Thor

For some, maybe. For me, though, it's all about the music. Otherwise, I wouldn't have managed to keep my interest in this beyond my socalled 'rave days' in the 90s. I mean, the raw musical power of something like this is absolutely stunning to me:

Indeed. I've been waiting for this thread to go into EDM territory at some point. Don't get me wrong, I love the old pioneers and the ambient and progressive stuff, but as you say -- it's just one small part of the scene.
For example, I'm a HUGE fan of psytrance/goa, and have pretty much complete discographies of Juno Reactor and Infected Mushroom, as well as other cornerstone albums by Man With No Name, The Infinity Project, Astral Projection and others.
But I never see anyone talk about them here, even though Juno, for example, has VERY cinematic music (heck, Ben Watkins even composed a largely orchestral score for the Japanese film BRAVE STORY).

... redacted ...

Stumbled over this version of the awesome funk track "New Shooter" on YT:

Is this the film version? It's quite different from the album version. It has more wacka-wacka rhythm guitar.

Added one more entry:
Season 1, Episode 4: "Moment of Decision" (November 7, 1961)
See list above for description and clips.

Well, not to tout my own horn, but this is exactly what I have been doing since 2013 with my webcast http://celluloidtunes.no (mostly in Norwegian, but sometimes with English episodes -- 10 international episodes so far). But thanks for the heads-up nonetheless.

Ehm......alrighty then.
Phillips only did arrangement on the songs (which Williams was not involved with), I don't think he arranged any of Williams' score (even though Williams' score sometimes references the main melody of the "Gegetta" opening song that Phillips arranged). When I met Stu in 2012, he said he wasn't a close friend of Williams, but that he had known him ever since those days; so I'm guessing the respect was mutual also when Williams visited the BSG scoring stage.

Neo-romantics, sorry.
I'm not comfortable with putting Herrmann in that category, though (even though he obviously had the ability to tap into it now and then). He's far more modern.

Good idea. I might start off the lecture by a rare glimpse into YOU ARE WELCOME (not so rare, perhaps, after it was put on Youtube) or DADDY-O -- just to give an idea of the VERY early beginnings.

I've been asked to hold a 45-minute lecture as part of this year's seminar on film music from the Norwegian Film Club Association -- alongside renowned film music scholars such as Annahid Kassabian and Richard Dyer (the British scholar, not the Boston Globe journalist who interviewed John Williams a lot back in the day). Full program here:
http://filmklubb.no/kurs/
Anyways, I chose "John Williams' unknown sides" as my topic -- unknown meaning scores that aren't among his most popular and showcase a side that is different from the fanfares and the neo-romantic stuff. So far, I'm considering at the very least IMAGES, THE LONG GOODBYE, HOW TO STEAL A MILLION. Which scores would you suggest as appropriate for this lecture?

I've been asked to hold a 45-minute lecture as part of this year's seminar on film music from the Norwegian Film Club Association -- alongside renowned film music scholars such as Annahid Kassabian and Richard Dyer (the British scholar, not the Boston Globe journalist who interviewed John Williams a lot back in the day). Full program here:
http://filmklubb.no/kurs/
Anyways, I chose "John Williams' unknown sides" as my topic -- unknown meaning scores that aren't among his most popular and showcase a side that is different from the fanfares and the neo-romantic stuff. So far, I'm considering at the very least IMAGES, THE LONG GOODBYE, HOW TO STEAL A MILLION. Which scores would you suggest as appropriate for this lecture?

Yes, it is our Williams. A pretty cool album too.

The big question is -- why does John Williams never perform anything from JOHN GOLDFARB, PLEASE COME HOME? It's an outrage, I tell ya. An OUTRAGE!

