"What's that song that they always play when Martin Short makes his grandiose entrance on Late Night with David Letterman?"
And the answer is: "Hollywood and the Stars," perhaps one of the finest, but most obscure of television theme songs. David L. Wolper's short-lived series was ahead of its time, offering a half hour on great movies, stars and genres. Some might fondly remember Joseph Cotten narrating the episode on horror movies, with vintage clips of Karloff and Lugosi.
Back in the early 60's, there wasn't quite so much respect for old movies, and certainly not for guys like Karloff and Lugosi. Clearly Martin Short (who once graced the cover of my magazine RAVE) was one of the few avid, star-struck kids who watched "Hollywood and the Stars" and believed so fondly in movie magic.
Elmer Bernstein wrote the theme, and also penned another memorable TV theme: "National Geographic." You can almost hear the iconic opening trumpet notes, right? Well, time now for the strings to take over, and that rather haunting, and somewhat sadly nostalgic theme for "Hollywood and the Stars." Bernstein's forte was film scores, earning Oscar nominations and/or wins for "The Magnificent Seven," "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Walk on the Wild Side," "Hawaii," "Thoroughly Modern Millie," "True Grit," "Trading Place,""Age of Innocence," "Far from Heaven" and many more.
Bernstein's non Oscar-nominated film scores include: "Animal House," "Airplane," "I Love You Alice B. Toklas," "Cast a Giant Shadow," "Hud," "The Carpetbaggers," "Baby the Rain Must Fall," "Birdman of Alcatraz," "Sweet Smell of Success," "Fear Strikes Out," "Ten Commandments" and "The Great Escape."
YOUR LINK TO hearing and downloading HOLLYWOOD AND THE STARS, Martin Short's theme
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