Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show

Subject: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 12 Jul 04 - 10:07 PM

Does anyone remember the TV show " This Is Your Life" with Ralph Edwards as the host. It had one of the most beautiful melodic theme songs. Can anyone identify that piece of music and supply the name of the author ? Also, were any lyrics ever composed to fit the tune ?
SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Jul 04 - 02:03 AM

Hi, Sol - This EMI Publishing Page says that "Theme from This Is Your Life" was written by Laurie Johnson, and published in 1962. Another page says Johnson also wrote the theme for the Avengers.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 13 Jul 04 - 01:05 PM

Joe, That is not possible, unless we are talking about 2 different theme songs. I went to a summer camp in 1954, called Camp Maple Lake in Livingston Manor, N.Y. During colorwar, each team had a competetive sing, and one of the songs that was judged was a camp alma mater song. I was on the green team that year and our song was done to the melody of "You'll Never Walk Alone". We lost because the white team did their song to the tune of the theme song from "This Is Your Life" which was a much more beautiful melody. So I know that the tune was around at least since 1954. Maybe they changed to a different theme song in 1962. Can anyone verify this ? SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Micca
Date: 13 Jul 04 - 01:10 PM

Joe, I think you may find that Laurie Johnson's music was for the British version of the show,which I think the format was imported and started some time after the US version and melodic it was not!! it was more like a Fanfare. So maybe you gotta look in the [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 13 Jul 04 - 06:22 PM

I belive that the show was on TV as early as 1952. It had to have a theme song before Laurie Johnson wrote hers in 1962. SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 01:48 AM

Sol, for once I think I have to say that maybe I'm too young to be able to answer your question. That please me very much...
-Joe Offer, born in 1948-

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Sho
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 03:13 AM

That's OK, Joe, when Sol was having his color war in the summer of 1954, I was 6 months old! My parents tell me I watched the Army-McCarthy hearings, or maybe my mom watched them when she was pregnant. Anyway, the earliest TV shows I remember watching are The Mickey Mouse Club, Superman, and The Life of Riley.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Blackcatter at work
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 03:23 PM

Hello,

This Is Your Life was broadcast from 1952 to 1961. The format of This is Your Life was based on a simple principle: guests were surprised with a presentation of their past life in the form of a narrative read by host Ralph Edwards and reminisces by relatives and friends.

As for it's theme. I'm at work and therefore don't have all my resources with me. I'll look when I get home for more information. I am pretty sure that the theme song did not have lyrics, however, as that's part of what I do on the Internet, host a website of TV theme song lyrics (sort of the Digital Tradition for TV).

Here's some guesses: Since it dated from 1952, it is quite possible that it was a tune not written originally for the show, but a semi-popular tune of some sort, as were many of the themes in the early years of TV. It is unlikely to have lyrics because it is an early theme and few at that time did, especially a show like this one which was similar to a game show (really, it was one of the frst "Reality" shows on TV).

Like I said, I'll look more when I get home. I have a resource that lists the music to many old TV shows and their composers, recording and copyright info.

Blackcatter

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Blackcatter
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 03:38 PM

OK, so I was able to find the info:

This Is Your Life

Theme (1952 - 1961): "This Is Your Life"; aka: "Life Theme";

Alexander Laszlo and his Orchestra performed the theme he composed on both NBC and CBS radio versions. When the series went on television this theme was also used.

By the time "This Is Your Life" moved to television, Laszlo was quite busy scoring several series including "My Little Margie", "Waterfront", "Beulah", and others, So Von Dexter and his Orchestra performed the music on the TV series (This includes all the incidental music, remember, this was live TV).

Composers: Music by Alexander Laszlo (ASCAP) [professional name of Sandor ("San") Totis] with lyric added by L. Wolfe Gilbert (ASCAP) [It is unknown exactly what this refers to but might only be some sort of voiced-over introduction to the show. It is unlikely to actually be lyrics.].

Original Publisher: Guild Publications of California (ASCAP), of Hollywood, CA.

1998 Publisher: The Regents of the University of California, of Berkeley, CA on behalf of Alexander Publications, Inc. (ASCAP)

Published Copyright Date: Nov. 1, 1949; EP 42 427.

Recordings: LP: "This Is Your Life" (1958) Von Dexter and his Orchestra, Imperial LP-9051.


Hope this helps.
Blackcatter

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Cruiser
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 05:30 PM

Is there a sound file clip of this available?

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 06:06 PM

Thank you Blackcatter for the information. If there is a sound file clip available or someone can create a midi file, I am sure that everyone could see for themselves what a beautiful melody this really is. By the way Joe, for the record, I was born in 1942 and I still remember the first TV sets with the round screens. SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Sho
From: Blackcatter
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 08:39 PM

Hey - it all depends on what your interested in, not your age. I was born in 1966.

I don't have too much more information. I don't think the show is available on video or DVD. I have never seen anything but clips of the show on TV in the past 30 years. The theme song is not available on any of the TV theme song CDs. Therefore, a sound clip of it is highly unlikely.

