In this double-length episode, I explore the long and prolific career of TV theme composer extraordinaire, Mike Post. His influence on TV theme music cannot be underestimated, beginning with his collaboration with his longtime partner Pete Carpenter (1973-1986), and then on up to his stellar solo career as a theme composer thereafter. This surveys covers all 51 of the shows in which Mike Post composed or co-composed the theme music, including the following series:

GRIFF (1973-74) [opening theme]

TOMA (1973-74) [opening theme]

THE ROCKFORD FILES (1974-80) [1974-75 opening theme]

BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP/THE BLACK SHEEP SQUADRON (1976-78) [opening theme]

RICHIE BROCKELMAN, PRIVATE EYE (1978) [opening theme]

THE WHITE SHADOW (1978-81) [opening theme]

THE DUKE (1979) [opening theme]

240-ROBERT (1979-81) [pilot opening theme]

BIG SHAMUS, LITTLE SHAMUS (1979) [opening theme]

-Commercial Break-

TENSPEED AND BROWN SHOE (1980) [opening theme]

MAGNUM, P.I. (1980-88) [episode 6 of season 1-1988 opening theme]

HILL STREET BLUES (1981-87) [opening theme]

THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO (1981-83) [opening theme]

TALES OF THE GOLD MONKEY (1982-83) [opening theme]

THE QUEST (1982) [opening theme]

THE A-TEAM (1983-87) [opening theme]

HARDCASTLE AND McCORMICK (1983-86) [1983-84/1985-86 opening theme] [1984-85 opening theme]

-Commercial Break-

BAY CITY BLUES (1983) [opening theme]

RIPTIDE (1984-86) [opening theme]

HUNTER (1984-91) [1987-88 opening theme]

STINGRAY (1986-87) [opening theme]

L.A. LAW (1986-94) [opening theme]

WISEGUY (1987-90) [opening theme]

HOOPERMAN (1987-89) [opening theme]

BEVERLY HILLS BUNTZ (1987-88) [opening theme]

UNSUB (1989) [opening theme]

-The Mystery Tune-

THE ABC MYSTERY MOVIE (1989-90) [opening theme]

QUANTUM LEAP (1989-93) [1992-93 opening theme]

DOOGIE HOWSER, M.D. (1989-93) [opening theme]

TOP OF THE HILL (1989) [opening theme]

LAW & ORDER (1990-2010) [2004-05 opening theme]

BROKEN BADGES (1990-91) [opening theme]

BLOSSOM (1991-95) [opening theme]

DISNEY PRESENTS THE 100 LIVES OF BLACK JACK SAVAGE (1991) [opening theme]

-Commercial Break-

THE COMMISH (1991-95) [opening theme]

SILK STALKINGS (1991-99) [opening theme]

TEQUILA & BONETTI (1992) [opening theme]

RENEGADE (1992-97) [opening theme]

NYPD BLUE (1993-2005) [opening theme]

TRAPS (1994) [opening theme]

ROUGHNECKS (1994-95) [opening theme]

NEWSRADIO (1995-99) [opening theme]

MURDER ONE (1995-97) [opening theme]

-Commercial Break-

BROOKLYN SOUTH (1997-98) [opening theme]

PLAYERS (1997-98) [opening theme]

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT (1999-present) [opening theme]

PHILLY (2001-02) [opening theme]

LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (2001-11) [2001-02 opening theme]

DRAGNET/L.A. DRAGNET (2003-04) [opening theme]

LAW & ORDER: TRIAL BY JURY (2005-06) [opening theme]

BLIND JUSTICE (2005) [opening theme]

I've included  vintage commercials for Lowenbrau, Arrid Xtra-Dri, TV Guide, and Shasta Cola. And you'll also have fun listening to some ads that my podcasting friends provided to me to promote their own great podcasts; be sure to check them out.