Hey, guys – I have a treat for you!
Alcoa Premiere Theatre aka Fred Astaire's Premiere (1961-1963) was the first and only show where John Williams wrote ALL of the music for the entire run – both the first and second season. However, like so many anthology shows of the time, it was never released in any format. Same goes for the music (except the theme). So with the help of a TV collector, I got hold of 27 episodes (which is only half of what he did, but it's still a start). With some sparetime this week, I ripped some opening titles from the series to at least give you an idea of what this was about, and why it REALLY needs a proper release. Williams really got to flex his early musical muscles with all the different stories the show provided.
The audio and video quality of the episodes was mostly abysmal – which is reflected in the cues below. But it's what we have at the present time. While the opening titles only last some 30 seconds, they present the basic thematic ideas of the music in a given episode. As I hate clips with dialogue and sound effects, I only included these dialogue and sound-free opening titles – as well as a few prologues that only had vague sound, and where the music is allowed to shine on its own. There could be more 'music-only' cues later on in the episodes, but it was too time-consuming to go through everything. I'll do that later, as well as continue my quest for the missing episodes.
Enjoy!
First off, here is the theme for the series – this is the extended re-arrangement that was done for the Stanley Wilson album THEMES TO REMEMBER:
http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/alcoatheme.mp3
SEASON 1
Episode 1: "People Need People" (October 10, 1961)
Dr. Harry Wilmer has just 10 days to prove his radical method of treating violent war veterans will work.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/peopleneedpeople.mp3
Full episode on Youtube
Episode 2: "The Fugitive Eye" (October 17, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 3: "The Fortress" (October 24, 1961)
Shot down during the Korean War, Lt. Brown is held captive in a basement where the light is never turned off. They won't treat his mangled leg unless he gives his captors a confession.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thefortress.mp3
Episode 4: "Moment of Decision" (November 7, 1961)
A landowner in the 20s has odd ways of showing his dislike for his new neighbor, an escape artist.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/momentofdecision-prologue.mp3
In this montage sequence, we're shown the escape artist's (Fred Astaire) many performances around the world. A superb, busy piece by Williams. There are a few sporadic applauses, but otherwise the music shines alone.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/momentofdecision.mp3
Episode 5: "Family Outing" (November 14, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 6: "The Witch Next Door" (November 28, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 7: "The Breaking Point" (December 5, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 8: "Delbert, Texas" (December 12, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 9: "The End of a World" (December 19, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 10: "The Cake Baker" (January 2, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 11: "Pattern of Guilt" (January 9, 1962)
A reporter covers a series of murders all against perpetrated spinsters.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/patternofguilt-prologue.mp3
The prologue describes a man sneaking into the apartment of a sleeping woman.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/patternofguilt.mp3
Episode 12: "The Hour of the Bath" (January 16, 1962)
American agricultural expert Henry Detweiler is a prisoner of Vietnam under sentence of death.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thehourofthebath.mp3
Episode 13: "The Jail" (February 6, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 14: "Mr. Easy" (February 13, 1962)
Andrew Whitbeck is bored of his successful business and decides to chuck it all and "enjoy himself".
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/mreasy.mp3
Episode 15: "The Man with the Shine on His Shoes" (February 20, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 16: "The Doctor" (February 27, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 17: "Of This Time, Of This Place" (March 6, 1962)
A college teacher's new job is made difficult by a brilliant, but uncompromising, student.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ofthistimeofthisplace.mp3
Episode 18: "Second Chance" (March 13, 1962)
One-time bronc-rider Hoby Dunlap has served his sentence for defecting during the Korean War. But when he tries to return to the rodeo circuit, he finds that his reputation has preceded him.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/secondchance.mp3
If the theme sounds familiar, it's because this episode was used as a pilot for the spin-off series Wide Country (1962-1963), where Williams' theme was arranged as the series' theme. Whether Williams did this new arrangement himself, I don’t know, but it was released on an LP compilation of TV themes. You can hear the Wide Country version here.
Episode 19: "The Tiger" (March 20, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 20: "Seven Against the Sea" (April 3, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 21: "The Very Custom Special" (April 10, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 22: "All My Clients Are Innocent" (April 17, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 23: "The Rules of the Game" (May 1, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 24: "Once a Bachelor" (May 8, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 25: "Cry Out In Silence" (May 15, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 26: "A Place to Hide" (May 22, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 27: "The Boy Who Wasn't Wanted" (June 5, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 28: "It Takes a Thief" (June 19, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 29: "The Time of the Tonsils" (June 25, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
SEASON 2
Episode 1: "Flashing Spikes" (October 4, 1962)
Ex-baseball player Slim Conway is accused of bribing Bill Riley, whose error cost his team a World Series game.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/flashingspikes.m4a
Full episode on Youtube (in multiple parts)
For many years, this was confused as an obscure feature film in Williams' filmography. A few years ago, someone released complete audio rips of this score on a bootleg.
Episode 2: "Guest in the House" (October 11, 1962)
Fascinating and original story of a war hero turned grifter who returns to an air force buddy's life and helps his family through a crisis.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/guestinthehouse.mp3
Episode 3: "The Long Walk Home" (October 18, 1962)
If high school football coach Paul Watson doesn't lose a championship game, a blackmailer threatens to circulate a certain photograph.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thelongwalkhome.mp3
Episode 4: "The Voice of Charlie Pont" (October 25, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 5: "Mr. Lucifer" (November 1, 1962)
The Devil Himself is a hard-bitten businessman with a group of somewhat bumbling yes-men on staff and a curvy assistant in the person of Iris Haines. Together they use their best temptations in an attempt to thwart the honesty and decency of a young suburban couple.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/mrlucifer.mp3
Full episode on Youtube (in multiple parts)
Episode 6: "The Masked Marine" (November 8, 1962)
A marine sergeant is irritated by a private and decides to teach him a lesson.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/maskedmarine.mp3
Episode 7: "Ordeal in Darkness" (November 15, 1962)
Always independent, John Miller forges ahead despite temporary blindness. His wife, however, believes he should depend more on their teenaged son
.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ordealindarkness.mp3
Episode 8: "Whatever Happened to Miss Illinois?" (November 22, 1962)
A reporter asks that question about Miss Illinois and other losers of national contests.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/whateverhappenedtomissillinois.mp3
Episode 9: "The Hands of Danofrio" (November 29, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 10: "The Contenders" (December 6, 1962)
Three unprincipled actresses vie for the best-performance award at a film festival.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thecontenders.mp3
Episode 11: "The Way from Darkness" (December 13, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 12: "The Potentate" (December 20, 1962)
Disquieting is the word for Stefan Tamarov's first visit to New York City. As Minister of Economics and Foreign Trade for a Communist satellite country, Tamarov has no trouble with his official duties; it's the 'little' things that bother him. His daughter Svezda is seeing an American reporter much too often, and his best friend Andreas Vrim, his country's UN delegate, has confided a few thoughts to Stefan that could be interpreted as treason.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thepotentate.mp3
Episode 13: "Blues for a Hanging" (December 27, 1962)
Ted Miller, a down-on-his-luck musician, was in a drunken fight last night, and begins to think he could have murdered a man. His loving girlfriend Connie refuses to believe this and together they piece together what really transpired.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/bluesforahanging-prologue.mp3
In this prologue, Ted Miller (Fred Astaire) has turbulent dreams involving jazz.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/bluesforahanging.mp3
Episode 14: "Impact of an Execution" (January 3, 1963)
A doctor could persuade the governor to stay a killer's execution but he's in no hurry to do so.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/impactofanexecution.mp3
Episode 15: "Lollipop Louie" (January 10, 1963)
Happy-go-lucky Lollipop Louie leaves his California fishing boat to head for the big city.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/lollipoplouie.mp3
Episode 16: "The Glass Palace" (January 17, 1963)
There's trouble afoot when ice skater Vince Gallard begins to slip: a coming ice show depends on him.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/theglasspalace.mp3
Episode 17: "Five, Six, Pick Up Sticks" (January 24, 1963)
After several years in Europe, a temperamental jazz drummer returns to the U.S.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/fivesixpickupstick.mp3
Episode 18: "George Gobel Presents" (January 31, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Although it aired as part of Alcoa Premiere, this was a variety show that was otherwise independent of the series. As such, it had no Williams involvement.
Episode 19: "The Hat of Sergeant Martin" (February 7, 1963)
Marines Michael Lujack and Clinton Martin fight over women, but fight well together when it comes to Latin American revolutionaries. They're stationed in a turbulent country South of the Border during the Thirties and assigned to hunt down insurgents in the mountains.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thehatofsergeantmartin.mp3
Episode 20: "Blow High, Blow Clear" (February 14, 1963)
Doyle, a young seaman just arrived from New Orleans, is in a quandary: His friend Harlan is deeply disturbed over parental problems, and Doyle has stumbled onto something in the French Quarter which could throw Harlan - and his family - into a real spin.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/blowhighblowclear.mp3
Episode 21: "Chain Reaction" (February 21, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 22: "Hornblower" (February 28, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 23: "The Best Years" (March 7, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 24: "Jeeney Ray" (March 14, 1963)
When her grandmother dies, timid Jeeney Ray must move in with her hostile brother and sister-in-law.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/jeeneyray-prologue.mp3
This prologue shows Jeeney outside in the woods, making bird noises. Hence the brief 'chirping' in the clip.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/jeeneyray.mp3
This is probably my favourite of all the Alcoa scores – so lovely and bittersweet, almost George Delerue-ian in style.
Episode 25: "The Dark Labyrinth" (March 21, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 26: "Of Struggle and Flight" (March 28, 1963)
Karen Evans seems normal enough to her husband but now, for the second time, the Missing Persons Bureau has been sent searching for her, and this time her clothes have washed up on the beach.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ofstruggleandflight.mp3
Episode 27: "The Broken Year" (April 4, 1963)
Eric and Hilary's romance becomes filled with hatred and bitterness when she blames herself for his crippling accident.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thebrokenyear.mp3
Full episode on Youtube.
Episode 28: "This Will Kill You" (April 11, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 29: "Million Dollar Hospital" (April 18, 1963)
Young Dr. Grant answers a medical-journal ad offering a "rewarding practice" for $1,000,000 but the run-down emergency hospital he finds hardly seems a lucrative enterprise.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/milliondollarhospital.mp3
Episode 30: "The Town That Died" (April 25, 1963)
Adam Stark comes home to a decrepit town, where hostilities still flare over a prolonged strike that closed an important cannery.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thetownthatdied-prologue.mp3
In this prologue, Adam Stark (Dana Andrews) arrives at and rummages through the seemingly deserted town. The prologue runs almost without sound and dialogue for an unprecedented 4 minutes.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thetownthatdied.mp3

