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I won't contribute to this very often.
Dedicated mainly to pilots that didn't spawn a series, but I may also handle pilots to vey short-lived series where only the pilot had score worth mentioning (right now I only have one in mind).
You're welcome to contribute but please use the format I have set below. Don't just mention something and give a clip or two.
Island city:
By: Peter Bernstein
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRsU024U14g
Score suite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpxVebNr9xY
Highlights:
0:00 in. The main theme can be heard in part briefly here.
2:55 in. Also heard here, in full form (including what presumably would have been the opening credits piece). Over six minutes in length.
34:30 in. And the piece after the commercial break.
42:12 in.
1:05:27 in.
1:11:01/1:14:40 in.
1:19:15 in.
1:25:51 in. The end credits music.
A terrible 1994 pilot (that deserved to fail). The only good thing about it was the score. One FSM user said it was "full of Conans", though I don't hear it.
The terrific orchestral score with a memorably catchy theme, has still sadly not been released.
Poor Devil:
By: Morton Stevens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw4okTJpE1k
Score suite: For some reason, at this time I can't locate the suite I made.
Highlights:
0:00/2:27 in. Made of cool.*
4:05 in.
26:52 in.
31:36 in.
33:49 in.
47:50 in.*
1:00:07 in.
1:01:00 in.
1:11:27 in.
An okay 1973 comedy pilot for a series that never happened.
In it, Sammy Davis, Jr. works for the Devil and he's screwed u pa lot so he Devil is giving him another chance, to get a soul.
The cool and fun score has still not been released.
* = You can hear ideas from these cues in his one score for "Matt Helm".
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Good idea to do this!
Hope you won't mind too much me piggybacking on your cool thread, but The Goldsmith Odyssey actually gave thorough coverage to Jerry's work on a couple TV pilots that weren't picked up, early in his career. The Sergeant and the Lady from 1958 would have been his first original TV series theme (we think), had it been picked up to series...and it's a darn good theme too!
http://goldsmithodyssey.buzzsprout.com/159614/723107-episode-7-peck-s-bad-girl-1959-the-sergeant-and-the-lady-1958
And then there's Man on the Beach, from 1959. Not quite as great of a theme, though there's a lot of snazzy underscore. This music in contrast will be familiar to some because of it being released as "Jazz Theme #1" on the Goldsmith Twilight Zone CD. But the episode itself revealed some extra cool music cues that were not included in that suite, and we cover every cue in this podcast:
http://goldsmithodyssey.buzzsprout.com/159614/779305-episode-11-man-on-the-beach-1959-the-fair-haired-boy-1958
Later on in 1970 we hope to cover another pilot he did which didn't make it to series -- Prudence and the Chief (if I've heard correctly it's a western version of Anna and the King). Now if only there were a way to find out if that "Dusty" pilot IMDb credits him for in 1983 is a real thing, at all...
Yavar
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Palance Guard:
By: Mike Post
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1RC9mn2UGI
Highlights:
20:04 in.
23:41 in.
33:44 in.
49:55 in. Joining a cue already in progress.
52:10 in.
59:49 in.
1:23:08 in.
1:25:49 in.
This was a 1991 TV series that lasted eight episodes. The IMDb reviews I read really painted it as some kind of hidden gem, but the reality was an extremely overrated series that upon viewing, showcased why it was cancelled.
The pilot had some promise, but I assure you it was squandered even before the pilot ended.
Pete Carpenter died in 1987, so Post was doing scores solo. He scored all the episodes. Only the pilot, in my opinion, had some score worth taking away.
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I know I like the Cannon theme, but how’s the original TV movie score?
I understand that both were created at the same time.
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Exo-Man:
By: Dana Kaproff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7cDY_CsezM
Highlights:
0:00 in.
11:39 in.
13:37 in.
35:00 in.
39:49 in.
47:04 in. Solo piano and a flute. And the cue that follows it (which uses the water chime).
58:40 in. Joining a cue already in progress,
1:01:56 in. Also uses the water chime.
1:08:46 in. And this cue uses the water chime, too. I can honestly say I've never heard a cue use sax' and a water chime (early on in the cue; the cue goes on for over eleven minutes).
