View Full Version : "Cues" & "Bridges" used on the show


Steve Carras
10-24-2005, 12:33 AM
One of the most recogniable things about this was the compositions done for the show by Herschel Burke GIlbert, Frank Comstock, John Williams (then credited as JOHNNY WILLIAMS), and Gerald Fried from 1965-6 in the original B&W episodes, then Gwerlad Fried & Morton Stevens from 1965-1967 in color. And George Wyle's music for the GILLIGAN theme with Sherwood Schwartz's lyrics.

Rivalled in my humble opinion ONLY by the Capitol Produciton Music Library which wasn't ever used here (but mkight also proviude otherwolrdly treasures), which was used on MANY 1950s & 1960s TV programs (e.g.GUMBY, DENNIS THE MENACE, Hanna-Barbera 1957-1960 series except for the theatrical, rare Hanna-Barbera LOOPY DELOOP about a Frnech Candian wolf which had H-B music guy Hoyt Curtin's music from the beginning already (`1965-1965).

Most recongizable, poerhaps are the color season themes..such the solo guitar cauti0onary cue (under the Professor, skipper & Gilligan in SMILE YOU'RE ON MARS MARSA CAMERR and under Gilligan in GILLIGAN;s LIVING DOLL both times when they were searching before, respectively, they find the "Mars Camera" and robot, and also iN GHOST-A-GO-GO when GIlligan is nervously pascing bakc & forth, keeping the skipper awake then LATER when the boat is sent out).Played on a solo guitar.

The famous eerie descending pageant of electronic organ notes, cpaped by about five notes on turmpets.Like when GILLIGAN goes to the castle in the trippy shot (Imentioned below) of the "giant SKipper/goose that lays golden oranges" castle in V FOR VITAMINS or when Gilligan walks into the ghost, or he and the skipper dressed as a ghost see the rela one,in GHOST A GO GO, which also treats us TWICVE to a TWO time sin a row performnce of this spook organ solo. Speaking of which:

The ominous fanfare,oif the "Scary" suite oft-featured, played with brass and full orchestrartions, whenever after the last scene in GHOST A -GO-GO is mentioned 9the ghost boat being sent with dummies) and the ghost appears,then after it blows,then in FRIENDLY PHYSICAN (special-guest starring Vito Scotti & Mike Mazurki) anytime we see the Doc's sinister castle and also when Gilligan and the Skipper are seen exploring the dungeon therein and when lovey and skipper are taken to be switched, during the meteor scnes in MEET THE METEOR, when Johnathan Kincaid takes Gilligan away to be fattened,and possibly in scenes delted (form the DVD?) (THE HUNTER special guest starring Rory Calhoun and Harold Sakata) and when Mary Ann reprots a wild look in Gilligan's eye and when he cuts the totem pole head off the Jupaki pole (HIGH MAN ON THE TOTEM POLE), then various junctures WITH A DRUM/TRUMPET, THEN REEDS.(the awesome castle shot,in V FOR VITAMINS when GILLGIAN approaches it), and when Gilligan sees the Kupaki pole in the HIGH MAn on the totem pole TEASER.
It's a five note riff iplasyed in succxessively lower keys, and then sting.
It opens with a MUNSTERS LIKE march, and then closes with a clam "DA-da.....DA-da.......DA-da...........Da-da...DAA",likewise descending. Going by poduction #'s and by its full use in first broadcast in FRIENDLY PHSYCIAN (though GHOST GO GO was first boradcast to even use this sinsiter eerie cue), I'd say i wans;t surprised that FRIENDLY PHYSICIAN was the first to use it!


A trilogy of Ginger themes aka leitmotifs..wass tenor sax..
The 1964-65 :"Ginger" sexy theme.
Used in PHYSICAL FATNESS when Ginger slinks her way into the Professor's hut.
]
The 1965-66 one sounding a bit like the strain of the old George Gershwin tune RHPAPSODY IN BLUE (introduced on President's dya and my dad's birthday,1924,by 1920s-1930s persoanlity,pioneer easy listetting and jazz leader Pual Whiteman!).Used in THE POSTMAN COMETH In mary Ann's nightmare near the end when Ginger Grant walks to the surgeon's stuff.

ANd my favorite, the one that (folks my age,45 or so will more recognize the tune that borrowed a bit) the late MOR orchestral instruemntal, bakc when that hgenre was STILL on the charts, LOVE IS BLUE (#1 for 5 weeks in 1968!) by Paul Mauirat and his Orchestra sounds a bit like this one--used on just about ANY "special guest episode" with a man--Harold Hecuba, TAKE A DARE, THE HUTNER and also when Ginger is seducing GILLIGAN in the Kupaki one,

I prefer mAry Ann but I sometimesd like GInger--she had some good theme music!

The variously arrangeed tunes that osund like HARRY POTTER's them,and were inF ACT done by JOHN WILLIAMS! Early in his career.

The tropical "Doodle-doodle-doodle" goofyu tune when Gilligna is seing things upside down or when guest Rory Calhoun is thinking he got marlia.

The bridge that went "Da..da..dadada.." ,again with brass, and playing lower, a rather cheerful "Let's get going" deal, that was used in THE SECODN GINGER when Mary Ann asks about abother Ginger..and in COURT MARTIAL when the professor is gettign the Skipper to put the "re-enactment of the cirme" to the test.also in a slower version several times (like in AND THEN, THERE WERE NONE when the four mean go to lagoon to check on possible headhunters hwen the women have all disappeared and there's the usual "rotation of the scene"--one of MANY "scene segues" on the show and STILL sued in movies--I've seen it in the Olsen Twins TO OF A KIND and in FRIENDS in point of fact and I think in KILL BILL I and II)-topic for anothe thread..)

The eerie tropical ltunes in VOODOO (under the first Professor as Zombie scene) and the other one, in TAKE A DARE (special geust Strother Martin,who really has a failrue to communicate on his raido just olike in COOL HAND LUKE later in 1967) and in ALL ABOUT EVA (with special guest Tina Louise) in the opening scenes when she pulls in her boat.).Much lime exotica king Martin Denny (1911-2005) who half a decade before GILLIGAN premiered in 1964, was at the top of HIS game with this stuf.)

Harold Hecuba';s and Eva Grubb's Polynesian slapstick music for changing disucises with (starts with a bell,then very fast flutes then muted brass and flutes.)


Finally a heart-stopping Sting on a piano..used in for instance AND THEN THERE WERE NONE when Gilligan, Mary Ann and GInger disappear and the oriental sounding one with horns.. and debuted in THE INVASION during sevral scens of the breif cases..and in COURT MARTIAL when the skipper then GIlligan contemtplate suicide due to being blamed for the shipwrekcer of the Minnor, and eahc finds the other taking their own and life.."Stop..I wont letchu do it!"that was used in THE HUNTER when "Johnathan Kincaid" advises the now captive castayws he has a the tubes,..

gilligan fanatic
10-24-2005, 11:01 AM
that was very interseting Steve Carras. I pay attention to the music but I never realized what the show would be like without it. It wouldn't be boring but it would be lacking something very important to the overall show.

Bonsai
02-19-2006, 10:44 AM
I saw this thread and wanted to share some of the incidental music that I've found online, but it won't let me upload. Does this site not support wav files?


....I've always loved the incidental music from GI. It's like an old friend. :)