TV THEMES
Two people helped me enormously when I started writing music for television. One was Dudley Moore, the other was Harry Rabinowitz. Dudley, a close friend, gave me the confidence. Harry, then head of music at London Weekend Television, gave me the technique.
At the time, the early 1970s, one had neither the benefit of video nor click track to work with. While this didn’t affect writing the theme, composing the underscore (background music) for each individual episode was a different story. In “Black Beauty” for example, a series which had fifty-two episodes, I had only one opportunity to view each episode, and that was in the cutting room at the studio on what was called a Moviola machine. I’d take notes and rough timings, go home, and then at the piano in my office attempt to remember what in hell I’d seen earlier: was this her getting on the horse or off the horse or the horse rearing up or...Christ, maybe the horse had gone by this point! The whole task seemed impossible.
When eventually it came to the recording, Harry Rabinowitz, conducting, saved my life. Magically, he made my music fit, even if I hadn’t written enough or written too much, and after each session had finished, he would patiently take me through the scores and show me how to improve for next time.
Life is much easier today, technically. Although, of course, you still have to come up with the goods.
THEMES
IF IT MOVES, FILE IT (1970)
KINDLY LEAVE THE KERB (1971)
FENN STREET GANG (1971)
NOW LOOK HERE (1971)
BLACK BEAUTY (52 episodes 1972-73 Ivor Novello Award Best TV Theme 1973) - click here to purchase iTunes
WITHIN THESE WALLS (1972-73)
BETWEEN THE WARS (1973)
NOT ON YOUR NELLIE (1974)
THE PRINCE OF DENMARK (1974)
THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH (1975)
ROOMS (1975)
THE FOSTERS (1976)
TWO'S COMPANY (1976 lyric, Sammy Cahn) - click here for more
YUS, MY DEAR (1976 lyric, Myles Rudge)
JUST WILLIAM (1977)
HOLDING ON (1977) - click here for more
A ROOF OVER MY HEAD (1977)
LONDON BELONGS TO ME (1977)
TARGETS (1977)
THE LAW CENTRE (1977)
TWO PEOPLE (1977)
VIVE LA DIFFERENCE (1977)
HOW TO STAY ALIVE (1977
END OF PART ONE (1978)
LOVELY COUPLE (1978)
ARMCHAIR THRILLER (1978)
JUKES OF PICCADILLY (1979)
TOGETHER (1979)
HOW’S YOUR FATHER (1979 lyric, Myles Rudge)
SURVIVAL (1979)
HOLDING THE FORT (1979)
NOBODY’S PERFECT (1980)
DICK TURPIN (26 episodes 1980 - 82)
RHUBARB, RHUBARB (1980)
STAINLESS STEEL AND THE STAR SPIES (1980)
FANCY WANDERS (1980)
IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE WOODS (1981)
WORZEL GUMMIDGE (1981)
DON’T ROCK THE BOAT (1982)
PASSWORD (1982)
WE'LL MEET AGAIN (1982 - 83)
LET THERE BE LOVE (1983)
THE KIT CURRAN RADIO SHOW (1983)
NOW AND THEN (1983 - 4)
WE’RE GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT (1984)
GIVE US A CLUE (1984)
BOTTLE BOYS (1985 lyric, Myles Rudge) - click here for more
MINDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1985)
SMUGGLER (12 episodes 1985)
ALL AT NUMBER 20 (1985 - 86)
LOVEJOY (80 episodes 1986 - 95) - click here for more
THE FOOLS ON THE HILL (1986)
YESTERDAY’S HUDDLINES (1987)
A DAY TO REMEMBER (1987)
FFIZZ (1987)
WISH ME LUCK (1988)
THE WORST WITCH (1988)
RUNNING WILD (1988)
HANNAY (1988-89)
SNAKES AND LADDERS (1989)
TAKING THE FLOOR (1989)
ABOUT FACE (1990 - 91)
THE BRIGHT SIDE (1991 lyric, Willis Hall)
MOON AND SON (1993)
HEAVY WEATHER (1995)
OUT OF SIGHT (1996)
MADSON (1998)
KINGS' COMMENTS:



Fact of the Day
Denis wrote and performed "The Tupperware Brigade" (words by John Junkin) at the Albert Hall in front of 5,000 enthusiastic Tupperware salesladies.

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