Hey, guys – I have a treat for you!
Alcoa Premiere Theatre aka Fred Astaire's Premiere (1961-1963) was the first and only show where John Williams wrote ALL of the music for the entire run – both the first and second season. However, like so many anthology shows of the time, it was never released in any format. Same goes for the music (except the theme). So with the help of a TV collector, I got hold of 27 episodes (which is only half of what he did, but it's still a start). With some sparetime this week, I ripped some opening titles from the series to at least give you an idea of what this was about, and why it REALLY needs a proper release. Williams really got to flex his early musical muscles with all the different stories the show provided.
The audio and video quality of the episodes was mostly abysmal – which is reflected in the cues below. But it's what we have at the present time. While the opening titles only last some 30 seconds, they present the basic thematic ideas of the music in a given episode. As I hate clips with dialogue and sound effects, I only included these dialogue and sound-free opening titles – as well as a few prologues that only had vague sound, and where the music is allowed to shine on its own. There could be more 'music-only' cues later on in the episodes, but it was too time-consuming to go through everything. I'll do that later, as well as continue my quest for the missing episodes.
Enjoy!
First off, here is the theme for the series – this is the extended re-arrangement that was done for the Stanley Wilson album THEMES TO REMEMBER:
http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/alcoatheme.mp3
SEASON 1
Episode 1: "People Need People" (October 10, 1961)
Dr. Harry Wilmer has just 10 days to prove his radical method of treating violent war veterans will work.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/peopleneedpeople.mp3
Full episode on Youtube
Episode 2: "The Fugitive Eye" (October 17, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 3: "The Fortress" (October 24, 1961)
Shot down during the Korean War, Lt. Brown is held captive in a basement where the light is never turned off. They won't treat his mangled leg unless he gives his captors a confession.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thefortress.mp3
Episode 4: "Moment of Decision" (November 7, 1961)
A landowner in the 20s has odd ways of showing his dislike for his new neighbor, an escape artist.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/momentofdecision-prologue.mp3
In this montage sequence, we're shown the escape artist's (Fred Astaire) many performances around the world. A superb, busy piece by Williams. There are a few sporadic applauses, but otherwise the music shines alone.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/momentofdecision.mp3
Episode 5: "Family Outing" (November 14, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 6: "The Witch Next Door" (November 28, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 7: "The Breaking Point" (December 5, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 8: "Delbert, Texas" (December 12, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 9: "The End of a World" (December 19, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 10: "The Cake Baker" (January 2, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 11: "Pattern of Guilt" (January 9, 1962)
A reporter covers a series of murders all against perpetrated spinsters.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/patternofguilt-prologue.mp3
The prologue describes a man sneaking into the apartment of a sleeping woman.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/patternofguilt.mp3
Episode 12: "The Hour of the Bath" (January 16, 1962)
American agricultural expert Henry Detweiler is a prisoner of Vietnam under sentence of death.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thehourofthebath.mp3
Episode 13: "The Jail" (February 6, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 14: "Mr. Easy" (February 13, 1962)
Andrew Whitbeck is bored of his successful business and decides to chuck it all and "enjoy himself".
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/mreasy.mp3
Episode 15: "The Man with the Shine on His Shoes" (February 20, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 16: "The Doctor" (February 27, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 17: "Of This Time, Of This Place" (March 6, 1962)
A college teacher's new job is made difficult by a brilliant, but uncompromising, student.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ofthistimeofthisplace.mp3
Episode 18: "Second Chance" (March 13, 1962)
One-time bronc-rider Hoby Dunlap has served his sentence for defecting during the Korean War. But when he tries to return to the rodeo circuit, he finds that his reputation has preceded him.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/secondchance.mp3
If the theme sounds familiar, it's because this episode was used as a pilot for the spin-off series Wide Country (1962-1963), where Williams' theme was arranged as the series' theme. Whether Williams did this new arrangement himself, I don’t know, but it was released on an LP compilation of TV themes. You can hear the Wide Country version here.
Episode 19: "The Tiger" (March 20, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 20: "Seven Against the Sea" (April 3, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 21: "The Very Custom Special" (April 10, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 22: "All My Clients Are Innocent" (April 17, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 23: "The Rules of the Game" (May 1, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 24: "Once a Bachelor" (May 8, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 25: "Cry Out In Silence" (May 15, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 26: "A Place to Hide" (May 22, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 27: "The Boy Who Wasn't Wanted" (June 5, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 28: "It Takes a Thief" (June 19, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 29: "The Time of the Tonsils" (June 25, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
SEASON 2
Episode 1: "Flashing Spikes" (October 4, 1962)
Ex-baseball player Slim Conway is accused of bribing Bill Riley, whose error cost his team a World Series game.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/flashingspikes.m4a
Full episode on Youtube (in multiple parts)
For many years, this was confused as an obscure feature film in Williams' filmography. A few years ago, someone released complete audio rips of this score on a bootleg.
Episode 2: "Guest in the House" (October 11, 1962)
Fascinating and original story of a war hero turned grifter who returns to an air force buddy's life and helps his family through a crisis.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/guestinthehouse.mp3
Episode 3: "The Long Walk Home" (October 18, 1962)
If high school football coach Paul Watson doesn't lose a championship game, a blackmailer threatens to circulate a certain photograph.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thelongwalkhome.mp3
Episode 4: "The Voice of Charlie Pont" (October 25, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 5: "Mr. Lucifer" (November 1, 1962)
The Devil Himself is a hard-bitten businessman with a group of somewhat bumbling yes-men on staff and a curvy assistant in the person of Iris Haines. Together they use their best temptations in an attempt to thwart the honesty and decency of a young suburban couple.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/mrlucifer.mp3
Full episode on Youtube (in multiple parts)
Episode 6: "The Masked Marine" (November 8, 1962)
A marine sergeant is irritated by a private and decides to teach him a lesson.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/maskedmarine.mp3
Episode 7: "Ordeal in Darkness" (November 15, 1962)
Always independent, John Miller forges ahead despite temporary blindness. His wife, however, believes he should depend more on their teenaged son
.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ordealindarkness.mp3
Episode 8: "Whatever Happened to Miss Illinois?" (November 22, 1962)
A reporter asks that question about Miss Illinois and other losers of national contests.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/whateverhappenedtomissillinois.mp3
Episode 9: "The Hands of Danofrio" (November 29, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 10: "The Contenders" (December 6, 1962)
Three unprincipled actresses vie for the best-performance award at a film festival.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thecontenders.mp3
Episode 11: "The Way from Darkness" (December 13, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 12: "The Potentate" (December 20, 1962)
Disquieting is the word for Stefan Tamarov's first visit to New York City. As Minister of Economics and Foreign Trade for a Communist satellite country, Tamarov has no trouble with his official duties; it's the 'little' things that bother him. His daughter Svezda is seeing an American reporter much too often, and his best friend Andreas Vrim, his country's UN delegate, has confided a few thoughts to Stefan that could be interpreted as treason.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thepotentate.mp3
Episode 13: "Blues for a Hanging" (December 27, 1962)
Ted Miller, a down-on-his-luck musician, was in a drunken fight last night, and begins to think he could have murdered a man. His loving girlfriend Connie refuses to believe this and together they piece together what really transpired.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/bluesforahanging-prologue.mp3
In this prologue, Ted Miller (Fred Astaire) has turbulent dreams involving jazz.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/bluesforahanging.mp3
Episode 14: "Impact of an Execution" (January 3, 1963)
A doctor could persuade the governor to stay a killer's execution but he's in no hurry to do so.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/impactofanexecution.mp3
Episode 15: "Lollipop Louie" (January 10, 1963)
Happy-go-lucky Lollipop Louie leaves his California fishing boat to head for the big city.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/lollipoplouie.mp3
Episode 16: "The Glass Palace" (January 17, 1963)
There's trouble afoot when ice skater Vince Gallard begins to slip: a coming ice show depends on him.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/theglasspalace.mp3
Episode 17: "Five, Six, Pick Up Sticks" (January 24, 1963)
After several years in Europe, a temperamental jazz drummer returns to the U.S.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/fivesixpickupstick.mp3
Episode 18: "George Gobel Presents" (January 31, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Although it aired as part of Alcoa Premiere, this was a variety show that was otherwise independent of the series. As such, it had no Williams involvement.
Episode 19: "The Hat of Sergeant Martin" (February 7, 1963)
Marines Michael Lujack and Clinton Martin fight over women, but fight well together when it comes to Latin American revolutionaries. They're stationed in a turbulent country South of the Border during the Thirties and assigned to hunt down insurgents in the mountains.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thehatofsergeantmartin.mp3
Episode 20: "Blow High, Blow Clear" (February 14, 1963)
Doyle, a young seaman just arrived from New Orleans, is in a quandary: His friend Harlan is deeply disturbed over parental problems, and Doyle has stumbled onto something in the French Quarter which could throw Harlan - and his family - into a real spin.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/blowhighblowclear.mp3
Episode 21: "Chain Reaction" (February 21, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 22: "Hornblower" (February 28, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 23: "The Best Years" (March 7, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 24: "Jeeney Ray" (March 14, 1963)
When her grandmother dies, timid Jeeney Ray must move in with her hostile brother and sister-in-law.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/jeeneyray-prologue.mp3
This prologue shows Jeeney outside in the woods, making bird noises. Hence the brief 'chirping' in the clip.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/jeeneyray.mp3
This is probably my favourite of all the Alcoa scores – so lovely and bittersweet, almost George Delerue-ian in style.
Episode 25: "The Dark Labyrinth" (March 21, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 26: "Of Struggle and Flight" (March 28, 1963)
Karen Evans seems normal enough to her husband but now, for the second time, the Missing Persons Bureau has been sent searching for her, and this time her clothes have washed up on the beach.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ofstruggleandflight.mp3
Episode 27: "The Broken Year" (April 4, 1963)
Eric and Hilary's romance becomes filled with hatred and bitterness when she blames herself for his crippling accident.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thebrokenyear.mp3
Full episode on Youtube.
Episode 28: "This Will Kill You" (April 11, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 29: "Million Dollar Hospital" (April 18, 1963)
Young Dr. Grant answers a medical-journal ad offering a "rewarding practice" for $1,000,000 but the run-down emergency hospital he finds hardly seems a lucrative enterprise.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/milliondollarhospital.mp3
Episode 30: "The Town That Died" (April 25, 1963)
Adam Stark comes home to a decrepit town, where hostilities still flare over a prolonged strike that closed an important cannery.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thetownthatdied-prologue.mp3
In this prologue, Adam Stark (Dana Andrews) arrives at and rummages through the seemingly deserted town. The prologue runs almost without sound and dialogue for an unprecedented 4 minutes.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thetownthatdied.mp3

