The Original Saint Theme
Matt Jeffery
I just wondered if anyone could clear up a little mystery for me.
In the colour Moore episodes, as well as the Ogilvy & Dutton series,
the Saint theme is credited to Leslie Charteris. I assume they mean
the rather fetching 8-note motif that opens the Ogilvy shows, ends the
Dutton shows, and forms the middle of the Moore end theme.
However, I read in the liner notes to a tv themes CD that the "opening
bars" of the Moore saint theme were written by Charteris, with Edwin
Astley presumably filling in the gaps. Also, Leonard Maltin states in
his review of the Saint Strikes Back that it is the "first in the
series to use Roy Webb's theme music, which was later carried over to
the Roger Moore TV series".
The question I have is - are the two sources above simply mistaken
about the authorship of the theme, or is the theme by Charteris
another piece of music entirely?
Oh, and was that 8-note motif used in the Saint in Manhattan? I seem
to remember Andrew Clarke looking up at his halo, but don't remember
the music!
Thanks,
Matt.
Peter Morris
"Matt Jeffery" <tfy...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:81261fca.03060...@posting.google.com...
The 8 note theme goes back to the 30's movies, Louis Hayward,
George Sanders & Hugh Sinclair often whistled it This was a much
slower version of the tune, almost mournful, it took about 4 seconds
to whistle, compared to about 2 seconds on the TV show theme, but
recognisably the same tune. IIRC the films also used a longer version
of the tune as the main theme over the credits, based on variations of
those same eight notes.
Dr Hermes
In THE HINDENBURG MURDERS (which I seem to already misplaced in
these stacks of books all over my house), Max Allan Collins writes that
it was Leslie Charteris himself who came up with that atmospheric little
signature.
It was also used on THE SAINT radio show, where I thought Vincent
Price made a dreadful Simon Tenplar... leering, oily, smug, not Saintly
at all in my opinion.
Matt Jeffery
> Max Allan Collins writes that it was Leslie Charteris
> himself who came up with that atmospheric little signature.
Yes, it makes sense, as it's the only piece of music that I've found
in more than one incarnation of the Saint, where Charteris is credited
for the "original Saint theme". Well, apart from a brief tune in the
Saint in London (Templar cracking Lang's safe) that was re-used in the
Moore episode Plays with Fire (Lady Valerie blackmails Fairweather).
> It was also used on THE SAINT radio show
I've never heard one, but don't they begin with some footsteps and the
whistled theme? They must've got the idea from the films!
Sounds as if both Maltin and that TV themes album were confused about
the details!
Thanks,
Matt.
Matt Jeffery
> The 8 note theme goes back to the 30's movies, Louis Hayward,
> George Sanders & Hugh Sinclair often whistled it
I saw the first Hayward film a while back, and don't remember him
whistling it. Could've just been tired, as it was on at about 3am!
George Sanders definitely whistles it a few times in the Saint in
London (well, he's badly dubbed with the tune anyway) and it's used on
the opening credits, but the only other early Saint film I've seen is
The Saint Meets the Tiger, and the tune's not in that one at all.
> This was a much slower version of the tune, almost mournful
Hmm, it was very bouncy in the Saint in London, but I'll take your
word for the other films! ;)
It would've been nice if they'd used it in the Kilmer film, if only to
link it to the rest of the Saint history! They must've decided they'd
spent too much on Orbital's theme already. :)
Thanks for the info,
Matt.
Roger Moore Jr.
the Saint TV Theme by Astley (7 notes - the same of The Orbital!) and the
Main title is inspired by the same 7 notes.
Bye:)
The Equalizer
can share on this NG??
"Roger Moore Jr." <come...@libero.it> wrote in message
news:HAuDa.61635$Ny5.1...@twister2.libero.it...
Roger Moore Jr.
(it's in black and white because it's from a copy of a copy of a copy....)
but you can see clearly the action, hear the dialogues and enjoy Mr. Andrew
Clarke...Without moustache he would be not so bad... But the soul of the
original Saint is completely lost. I would like share the video with
everybody, but it's 400 mega! Very difficult send it in mail:(
Bye Roberto:)