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General Discussion: "J.J. Starbuck" (Velton Ray Bunch, Mike Post)

Last Post


	Posted:	Nov 7, 2022 - 8:08 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

Short-lived series from 1987.

EDIT: All new links as of April 17, 2023. New loads may not line up with old time stamps.

J.J. Starbuck (feature-length pilot)
By: Mike Post
https://ok.ru/video/4270800374413

Highlights:

0:05 in.

0:36 in. Bumper cue.^

2:50/11:51/14:23 in.^(first and second)

16:42 in. On a commercial-free load, this would be the cue after the commercial break.^

18:28 in.^

25:06 in. Pleasant cue riffing off the theme.^

32:21 in.

33:31 in.^

37:56 in. Bumper cue.^

51:15 in.^

54:48 in. Bumper cue.^

57:50/59:16 in.^

1:02:39 in.

1:13:53 in.

1:17:57 in.^(1:18:31)

1:19:40 in.^

1:21:33 in.^

Good pilot, good score. I can see why it was picked up for a series. Dale Robertson is a pleasure to watch.
Unfortunately, the end credits music is completely muted and only the news reader is heard.

20:27: the theme song "Gone Again". It's a good song. Mike Post did the music. This is the full version; regular-length episodes have it edited way down.

About 1:20 in: old alcohol commercial starring Bruce Willis.

Lame 1980's insult: "Hang it out your ear, jack."

(Note to Me: 1:47, 1:07:19 / 3:12 in: composer credit)

"J.J. Starbuck: "J.J. Starbuck, eccentric billionaire, at your service."

J.J. Starbuck: "Nobody ever lost his eye sight looking on the bright side of things."

"You'll be eating lots more high fibers and grains -- stuff like that. Ahhh, B-complexes, amino acids; brain food -- keeps you sexy. We're gonna have you so healthy -- design you a whole new body."
"J.J. Starbuck: "Glad to hear that. Yeah, the fellow who designed this one sure had a strange sense of humor."


	Posted:	Nov 7, 2022 - 8:54 AM
	By:	CindyLover (Member)

'80s TV, when incredibly rich people (the Harts, Matt Houston, Mr. Starbuck here) spent their down time or ALL their time) solving crimes instead of being in the tabloids.... Unless they were in nighttime soaps... I wish the CW's Dynasty had just been Fallon Carrington and Anders trying to out-snark each other and solve murders all over the upper set - Dammit Nextstar, get on that!)


	Posted:	Nov 8, 2022 - 8:44 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"A Killing in the Market"
By: Mike Post
https://ok.ru/video/4261180672653

Highlights:

1:28 in.^

6:25 in.^

9:52 in.^

12:48 in.^

20:45 in.^

32:09 in. And the cue after the commercial break.^

39:05 in. Soft cue lead by woodwinds.^

42:33 in.^

45:23 in.

46:30 in.

J.J. Starbuck: "The sad truth about money is: it doesn't change men, it only un-masks them."


	Posted:	Nov 9, 2022 - 8:25 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"Murder in E Minor"
By: Mike Post
https://ok.ru/video/4261740743309

Highlights:

15:59 in. First score cue of the episode.^

40:37 in.^

45:14 in.

That's all but one cue. The episode featured a lot of piano performances of classical works, and silence.

Kelsey Grammer guest stars as a musician who commits murder. And he really gets into the role.

Ronnie Milsap, who wrote the theme song for the series, is name dropped on the radio while J.J. is driving. J.J. also name drops him as well, later on in the episode. Then he gets a third and fourth name drop around the end as well.


	Posted:	Nov 10, 2022 - 8:23 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"The Blimpy Who Yelled Blue"
By: Mike Post and Velton Ray Bunch
https://ok.ru/video/4263507266189
Alternative link: https://archive.org/details/jj-starbuck-1.07/JJ+Starbuck+-+1.04.mp4

This is the first effort by Bunch for the series. See further notes below.
This is also his first credited episode score to any TV series (going by his IMDb credits).

Highlights:

1:27 in.

4:55 in. Warm moody synth work, joined by some other elements about a minute into the cue.

8:40 in.

15:22 in. And the cue after the commercial break.

26:44 in. And the cue after the commercial break.

3043 in.

34:21 in.

38:44 in. And the cue after the commercial break.

