(CBS Primetime, 1955 - 1960, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" - 30 min.; NBC Primetime, 1960 - 1962, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" - 30 min.; CBS Primetime, 1962 - 1964, "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" - 60 min.; NBC Primetime, 1964 - 1965, "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" - 60 min.)
[This classical novelty was composed in 1872 by Charles Gounod, while he was living in England, and was first published there; Hitchcock is said to have selected this piece for his THEME after remembering its use behind the 1927 silent film "Sunrise" directed by F. W. Murnau; For the TV series, this quirky little tune was arranged by several people, in the approximate order, as described below. Verified as the THEME in TV Guide article "It Seems To Me I've Heard That Theme Before" July 28, 1956, pp. 12-13; Verified also as the THEME in TV Guide article "Looking For A Lost Chord?" April 28, 1962, pp. 12-13] Composer: Charles Gounod (predates ASCAP & BMI) Original Publisher: Goddard and Co., of London, England 1999 Publisher: [in the Public Domain] First Publication Date: 1872 Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings:
[an adaptation/arrangement based upon Charles Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette"] Adapter/Arranger: Stanley J. Wilson (ASCAP/BMI) [Revue Studios Music Director] Original Publisher: Gordon Music Co, Inc. (ASCAP) 1998 Publisher: Gordon Music Co. (ASCAP), of Canoga Park, CA Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings:
[above is title as filed for copyright; aka: "The Alfred Hitchcock Theme"; this is another version adapted/arranged from Charles Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" Melvyn Lenard is a pseudonym of publisher David Marvin Gordon of Gordon Music, who got a piece of the performance royalties] Adapters/Arrangers: Dave Kahn (ASCAP), and Melvyn Lenard (ASCAP) [pseudonym of publisher David Marvin Gordon] Original Publisher: Gordon Music Co, Inc. (ASCAP) 1998 Publisher: Gordon Music Co. (ASCAP), of Canoga Park, CA Copyright Date: Aug. 28, 1962; EU 735 538. Renewal Date: July 30, 1990; RE-481-297. Recordings:
[above is title as filed for copyright] Adapter/Arranger: Lyn Murray (ASCAP) [pseudonym of Lionel Breeze] Original Publisher/Claimant: Revue Studios, Inc. (ASCAP) 1998 Publisher: MCA/Northern Music Company (ASCAP), of Los Angeles, CA Copyright Date: January 21, 1963; EU 753 696. Renewal Date: October 16, 1991; RE-548-909. Recordings:
[above is title as listed in the ASCAP database without publisher; BMI Titles aka: "Alfred Hitchcock Theme"; BMI Alternate aka: "Theme from 'Alfred Hitchcock'"; In Bernard Herrmann's arrangement the melody was transposed up a third...but it is based upon the Charles Gounod "Funeral March of a Marionette" listed above] Adapter/Arranger: Bernard Herrmann (ASCAP/BMI) Original Publisher/Claimant: 2001 Publisher: Duchess Music Corporation (BMI), c/o Duchess-Hawaii Music a div. of MCA Music, of New York, NY Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recordings:
[this was the cue with sustained strings and an eerie soft timpani figure, which often preceded commercials on the series. The name was seen on an episode cue sheet supplied to ASCAP in order to collect performance royalties. This cue may have originated in a production music library. Melvyn Lenard is a pseudonym of publisher David Gordon. Probably a ghost writer or library writer actually wrote this cue... Library Music contributor T. Perrone has also found a very similar cue in a movie scored by Herschel Burke Gilbert...] Composer: credited to Melvyn Lenard (ASCAP) [pseudonym of publisher David Marvin Gordon] Original Publisher: Marlen Music Co.; [selling agent:] Gordon Music Co. (ASCAP), of Beverly Hills, CA 1998 Publisher: Gordon Music Company Inc. (ASCAP) of Canoga Park, CA Copyright Date: Renewal Date: Recording: