Both cues have the sound of Laszlo's productions made in the Stuttgart Radio Studio.] Composer: Alexander Laszlo (ASCAP) Original Publisher: [listed, but no publisher in ASCAP 1978; Laszlo used "Guild Publications" as his publishing business name during the 1950s to collect royalties] 1997 Publisher: Regents of the University of California, o/b/o Alexander Publications (ASCAP) Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings:
[The opening version of this theme begins with an intro quoting "Hooray for Captain Spaulding" and then segues into a nice original melody; it was used for the un-aired 1949 TV pilot sponsored by Elgin America (which appeared to be a radio simulcast). Then in 1951 this same melody was used for the introductory DeSoto-Plymouth sponsorship lead-in to the show, behind Desoto-Plymouth commercials, and also in a full version during the show's end credits; Groucho's first bandleader -- Jerry Fielding -- was unfortunately blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee during their disgraceful witch-hunt looking for communists under every bed, led by infamous Senator Joseph McCarthy. Rather than subject Groucho to controversy, Fielding resigned. After a period of uncertainty about his replacement -- Jack Meakin took over as the bandleader for the rest of the TV series run.] Composers: Jerry Fielding (ASCAP), and Sydney ("Sid") Robin (ASCAP) [professional name of Sydney Rabinowitz] 1978 Publisher: Keystone Music Co. of Calif. (ASCAP) 2003 Publisher: Keystone Music Company of California (ASCAP) of Sunland, CA [may be in "Fielding TV Suite, Vol. 1]: Copyright Date: Dec. 2, 1959; Eu 597 317. Renewal Date: Jan. 27, 1987; RE-328-972. Recordings:
[Theme verified in Ray Clark Theme Collection; this is a rarely- heard theme by the songwriting team of Harry Tobias and Stan Myers. It shows up in the Harry Tobias collection at U.C.L.A. Music Department Special Collections, listed as, "Sweet Somebody Like You, A -- Theme for the Groucho Marx T.V. show".] Composers: words by Harry Tobias (ASCAP), and music by Stan Myers (ASCAP) Original Publisher: Harry Tobias d.b.a. Tobey Music Corp. (ASCAP) of New York, NY 1978 Publisher: Harry Tobias d.b.a. Tobey Music Corp. (ASCAP) 2000 Publisher: WB Music Co. (ASCAP), c/o Warner-Chappell Music, Inc. of Los Angeles, CA Creation Date: 1956 on music at UCLA Special Collections. [Listed in copyright records document V2490P323-335 for the June 30, 1989 assignment of 74 titles from Fred Tobias to the WB Music Corporation.] Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings:
[aka: "De-Lovely" from the Broadway musical "Red, Hot and Blue!"; As contributor T. Perrone reminds us, this was used on Groucho's series during some years when it was sponsored by DeSoto, when the automobile company had licensed a version of this song as it's advertising jingle in the middle to late-1950's.] Composer: Cole Porter (ASCAP) 1978 Publisher: Chappell & Co., Inc. (ASCAP) 1998 Publisher: Chappell & Co., Inc. (ASCAP) c/o Warner-Chappell Music, Inc. of Los Angeles, CA Composition Date: 1936 Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings: [78rpm -- Hal Kemp orchestra made one of the first]
[aka: "You Bet Your Life", in papers in the Meakin Estate; After Jerry Fielding departed, the television studio orchestra was led by Jack Meakin, a former NBC music director who had been well known for being music director of the sitcom, "The Great Gildersleeve" on radio and television and other shows throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Meakin was to remain Groucho's bandleader on all his shows from that point on, and composed several THEMEs for him. It's possible that this is an arrangement which includes the main theme of "Hooray For Captain Spaulding", and the "B" theme from "Groucho and the Wolf" by Jack Meakin...which was included but not credited on the CD -- "Television's Greatest Hits (Vol. 4: Black and White Classics") mentioned above. This version of the theme was heard most frequently in the "Best of Groucho" re-runs and in syndication.] Composer: Jack Meakin (ASCAP/BMI) [professional name of John Brunker Meakin] Original Publisher: T. B. Harms Co. [New Acct.] (ASCAP) 1998 Publisher: Polygram International (ASCAP) Copyright Date: [no reference found to this arrangement in Copyright office as yet...it may be simply an un-copyrighted medley of the two THEMEs which had been filed for copyright individually.] Renewal Date: Recordings:
[Theme in the Meakin estate, and in the Ray Clark collection; The "B" theme of this composition is heard but not credited in a medley along with "Hooray For Captain Spaulding"; which was recorded on the CD "Television's Greatest Hits (Vol. 4)"). This melody is a nice "bridge" section of the arrangement which features saxophones... The original purpose for which this THEME was written was an opening animation for the TV series in which a cartoon Groucho appears. The cartoon caricature of Groucho includes his trademark bushy eyebrows and cigar in mouth -- and a leering "wolf-like" expression -- to which the title alludes] Composer: Jack Meakin (ASCAP/BMI) [professional name of John Brunker Meakin] Original Publisher: T. B. Harms Co. [New Acct.] (ASCAP) 1998 Publisher: Polygram International (ASCAP) Copyright Date: Sep 21, 1959; Eu 598 177. Renewal Date: Recordings: (uncredited, as part of "You Bet Your Life" THEME) CD - "Television's Greatest Hits (Vol. 4): Black and White Classics" (1996) TVT Records TVT 1600-2