Note also that I've added a The Mystery Tune for my intrepid listeners to test their TV theme tune memory. It's only an excerpt of a theme for a series which ran on network television (hint: the title includes the name of an aquatic mammal). Let me know what your guess is, and if you're correct I'll mention you on the air during the next episode of TUBE TUNES.

Many, many thanks to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcast...

In this regular-length episode, I wax nostalgic about my earliest and most influential television memories, and how what I watched impacted my sense of humor, my appreciation of drama and music, my love of animals, and my general outlook on life. Of course the theme music for the shows I discuss are included, many of them presented in stereo, as well as a brief synopses of the shows. This survey includes the following themes:

THE TWILIGHT ZONE (1959-1964) [episode 1-31 opening] [episode 1-31 closing] [episode 32-36 opening] [episode 32-26 closing] [season 2 opening] [season 2 closing] [season 3 opening] [season 3 closing] [season 5 opening] [season 5 closing]

-Commercial Break-

CAPTAIN KANGAROO (1955-1984) [1955-1974 opening] [1974-1982 opening]

-The Mystery Tune-

GILLIAN'S ISLAND (1964-1967) [season 1 opening from Tape 1]

-Commercial Break-

GENTLE BEN (1967-1969) [opening]

-Commercial Break-

MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS (1969-1974) [opening]

The commercials include three vintage promo drops from WTCG-TV 17 in Atlanta (where I live) that aired before it became SuperStation WTBS (now the TBS Cable Network). And you'll have fun listening to some ads that my podcasting friends provided to me to promote their own great podcasts; be sure to check them out.

Note also that I've added a The Mystery Tune for my intrepid listeners to test their TV theme tune memory. It's only an excerpt of a theme for a series which ran on network television (hint: during the 1980s). Let me know what your guess is, and if you're correct I'll mention you on the air during the next episode of TUBE TUNES.

Many, many thanks to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here. And I'd also like especially to thank him for providing the opening and closing theme music for Tube Tunes; all of his fantastic music can be found here. And, again, thanks are in order for him for providing TUBE TUNES with the "We'll Be Right Back" drops heard during the podcast. Thanks, Burford.

I would also like to again thank Rob "Flack" O'Hara and Sean Johnson for adding TUBE TUNES to The Throwback Network. It's a great place to find just about any retro-themed podcast you can think of. Please check out the network here.

Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. And his continued support and promotion of TUBE TUNES on his excellent podcast is greatly appreciated by yours truly. Please, check out his podcast, even if you're not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here.

Next Episode: "S01E08: The Mike Post Legacy" (available March 29, 2016)

In this double-length episode packed with theme music, many of them presented in stereo, the broadcast histories, stars and (of course) the TV theme music of 40 animated broadcast network series from 1960 to the present are explored. Here is the layout for this extended episode:

FEATURED SERIES #1:

THE FLINTSTONES (1960-1966)

[season 1-2 opening] [season 1-2 closing] [season 3-6 opening] [season 3-6 closing]

-Commercial Break-

LIGHTNING ROUND #1:

THE BUGS BUNNY SHOW (1960-1961) [season 1 opening] [season 1 closing]

THE BULLWINKLE SHOW (1960-1961) [opening theme & fanfare] [closing]

TOP CAT (1961-1962) [opening]

CALVIN AND THE COLONEL (1961-1962) [opening] [closing]

THE ALVIN SHOW (1961-1962) [opening]

THE JETSONS (1962-1963) [opening] [closing]

THE ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST (1964-1965) [opening] [closing]

THE FAMOUS ADVENTURES OF MR. MAGOO (1964-1965) [opening]

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN (1968-1970) [opening] [closing]

WHERE'S HUDDLES (1970) [opening]

WAIT TILL YOUR FATHER GETS HOME (1972-1974) [opening]

-Commercial Break-

FEATURED SERIES #2:

THE SIMPSONS (1989-present)

[season 1 opening] [season 1 closing] [season 2-20 opening]

