My 7 Favorite Childhood TV Show Theme Songs
Good morning, Kittens and Dawgs! It’s fabulous to see you! How was your weekend? Ours was nice. Did y’all have a nice Father’s Day? I made DH his favorite dessert for Father’s Day, a Cherry Delight, and I ordered our favorites from Pizza Hut, a stuffed crust Cathy’s Supreme (minus the mushroom, beef, bacon, add cherry peppers, extra Italian sausage, pepperoni, and added pizza sauce) and a stuffed crust Cathy’s Meaty Pizza (no beef or bacon, add back extra Italian sausage & pepperoni with extra pizza sauce). We got a chance to see, THE LAST MOVIE STAR (watch trailer) with Burt Reynolds on Amazon Prime. You may recall Dog Year Productions filmed this movie in Knoxville a few years ago. We even got a chance to see one of the scenes being made on Market Square. The first half was a bit slow but we hung in there and I’m glad we did because it got better. It was a tender tale of an old has-been actor who travels to Nashville to receive a lifetime achievement award and winds up taking a trip down memory lane. It was quite tender and I believe my eyes began to leak. What a sap I am! 🙂 The only thing that would’ve made this movie better is IF I had gotten to be an extra in the film. lol
Alright, enough yammering. Are you ready to groove to some mewsic? This week’s theme is “Favorite Childhood TV & Movie Theme Songs“. Growing up in rural West Virginia it was not easy, not to mention in my family’s budget for us to go to the movies but TV viewing was accessible and didn’t cost us anything extra, so it was the biggest source of home entertainment for most families in my small coal mining community in the late 60s and 70s. Here are 7 childhood favorites of mine!
- The Addams Family 1960s TV series (starring John Astin and Carolyn Jones) inspired by cartoonist Charles Addams’ single panel series featured in The New Yorker as early as 1938.
- The Munsters (1964-1966) depicts a family of monsters who saw themselves as no different from an average American family with Herman (Fred Gwynne), Lily (Yvonne DeCarlo), Grandpa (Al Lewis), & Eddie Munster (Butch Patrick) along with their niece Marilyn (Pat Priest) the only non-monster family member.
- Welcome Back, Kotter debuted in 1975 in front of a live TV audience of a high school remedial teacher, Mr. Kotter (Gabe Kaplan) to a mix of racial and ethnical group of kids considered to be the slackers known as the “Sweathogs”.
- Sanford & Son is another 70s sitcom starring Redd Foxx who plays a widower, junk yard dealer. The shows edgy racial humor, running gags, & catchphrases is what made this show a huge success. You’ll not find this sort of comedy in today’s viewing for fear of offending someone. Boy, were those the days for television watching!
- I Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970) is a fantasy sitcom of a 2000 genie (Barbara Eden) and a handsome astronaut (Larry Hagman) who releases her from her bottle. They eventually fall in-love and get married. A thrill I experience in 2015 was meeting Barbara Eden at the Mayberry Days event in Mt. Airy, North Carolina.
- Bewitched (1964-1972) is another fantasy sitcom of modern-day witch (Elizabeth Montgomery) who marries an ordinary human husband (Dick York) and vows to not practice magic. She has the best intentions of not practicing anyhow but then where would the fun be if she didn’t break her word occasionally. 😉
- Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980) was a prime time show and one of the first police dramas I recall watching starring Jack Lord as Detective Captain Steve McGarrett.
Now, join my fellow co-hosts: XmasDolly (Party Coordinator), Stacy, Alana & Colette (who’s taking semi-blog hiatus because of eye problems) on the dance floor (ONLY link mewsic posts) below.
Keep those tunes playing and your body swaying, I’ll see ya around the cyber block!
X💋X 💋, Cathy
51 Comments
Michele
Hey, I just posted a comment and it’s not showing up so not sure if it didn’t go through or is just being moderated. Let me know if you didn’t get it and I’ll come back and write it again…
Cathy Kennedy
Michele,
I’m not sure why but WP had both of your comments in moderation. I try to approve these as quickly as possible even if I don’t have time to respond. Thanks for letting me know, though. 🙂
Michele
Hey Girl, wow how did it get to be Saturday already?? Crazy week. Sorry I’m just now making it over to your place.
You picked out some classic TV shows, most of which I watched. Out of your picks I think my favs have to be Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, and Hawaii-Five O.
“Book ‘em Danno!” I loved the cast back then. I really didn’t expect to like the reboot version of today and I figured it wouldn’t last. Boy was I wrong on both accounts! I really enjoy today’s Hawaii Five-O. Do you watch it??
