(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.]
[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:
[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
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