-Commercial Break-

LIGHTNING ROUND #2:

CAPITOL CRITTERS (1992) [opening]

FISH POLICE (1992) [opening]

BATMAN - THE ANIMATED SERIES (1992-1993) [opening]

FAMILY DOG (1993) [opening]

THE CRITIC (1994-1995) [opening]

PINKY & THE BRAIN (1995-1996) [opening]

-Commercial Break-

FEATURED SERIES #3:

KING OF THE HILL (1996-2009)

[1996 pilot opening]

-Commercial Break-

LIGHTNING ROUND #3:

STRESSED ERIC (1998) [opening]

THE PJs (1999-2001) [1999 pilot opening]

DILBERT (1999-2000) [opening]

FUTURAMA (1999-2003; 2010-2013) [opening] [closing]

HOME MOVIES (1999) [opening] [closing]

MISSION HILL (1999-2000; 2002) [opening] [closing]

GOD, THE DEVIL & BOB (2000; 2003) [opening]

THE OBLONGS (2001) [opening]

CLERKS - THE ANIMATED SERIES (2000) [opening]

BABY BLUES (2000-2002) [opening]

-Commercial Break-

FEATURED SERIES #4:

FAMILY GUY (1999-2002; 2005-present)

[opening] [closing]

-Commercial Break-

LIGHTNING ROUND #4:

GAME OVER (2004) [opening] [closing]

FATHER OF THE PRIDE (2004-2005) [opening]

AMERICAN DAD! (2005-present) [opening] [closing]

CREATURE COMFORTS (2007) [opening]

THE GOODE FAMILY (2009) [opening] [closing]

THE CLEVELAND SHOW (2009-2013) [opening] [closing]

NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (2012) [opening]

BORDERTOWN (2016) [opening]

-Commercial Break-

FEATURED SERIES #4:

BOB'S BURGERS (2011-present)

[opening] [closing]

Many, many thanks to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here. And I'd also like especially to thank him for providing the opening and closing theme music for Tube Tunes; all of his fantastic music can be found here. And, again, thanks are in order for him for providing TUBE TUNES with the "We'll Be Right Back" drops heard during the podcast. Thanks, Burford.

I would also like to again thank Rob "Flack" O'Hara and Sean Johnson for adding TUBE TUNES to The Throwback Network. It's a great place to find just about any retro-themed podcast you can think of. Please check out the network here.

Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. And his continued support and promotion of TUBE TUNES on his excellent podcast is greatly app...

In this double-length episode packed with theme music, many of them presented in stereo, the broadcast histories, stars and (of course) the TV theme music of 10 iconic police and private-eye detective dramas that aired most of their respective episodes during the 1970s are explored. This survey includes the following themes:

IRONSIDE (1967-1975) [season 1 opening]

MANNIX (1967-1975) [season 2 opening] [closing]

THE MOD SQUAD (1968-1973) [opening] [closing]

HAWAII FIVE-O (1968-1980) [season 1 opening] [season 1 closing]

CANNON (1971-1975) [season 2 opening]

BARNABY JONES (1973-1980) [season 8 opening] [closing]

TOMA (1973-1974) [opening]

KOJAK (1973-1978) [opening] [closing]

THE ROCKFORD FILES (1974-1980) [season 1 opening] [season 1 closing]

DELVECCHIO (1976-1977) [opening]

Also included in this podcast are four vintage commercials, including a public service announcement for Keeping America Beautiful (with CANNON's William Conrad narrating), a promo for the premiere of RHYME & REASON (an ABC game show in 1975), an ad for Colgate Toothpaste, and an ad for the softer side of Sears.

Please don't worry if I didn't get to your favorite 1970s TV detective. I promise to include them when Part 2 of "Detectives of the 1970s" returns during the Summer of 2016.