1:25:40 in.
1:33:48 in. And the end credits which follow.
A 1977 pilot for a series that did not get picked up. One reason, I think, might be the boring story couples with an hour and-a-half running time, but another reason ... might be the Exo suit -- hence the title of the pilot -- that only shows up over an hour into the pilot and then only gets used twice a little later on. And when you see the suit ... well, I'll let you come up with the words to describe what we were expected to see every episode: 1:13:50
The score has not been released.
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Code Name: Diamond Head:
Failed 1977 pilot.
By: Morton Stevens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqGD80BXJj8
Highlights:
0:00 in.
15:14 in.
18:39 in.
19:41 in.
23:55 in.
30:06 in.
31:35 in.
43:48 in.
49:45 in.
51:15 in. And after the commercial break.
54:35 in.
59:19 in.
1:04:36 in.
1:06:05/1:06:53 in.
1:12:36 in.
The Assignment:
1985 episode of the George Burns Comedy Week (just another "show" that burned off failed pilots).
By: Ernest Gold
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFtPHmyfJZU
Highlights:
0:55 in.
8:26 in.
16:32 in.
20:40 in.
The "Superman" theme is obvious. I'm assuming as the opening and closing music was cut off to make way to the series theme.
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Wolf Lake:
By: Mark Snow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwJv3ui2xEY
Alternative link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7gHemkY-Ng
The unaired pilot for a short-lived 2001 series. The rest of the episodes were scored by David Schwartz (I have not checked them out; don't have the time -- other things I want to check out). Falls about ten minutes short of being a full-length pilot.
Fans of the type of scoring he did on shows like "The X-Files", should certainly check this out; it's like it came straight from that series. In fact, you'll be able to spot ideas and even a theme you know from the show (again, I'll cite The Truth and the Light...).
Highlights:
0:00 in. And the acoustic and electric guitar cue that immediately follows it.
6:15 in.
12:00 in.
28:00 in.
30:17 in. And the cue after the commercial break.
37:45 in.
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Cutter:
A 1972 pilot for a series that did not take off.
Music for Cutter: Oliver Nelson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxdS0lXdvM8
Highlights:
0:09 in.
41:11/45:27 in. Would "moderate funky" be a good way to describe this?
51:49 in.
1:07:24 in. Chase music.
1:13:43 in.
I started this yesterday, so it's not like I skimmed the music.
While I wouldn't oppose a release if the entire score, really I think all that needs to be released is what I cited.
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Egan:
A failed 1973 pilot.
Music Composed and conducted by: Lalo Schifrin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ID6-RDDRbE
Highlights:
0:00 in.
1:08 in.
3:51 in. And the cue that immediately follows it in the next clip.
8:49 in. And the end credits that immediately follows.
This is not the full thirty minute pilot, but ten minutes of scenes.
A Paramount / Miller-Milkis Productions production.
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Rio:
A failed 1961 pilot co-starring Adam West
Music by: Jack Cookerly and Emil Cadkin
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7p0xc0
Alternative link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMGdTBxAqfk
Highlights:
0:00 in.
3:08 in. Over two minutes long.
6:20 in.
10:11 in.
14:08 in.
About 16:10 in. Private party source music. Leads into the next score cue. And that then leads into the next source cue. Seven minutes total.
23:30 in. The trumpet-lead source music continues.
29:00 in. Proceeded by a Wilhelm scream.
32:09 in.
36:59 in.
37:44 in.
38:48 in.
40:29 in.
41:24 in. Over three minutes long.
45:31 in. A minute and-a-half long.
47:15 in. Snooping around music. Two minutes long.
50:00 in. And the end credits which immediately follows it.
That's all but six short cues (two a few seconds long each). Some of these, if not all, can undoubtedly be tagged into the opening or closings of some cues and no one would readily notice.
A delightful catchy score with plenty of colors and percussion.
You could get away with tracking some of these into "Baretta".
Hard to believe in a few short years he would be Batman.
31:52 in: Wrist-watch vibrator.
Roncom Films.
sec.gov says this is a subsidiary of NBC/Universal, so if the tapes exist, I assume a release is possible. Probably something Intrada would handle.