Hey, guys – I have a treat for you!
Alcoa Premiere Theatre aka Fred Astaire's Premiere (1961-1963) was the first and only show where John Williams wrote ALL of the music for the entire run – both the first and second season. However, like so many anthology shows of the time, it was never released in any format. Same goes for the music (except the theme). So with the help of a TV collector, I got hold of 27 episodes (which is only half of what he did, but it's still a start). With some sparetime this week, I ripped some opening titles from the series to at least give you an idea of what this was about, and why it REALLY needs a proper release. Williams really got to flex his early musical muscles with all the different stories the show provided.
The audio and video quality of the episodes was mostly abysmal – which is reflected in the cues below. But it's what we have at the present time. While the opening titles only last some 30 seconds, they present the basic thematic ideas of the music in a given episode. As I hate clips with dialogue and sound effects, I only included these dialogue and sound-free opening titles – as well as a few prologues that only had vague sound, and where the music is allowed to shine on its own. There could be more 'music-only' cues later on in the episodes, but it was too time-consuming to go through everything. I'll do that later, as well as continue my quest for the missing episodes.
Enjoy!
First off, here is the theme for the series – this is the extended re-arrangement that was done for the Stanley Wilson album THEMES TO REMEMBER:
http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/alcoatheme.mp3
SEASON 1
Episode 1: "People Need People" (October 10, 1961)
Dr. Harry Wilmer has just 10 days to prove his radical method of treating violent war veterans will work.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/peopleneedpeople.mp3
Full episode on Youtube
Episode 2: "The Fugitive Eye" (October 17, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 3: "The Fortress" (October 24, 1961)
Shot down during the Korean War, Lt. Brown is held captive in a basement where the light is never turned off. They won't treat his mangled leg unless he gives his captors a confession.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thefortress.mp3
Episode 4: "Moment of Decision" (November 7, 1961)
A landowner in the 20s has odd ways of showing his dislike for his new neighbor, an escape artist.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/momentofdecision-prologue.mp3
In this montage sequence, we're shown the escape artist's (Fred Astaire) many performances around the world. A superb, busy piece by Williams. There are a few sporadic applauses, but otherwise the music shines alone.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/momentofdecision.mp3
Episode 5: "Family Outing" (November 14, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 6: "The Witch Next Door" (November 28, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 7: "The Breaking Point" (December 5, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 8: "Delbert, Texas" (December 12, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 9: "The End of a World" (December 19, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 10: "The Cake Baker" (January 2, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 11: "Pattern of Guilt" (January 9, 1962)
A reporter covers a series of murders all against perpetrated spinsters.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/patternofguilt-prologue.mp3
The prologue describes a man sneaking into the apartment of a sleeping woman.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/patternofguilt.mp3
Episode 12: "The Hour of the Bath" (January 16, 1962)
American agricultural expert Henry Detweiler is a prisoner of Vietnam under sentence of death.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thehourofthebath.mp3
Episode 13: "The Jail" (February 6, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 14: "Mr. Easy" (February 13, 1962)
Andrew Whitbeck is bored of his successful business and decides to chuck it all and "enjoy himself".
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/mreasy.mp3
Episode 15: "The Man with the Shine on His Shoes" (February 20, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 16: "The Doctor" (February 27, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 17: "Of This Time, Of This Place" (March 6, 1962)
A college teacher's new job is made difficult by a brilliant, but uncompromising, student.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ofthistimeofthisplace.mp3
Episode 18: "Second Chance" (March 13, 1962)
One-time bronc-rider Hoby Dunlap has served his sentence for defecting during the Korean War. But when he tries to return to the rodeo circuit, he finds that his reputation has preceded him.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/secondchance.mp3
If the theme sounds familiar, it's because this episode was used as a pilot for the spin-off series Wide Country (1962-1963), where Williams' theme was arranged as the series' theme. Whether Williams did this new arrangement himself, I don’t know, but it was released on an LP compilation of TV themes. You can hear the Wide Country version here.
Episode 19: "The Tiger" (March 20, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 20: "Seven Against the Sea" (April 3, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 21: "The Very Custom Special" (April 10, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 22: "All My Clients Are Innocent" (April 17, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 23: "The Rules of the Game" (May 1, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 24: "Once a Bachelor" (May 8, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 25: "Cry Out In Silence" (May 15, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 26: "A Place to Hide" (May 22, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 27: "The Boy Who Wasn't Wanted" (June 5, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 28: "It Takes a Thief" (June 19, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 29: "The Time of the Tonsils" (June 25, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
SEASON 2
Episode 1: "Flashing Spikes" (October 4, 1962)
Ex-baseball player Slim Conway is accused of bribing Bill Riley, whose error cost his team a World Series game.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/flashingspikes.m4a
Full episode on Youtube (in multiple parts)
For many years, this was confused as an obscure feature film in Williams' filmography. A few years ago, someone released complete audio rips of this score on a bootleg.
Episode 2: "Guest in the House" (October 11, 1962)
Fascinating and original story of a war hero turned grifter who returns to an air force buddy's life and helps his family through a crisis.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/guestinthehouse.mp3
Episode 3: "The Long Walk Home" (October 18, 1962)
