NBC Mystery Movie Wheel - Individual Theme Songs (1 Viewer)

[MishaLauenstein]

We've been watching McCloud and it occurs to us that not all of the NBC Mystery Movie wheel components had their own separate theme songs.

They all started with Henry Mancini's theme, but the only ones we can think of that had their own separate themes were McCloud, Banacek, Snoop Sisters and maybe Hec Ramsey.

I'm pretty sure I remember the McCloud theme from when I was a kid, otherwise I'd suspect these were tacked on for syndication. Hard to tell from the Quincy DVDs if they were tacked on.

Anyone know why only some of the shows had their own themes?

For reference -- the list of shows featured on The NBC Sunday Mystery Move, The NBC Tuesday Mystery Movie and The NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie:

Columbo
McCloud
McMillan and Wife
Banacek
Madigan
Cool Million
Faraday and Company
Tenafly
The Snoop Sisters
Hec Ramsey
Amy Prentiss
McCoy
Quincy, M.E.
Lanigan's Rabbi

 

[compson]

McCloud predated the Mystery Movie wheel.

 

[Jack P]

"McMillan and Wife" had a distinctive theme by Jerry Fielding in its pilot that was always used on the end credits for every McMillan Mystery Movie.

Columbo's first season had a distinct them in the episodes by Gil Melle that he scored (sadly Melle didn't do any after Season 1). Melle's "Columbo" theme is so right for the character that it's a shame it wasn't retained as the standard end credits theme for the show the same way you had Fielding's on "McMillan And Wife". (Kino used Melle's theme on the menu screen of the Blu-Rays which is a further testament to how it stands above all the other music specifically composed for the show. Thank goodness Kino didn't make me hear "This Old Man" over the menu screens!)

 

[MishaLauenstein]

"McMillan and Wife" had a distinctive theme by Jerry Fielding in its pilot that was always used on the end credits for every McMillan Mystery Movie.

Columbo's first season had a distinct them in the episodes by Gil Melle that he scored (sadly Melle didn't do any after Season 1). Melle's "Columbo" theme is so right for the character that it's a shame it wasn't retained as the standard end credits theme for the show the same way you had Fielding's on "McMillan And Wife". (Kino used Melle's theme on the menu screen of the Blu-Rays which is a further testament to how it stands above all the other music specifically composed for the show. Thank goodness Kino didn't make me hear "This Old Man" over the menu screens!)

That's right! Now I remember the McMillan closing theme. Will have to seek out the Columbo theme to see if it triggers any memories. It's been over 20 years since I last binged Columbo.

 

[Jack P]

The Melle "Columbo" theme is in "Death Lends A Hand", "Dead Weight", "Short Fuse" and "Blueprint For Murder"

These are the three variant versions of the main theme Melle composed as ripped from the music/FX tracks.

 

[Ray Faiola]

Falk probably gave it the thumbs down with something like "it sounds like The Odd Couple!" I think the slow adoption of "This Old Man" as Columbo's motif was much more appropriate, but I'm glad it wasn't adapted into a main title theme. The Columbo's focus first on the criminal. In that way the series is almost an anthology and I think the eclectic scoring is well-suited. My favorite score has always been "Ransom For a Dead Man" (the second feature and not part of the series proper) and I thought Billy Goldenberg was the best composer for the series. His "method" music matched Falk's understated performances.