Bewitched always fascinated me and I used to wish I could wiggle my nose and get things or get things finished. My mom was always say how she wished she could twitch her nose like Samantha and have all the housework done and dinner made. 😊
And I adored Jeannie and used to love seeing her “pad” when she got stuck in her bottle. 😆
Those are my favs as far as watching. But in terms of picking which show theme song I like best, that’s a tough one. Honestly I like them all!
Thanks for the trip back to the ultimate era!
Enjoy your weekend Sunshine Girl!
Xoxo,
PS: I LOVE the kitty humor: “ …We’re losing George”. Hahahaha. That cracked me up this morning!
Michele at Angels Bark
Cathy Kennedy
Michele,
Oh, I remember wishing I could twitch my nose like Samatha on Bewitched and I always thought Jeannie’s bottle was so cool! I had forgotten about these little things. Thanks to me reminding me with your comment. The 70s was the ultimate entertainment era for sure! I’m glad you enjoyed the kitty humor. Thanks for dancing with me, my friend.
Mary B
Better late than never! It seems my week just up and disappeared on me. Sorry for my tardiness! Great shows here. I remember loving I Dream of Jeannie and I always watched Bewitched – although I didn’t care for either of the Darren’s. Fun memories here. See you again on Monday!
Cathy Kennedy
Mary,
I have works where I fall behind, too. It happens to us all, so no worries! I’m happy that you found time to dance with me and enjoyed my mewsic picks from yesteryear. 🙂
Mike Spain
Fun shows!
Sue Bursztynski (@SueBursztynski)
In my first year of teaching, I had a class I called my Sweathogs. Lovely kids, but not academic, with some characters among them.
Cathy Kennedy
Sue,
LOL, did your kids make the connection to the old TV show? 🙂
raventracks
I never told them! It was my personal name for them, and how I described them when anyone asked. 😁
Cathy Kennedy
Sue,
Ahhh, gotcha! That’s a cute way to describe your class. I bet you have some stories to tell, don’t ya? I’ve found that all kids are teachable, some require more patience than others but the important thing is making that kid feel empowered by his/her abilities. The world is so cruel to those who aren’t the same the rest and that’s hard for a young person to not take purrrsonally.
Sue Bursztynski (@SueBursztynski)
Sounds like you had a good time! Father’s Day is in September here. Ah, those shows you mention bring back memories! And it’s true, the Addams family and the Munsters were definitely affectionate families. Not only that, but they were kind to others. Half the humour in The Addams Family came from their efforts to help others going wrong. Did you know that Jackie Coogan aka Uncle Fester was a child actor in the silent era? After his parents stole his earnings, new laws were made to protect child actors, something he told the youngsters with whom he worked. And Blossom Rock aka Grandmama was Jeanette McDonald’s sister?
Cathy Kennedy
Sue,
Thanks for sharing the trivia on Jackie Coogan Blossom Rock. In regards to Jackie, that was just horrible his parents stole his money. I’d like to think his parents used the money to support the family but I know it probably wasn’t a question of survival as much as it was greed and taking advantage of a kid.
messymimi's meanderings
What memories these brought back! And yes, it does look like George is melting, and he melted my heart.
Cathy Kennedy
Mimi,
Poor George…but he’s a cutie!
Birgit
I’ve got to revisit when I get the chance…my battery life is low. I’m glad your hubby had a great dad’s day. I want to see this film and have not yet but will soon enough. Love some of your pics as I love Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Munsters and would add Gilligan’s Island, High Chapparal, and Bonanza. Oh yes Hawaii 5 O is great
Cathy Kennedy
Birgit,
In the past when I’ve done TV shows theme mewsic I’ve used Gilligan’s Island but I don’t think I’ve used Bonanza. The theme mewsic from that old show is pAwesome! I don’t remember the show, High Chapparal, so I listened to the theme song and it sounds familiar, though. I checked with Google on the programs run dates. It aired from 1967 – 1971. So, I imagine that’s why I don’t recall it.
JamericanSpice
I love beginning positive. Especially when I’ve been stressed all weekend.
I love ordering from pizza hut. Glad you had a good Father’s Day with your love and enjoyed the time.
These shows are definitely old for me. I have not seen them. However there’s that Hawaii show that I’d like to see.
Do have a blessed week.