44:06 in. And the cue after the commercial break.

46:20 in.

Some of the shows Mike Post worked on, he was credited in the opening credits for the music, which is very atypical for any show or composer. However, in the end credits, Bunch is also credited for the score. Post gets a "Music by" credit, and Bunch gets a "Musical Score by" credit. My opinion is this is an oversight and/or a budgetary issue; they forgot Post's name was in the opening credits for the music and also didnm't want to pay to change the credit. Based on later episodes finally changing to have Bunch credited in the opening credits, my assumption is any score with Bunch credited as the composer in the end credits, is entirely a work by Velton Ray Bunch. I'll e-mail him and see what he remembers, at some point.

I covered this episode score in one of the suites I did for Mike Post in my TV Series Scoring posts (at the time I did the suites, only half a dozen episodes were available):
https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=142699&forumID=1&archive=0

J.J. Starbuck: "Every lie has to hang on to a little grain of truth. All we got to do is find a way to grease it, and let 'er slip."

"First You've Got to Go to the Picnic"
By: Mike Post and Velton Ray Bunch
https://ok.ru/video/4268187716237

Highlights:

1:22 in.^(open/2:20)

6:45 in.^(open/6:58)

14:55 in.^

16:10 in.^

30:49 in.^

36:47 in.^

42:21 in.

44:58 in.^

47:03 in.^


	Posted:	Nov 10, 2022 - 9:41 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

I forgot that I will not be online tomorrow, so I've gone back and added another episode to the above post to make up for it.


	Posted:	Nov 14, 2022 - 8:38 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"Incident At Sam September"
By: Mike Post and Velton Ray Bunch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YTB2xfbRDI
Alternative link: https://archive.org/details/jj-starbuck-1.07/JJ+Starbuck+-+1.06.mp4

Highlights:

2:02 in.^

3:49 in.^

11:10 in.^

18:11 in.^

21:23 in.^

29:03 in.^

30:31 in. And the cue after the commercial break.^

33:02 in.^

36:03 in. There are jumps in the video here; the Archive link is probably okay (I have not compared it).^

39:07 in.^

42:49 in. And the country source cue after the commercial break.^(second)

45:12 in.^

"A confusing piece of nonsense; not unlike life itself."


	Posted:	Nov 15, 2022 - 8:06 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"Gold from a Rainbow"
By: Mike Post and Velton Ray Bunch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fMSJXxsij4
Alternative link: https://archive.org/details/jj-starbuck-1.07/JJ+Starbuck+-+1.07.mp4

Highlights:

1:30 in.

3:09 in.^

12:24 in. And the cue after the commercial break.^(both)

24:46 in.

26:24 in.^

27:35 in.^

29:53 in.^

33:19 in.^

40:16 in.

46:19 in.

(NtM: 20:09)

J.J. Starbuck: "It's not a crime to make a mistake, but only a fool goes for encores."


	Posted:	Nov 16, 2022 - 8:39 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"Graveyard Shift"
By: Mike Post
https://archive.org/details/jj-starbuck-1.07/JJ+Starbuck+-+1.08.mp4

Highlights:

0:44 in.^

4:14 in.^

6:32 in.

7:41/10:29 in.^

10:01 in.^

21:26 in.^

22:39 in.^

27:31 in.^

31:47 in.^

35:13 in. And the cue after the commercial break.^

39:28 in.^

41:25 in.

44:13 in. Feel good emotional cue to close out the episode. I miss scoring like this.

NOTE: Parts of the core are covered in suite #1 for Mike Post. The end credits are cut off, so I have no idea if Velton Ray Bunch is also credited.

J.J. Starbuck: "I figure truth is, ah, kind of a mirror we hold up to have a look at ourselves. And mostly I try to look on he bright side of things, but I try to remember from time-to-time that some people's lives just plain don't have a bright side."


	Posted:	Nov 17, 2022 - 8:36 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"Graveyard Shift"
By: Mike Post
https://archive.org/details/jj-starbuck-1.07/JJ+Starbuck+-+1.08.mp4

Highlights:

0:44 in.^

4:14 in.^

6:32 in.

7:41/10:29 in.^

10:01 in.^

21:26 in.^

22:39 in.^

27:31 in.^

31:47 in.^

35:13 in. And the cue after the commercial break.^

39:28 in.^

41:25 in.