If someone remembers the tune well enough, a midi file could be made. The other option is to contact the current publisher: The Regents of the University of California, of Berkeley, CA on behalf of Alexander Publications, Inc. (ASCAP). It is possible they have a recording that they would be willing to share.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Guest Archivaled
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 08:03 PM

It was a full lyric, performed just once on the finale of the first radio season June 14, 1949. Sheet music was published.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 11:55 PM

When you say full lyric, do you mean that actual words were written to it that accompanied the sheet music ? SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Sho
From: Blackcatter
Date: 04 Aug 04 - 01:04 PM

Do you have the sheet music? I have looked and haven't been able to find and sheet music associated with the theme.

I would be very interested in the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Cruiser
Date: 04 Aug 04 - 01:33 PM

Someone please make and post a MIDI of the tune, if possible.

Thanks

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Sho
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 12:43 AM

Can someone post this soundclip NOW!

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,David H
Date: 10 Oct 04 - 02:48 PM

Hi, i'm wondering if anyone can help?

Its my dad birthday coming up and as a gift me and my sister are hosting a 'This Is Your Life' for him. I REALLY REALLY need the theme tune for it and if anyone could e-mail it to me it would be greatly appreciated.
My e-mail is: [e-mail]

Thanks

David.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Rizwan Midhat
Date: 28 Oct 04 - 02:03 PM

hi everyone
          iam rizwan midhat from pakistan.if any one is interested in having the this is your life theme,then please do mail me at [e-mail] and i will send you the theme. thanks

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Rizwan Midhat
Date: 28 Oct 04 - 02:35 PM

hi everyone iam rizwan midhat from pakistan.if any one is interested in having the this is your life theme,then please do mail me at [e-mail] and i will send you the theme. thanks

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 28 Oct 04 - 04:39 PM

Rizwan,
          Do you have it in Midi File or sheet music ?

                                                 SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Rizwan Midhat
Date: 29 Oct 04 - 06:06 AM

well i have the original theme music from the show in mp3 format.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Rizwan Midhat
Date: 30 Oct 04 - 06:09 AM

hi there everyone i have found the link to the this is your life(FULL VERSION) theme in 128 kbps 44 khz stereo format.here is the link
http://www.tonethemez.plus.com/mp3/t/this_is_your_life.mp3
ENJOY IT.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Bassic
Date: 30 Oct 04 - 11:02 AM

Nice link Rizwan..........unfortunetaly that is the Laurie Johnson version of the theme that was used in the UK show.........from what others have been saying, the US theme tune was an entirely different tune. (see the first few posts to this thread).

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,cella123
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 07:09 PM

You seem to know a lot about "This is Your Life" Do you know where I can get a script?

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Sho
From: Blackcatter
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 11:13 AM

Hello,

What exactly do you mean by "script"? Do you mean a transcript of one of the episodes?

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 05:49 PM

Who cares?

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 26 Nov 04 - 10:11 PM

I really need a script as well! I'm doing a this is your life presentation for my teacher and i desperatly need a script to form a basis of the presentation.

Does anyone know where i could get a complete script online??

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 10:42 AM

Rizwan, you are indeed a wonderful human being - we have been looking everywhere for this for a presentation at work. Take care mate, and best wishes,

Ian & Ed (UK)

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,L. Williams
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 12:49 PM

Rizwan, I also need the theme to This is Your Life for a work presentation and cannot get to the link you suggested. Can you advise?

http://www.tonethemez.plus.com/mp3/t/this_is_your_life.mp3

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Rizwan Midhat
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 03:32 PM

hi there everybody,please help me out :( the link which i posted sometime ago is not working now and don't know for some reason my hard disk has crashed and all my collection is vanished forever.so please if someone has downloaded the theme from the link which i posted earlier can send the mp3 file of "THIS IS YOUR LIFE" at [e-mail] i would be greatful to them.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Eric Ruane
Date: 09 Mar 05 - 12:06 PM

Hi folks i need a really big favour im best man for my brothers wedding in may and i want to supprise everyone with a powerpoint slideshow of his life to date for my speece and i really need this is your life theme music. please please email [e-mail]
thanks again.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,guest -Amy
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 05:08 AM

Please can someone email me the tune! [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From:
Date: 03 Nov 05 - 11:45 AM

Here's a link to an MP3 of an original This Is Your Life Radio Show. Is this the theme music you are looking for?

http://www.otrcat.com/thisisyourlife.htm

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Rabbi Sol
Date: 03 Nov 05 - 05:34 PM

Yes. This is the original theme music from the Ralph Edwards era that I was looking for. I believe that it is taken from a classical piece. Can anyone identify the original piece and the composer ?

                                                 Sol Zeller

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 10:13 PM

I just received information that the title of this theme song is
"Gala Performance" and was composed by Laurie Johnson. This information was supplied to me by Ms. Bunty Pritchard Jones of Yorkshire, UK who has done extensive reasearch to discover this information for me. We are now searching for the sheet music so we can sequence a midi file.