*HUGS*
Cathy Kennedy
Colette,
It’s good to begin the new week with a positive quote or happy thought. We certainly lead stressful lives, so it’s good to refocus and energize our spirits when needed. You commented twice, so I deleted the duplicate. Sometimes, WP has yours marked for moderation and must be approved. I think it has to do with your sign-in info. I hope your husband had a nice Father’s Day, too. Thanks for dancing with me, my friend!
Myke Todd
Carolyn Jones as Morticia Adams, was my first crush.
Cathy Kennedy
Myke,
Seriously? Morticia was too creepy but Carolyn Jones was a pretty woman!
-Eugenia
I love those old shows, Cathy. Not much, if anything compares to them now. I’m glad you and DH had a great Father’s Day. My hubby celebrated Father’s Day and my birthday Sat. night and had a relaxing day yesterday. We’re driving up to Blue Ridge this coming weekend for more celebrating. Rock on!
Cathy Kennedy
Eugenia,
I agree nothing compares to these old TV shows. They were wholesome entertainment and there were no worries about offending anyone, it was just lots of fun! Oh, goodie a trip to the mountains!! Are you driving the entire BRP or just part of it? There are a lot of fabulous views from there, especially on the southern end of the parkway. I hope y’all have a grand time!
-Eugenia
We’re going up there to see friends. We visit the town of Blue Ridge about 3 or 4 times a year. I’m looking so forward to our trip.
Cathy Kennedy
Eugenia,
The town of Blue Ridge? Hmmm…that’s my cue to do some Internet digging. lol I found a Blue Ridge, Georgia and I’m sure we’ve been through there in past years. We want to return to Helen, Georgia sometime soon. It’s been years since we visited this charming little town with its Bavarian-style architecture. It’ll be a joy to photograph this place with my big girl camera. I hope y’all have fun visiting your friends.
-Eugenia
We love Helen, GA too. We were there 2 years ago for my birthday. We stay at the Helendorf, which is located on the river. It’s such a unique and quaint place.
Cathy Kennedy
Eugenia,
That sounds wonderful! I can’t wait to go back for a visit. It’ll be on one of our long Friday day trips which Google says is only a little over a 3-hour drive one way. We do that sort of thing all the time. It’s a beautiful town!
John Holton
The beauty of “The Addams Family” and “The Munsters” was that, as macabre as they were, they loved each other. I would have loved being in either family, not that I’d actually want to trade my family in for either one. Between Yvonne DeCarlo, Carolyn Jones, Elizabeth Montgomery and Barbara Eden, there were some gorgeous women on TV back then.
It’s sad that so many of the actors that made these shows great are no longer with us.
Good choices!
Cathy Kennedy
John,
I agree no matter how strange these families are, they had love to keep them together. Oh, good heavens YES, the women from this era were often times drop dead gorgeous! Of these women, only Barbara Eden is still with us and I met her in 2015. She looked amazing for her years,too. There’s no doubt she had some work done but still she looked great!
John Holton
I never saw her when she lived in Chicago, but Barbara Eden was married to an executive from Standard Oil in the ’70’s and ’80’s. She’s had a lot of work done, but I don’t care; she has a beauty that comes from inside.
Cathy Kennedy
John,
It was a pleasure to meet Barbara. She was very nice and her face just glowed. 🙂
Cathy Keisha
BTW, I wasn’t originally going to link since I’m not following the theme but added a link to the hop.
Cathy Kennedy
You’re always welcome to link up even when you’re no following the theme, Cathy!
Cathy Keisha
Whoa! TW likes lots gravy aka sauce on her pizza. She didn’t think she remembered any themes from her childhood cos she forgot tv themes were allowed. Great shows all. She wasn’t allowed to watch tv as a child but does remember Welcome Back Kotter with John Sebastian of the Lovin’ Spoonful doing the theme and Bewitched. Of course, later on we heard the others.
Cathy Kennedy
Cathy,
We watched more than our share of TV when I was a kid but most of my time was spent outdoors especially in the summer. These were all such good shows and there’s nothing that compares to them now or never will. Hollywood can’t write anything entertaining anymore. They want to ruin everything by lacing with politics.
Jacqui Murray
I haven’t thought of these in years. ‘Welcome back Kotter’–what a memory!
Cathy Kennedy
Jacqui,
The Sweathogs were so goofy and fun! It was this show that gave us John Travolta. I had a crush on him. 🙂
csuhpat1
So super cool songs. I enjoyed them all. Thanks for sharing each and everyone of them. Very cool.
Cathy Kennedy
Patrick,
Thanks for stopping by a visit. I’ll see you soon!
Kathe W.
darling hammock photo!
