My favorite OTR theme music

1. The Black Museum - There are so many cool parts to the theme, I don't even know where to begin.  The next time you listen to the show, try blocking out everything but the music - it's a wild ride.

2. Lives of Harry Lime/The Third Man - Explored and over-explored many times on this blog.

3. Have Gun Will Travel - This and the tune below were both written and composed by Bernard Herrmann, perhaps the most prolific and talented composer for dramatic art in history.

4. Suspense - The theme is built for the show - this you cannot deny.

5.  Dragnet - It's great, what else is there to say?  Except have you heard this?

6. FBI in Peace and War - I just love this march as the horns are blowin' that sound. I seem to hear this song in my sleep often (not kidding!)

7. Halls of Ivy - Written long before the show was ever conceived but the music goes well with the often slow pace of Ivy College.

A nice rendition exists here.

8. The Life of Riley - Not nice or pretty but perfect for the show. And that's the object, isn't it?

9. The Shadow - The only all-organ theme to make my list, the melody is more haunting than that of say, The Whistler, Inner Sanctum or other eerie, moody pieces.

10. The Six Shooter - There are two main themes but the slower one reminds me of the slow lope of a man on horseback - this is what I think of when I hear this fantastic piece of music.

Honorable mentions - Escape! - I couldn't leave this off the list, neither could I leave off Nightbeat with it's timpani drums and loud brass.

©Jimbo 2010/2011

OTR theme music website

I just found a website dealing with naming the theme and the writers of many hundreds of OTR programs!