If high school football coach Paul Watson doesn't lose a championship game, a blackmailer threatens to circulate a certain photograph.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thelongwalkhome.mp3
Episode 4: "The Voice of Charlie Pont" (October 25, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 5: "Mr. Lucifer" (November 1, 1962)
The Devil Himself is a hard-bitten businessman with a group of somewhat bumbling yes-men on staff and a curvy assistant in the person of Iris Haines. Together they use their best temptations in an attempt to thwart the honesty and decency of a young suburban couple.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/mrlucifer.mp3
Full episode on Youtube (in multiple parts)
Episode 6: "The Masked Marine" (November 8, 1962)
A marine sergeant is irritated by a private and decides to teach him a lesson.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/maskedmarine.mp3
Episode 7: "Ordeal in Darkness" (November 15, 1962)
Always independent, John Miller forges ahead despite temporary blindness. His wife, however, believes he should depend more on their teenaged son
.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ordealindarkness.mp3
Episode 8: "Whatever Happened to Miss Illinois?" (November 22, 1962)
A reporter asks that question about Miss Illinois and other losers of national contests.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/whateverhappenedtomissillinois.mp3
Episode 9: "The Hands of Danofrio" (November 29, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 10: "The Contenders" (December 6, 1962)
Three unprincipled actresses vie for the best-performance award at a film festival.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thecontenders.mp3
Episode 11: "The Way from Darkness" (December 13, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 12: "The Potentate" (December 20, 1962)
Disquieting is the word for Stefan Tamarov's first visit to New York City. As Minister of Economics and Foreign Trade for a Communist satellite country, Tamarov has no trouble with his official duties; it's the 'little' things that bother him. His daughter Svezda is seeing an American reporter much too often, and his best friend Andreas Vrim, his country's UN delegate, has confided a few thoughts to Stefan that could be interpreted as treason.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thepotentate.mp3
Episode 13: "Blues for a Hanging" (December 27, 1962)
Ted Miller, a down-on-his-luck musician, was in a drunken fight last night, and begins to think he could have murdered a man. His loving girlfriend Connie refuses to believe this and together they piece together what really transpired.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/bluesforahanging-prologue.mp3
In this prologue, Ted Miller (Fred Astaire) has turbulent dreams involving jazz.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/bluesforahanging.mp3
Episode 14: "Impact of an Execution" (January 3, 1963)
A doctor could persuade the governor to stay a killer's execution but he's in no hurry to do so.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/impactofanexecution.mp3
Episode 15: "Lollipop Louie" (January 10, 1963)
Happy-go-lucky Lollipop Louie leaves his California fishing boat to head for the big city.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/lollipoplouie.mp3
Episode 16: "The Glass Palace" (January 17, 1963)
There's trouble afoot when ice skater Vince Gallard begins to slip: a coming ice show depends on him.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/theglasspalace.mp3
Episode 17: "Five, Six, Pick Up Sticks" (January 24, 1963)
After several years in Europe, a temperamental jazz drummer returns to the U.S.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/fivesixpickupstick.mp3
Episode 18: "George Gobel Presents" (January 31, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Although it aired as part of Alcoa Premiere, this was a variety show that was otherwise independent of the series. As such, it had no Williams involvement.
Episode 19: "The Hat of Sergeant Martin" (February 7, 1963)
Marines Michael Lujack and Clinton Martin fight over women, but fight well together when it comes to Latin American revolutionaries. They're stationed in a turbulent country South of the Border during the Thirties and assigned to hunt down insurgents in the mountains.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thehatofsergeantmartin.mp3
Episode 20: "Blow High, Blow Clear" (February 14, 1963)
Doyle, a young seaman just arrived from New Orleans, is in a quandary: His friend Harlan is deeply disturbed over parental problems, and Doyle has stumbled onto something in the French Quarter which could throw Harlan - and his family - into a real spin.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/blowhighblowclear.mp3
Episode 21: "Chain Reaction" (February 21, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 22: "Hornblower" (February 28, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 23: "The Best Years" (March 7, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 24: "Jeeney Ray" (March 14, 1963)
When her grandmother dies, timid Jeeney Ray must move in with her hostile brother and sister-in-law.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/jeeneyray-prologue.mp3
This prologue shows Jeeney outside in the woods, making bird noises. Hence the brief 'chirping' in the clip.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/jeeneyray.mp3
This is probably my favourite of all the Alcoa scores – so lovely and bittersweet, almost George Delerue-ian in style.
Episode 25: "The Dark Labyrinth" (March 21, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 26: "Of Struggle and Flight" (March 28, 1963)
Karen Evans seems normal enough to her husband but now, for the second time, the Missing Persons Bureau has been sent searching for her, and this time her clothes have washed up on the beach.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ofstruggleandflight.mp3
Episode 27: "The Broken Year" (April 4, 1963)
Eric and Hilary's romance becomes filled with hatred and bitterness when she blames herself for his crippling accident.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thebrokenyear.mp3
Full episode on Youtube.
Episode 28: "This Will Kill You" (April 11, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 29: "Million Dollar Hospital" (April 18, 1963)
Young Dr. Grant answers a medical-journal ad offering a "rewarding practice" for $1,000,000 but the run-down emergency hospital he finds hardly seems a lucrative enterprise.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/milliondollarhospital.mp3
Episode 30: "The Town That Died" (April 25, 1963)
Adam Stark comes home to a decrepit town, where hostilities still flare over a prolonged strike that closed an important cannery.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thetownthatdied-prologue.mp3
In this prologue, Adam Stark (Dana Andrews) arrives at and rummages through the seemingly deserted town. The prologue runs almost without sound and dialogue for an unprecedented 4 minutes.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thetownthatdied.mp3