                                             SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Cruiser
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 01:49 AM

Thanks for the update SOL. We older folks will work hard to find a tune. I am looking forward to the midi.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 02:44 PM

Hi Cruiser,
       My previous post was in error. When Bunty sent me an MP3 of the theme I realized that it is the wrong one. What she sent is the UK theme.

The correct one that we are looking for was written in 1949 by Alexander Laszlo and was called "Life Theme". Lyrics were added a year later by L. Wolfe Gilbert.

An LP recording was made in 1958 (Imperial LP-9051) by Von Dexter and his Orchestra.

The original publisher was Guild Publications of California.

It was re-published in 1998 by The Regents of the University of California on behalf of Alexander Publications Inc. who according to ASCAP now owns the copyright.

If the sheet music and lyrics exits, which I now know that they do, I will make a concentrated effort to find them and create a midi-karaoke file.

                                                 SOL

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Jenna Fudge
Date: 02 Feb 07 - 10:16 AM

Please please would someone be able to send me the UK version of the show "This is your life". I'm preparing a surprise for my other half!

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Loretta in Australia
Date: 25 Feb 07 - 07:45 AM

Hi everyone and sorry to be a pest...
but it is my dad's 60th "this is your life" tribute and if we could get hold of the music (midi file) it would be the icing on the birthday cake!!
I am in a bit of a hurry for it as it is this weekend so if anyone has a moment and can send it to me - greatly appreciated.
Regards and thanks for your time

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Sho
From: GUEST,UK Version
Date: 16 Sep 07 - 12:00 PM

looking For UK version...... any one please

[e-mail]


many thanks

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Sho
From: GUEST,Rizwan Midhat
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 09:21 AM

hi there everybody its a long time since my last post on this forum. please don't send me e-mails for the request of this is your life theme coz these days i don't have much time to sit on the computer.so for all those fan of this is you life i have found a link that holds seven versions of this theme. the link    http://www.televisiontunes.com/t-theme-songs.html


plz enjoy this site while you can :)


have a nice time.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Feb 08 - 01:10 PM

Hi can you email me the 'this is your life theme' mp3

cheers,

Doug in Dublin Ireland

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 18 Feb 08 - 01:15 PM

There are several clips now available on You Tube of the old Ralph Edwards hosted "This Is Your Life" shows. The theme song can be clearly heard in the background.

                                                   SOL

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 12:09 PM

please can someone email the UK version theme tune to this is your life. Thanks

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: masato sakurai
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 12:42 PM

You can listen to Laurie Johnston Orchestra's "This Is Your Life Theme (Gala Performance)" on Various Artists: Sounds Visual - 16 TV Themes.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,LN
Date: 28 Sep 20 - 05:40 PM

Sounded very similar to John Denver's Shanghai Breezes.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Oct 20 - 05:01 PM

Whenever an old friend came on - they played a tune called He's a Fine Old English Gentleman.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,SB666
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 09:01 AM

In case folks have missed the point TIYL is also a BBC programe dating back to the 1950s. Programmes will be listed on Genome. The BBC Archives hold some old programmes that it didn't wipe, there may be a few on iPLayer even. Eamon Andrews was the first presenter. Listings of extant recordngs may be found at TVBrain. One edition that many folks wish to see is the one about Sister Mary, the nurse who worked at Brauston on the Grand Union Canal, looking after the narrowboat people.

The theme Song for TIYL as mentioned above is for the US version of the programme. Being that the programme was originally from the BBC isn't it the original English version that needs to be found?

====

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 09:12 AM

The only original from many thousands at the BBC (most wiped, missing, or lost) ...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b00xxvjl/this-is-your-life

Eamonn Andrews hosts the nostalgic chat show with a look into Hattie Jacques's life and career, with contributions from John Le Mesurier, Eric Sykes, Leslie Phillips, Shirley Eaton, Leonard Sachs and Bernard Miles. (1963)

====

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: mayomick
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 06:48 PM

GUEST,SB666 The American version came first . “This Is Your Life is a British biographical television documentary, based on the 1952 American show of the same title” . Wiki

The theme music 'Gala Performance' was indeed composed by Laurie Johnson. Anyone still looking to surprise their partners can find Gala Performance here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8SZdTCEjZw

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: GUEST,Bert
Date: 05 Oct 20 - 06:15 AM

Ah Wiki - the fountain of all human knowledge, daily edited by thousands of self-appointed self-opinionated 'historians' who know it all but who in reality know nothing.

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 06 Oct 20 - 11:43 AM

As a track on the Von Dexter entry, discogs

https://www.discogs.com/Ralph-Edwards-This-Is-Your-Life/release/9290432

Subject: RE: Origins: Theme Song: This Is Your Life TV Show
From: r.padgett
Date: 06 Oct 20 - 02:21 PM

He's a Fine Old English Gentleman. above mention

This became "Fine old Yorkshire Gentleman" o doubt used by Bill Price as the chorus to his song of the name see Yorkshire Garland too

Ray