	Posted:	Nov 18, 2022 - 8:14 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"The 6% Solution"
By: Velton Ray Bunch
https://archive.org/embed/jj-starbuck-1.07/JJ+Starbuck+-+1.09.mp4 (link used; only one available at the time)
Alternative link: https://ok.ru/video/4928667191949

Highlights:

0:50 in. And the source cue that immediately follows it*.

6:33/7:46 in.

10:02 in.

19:41 in.

25:05 in.

27:34 in.

33:31 in.

35:03 in.

41:57 in.

45:08 in.

This episode score is covered in suite #1 for Velton Ray Bunch in my TV Series Scoring thread. It's currently the only suite for him for this show. The part of the opening credits where Mike Post would be credited, it missing, but I think it's fair to say when I did find a good load, he'll be credited, too.

* = I wonder if any of the musicians seen at 1:37 in, are real sessions players. And 10:56 in.


	Posted:	Nov 21, 2022 - 8:03 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"The Circle Unbroken"
By: ?????
https://archive.org/details/jj-starbuck-1.07/JJ+Starbuck+-+1.10.mp4

The part of the opening credits where the composer credit would be, is cut off, and so are the end credits. I have no idea who scored this.

Highlights:

0:23 in.

1:45 in.

8:48 in.

10:11 in.

12:27 in.

13:48 in.

14:21 in.

16:02 in.

17:09 in.

27:48 in. And the cue after the commercial break.

31:51 in.

34:41 in.

40:27 in.

43:46 in.

45:09 in.

I mistakenly covered this score in suite #2 for Mike Post, but like I said above: I have no idea who scored it.

This is a good episode and the fake leader of the cult is well played by actor Alan Rachins.


	Posted:	Nov 22, 2022 - 8:05 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"Murder by Design"
By: Mike Post and Velton Ray Bunch
https://ok.ru/video/4270233684621
Alternative link: https://archive.org/details/jj-starbuck-1.07/JJ+Starbuck+-+1.11.mp4

Highlights:

0:00 in.

1:25 in.

3:03 in.

5:11 in.

8:36 in.

14:14 in.

17:51 in.

20:58 in.

23:15 in.

29:02 in.

30:55 in.

32:51 in.

35:25 in.

38:25 in.

44:35 in.

45:55 in.

46:47 in.

This episode score is covered in suite #2 for Mike Post. At the time, in inferior-sounding load I used had the end credits cut off, so I didn't know Bunch was also credited. The Youtube load sounds better and has the end credits, however, I am not re-doing the suite.

J.J. Starbuck: "I sure hope you like Prison Gray, 'cause that looks like that's gonna be next year's color for you."


	Posted:	Nov 23, 2022 - 8:02 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"Cactus Jack's Last Call"
"Score by": Velton Ray Bunch
https://ok.ru/video/4258355939981

Highlights:

1:29 in.^(open)

9:01 in.^

13:08 in.^

16:05 in. Maybe I am wrong, but this sounds like a cleverly disguised arrangement of the theme music by Mike Post from the series "Tenspeed and Brownshoe". And the cue after the commercial break.^

28:09 in.^

30:07 in.^(open)

36:13/39:24/40:53 in. All three cues just sort of naturally continue into each other.^

43:45 in.

45:45 in.^

The lead of the show was recovering from an injury, which instead of writing around, Cannell felt a new character was needed, and instead of an entirely new character, in a weird twist, the character Tenspeed from the short-lived cancelled Cannell series "Tenspeed and Brownshoe", was brought in. And in yet another twist, instead of being a guest-starring role, he was added as a co-star and added to the opening credits. Who would have seen that coming? The two other people part of the cast, are gone from the opening credits.

"Tenspeed and Brownshoe" was scored entirely by Mike Post, so I was expecting him to be the composer on this episode, but alas...

I covered that show in this thread:
https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=135519&forumID=1&archive=0

And I also made suites covering score from all the episodes:
#1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFOsltcPw-s
#2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX-c7hJXf9M
#3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soQsvSp92AE

J.J. Starbuck: "A friend is someone who comes to you when all others leave."


