The Avengers / New Avengers (adventure, starring Patrick
MacNee)
(ABC Primetime, 1966 - 1969;
Syndicated in the U.S.;
"The New Avengers" ran on CBS Primetime, 1978 - 1979;
CBS Reruns aired as part of "The CBS Late Movie", circa 1979 - 1982)
[a stylish 60's British import that first ran on the BBC
from 1961 through 1965. The series was a mixture of a
secret agent adventure with whimsical 60's diversions; in
the original episodes, shown only in Britain, the plot had
centered around a man "avenging" the death of his wife, who
was aided in this effort by Patrick MacNee;
After awhile, MacNee's character "John Steed" got involved
with episodes involving Cathy Gale who played sexy "Honor
Blackman"; and eventually both of them were revealed to
be British government secret agents;
By the time The Avengers was exported to the US in 1966, it
was only known as a "spy adventure"; And a new character had
appeared -- "Mrs. Emma Peel" played by Diana Rigg -- a talented
amateur with a thirst for adventure; Honor Blackman exited;
The evolving convoluted premise was in some ways "The Fugitive"
meets "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." and Mrs. Marple -- or Jessica
Fletcher of "Murder She Wrote" -- and the "Avenging" arc
which started it all in motion was part of the unknown and
by now irrelevant series "backstory".
After a solid three-year run on ABC, the series became a
kind of cult classic; and proved it had "legs" in Syndication;
which inevitably led to an attempt at a sequel...which again
starred MacNee and newcomers Joanna Lumley and Gareth Hunt;
the sequel marked the end of the saga after a year, but
it sometimes showed up being aired as part of "The CBS Late
Movie" when CBS had nothing better to do.]
Theme 1 (1961 - 1965, 1991): "Avengers Theme"
[above is title as filed for US copyright and in ASCAP and
BMI databases; this THEME was only heard in Britain until
episodes were re-run in 1991 as part of "The CBS Late Movie"]
Composer: Johnny Dankworth (British PRS/ASCAP/BMI)
[professional name of John Philip William Dankworth]
1978 Publisher: Essex Mus. Inter., Inc. (ASCAP); and
Key Music, Ltd. of London (PRS)
2001 Publishers: Essex Music International, Inc. (ASCAP)
c/o The Richmond Organization
of New York, NY; and
David Platz Music, Inc. (USA) (BMI)
of Verona, NJ
Creation Date: 1961
[note: despite the creation date of 1961, it took another
25 years for a US copyright filing...no doubt due to the
revival interest in THEME recordings...]
US Copyright Date: Feb 11, 1986; PAu-810-019.
Recordings:
Theme 2 (1966 - 1969; Synd.): "Avengers Theme
(from Television [Series])"
[above is title in ASCAP ACE database;
ASCAP title variations:
aka: "Avengers Theme";
aka: "Avengers TV Theme";
BMI title variations:
aka: "Avengers Title Caption";
aka: "Avengers";
Original title:
aka: "The Shake";
This was the THEME most US viewers associated with the series
during its various showings on ABC and CBS and in Syndication;
It was in the "Go-go 1960's" that Laurie Johnson first recorded
this piece as a kind of dance tune ala "The Frug" under it's
first title: "The Shake"; But after it was repurposed for TV,
no one remembered it as "The Shake"; From then on, it was only
known as "The Avengers Theme";
The "Avengers Title Caption" was the introductory logo motif
which segued into the THEME]
Composer: Laurie Johnson (British PRS/ASCAP/BMI)
[professional name of Laurence Reginald Ward Johnson]
1978 Publisher: M. Witmark and Sons (ASCAP); and
Warner Bros./Seven Arts, Ltd. (ASCAP)
2001 Publishers: M. Witmark & Sons (ASCAP),
c/o Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.,
of Los Angeles, CA; and
David Platz Music, Inc. (USA) (BMI)
of Verona, NJ
US Copyright Date:
US Renewal Date:
Recordings:
CD: "The Avengers and other Top Sixties TV Themes" (1998)
Various Artists
(a 2-CD set)
Sequel Records (British)
SEM CD 976
CD: "...With A Vengeance" ("The Easy Project") (1997)
Laurie Johnson conducting the studio orchestra
(a re-release of a Pye LP)
Sequel Records (British)
SEM CD 935
CD: "The Rose and the Gun --
the Music of Laurie Johnson" (1992)
Laurie Johnson conducting the
London Studio Symphony Orchestra
FLY Records c/o Polygram International
FLY CD 103
Sequel Theme 3 (1978 - 1979): "[The]
New Avengers"
This THEME used the same INTRO as above (called "Avengers
Title Caption"); but then segued into a wah-wah guitar disco
beat and a less-recognizable THEME with accented brass figures]
Composer: Laurie Johnson (British PRS/ASCAP/BMI)
[professional name of Laurence Reginald Ward Johnson]
1978 Publisher: M. Witmark and Sons (ASCAP); and
Warner Bros./Seven Arts, Ltd. (ASCAP)
2001 Publishers: M. Witmark & Sons (ASCAP),
c/o Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.,
of Los Angeles, CA
US Copyright Date:
US Renewal Date:
Recordings:
CD: "The Rose and the Gun --
the Music of Laurie Johnson" (1992)
Laurie Johnson conducting the
London Studio Symphony Orchestra
FLY Records c/o Polygram International
FLY CD 103
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