Hey, guys – I have a treat for you!
Alcoa Premiere Theatre aka Fred Astaire's Premiere (1961-1963) was the first and only show where John Williams wrote ALL of the music for the entire run – both the first and second season. However, like so many anthology shows of the time, it was never released in any format. Same goes for the music (except the theme). So with the help of a TV collector, I got hold of 27 episodes (which is only half of what he did, but it's still a start). With some sparetime this week, I ripped some opening titles from the series to at least give you an idea of what this was about, and why it REALLY needs a proper release. Williams really got to flex his early musical muscles with all the different stories the show provided.
The audio and video quality of the episodes was mostly abysmal – which is reflected in the cues below. But it's what we have at the present time. While the opening titles only last some 30 seconds, they present the basic thematic ideas of the music in a given episode. As I hate clips with dialogue and sound effects, I only included these dialogue and sound-free opening titles – as well as a few prologues that only had vague sound, and where the music is allowed to shine on its own. There could be more 'music-only' cues later on in the episodes, but it was too time-consuming to go through everything. I'll do that later, as well as continue my quest for the missing episodes.
Enjoy!
First off, here is the theme for the series – this is the extended re-arrangement that was done for the Stanley Wilson album THEMES TO REMEMBER:
http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/alcoatheme.mp3
SEASON 1
Episode 1: "People Need People" (October 10, 1961)
Dr. Harry Wilmer has just 10 days to prove his radical method of treating violent war veterans will work.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/peopleneedpeople.mp3
Full episode on Youtube
Episode 2: "The Fugitive Eye" (October 17, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 3: "The Fortress" (October 24, 1961)
Shot down during the Korean War, Lt. Brown is held captive in a basement where the light is never turned off. They won't treat his mangled leg unless he gives his captors a confession.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thefortress.mp3
Episode 4: "Moment of Decision" (November 7, 1961)
A landowner in the 20s has odd ways of showing his dislike for his new neighbor, an escape artist.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/momentofdecision-prologue.mp3
In this montage sequence, we're shown the escape artist's (Fred Astaire) many performances around the world. A superb, busy piece by Williams. There are a few sporadic applauses, but otherwise the music shines alone.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/momentofdecision.mp3
Episode 5: "Family Outing" (November 14, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 6: "The Witch Next Door" (November 28, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 7: "The Breaking Point" (December 5, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 8: "Delbert, Texas" (December 12, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 9: "The End of a World" (December 19, 1961)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 10: "The Cake Baker" (January 2, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 11: "Pattern of Guilt" (January 9, 1962)
A reporter covers a series of murders all against perpetrated spinsters.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/patternofguilt-prologue.mp3
The prologue describes a man sneaking into the apartment of a sleeping woman.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/patternofguilt.mp3
Episode 12: "The Hour of the Bath" (January 16, 1962)
American agricultural expert Henry Detweiler is a prisoner of Vietnam under sentence of death.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thehourofthebath.mp3
Episode 13: "The Jail" (February 6, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 14: "Mr. Easy" (February 13, 1962)
Andrew Whitbeck is bored of his successful business and decides to chuck it all and "enjoy himself".
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/mreasy.mp3
Episode 15: "The Man with the Shine on His Shoes" (February 20, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 16: "The Doctor" (February 27, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 17: "Of This Time, Of This Place" (March 6, 1962)
A college teacher's new job is made difficult by a brilliant, but uncompromising, student.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ofthistimeofthisplace.mp3
Episode 18: "Second Chance" (March 13, 1962)
One-time bronc-rider Hoby Dunlap has served his sentence for defecting during the Korean War. But when he tries to return to the rodeo circuit, he finds that his reputation has preceded him.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/secondchance.mp3
If the theme sounds familiar, it's because this episode was used as a pilot for the spin-off series Wide Country (1962-1963), where Williams' theme was arranged as the series' theme. Whether Williams did this new arrangement himself, I don’t know, but it was released on an LP compilation of TV themes. You can hear the Wide Country version here.
Episode 19: "The Tiger" (March 20, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 20: "Seven Against the Sea" (April 3, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 21: "The Very Custom Special" (April 10, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 22: "All My Clients Are Innocent" (April 17, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 23: "The Rules of the Game" (May 1, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 24: "Once a Bachelor" (May 8, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 25: "Cry Out In Silence" (May 15, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 26: "A Place to Hide" (May 22, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 27: "The Boy Who Wasn't Wanted" (June 5, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 28: "It Takes a Thief" (June 19, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 29: "The Time of the Tonsils" (June 25, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
SEASON 2
Episode 1: "Flashing Spikes" (October 4, 1962)
Ex-baseball player Slim Conway is accused of bribing Bill Riley, whose error cost his team a World Series game.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/flashingspikes.m4a
Full episode on Youtube (in multiple parts)
For many years, this was confused as an obscure feature film in Williams' filmography. A few years ago, someone released complete audio rips of this score on a bootleg.
Episode 2: "Guest in the House" (October 11, 1962)
Fascinating and original story of a war hero turned grifter who returns to an air force buddy's life and helps his family through a crisis.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/guestinthehouse.mp3
Episode 3: "The Long Walk Home" (October 18, 1962)
