THEME = TV songs: “The Love Boat”, “Mad About You” & “Mr. Belvedere”
This week’s edition features 1 hour-long & 2 half-hour shows….
#1 “The Love Boat” | ABC | 09/24/1977 – 02/27/1987
Have you heard the full version of “Love Boat Theme”!? Written by Charles Fox & Paul Williams for the show, Jack Jones released the long version in 1979 as a single with “Ready To Take A Chance Again” (earlier recorded by Barry Manilow) as the B-side. Jones’ original short version was used for the show’s opening credits until the last season, during which Dionne Warwick’s cover replaced it.
FYI: Aaron Spelling was the executive producer for this show, which is 1 of the few hour-long series to use a laugh track. Prior to the series debut, 3 made-for-TV movies, based on the nonfiction book ‘The Love Boats’ by Jeraldine Saunders (real-life cruise director), aired: ‘The Love Boat’ (1976), ‘The Love Boat II’ & ‘The New Love Boat’. During its run, this show had cross overs with “Charlie’s Angels” (also a Spelling series) & “Fantasy Island”, which aired right after this series on Sunday nights. Since the writing format was unique (different sets of writers worked on different storylines for each guest star), continuity issues were quite frequent. After the series, a reunion TV movie aired on CBS in 1990: ‘The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage’. Then, 1998-1999, a 2nd series, “The Love Boat: The Next Wave”, aired on UPN. Along with a plethora of guest stars, this series starred Gavin MacLeod, Bernie Kopell, Fred Grandy, Ted Lange, Lauren Tewes, Jill Whelan, Ted McGinley & Pat Klous. MacLeod, Kopell & Lange are the only cast members to appear in every episode of the series.
#2 “Mad About You” | 09/23/1992 – 05/24/1999
Have you heard the full version of “Final Frontier”!? Composed by Paul Reiser & Don Was specifically for this series, Andrew Gold originally performed the theme. His rendition is the most-remembered short version for the opening credits; however, starting in the 6th season, Anita Baker’s short version cover was used for the opening. Gold’s short version & Baker’s long version appear on the “Mad About You” soundtrack, released in 1997, also featuring “Who I Am” (Faith Hill), “Ice Cream” (Sarah McLachlan), “Nobody Knows Me” (Lyle Lovett) & “The Things We’ve Handed Down” (Marc Cohn), among others.
FYI: this series has connections to the fan-favorites “Friends” & “Seinfeld”. Ursula (“Mad About You”) & Phoebe (“Friends”) are identical twin sisters. The connections with “Seinfeld”, however, contain several continuity issues, including an encounter in a NY street between Paul (“Mad About You”) & Jerry (“Seinfeld”) in a “Mad About You” Season 7 episode, during which time Jerry is supposed to be in prison. This series stars Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt, Anne Ramsay, Leila Kenzie, John Pankow, Cynthia Harris, Louis Zorich & Richard Kind. Notable recurring roles were performed by Lisa Kudrow, Cyndi Lauper, Mel Brooks & several others. Notable guest stars include Ed Asner, Kevin Bacon, Christie Brinkley, Garth Brooks, Patrick Ewing, Billy Joel, Jerry Lewis, Lyle Lovett, Mark McGwire, Yoko Ono, Regis Philbin, Carl Reiner, Bruce Willis & many others.
#3 “Mr. Belvedere” | ABC | 03/15/1985 – 07/08/1990
Have you heard the full version of “According To Our New Arrival”!? Chances are not, partly because the 1st time the full-length song was heard was this Gary Portnoy version, included on his 2007 CD ‘Destiny’:
Written by Portnoy & Judy Hart-Angelo, this song was originally composed in 1984 for a rejected TV pilot, “Help”, which later was resurrected as “Marblehead Manor” (1987). With a minor lyrical re-write, this song became the theme for this series. The short version is performed by ragtime singer Leon Redbone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYVE9hfJ3QQ
FYI: this series (set in Beaver Falls PA, a suburb of Pittsburgh PA) is based on the Lynn Aloysius Belvedere character created by Gwen Davenport for her 1947 novel, ‘Belvedere’, later adapted into the 1948 film ‘Sitting Pretty’. The cast includes Christopher Hewitt (title role), Bob Uecker (famed Milwaukee Brewers announcer), Ilene Graff, Rob Stone, Tracy Wells & Brice Beckham. During its original run, this show never placed in the Top 30; however, it often won its time slot thanks in part to faithful fans, who helped save it from cancellation after 3 seasons.