Who was the TOS orchestra?

[Christopher]

Most likely the studio had session musicians that they used often for all Desilu productions. I recognize the trumpet in I Love Lucy having the exact same timbre and inflection as the one heard in the Star Trek theme. It's likely the same guy..

I'm wondering if it's the same man playing the trumpet in the Mission: Impossible theme.

 

[jayrath]

I appreciate all the union-related comments. But Desi had his own band on studio payroll. Now, they either sat around all the time until they played cues 15 minutes a week for the latest "Lucy" sit-com, or they were used all over the studio.

 

[Christopher]

I appreciate all the union-related comments. But Desi had his own band on studio payroll. Now, they either sat around all the time until they played cues 15 minutes a week for the latest "Lucy" sit-com, or they were used all over the studio.

Plausible, but it's worth pointing out that prior to 1966, Desilu didn't have any shows in regular production other than The Lucy Show. It stayed in business by renting its production facilities out to other studios. So from 1962-66, the sitcom was pretty much the only Desilu show they could've worked on. (And I'm sure a scoring session for a half-hour sitcom takes considerably more than 15 minutes.) I'm not sure how that affects your assertion, but there it is.

 

[plynch]

Was it still the Arnaz band playing for the Lucy show into the mid 60s? I used to love how they recorded Tropicana musical numbers for I Love Lucy live, not overdubbing/lip synching.

 

[EnsignHarper]

I appreciate all the union-related comments. But Desi had his own band on studio payroll. Now, they either sat around all the time until they played cues 15 minutes a week for the latest "Lucy" sit-com, or they were used all over the studio.

Plausible, but it's worth pointing out that prior to 1966, Desilu didn't have any shows in regular production other than The Lucy Show. It stayed in business by renting its production facilities out to other studios. So from 1962-66, the sitcom was pretty much the only Desilu show they could've worked on. (And I'm sure a scoring session for a half-hour sitcom takes considerably more than 15 minutes.) I'm not sure how that affects your assertion, but there it is.

Thats not necesarily so...

If you look closely at the credits of Andy Griffith, Dick Van Dyke, Hogan's Heroes, you will notice a lot of the production credits are for the same people - i.e. the Desilu department heads for various services. Rolland Brooks, who was Desilu's head of the art department gets either a supervisory or 'collaborating' credit as production designer. When, for example, Andy Griffith/Danny Thomas' company goes to the Desilu lot for The Andy Griffith Show, it gets access to ALL of the studio facilities and crafts people - grips, props, greensman, AND potential musicians and dubbing stages. Remember that Desilu had three or four lots to work with (depending on how you look at it): The main lot on Gower ( the old RKO studio lot), Desilu Cahuenga - which was the place where most of the I Love Lucys were shot, and Desilu Culver - the Selznick studio, and which included the Forty Acres backlot (some people considered 40 Acres a separate entity).

Even though most of the crafts/tech supposed to be 'day workers', it is safe to assume once a series starts, a producer would want the same crew working to have consistency, and same goes for music - I am sure although they were SUPPOSED to go to Local 47, I am sure that Desilu made pretty sure that most of the 'special' people they got were veterans of Desi's orchestra...

 

[Christopher]

^Okay, I was wondering if that might be the case (which is why I was unsure whether the point I brought up made a difference).

 

[RAH]

TOS was sold to studios as a way to recycle lots stages and props.
Still looking for the conga player on the theme though. I wonder if Rick Beato or Tim Pierce or somebody could figure it out,..

 

[StarCruiser]

Calling all mods, calling all mods..

This is a VERY old dead thread.

 

[RAH]

Google is my friend? :-). Just looking for a conga player.

 

[1001001]

TOS was sold to studios as a way to recycle lots stages and props.
Still looking for the conga player on the theme though. I wonder if Rick Beato or Tim Pierce or somebody could figure it out,..

First, welcome to the board.

Second, please take some time to review the rules for posting here, especially the one about resurrecting old threads.

This one has been dead for 12 years. Let’s let it rest in peace, shall we?

Thanks.