Cathy Kennedy
🙂
15andmeowing
Great Spark. Sounds like DH had a nice Father’s Day. I love The Adams Family and The Munsters. I am going to be singing the Adams Family all day, I used to have a song for our angel Spooky that I sang to that theme. I had a Welcome Back Kotter lunch box 🙂
Cathy Kennedy
Ellen,
The mention of lunch boxes made me smile. Boy, do I remember those!
Comedy Plus
How fun. I watched all of these shows back in the day. Theme songs are fun too.
I love the kitties.
Have a purrfect Awww Monday, Cathy. Big hugs. ♥
Cathy Kennedy
Sandee,
Theme songs are great fun and there are so many good ones to choose from, too!
darlamsands
I can almost guarantee I would have cried over the movie. May have to see it. Be well!
Cathy Kennedy
Darla,
Yep, it’s a bit of tear-jerker. It was so super cool to see these big stars up close in our small town. 🙂
Thomas Anderson
Hi, Cathy!
I’m happy to know you and DH had a terrific Father’s Day weekend, dear friend! It was great fun listening to these themes from vintage TV series of the 60s and 70s. I agree with Alana that there were two camps of fans. One group “got” and appreciated the subtle, sophisticated humor of the eccentric Addams Family. The other group preferred the comedy style of The Munsters. Relatively few viewers, as I recall, liked both shows equally. I also agree with Alana that fans were split over the two hit medical series, Ben Casey and Dr. Kildare. The list could go on and on. On the mewsic scene at the start of the British Invasion, The Dave Clark Five mounted a convincing challenge to the Beatles for a short time and had an enthusiastic fan base. Then there’s the endless debate over the fetching females on Gilligan’s Island, asking which was more appealing, Ginger or Mary Ann. And here’s a news flash. People tend to gravitate to one camp or another along political lines. It is natural and normal, democracy in action, the way it has always been and always will be, so there is no need for us to press the panic button and go around hating on each other. It feels so much better to love, doesn’t it Cathy? You and I have been setting that example for more than three years now and I am very proud of us.
Returning to the topic of today’s post, if I closed my eyes and played Name That Tune, I would be able to correctly identify most of these shows within a second or two, especially The Addams Family, The Munsters, Sanford & Son and Hawaii Five-O. Poor Carolyn Jones (Morticia) died of colon cancer at the young age of 53. Her Addams Family co-star John Astin is still alive at age 88. Astin, as you might recall, was married to the late Patty Duke during the 70s and 80s. As a kid I watched Fred Gwynne and Al Lewis in their earlier TV series Car 54, Where Are You? which ran from 1961 to 1963. Many people forget that before he became famous in the role of J.R. Ewing on Dallas, Larry Hagman was Barbara Eden’s co-star on Jeannie. As the years pass, fewer people even remember or know about Dallas. Blogs like ours and posts like this one are helping to keep 20th century memories alive, and so again I thank you.
Have a great week, dear friend Cathy!
Cathy Kennedy
Tom,
I always remembered liking one show more than the other but I wouldn’t turn down watching the other as long as there were no viewing conflicts. I do recall the semi-battle of who’s liked Ginger or Mary Anne the best. I could relate to Mary Ann but was drawn to Ginger’s glamour but honestly, both women are beautiful. You’re right the political arena of folks migrating to one side but were friendship goes it shouldn’t matter what your political, religious, or ethical views are as long as you respect each other to show compassion and love to your friend despite these difference. I am also proud that we’ve continued our friendship with great success. 🙂
I do believe I recall reading that Carolyn Jones died from colon cancer. 53 isn’t old by any stretch of the imagination. Getting old is relative, isn’t it? It changes every few years for me. I meant to share a photo of Barbara Eden and me in today’s post. Darn, I forgot! These old shows and the movies made from the same timeline are pAwesome entertainment works. Hollywood just can’t do anything like this nowadays without corrupting the humor or storyline. Thanks for joining me this morning, dear friend!
Alana Mautone (@RamblinGarden)
I can remember, growing up, that you were either an Addams Family fan or a Munsters fan (similar to Dr. Kildare vs. Ben Casey). And you said it, Sanford and Sons, plus other greats such as All in the Family (I had aged out of childhood by then) were part of a great age of comedy with a side of social commentary. And – Hawaii 5-0. Love those instrumentals. Hope you all enjoyed those pizzas – have a great week, Cathy!
Cathy Kennedy
Alana,
Yep, we enjoyed those pizzas a lot! Thanks for sharing the dance floor with me, my friend!