Many, many thanks to Zerbinator for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here. And I'd also like especially to thank him for providing the opening and closing theme music for Tube Tunes; all of his fantastic music can be found here. And, again, thanks are in order for him for providing TUBE TUNES with the "We'll Be Right Back" drops heard during the podcast. Thanks, Burford.

I would also like to again thank Rob "Flack" O'Hara and Sean Johnson for adding TUBE TUNES to The Throwback Network. It's a great place to find just about any retro-themed podcast you can think of. Please check out the network here.

Finally, my thanks to Ferg of The Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast. His inspiration and dedication to covering every game cartridge ever made for the Atari 2600 (I think over 1000 of them!) is what gave me the courage to begin this podcast. And his continued support and promotion of TUBE TUNES on his excellent podcast is greatly appreciated by yours truly. Please, check out his podcast, even if you're not an Atari 2600 collector; or at least visit his website here.

Next Episode: "S01E06: Prime Time 'Toons" (available February 29, 2016)

In this episode (my most popular episode to date), presented in stereo for the first time, the TV theme music of award-winning film composer John Williams is explored. Mr. Williams is best known as the musical composer for nearly 100 movies, notably those of director Steven Spielberg, for whom he has composed every movie except for two ("The Color Purple" and "Bridge of Spies"). His prolific musical legacy includes the well-known scores to "Jaws," all seven "Star Wars" movies, all four (soon to be five) Indiana Jones movies, "E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial," "Superman," the first two "Jurassic Park" movies, the first three "Harry Potter" movies, "The Witches of Eastwick," and many others. This survey includes the following themes to 14 series that aired beginning in 1960:

CHECKMATE (1960-1962) [opening] [closing]

ALCOA PREMIERE (1961-1963) [opening] [closing]

WIDE COUNTRY (1962-1963) [opening] [closing]

BOB HOPE PRESENTS THE CHRYSLER THEATRE (1963-1967) [opening] [closing]

KRAFT SUSPENSE THEATRE (1963-1965)[1963-64 opening] [1963-64 closing] [1964-1965 opening]

GILLIAN'S ISLAND (1963 pilot only) [opening] [closing]

LOST IN SPACE (1965-1968) [1965-67 opening] [1967-68 opening]

THE TAMMY GRIMES SHOW (1966) [opening] [closing]

THE TIME TUNNEL (1966-1967) [opening]

LAND OF THE GIANTS (1968-1970) [1968-69 opening] [1969-70 opening]

THE COWBOYS (adaptation of his movie theme; 1974) [opening]

NBC NEWS ("The Mission"; 1985-present) [opening]

AMAZING STORIES (1985-1987) [opening] [closing]

NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (2006-present) [opening]

Also included in this podcast are four vintage commercials for everyone's favorite soft drink.

Many thanks to Zerbinator for helping me get this podcast off the ground, and for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here. And I'd also like especially to thank him for providing the opening and closing theme music for TUBE TUNES; all of his fantastic music can be found here. Thanks, Burford.

Next Episode: "S01E05: Who Loves Ya, Baby? Detectives of the 1970s (Part 1)" (available January 25, 2016)

S01E02 and S01E03 of TUBE TUNES together explore the histories and theme music of eleven kooky sitcoms that aired in a typical week 50 years ago (December 1965). Episode 2 covers six of the sitcoms, and Episode 3 covers another five. Included in both episodes are the iconic theme tunes of each show, brief biographies of the theme composers and lyricists for each series, a rundown of the stars, synopses and broadcast histories of each show, and trivia about all of them.

The series explored in "S01E02: A Wacky Week in 1965 (Part 1)": I DREAM OF JEANNIE, GET SMART, MY FAVORITE MARTIAN, MY MOTHER, THE CAR, F TROOP and THE MUNSTERS. Vintage commercials included: Top Brass Hair Creme and Levi's Jeans.

The series explored in "S01E03: A Wacky Week in 1965 (Part 2)": GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, BEWITCHED, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, HOGAN'S HEROES and THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS SHOW. Vintage commercials included: Post Raisin Bran and Adams Gum.

