IDOJ Colored Opening Titles Question

[Frosty81]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNg-xClEnqM

Now, whenever I watch any colored episode of Jeannie, most of the time I see a copyright date of 1966 on the opening title. But, the link above will take you to a video where there appears to be a 1967 copyright date. Even the arrangement of the music is slightly different than season 2's opening.

I wonder if (W)TBS, WGN and other syndicated stations in the '80s and early '90s ever ran all the colored episodes of Jeannie using the season 3 opening title/music, with the 1967 copyright? On KPTV 12, I recall seeing a (pre-1982) 16mm print of this show as late as 1988, since the original Screen Gems "S from Hell" logo was still intact.

When DFS Program Exchange was in charge of distribution of this show around 1982, I believe the season 2 opening title/music was used instead of the season 3 opening title, correct?

And I believe that when Columbia Pictures TV regained all syndication rights around 1994 (for all those of you who saw this series on Nick at Nite and later TV Land), the season 2 opening title was again used, correct?

~Ben

[TV Knowledge Fan]

The opening title you refer to is actually the second season title, which was rarely (if ever) used in syndicated prints- I know it's a second season title, because Hugo Montenegro's orchestration of the theme matches the one heard in the closing credits of season two episodes- and Sidney Sheldon's credit as creator/producer was not featured in that opening title, as it was in seasons one, and three through five. The third season title (with the same 1966 copyright date), used for the remainder of the series, was also the one used in ALL syndicated versions of the color episodes....even a black and white version was substituted in syndicated editions of several early season one episodes.

[TV_on_the_Porch]

It says 1966. It's very blurry and there are some motion artifacts that make it look like there are two eyes, er, 'I's, but the date is MCMLXVI.

Be careful doing research via YouTube; this kind of analysis has led some to believe the destructive force on 9/11 was not planes but rather large shapeless orbs.

[Frosty81]

Originally Posted by TV_on_the_Porch

It says 1966. It's very blurry and there are some motion artifacts that make it look like there are two eyes, er, 'I's, but the date is MCMLXVI.

Be careful doing research via YouTube; this kind of analysis has led some to believe the destructive force on 9/11 was not planes but rather large shapeless orbs.

When NBC had originally broadcast this series, is it true that the season 2 opening title used the same arrangement as the closing theme, and for season 3, the arrangement specific to that season applied to the opening title and closing credits?

Seasons 4 and 5 would have the season 3 opening title sequence but use the same music as the season 4-5 closing theme, correct?

I want to piece these all back together again. In syndication, it is the season 3 opening title and music, but the closing theme music is different by season.

~Ben

[TV_on_the_Porch]

You have it right, except that the season three opening was used again in seasons four and five. The end titles, opening transition and even the "will be right back" bumper were given a funky, beat-y rescore in 1968, but, even if perhaps a new intro theme were recorded at that time, it was never used.

[Frosty81]

Originally Posted by TV_on_the_Porch

You have it right, except that the season three opening was used again in seasons four and five. The end titles, opening transition and even the "will be right back" bumper were given a funky, beat-y rescore in 1968, but, even if perhaps a new intro theme were recorded at that time, it was never used.

I also want to make sure that I find closing credits in which the theme song is the exact same length as the opening title, since on some of these episodes, the closing theme is shorter and omits the first couple of seconds (as well as the brief pause before the finish) of the opening theme.

~Ben

[TV_on_the_Porch]

I'm not sure what you're saying. The opening and closing themes were not the same recording, just the same score with minor variations--variations dictated by the fact that they were not the same in length. Why would you expect they should be?

[Frosty81]

Originally Posted by TV_on_the_Porch

I'm not sure what you're saying. The opening and closing themes were not the same recording, just the same score with minor variations--variations dictated by the fact that they were not the same in length. Why would you expect they should be?

Let's see if this was correct on NBC:
S2 = arrangement of theme for opening and closing titles is identical, no credit for Sidney Sheldon in opening title (during scene where the cartoon Jeannie is dancing)
S3 = arrangement of theme for opening and closing titles is identical, has credit for Sidney Sheldon in opening title (during scene where the cartoon Jeannie is dancing)
S4 = S3 opening title/music, different closing title music
S5 = same as S4?
NOTE: The closing title music lacks the steam sound FX heard in the opening title.