If high school football coach Paul Watson doesn't lose a championship game, a blackmailer threatens to circulate a certain photograph.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thelongwalkhome.mp3
Episode 4: "The Voice of Charlie Pont" (October 25, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 5: "Mr. Lucifer" (November 1, 1962)
The Devil Himself is a hard-bitten businessman with a group of somewhat bumbling yes-men on staff and a curvy assistant in the person of Iris Haines. Together they use their best temptations in an attempt to thwart the honesty and decency of a young suburban couple.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/mrlucifer.mp3
Full episode on Youtube (in multiple parts)
Episode 6: "The Masked Marine" (November 8, 1962)
A marine sergeant is irritated by a private and decides to teach him a lesson.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/maskedmarine.mp3
Episode 7: "Ordeal in Darkness" (November 15, 1962)
Always independent, John Miller forges ahead despite temporary blindness. His wife, however, believes he should depend more on their teenaged son
.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ordealindarkness.mp3
Episode 8: "Whatever Happened to Miss Illinois?" (November 22, 1962)
A reporter asks that question about Miss Illinois and other losers of national contests.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/whateverhappenedtomissillinois.mp3
Episode 9: "The Hands of Danofrio" (November 29, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 10: "The Contenders" (December 6, 1962)
Three unprincipled actresses vie for the best-performance award at a film festival.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thecontenders.mp3
Episode 11: "The Way from Darkness" (December 13, 1962)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 12: "The Potentate" (December 20, 1962)
Disquieting is the word for Stefan Tamarov's first visit to New York City. As Minister of Economics and Foreign Trade for a Communist satellite country, Tamarov has no trouble with his official duties; it's the 'little' things that bother him. His daughter Svezda is seeing an American reporter much too often, and his best friend Andreas Vrim, his country's UN delegate, has confided a few thoughts to Stefan that could be interpreted as treason.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thepotentate.mp3
Episode 13: "Blues for a Hanging" (December 27, 1962)
Ted Miller, a down-on-his-luck musician, was in a drunken fight last night, and begins to think he could have murdered a man. His loving girlfriend Connie refuses to believe this and together they piece together what really transpired.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/bluesforahanging-prologue.mp3
In this prologue, Ted Miller (Fred Astaire) has turbulent dreams involving jazz.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/bluesforahanging.mp3
Episode 14: "Impact of an Execution" (January 3, 1963)
A doctor could persuade the governor to stay a killer's execution but he's in no hurry to do so.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/impactofanexecution.mp3
Episode 15: "Lollipop Louie" (January 10, 1963)
Happy-go-lucky Lollipop Louie leaves his California fishing boat to head for the big city.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/lollipoplouie.mp3
Episode 16: "The Glass Palace" (January 17, 1963)
There's trouble afoot when ice skater Vince Gallard begins to slip: a coming ice show depends on him.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/theglasspalace.mp3
Episode 17: "Five, Six, Pick Up Sticks" (January 24, 1963)
After several years in Europe, a temperamental jazz drummer returns to the U.S.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/fivesixpickupstick.mp3
Episode 18: "George Gobel Presents" (January 31, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Although it aired as part of Alcoa Premiere, this was a variety show that was otherwise independent of the series. As such, it had no Williams involvement.
Episode 19: "The Hat of Sergeant Martin" (February 7, 1963)
Marines Michael Lujack and Clinton Martin fight over women, but fight well together when it comes to Latin American revolutionaries. They're stationed in a turbulent country South of the Border during the Thirties and assigned to hunt down insurgents in the mountains.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thehatofsergeantmartin.mp3
Episode 20: "Blow High, Blow Clear" (February 14, 1963)
Doyle, a young seaman just arrived from New Orleans, is in a quandary: His friend Harlan is deeply disturbed over parental problems, and Doyle has stumbled onto something in the French Quarter which could throw Harlan - and his family - into a real spin.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/blowhighblowclear.mp3
Episode 21: "Chain Reaction" (February 21, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 22: "Hornblower" (February 28, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 23: "The Best Years" (March 7, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 24: "Jeeney Ray" (March 14, 1963)
When her grandmother dies, timid Jeeney Ray must move in with her hostile brother and sister-in-law.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/jeeneyray-prologue.mp3
This prologue shows Jeeney outside in the woods, making bird noises. Hence the brief 'chirping' in the clip.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/jeeneyray.mp3
This is probably my favourite of all the Alcoa scores – so lovely and bittersweet, almost George Delerue-ian in style.
Episode 25: "The Dark Labyrinth" (March 21, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 26: "Of Struggle and Flight" (March 28, 1963)
Karen Evans seems normal enough to her husband but now, for the second time, the Missing Persons Bureau has been sent searching for her, and this time her clothes have washed up on the beach.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/ofstruggleandflight.mp3
Episode 27: "The Broken Year" (April 4, 1963)
Eric and Hilary's romance becomes filled with hatred and bitterness when she blames herself for his crippling accident.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thebrokenyear.mp3
Full episode on Youtube.
Episode 28: "This Will Kill You" (April 11, 1963)
Not been able to find episode.
Episode 29: "Million Dollar Hospital" (April 18, 1963)
Young Dr. Grant answers a medical-journal ad offering a "rewarding practice" for $1,000,000 but the run-down emergency hospital he finds hardly seems a lucrative enterprise.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/milliondollarhospital.mp3
Episode 30: "The Town That Died" (April 25, 1963)
Adam Stark comes home to a decrepit town, where hostilities still flare over a prolonged strike that closed an important cannery.
Prologue: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thetownthatdied-prologue.mp3
In this prologue, Adam Stark (Dana Andrews) arrives at and rummages through the seemingly deserted town. The prologue runs almost without sound and dialogue for an unprecedented 4 minutes.
Opening titles: http://celluloidtunes.no/non-website/alcoa/thetownthatdied.mp3

