Mon 5 Aug 2019
Music I’m Listening To: The Theme from JOHNNY STACCATO.
Posted by Steve under Music I'm Listening To , TV mysteries[11] Comments
The TV series Johnny Staccato lasted for one season on NBC between September 10, 1959 and March 24, 1960. It starred John Cassavetes as the title character, a jazz pianist who doubled as a private detective in his off hours. Elmer Bernstein was the composer of the music heard below:
August 5th, 2019 at 6:24 pm
I have the complete series on DVD on my shelves right next to my multiple seasons of “M Squad” and “Peter Gunn”. This and “M Squad” hold pretty darn well; and all three of the themes are of course excellent
“Peter Gunn” ends up pretty silly with a least one person getting the drop on Pete in each of the opening episodes.
My friend and I started laughing hysterically about it, especially about episode 4 or 5 when it was a little old lady got the drop on Gunn under a table.
(I have “Mr Lucky” also and Mancini’s theme music is wonderful too. I can’t talk intelligently about that series because it was a grey market purchase and it’s the worst DVD set I’ve ever gotten. As far as I could make out, Ross Martin was just as great as I remembered…)
August 5th, 2019 at 6:58 pm
I recommend the Timeless Media set of Mr Lucky. Its visual quality is excellent, and I can guarantee that you’ll enjoy Ross Martin even more when he’s fully visible.
August 5th, 2019 at 8:03 pm
An entertaining series, though like Gunn and Lucky prone to the limits of half hour crime series. I still have the Frank Boyd (Kane)novelization.
August 5th, 2019 at 8:22 pm
PETER GUN came along a year earlier than JOHNNY STACCATO, also on NBC, and lasted a year longer, although switching to ABC for its third season. (I did not know that before.) As David points out, both of the two shows were hampered by the half hour running time.
It’s bee a while since I’ve seen either show, and both on DVD. Why is it, I’m wondering, that PETER GUNN is remembered, and JOHNNY STACCATO is not?
August 5th, 2019 at 8:51 pm
Daniel: thanks, I just ordered it from Timeless Media as you suggested I might.
I met Ross Martin a couple of times at a high school classmate’s parents’ house but my strongest memory of Martin was seeing him on a TV version of celebrity charades. His job was to act out a song pun lyric: “Show Me The Way To Go Home, I’m Tired And Iguana Go To Bed”. With just his hands, face, and especially darting tongue he transformed himself unmistakably into a mimed lizard…
Steve: I think “Peter Gunn” has been so well remembered because of the Hank Mancini hit record which was an enormous hit: it was number one for weeks.
August 6th, 2019 at 6:08 am
I actually rather enjoy the half-hour format in these shows. It makes the “surprise” killers easy to spot, but these things are more about style than substance anyway.
August 6th, 2019 at 8:12 am
Steve: I suspect that Johnny Staccato is less well-remembered than Peter Gunn simply because it only lasted for two-thirds of a season, unlike Peter Gunn’s three.
Rick: Thanks. I hope you enjoy the set. I should mention that the first episode is on the rough side, but the quality improves from the second episode onward.
Dan: I’ve grown fond of the half-hour format, too
August 6th, 2019 at 9:47 am
Clarifications:
– Johnny Staccato split one season between two networks.
NBC was going to drop Staccato at midyear, but Salem cigarettes, who liked the ad spots that John Cassevetes was doing for them, went to ABC, who just happened to have a half-hour open.
– Similarly, NBC wanted to drop Peter Gunn after two seasons, but Bristol-Myers liked the show, and (once again) ABC had an open slot.
Back then, when sponsors ran things, this could happen.
– Stump The Stars (formerly Mike Stokey’s Pantomime Quiz):
There are a bunch of these on YouTube (not the whole series); I haven’t taken the time to check, so I don’t know if Ross Martin’s iguana homage is available (I do remember seeing this in its network first run, though- and watching Ross Martin in black tie doing TV’s original lounge lizard was truly unforgettable).
While you’re there, you might want to check out the time that the cast of Perry Mason (Burr, Hale, Hopper, and Talman) appeared en masse to challenge the regulars – a sight to behold, indeed.
August 6th, 2019 at 10:11 am
I forgot to mention this above:
Ross Martin was 61 years old when he died.
That’s seven years younger than I am right now.
Maybe I should have kept forgetting it …
August 6th, 2019 at 10:20 am
I like the music a lot, but don’t remember the show. I wonder if this music is available on CD?
August 6th, 2019 at 10:44 am
I don’t know this website, but the answer is yes:
https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/elmer-bernstein-albums/6094-johnny-staccato-the-man-with-the-golden-arm-2-lps-on-1-cd.html
This is a double LP CD. The other half,THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM, is not half bad either.