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Just as many late 1960s - early 1970s TV series had their pilots broadcast as TV movies (e.g., Hawaii Five-0, Dragnet, Cannon, Banyon, Longstreet), a number of other TV movies were actually pilots for series that never got picked up.
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Here in the UK, a rare half-hour TV pilot was screened last year on the TPTV channel - it was called "Night Prowl" and starred Dennis O'Keefe as a NY-based music critic who owned his own music publication, 'Take Five'. He was also capable of doing a bit of sleuthing on the side.
The music was by Elmer Bernstein, who had a big credit at the start of the show and another at the end. Also credited were the musicians, Milt Bernhart, Pete Candoli, Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell, Ted Nash, Manny Stevens, Johnny Williams et al.
The pilot was made in 1958. Bernstein later recorded his theme on his Choreo album "Movie and TV Themes" as 'Three Time Blueser'.
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According to IMDb, it aired as an episode of "Studio 57" and was called "Take Five".
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According to IMDb, it aired as an episode of "Studio 57" and was called "Take Five".
JB, yes, and that's what EB referred to it as in his liner notes for the Choreo album. How it ended up with the title "Night Prowl" I do not know, but that's what it starts with.
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I would guess it was pulled late in the game and tapes of the pilot pre-"Studio 57" are still out there.
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M.A.N.T.I.S.:
From Sam Raimi comes "M.A.N.T.I.S." (1994).
Starring Carl Lumbly (perfect for the role, really).
The pilot spawned a short-lived series.
"Music by": Joseph LoDuca
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgGgDpqQQlQ (NEW link as of January 29, 2022; times below may line necessarily line up perfectly)
Highlights:
1:25 in.
2:44 in. The rousing opening credits theme
13:02 in. Ignore the sax' opening -- this is an action cue.
30:40 in.
40:26 in.
46:43 in.*
49:50 in.
58:49 in.
1:02:00 in.
1:04:52 in.
1:06:21 in.
1:08:47 in.
1:11:13 in.
1:15:11 in.
1:15:42 in. Including an obvious borrowing from "North By Northwest".+
1:20:34 in.
1:21:51 in.
1:23:08 in. Immediately followed by the end credits.
That's the majority of the score.
This is the only effort by LoDuca for the series. No score by any composer has been released (also, I don't know of any promos [or otherwise] that contain any score).
* = At least Batman knows how to close the door to his vehicle when he gets out to fight crime.
+ = LOL, what??? Police helicopters that open fire without provocation, and carry heat-seeking missiles? I was able to buy a guy in a suit that can make him walk again, but this...
Obvious "Predator" influence in the action music and theme, with 1990's Elfman vibes.
Terrance Blanchard was originally hired to score the pilot and even mentioned it briefly in an old interview. I don't know if he recorded anything.
Shirley Walker also had a score rejected, but I don't know if it was for the pilot film or an episode of the series.
The premise is good and I think it's still a sound idea that could easily be updated and made to work. however, it needs some fine -tuning and removal of the "social justice" shit side track is tried to make (thankfully brief). And there's just something I like about the M.A.N.T.I.S. suit with a business suite at the same time.
Carl Lumbly would later go on to voice the Martian Manhunter in the Timm-verse "Justice League". Looking at his IMDb page, I see he's now playing the father of Martian Manhunter, in the current "Supergirl" series.
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I began this thread with a score by Peter Bernstein to a terrible pilot called "Island City". Like I seemingly always have to do, I had to mention it was sadly not released. A short time after my hiatus from the board, what do you know -- it's been released!
Very recommended. From Dragon's Domain Records. The announcement/discussion thread:
https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=140908&forumID=1&archive=0
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"Crossfire":
A failed 1975 Quinn Martin pilot.
"Music Composed by
PAT WILLIAMS"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouzoxZ6XFUs
Highlights:
2:20 in.
24:19 in.
38:45 in. And the cue after the commercial break.
51:23 in.
1:00:22 in.
1:06:09 in.
1:09:18 in.
I am not advocating for a release of the full score. There are boring cues and I find the main title and closing credits music theme to be irritating. I think about fifteen to twenty minutes of the score is good enough. That's probably over half of it.
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