	Posted:	Nov 28, 2022 - 8:22 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"Permanent Hiatus"
By: Velton Ray Bunch
https://ok.ru/video/4259380005517

Highlights:

1:26 in.^

3:53 in.^

5:24 in.^

11:33 in.^

26:02 in.^

35:13 in.^

36:28 in. The Tenspeed theme from his first episode, returns. The theme I think is just a clever arrangement.^

42:07 in.^

43:58 in. And the cue after the commercial break.^(both)

45:52 in.^

Aside from maybe some source music, I think I cited every score cue.

(NtM: 25:45)

Tenspeed: "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of: two grown men acting like kids. Why didn't you tell me you wanted this guy beat up?"
Starbuck: "You'd have beat him up for me?"
Tenspeed: "Of course not. I'd have told you who to hire."


	Posted:	Nov 29, 2022 - 8:22 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"Rag Doll"
By: Velton Ray Bunch
https://ok.ru/video/4260632857229

Highlights:

1:22 in.^

4:01 in.^

6:18 in. Sad middle to upper octave violin work for a funeral.^

12:38 in.^

18:21 in.

19:45 in.^

21:50 in.^

23:53 in.^(26:16)

27:05 in. Bumper cue.^

27:38 in.^

32:55 in.^

34:57 in.^

36:47 in. And the electric guitars bumper cue that immediately follows it.^

38:48 in.

40:42 in.^

41:43 in.^

42:31 in.^

Starbuck: "If you harm one hair on her head, then I promise you, mister Ben Franklin, you will think you've discovered electricity."

Starbuck: "Dreams are like rag dolls; we wrap them in love or neglect. We make them something special, or we throw them away. In the end, it's up to us."


	Posted:	Nov 30, 2022 - 7:33 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

"The Rise And Fall Of Joe Piermont" (final episode)
By: Velton Ray Bunch
https://ok.ru/video/4273327835789

Highlights:

1:36 in.^

6:52 in.

14:37 in.^

16:29 in.^

20:57 in.^

22:36 in.^

25:19 in. Bumper cue.^

28:16 in.^

34:34 in.

35:21 in. This would be the cue after the commercial break in a properly edited load.^

41:26 in.

42:41 in.^(44:14)

44:#0 in. This would be the cue after the commercial break in a properly edited load.^

46:08 in.^

(NtM: 12:15)

J.J. Starbuck: "The consequences of a crime survive their commission."

And that was that. There were no remakes, no continuations, no spin-off's, no TV movies. There were, however, according to EPGuides.com, two episodes written but not filmed:
#17103: "That Old Black Magic"
#17105: "Everyone's a Critic"

I have to say, this was a good show. It should have at a minimum gotten a full season. And the addition of Ben Vreen reprising his role as Tenspeed Turner from the short-lived cancelled series "Tenspeed and Brownshoe", worked. It had potential. And at some point they probably could have talked Jeff Goldblum into making cameos as well; seeing Starbuck deal with them, and perhaps hearing the "Tenspeed and Brownshoe" theme again, would have been delightful. Oh well.


	Posted:	Dec 1, 2022 - 7:41 AM
	By:	Justin Boggan (Member)

Nothing on BMI, only ASCAP. Unless it's listed under a totally different name (I tried four or five different ways, just to make sure).

Jeff Gerson. (listed with Post)

John Debney. (listed with Post)

Michael A. Babcock. (listed with Post and Bunch together)

There has, of course, been no release of the scoring from the series.

PLEASE NOTE: There are some shows left off, that I created as place holders to new TV series, incase I wanted to cover then later, but changed my mind.

"MacGyver": https://filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?forumID=1&pageID=2&threadID=36443&archive=1

"The Orville": https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=119661&forumID=1&archive=0

"The Rockford Files": https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=135198&forumID=1&archive=0

"Private Eye": https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=115755&forumID=1&archive=0 (technically completed)

"Cannon": https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=134150&forumID=1&archive=0 (complete)

"Barnaby Jones": https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=130392&forumID=1&archive=0 (complete)

"Dan August": https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=124310&forumID=1&archive=0 (complete)

"Markham": https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=130158&forumID=1&archive=0

"T.H.E. Cat": https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=134975&forumID=1&archive=0

"The Name of the Game": https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=134989&forumID=1&archive=0

"McCloud": https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=126978&forumID=1&archive=0

"Hart to Hart": https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/board/posts.cfm?threadID=133995&forumID=1&archive=0