~Ben

[TV_on_the_Porch]

The opening/closing themes were scored the same, so they sound like (and essentially are) different 'takes' of the same theme with only a couple of very minor differences between them. This is true of both the season two and season three themes.

[Leslie Eckhardt]

Originally Posted by TV_on_the_Porch

The opening/closing themes were scored the same, so they sound like (and essentially are) different 'takes' of the same theme with only a couple of very minor differences between them. This is true of both the season two and season three themes.

All the color episodes I have seen since the series went into syndication have had the same season 3 opening, including my DVD episodes. Screen Gems had a habit of never changing the copyright date on their shows unless there was a major change in the opening sequence. The exception to this would be "Hazel", which changed openings frequently to showcase the latest model Ford (the show's sponsor). "Bewitched" used a 1966 copyright for all color seasons until the replacement of Dick York by Dick Sargent necessitated a new opening. I HAVE noticed that the latest syndication package of this show has modified the copyright date (from MCMLXVI to MCMLXIV on b/w episodes still using the third season opening). This could be the explanation for the MCMLXVII copyright on "Jeannie"

[Frosty81]

Originally Posted by Leslie Eckhardt

All the color episodes I have seen since the series went into syndication have had the same season 3 opening, including my DVD episodes. Screen Gems had a habit of never changing the copyright date on their shows unless there was a major change in the opening sequence. The exception to this would be "Hazel", which changed openings frequently to showcase the latest model Ford (the show's sponsor). "Bewitched" used a 1966 copyright for all color seasons until the replacement of Dick York by Dick Sargent necessitated a new opening. I HAVE noticed that the latest syndication package of this show has modified the copyright date (from MCMLXVI to MCMLXIV on b/w episodes still using the third season opening). This could be the explanation for the MCMLXVII copyright on "Jeannie"

Leslie, that particular video that the link takes you to in my original post, it is blurry. It actually does say MCMLXVI.

In the case of Bewitched, the season 6 opening title (with MCMLXIX copyright) carried on through to the final episode in 1972.

The Flying Nun has a 1967 copyright date (MCMLXVII) and I believe that was used on all seasons of the show, since it was not as popular as either Bewitched or Jeannie.

~Ben

[1960'sTVfan]

From what I have seen, the seasons 2 to 5 opening credits all have the same variation of the theme, and the copyright is always MCMLXVI. But the closing themes differ, the instrumentation varies depending on the season.

In the 1st season, episodes 1 to 8 have the narrated opening titles. Starting with the 9th episode is where the familiar cartoon style opening credits begin, along with the 1st season theme which fits in very well with the black and white episodes. The copyright is MCMLXV.

I don't know why they didn't adjust the copyright year on the episodes, the 1967 episodes should read MCMLXVII, the 1968 episodes should read MCMLXVIII, the 1969 episodes should read MCMLXIX, and the 1970 episodes should read MCMLXX.

[Frosty81]

Originally Posted by retroTVfan4ever

From what I have seen, the seasons 2 to 5 opening credits all have the same variation of the theme, and the copyright is always MCMLXVI. But the closing themes differ, the instrumentation varies depending on the season.

In the 1st season, episodes 1 to 8 have the narrated opening titles. Starting with the 9th episode is where the familiar cartoon style opening credits begin, along with the 1st season theme which fits in very well with the black and white episodes. The copyright is MCMLXV.

I don't know why they didn't adjust the copyright year on the episodes, the 1967 episodes should read MCMLXVII, the 1968 episodes should read MCMLXVIII, the 1969 episodes should read MCMLXIX, and the 1970 episodes should read MCMLXX.

Perhaps, to avoid costly modifications unless needed, as in the case of Dick York leaving Bewitched (in favor of Dick Sargent) before the start of the 1969-70 season, and thus the 1969 opening title of that show carried on until '72.

A few early syndicated prints (pre-1982) of Jeannie had actually used the original NBC-era season 2 opening titles/music, rather than the season 3 opening titles/music (which, again, have a 1966 copyright date). The S2 opening titles lack Sidney Sheldon's credit during Jeannie's dancing scene.

~Ben