The Bat Theme Mystery

[Killer Moth]

I'm curious about the music for the series. Why did Neal Hefti do the theme and not the series music? For that matter, why did Nelson Riddle not do the theme? The only thing I've come up with so far is that perhaps Hefti was mostly a hit music maker who the studio thought would be good for the theme (which also may be good for a hit single). Then for Nelson Riddle, it may have been thought that he would do great orchestration, but that he couldn't do a hit song. In any case, I'm sure somebody here has to have heard about why!

[Scott Sebring]

Neil did the theme early on and when they thought the show would start airing in the fall of 1966. But when production shot into full force for a January 1966 air date, Neil just couldn't work that into his schedule to do the full soundtrack chores. Early promos that were presented to sponsors and so forth at least featured his theme song. Initially there were plans to have whoever did the full score would probably provide a new theme but the one in the promo went over so well they kept it. Nelson Riddle was then brought in to do the music.

At least, this is what the late Mr. Hefti told me.

[logar2]

Hefti had already committed to creating the scores for Barefoot in the Park and Duel at Diablo, which left him unavailable to remain on the series.

[Mark Racop]

Scott, I'm sure you've aleady considered writing a book about your bat experiences, but if you haven't--you should.

[John Mack]

Neil did the theme early on...

Scott...You must have just spaced!! It's spelled NEAL.

Anywho....You must have missed my request to you about your conversation with Mr. Hefti. I would love to hear all about it as the music is one of my major followings of the series. As for writing a book, I'd buy it just to read about your talk with Neal. When was this? etc, etc...

I have always wondered if Neal had started the music for the series and that was the music we hear on his Batman studio LP from RCA. If so, he and Riddle had almost the same idea "Cue-wise" with Penguin's Theme.

Also, if anyone cares to learn more about Neal Hefti, you should Google him. He was Count Basie's arranger for years and along with Billy May (from the Green Hornet and third season Batman) was an excellent trumpeter!

John

[Scott Sebring]

I spaced. Sorry.

As for my conversation with Neal. It was a very informal lunch I got to sit in on with Wally, Alex Zsolt (who had a much more interesting exchange with Neal although not Batman related) and an assortment of other folks (Chuck McCann, Stella Stevens and Ronnie Schell come to mind) one afternoon along with Neal in attendance. I think it may have been in 2007 or 2008. Anyway, it was not an in depth interview at all and I did not ask him much beyond that (I may have not even been the one who asked it). It was lunch among friends and out of respect nobody there was going to turn it into a fanboy QnA. But the question came up and that was pretty much his response. He did mention that they paid extra to have the official show logo on the cover and he rattled off the names of the vocalists who sang on the theme (sorry, can't remember). To my understanding (but don't quote me) none of the other "inspired" music from the album were actually intended for the show. I think he said they came after or something like that. Hey, you try to remember a group conversation you had about five years ago. I didn't know there would be a quiz.

[John Mack]

Hey, you mean you didn't stuff an omni-directional micro-recorder in his salad disguised as an olive?!! LOL Thanks for what you can remember. I would love to know the names of the vocalists' though

John

[Killer Moth]

Thanks for that answer, Scott - that is the first time I can say I've ever come across that factoid! It also makes alot of sense...