(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: