Lee Goldberg recently shared three different main titles for Hawaii Five-O: The opening credits for the brand-new version which debuts this fall; the pilot from the attempt to relaunch the show in the 1990s; and the theme as rendered by song and dance man Sammy Davis Jr.
Businessweek reports that NBC plans to order a 21st season of Law & Order, which would make the legal drama the longest-running prime-time drama in TV history. (Of course, while it may break Gunsmoke's record of 20 years, L&O has a ways to go before it breaks Gunsmoke's record of 635 episodes.)
Spotlighting the great themes from mystery/crime TV shows ...
HAWAII FIVE-O (1968-1980, CBS) One of the longest-running crime dramas in TV history, Hawaii Five-O followed members of an elite state-police unit investigating an assortment of felonies in the 50th state, where it was shot on location. Created by Leonard Freeman, the series starred Jack Lord, James MacArthur, and Kam Fong. Sidenote: Magnum P.I., also based in Hawaii, is said to have been created to make use of the extensive studio production equipment left behind by Hawaii Five-O. (Early episodes even referred to Five-O.)
Morton Stevens (1929-1991) created the popular theme, for which he won two Emmy Awards (1970 and 1974). A film score composer from Newark, New Jersey, Stevens studied composition at the Juilliard School, and became the arranger and later the musical director for such stars as Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Liza Minnelli. In 1965 Stevens became director of music for CBS West Coast operations. His television work also included Gunsmoke and Police Woman.
