"Dollar A Second" 1950s game show w/ Benny music?

[CBSTelevisionCity]

I just watched some clips on YouTube - excerpts from an old 1950s game show, "Dollar A Second", starring Jan Murray and sponsored by Mogen David Wine. Imagine my surprise when I heard some VERY familiar music over the end credits - it sounds much like Jack Benny's TV theme!

See if you don't agree... the music plays near the end of the clip at 07:46.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GC8JsgQpJo

Hmm!

- William Carroll, Denham Springs, Louisiana

[Maxwell]

It sounded identical for the first six bars and then varied from it just about the time the announcer came on and obscured the music. Interestingly enough, Mahlon Merrick's tune "Jefferson Fox, I Love You" (thanks, LL!) at least to these ears follows the chord changes of "Keep Your Sunny Side Up," and the melody in the bridge is almost identical to the bridge of that song.

[CBSTelevisionCity]

It sure sounds like ( at least ) the first twelve notes of the Benny TV theme. I wonder what the story is on this piece of music accompanying "Dollar A Second"... very strange indeed.

- William

[Maxwell]

As I noted, the tune varied from "Jefferson Fox" after the first six bars. Unless Mahlon Merrick also wrote the "Dollar a Second" theme, the answer would appear to be the same as George Harrison's defense in the "He's So Fine"/"My Sweet Lord" copyright infringement suit.

[Yhtapmys]

It sure sounds like ( at least ) the first twelve notes of the Benny TV theme. I wonder what the story is on this piece of music accompanying "Dollar A Second"... very strange indeed.

Not necessarily. Scroll down to Mahlon Merrick's entry on this site:
http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVTheme ... osers.html

It's not out of the realm of possibility he revamped one of his themes for a TV production library.

Yhtapmys

[Maxwell]

It sure sounds like ( at least ) the first twelve notes of the Benny TV theme. I wonder what the story is on this piece of music accompanying "Dollar A Second"... very strange indeed.

Not necessarily. Scroll down to Mahlon Merrick's entry on this site:
http://www.classicthemes.com/50sTVTheme ... osers.html

It's not out of the realm of possibility he revamped one of his themes for a TV production library.

Yhtapmys

The recycled themes were primarily used as cues for network shows (transition music between scenes that lasted just a few bars at most) or in longer form on local stations. "Jefferson Fox" was actually played on the Benny radio show once or twice according to "39 Forever, Vol. 2," so I'm sure it was copyrighted material.

I'm not saying he didn't write the theme for "Dollar a Second," (in fact I'm sure there would have been a lawsuit if someone copied it that much of it so blatantly) but I'm not sure if what's described in the Classic Themes web site describes this situation. It is definitely curious.