Gotta brainwash them while they're receptive!
Seriously, though, that is cool. I know that several other parents here have nurtured John Williams in their young ones. Like Erik Woods.

Williams also worked on WAGON TRAIN, CHRYSLER THEATRE, CONVOY and WHO GOES THERE? in 1965. THE KATHERINE REED STORY is also listed as a 1965 entry, but there are elements in the music that suggest it actually came out later (especially the BATMAN theme reference, which only came out in 1966).
Presumably, he also worked on some of the stuff that would eventually be released in 1966 -- Williams' most prolific year of his career (so next year is a 50th anniversary for a lot of stuff).

Williams is still sore after Desilu picked up M:I in favour of NIGHTWATCH, I'm sure!
In all seriousness, I still can't believe Williams was approached for this, but what do I know?

Found a link for "Hungarian Jungle Music" from NOT WITH MY WIFE YOU DON'T for those interested and who don't already own it. Now if this isn't a great unused JW track, I don't know what is:
https://www.song365.co/track/john-williams-hungarian-jungle-music-1336833.html

Found a link for "Hungarian Jungle Music" from NOT WITH MY WIFE YOU DON'T for those interested and who don't already own it. Now if this isn't a great unused JW track, I don't know what is:
https://www.song365.co/track/john-williams-hungarian-jungle-music-1336833.html

Under The Skin was brilliant in the (great!) film. No desire to listen to it on its own.

I'm here since the very early days of this place, so I guess I learned to understand its in's and out's. While I've never been a truly active poster, I always enjoyed the good-natured spirit and the lighthearted tone of JWFan. But I understand that in the latter years it became a lot more self-referential and somehow more exclusive to the point where sometimes it's difficult to get it. It's part of the game actually, as discussion boards like this are somehow being surpassed by other social media outlets like Facebook, where people engage more directly with each other and create their own network of friendships and connections, so a lot of them probably don't feel the need to replicate discussions they're already having in other places. Like Thor, I too don't get most of the (zillions) inside jokes and verbal sparring between some users, which sometimes get very nasty and ugly, and that's what keeps me away from most discussions, even if sometimes I'd like to contribute. But I understand this is what JWFan today is and that's what probably keeps it going on, and that's totally fine with me. I check it everyday, even though most of the time I don't feel attached to it anymore.

I know you're bummed because of the cancellation, Stefan, but no need to "paint things black". I still maintain the belief that Williams is very healthy for an 83-year-old, and that the back ailment is temporary, at least as far as conducting is concerned. I also don't see the need in speculating about it; we'll know in due time if there are other issues beyond the back that will force him to slow down. Just look at how Morricone bounced back from his injuries, and is now more active than ever.
Let's enjoy the output while he's around instead of wallowing in misery of what will happen down the road.
(funnily, the JWFAN board is probably the only place in the world -- off- or online -- where I could be construed as an optimist! )