Favorite 60s military themed TV show opening theme/ titles and credits.

[aerialbridge]

Mine's "Branded" with Chuck Connors.   Good tune and lyrics, and made an impression on lots of kids when the CO yanked off his shoulder epaulets,  broke his sword and marched him out of the fort with the door closing on Chuck's way out.  And he lost his PX privilege's.   What Chuck got made the worst from the toughest teacher seem like a cake walk.  Don't get on the bad side of the CO.    Chuck Connors was versatile, he could play good guys and bad guys and everything in between convincingly.   

 

 

[268th C.A.]

I loved this show as a kid, Great post. I guess it reminds me a little of how history repeats itself. Chuck Connors was a great actor. 

[BILL THE PATCH]

The rat patrol, and combat

[mikie]

Combat! for me too!  I have the theme rattling in my head for days after watching an episode. In fact it started up again while reading this post. 
The F-Troop theme was great one too. 
oh and thanks for the reminder about Branded. I had forgotten all about that one. 
mikie

[268th C.A.]

Don't forget 12 o'clock high.... Combat was great. Rat Patrol? I wonder how many jeeps were destroyed making the show. I guess back then they were $150. American halftracks. Man, it was bad by today's standards. Those .50 Cals would break off at the floor mounts and kill the driver or passengers if they were still in the Jeep. LOL

[The Rooster]

 

[Salvage Sailor]

...all versions of the theme

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

but for the opening clips, it would be this seldom seen show

 

 

[268th C.A.]

McHale's Navy YES! Good one! 

[Salvage Sailor]

For those younger than the 60's era who hadn't seen the WWII TV shows of that time, there was another quite good short lived series based upon the Italian Campaign...

 

 

The Gallant Men had the misfortune of premiering the same season as Combat!. Both were WWII shows and both were pretty good, but there were one too many war dramas on ABC's schedule and Gallant Men's first season was its last. The theme by Howard Jackson is only heard briefly in the extremely brief opening titles, and it's under narration as the end credits begin. Then when the narration is over the music changes to a piano-and-orchestra love theme. This tune ('My Heart Belongs to You' by Sy Miller) was a peculiar choice for a WWII drama, but there it was. It turns out one of the cast (Eddie Fontaine) sings the song on screen in episode six...and - lucky you! - that's our bonus!

[The Rooster]

 

[aerialbridge]

Not a stinker in the bunch, all great tunes and memorable lyrics, that like somebody said,  can replay in your head if you haven't heard them in a while.

Two quiz questions-

 

1. What do the themes of Branded and Hogan's Heroes have in common?

2. Where's the Foley artist blooper in the Branded opening theme?

 

Among the movie and tv theme songs Dominic Frontiere composed were  Branded,  Rat Patrol and 12 O'clock high, the last two someone mentioned here.  No lyrics in those two that are symphonic,  but edgy and hardly boring.   Not coincidental since he also did the theme for the Outer Limits. That one and the narrator gave me the creeps as a little kid, often more than the show that followed.     If it was a good, scary episode, the closing titles theme really let it sink in.  

 

Remember when you had the vertical and horizontal knobs, for when the old set rolled? 

 

Somebody mentioned Combat.   Gotta have a link to that one,  all 5 seasons-

 

  

 

 

[The Rooster]

Big Band Version of Mchales Navy theme song.

 

[The Rooster]

On 1/25/2025 at 11:45 AM, aerialbridge said:

Not a stinker in the bunch, all great tunes and memorable lyrics, that like somebody said,  can replay in your head if you haven't heard them in a while.

Two quiz questions-

 

1. What do the themes of Branded and Hogan's Heroes have in common?

2. Where's the Foley artist blooper in the Branded opening theme?

 

Among the movie and tv theme songs Dominic Frontiere composed were  Branded,  Rat Patrol and 12 O'clock high, the last two someone mentioned here.  No lyrics in those two that are symphonic,  but edgy and hardly boring.   Not coincidental since he also did the theme for the Outer Limits. That one and the narrator gave me the creeps as a little kid, often more than the show that followed.     If it was a good, scary episode, the closing titles theme really let it sink in.  

 

Remember when you had the vertical and horizontal knobs, for when the old set rolled? 

 

Somebody mentioned Combat.   Gotta have a link to that one,  all 5 seasons-

 

  

 

 

 

I think its the drum riff in Hogans and Branded that are the same in spots?

Cant discern the blooper?

[Bodes]

Theme From "The High Chaparral"

[aerialbridge]

2 hours ago, The Rooster said:

 

I think its the drum riff in Hogans and Branded that are the same in spots?

Cant discern the blooper?

 

Right, both themes start out with military snare drum riffs.  As for the blooper,  when the CO takes McCord's sword out of the scabbard, you hear it.  When he breaks it over his knee, you hear it (although subtle).   You hear a clang as he tosses the business end a few feet away.  And then he tosses the heavier,  grip handle, guard and top half of the blade outside the gate and you see the dust kick up...... but no sound.    Some might say it was farther away so no sound, but seems to me like it's missing.   

 

High Chaparral,  a solid orchestral theme.  The composer David Rose and his orchestra did a lot of good stuff.   Here's probably his most famous composition, which he wrote in 1958, but it wasn't released until four years later as a B side on a 45.  They didn't expect it to rise to #1 on the charts.

 

 

[Bodes]

Theme From Kelly's Heroes

[Salvage Sailor]

Dialing back 10 years to the 1950's.......

All nine tracks compiled on youtube