Many thanks to Zerbinator for helping me get this podcast off the ground, and for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here. And I'd also like especially to thank him for providing the opening and closing theme music for TUBE TUNES; all of his fantastic music can be found here. Thanks, Burford.

Next Episode: "S01E04: From CHECKMATE to Spielberg - The TV Theme Music of John Williams" (available January 3, 2016)

S01E02 and S01E03 of TUBE TUNES together explore the histories and theme music of eleven kooky sitcoms that aired in a typical week 50 years ago (December 1965). Episode 2 covers six of the sitcoms, and Episode 3 covers another five. Included in both episodes are the iconic theme tunes of each show, brief biographies of the theme composers and lyricists for each series, a rundown of the stars, synopses and broadcast histories of each show, and trivia about all of them.

The series explored in "S01E02: A Wacky Week in 1965 (Part 1)": I DREAM OF JEANNIE, GET SMART, MY FAVORITE MARTIAN, MY MOTHER, THE CAR, F TROOP and THE MUNSTERS. Vintage commercials included: Top Brass Hair Creme and Levi's Jeans.

The series explored in "S01E03: A Wacky Week in 1965 (Part 2)": GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, BEWITCHED, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, HOGAN'S HEROES and THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS SHOW. Vintage commercials included: Post Raisin Bran and Adams Gum.

Many thanks to Zerbinator for helping me get this podcast off the ground, and for his continued support. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here. And I'd also like especially to thank him for providing the opening and closing theme music for TUBE TUNES; all of his fantastic music can be found here. Thanks, Burford.

Next Episode: "S01E03: A Wacky Week in 1965 (Part 2)" (available December 13, 2015)

This episode of TUBE TUNES explores the rise of the adult westerns in the 1950s by focusing on ten of them (Part 2 will cover another ten or so in a later episode). Included are the iconic theme tunes of each show, brief biographies of the theme composers and lyricists for each series, a rundown of the stars, synopses and broadcast histories of each show, and trivia about all of them.

The series explored in this episode: GUNSMOKE, THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WYATT EARP, CHEYENNE, HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL, SUGARFOOT, WAGON TRAIN, MAVERICK, WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, BRONCO, and THE TEXAN. A few vintage commercials (Budweiser Beer, Great American Soups, Hershey Chocolate, and Sergio Valente Jeans) are also interspersed throughout the podcast.

Thanks to Zerbinator for helping me get this podcast off the ground and running. His encouragement and expertise are very much appreciated by me. You can find all of his fun-to-listen-to podcasts here. And I'd also like especially to thank him for providing the opening and closing theme music for TUBE TUNES; all of his fantastic music can be found here. Thanks, Burford.

Next Episodes: "S01E02: A Wacky Week in 1965 (Part 1)" and "S01E03: A Wacky Week in 1965 (Part 2)" (available December 13, 2015)

TUBE TUNES is the first podcast that takes an in-depth look at the history of American television through the theme music that began and ended most every series from TV’s earliest days in the late 1940s through to the present day. Biographies of the composers, lyricists and performers are included in each bi-weekly episode. Also featured are brief biographies of the series’ stars, a look at the series’ broadcast history, a synopsis of each show, and fun facts about all of them. And full audio clips of the theme music itself accompany each episode.

I’ve arranged each episode to cover a certain “theme” (pardon the pun), such as a genre of shows (westerns, crime dramas, sitcoms, etc.) or maybe a look (and listen) at a specific composer. Also included in every episode are vintage audio clips of commercials, psa’s, promos and jingles, interspersed throughout the podcast. And eventually a mystery theme tune will be added to future episodes to give my intrepid listeners an exercise in memory.

I hope you enjoy the podcast!

Next Episode: "S01E01: Go West, Old Man: Adult Westerns of the 1950s (Part 1)" (available December 1, 2015)