[based upon popular radio comedy show starring Hal Peary and
Willard Waterman, which began in 1941]
(Syndicated by NBC Films; produced by Hal Roach Studios, 1955 )
[BMI title: "Great Gildersleeve";
The most well-known "Great Gildersleeve" RADIO THEME, called
"Big Boy", was written in 1945 by Jack Meakin -- who was also
hired as "Music Supervisor" for the TV series filmed at Hal
Roach Studios 10 years later. Due to budget constraints for
the TV series, no original music could be created. Therefore
Meakin's role was limited to selecting THEMEs and background
cues from various production music libraries. The track used
for the "Gildersleeve" TV THEME is also found in the MUTEL
("Music For Television") music service of producer David
Chudnow -- a part of which was sub-licensed to Capitol Special
Products for its Capitol "Q" Series library which provided
music for local radio and TV stations.
The chicken-and-egg question of which came first is always
hard to pin down some 50 years later -- was it originally the
Gildersleeve TV THEME commissioned for the series and recycled
in the MUTEL/Capitol "Q" library? Or was it a track composed
for another radio series or film, that was recycled via the
library and licensed by Hal Roach for Gildersleeve?
This same library THEME was used as the THEME for the 1st
"Blondie" TV SERIES on NBC in 1957 starring Arthur Lake. Hard to
believe that in those early days of the medium, that two TV
series produced 2 years apart would use the same library
track as their Main Title/End Credits THEME, but airchecks from
both series verify that fact.
The "Gildersleeve Theme" is listed in the BMI repertoire
database as being a composition of Georges Tzipine, who was
a French conductor. He may or may not have been the actual
composer since the practice of ghost-writing was rampant at
MUTEL...
Jon Burlingame's book "TV's Biggest Hits" mentions that
MUTEL cues were recorded by a 40-piece orchestra "conducted
by an anonymous Frenchman". So it is likely Tzipine was
involved in some capacity...and this citation is proof of
some connection with MUTEL, if only as conductor.]
Composer: Georges Samuel Tzipine (French SACEM/ASCAP/BMI)
Original Publisher: Byron Music Company (BMI)
1997 Publisher: Byron Music Company (BMI)
[a BMI publishing subsidiary of MUTEL]
Copyright Date:
Recordings:
From the MUTEL music library
[original versions]
78rpm reference disks in the Capitol "Q" Series library
Q-307: cut 3: Theme No. 655 - OPENING (Bright)
Q-307: cut 4: Theme No. 655 - CLOSING (Bright)