Friday 23 April 2010

CARTWRIGHTS & RIGHT CARS

Mention was made in the comments to my recent post on the (mercifully) rarely-heard lyrics to the Star Trek theme tune that there were also words to the theme tune for another TV favourite of my youth, Bonanza - a favourite because, at the time, I had a bit of a teenage-boy-crush on Michael Landon's not-so-little Little Joe...

Anyway, enough of my pubescent fantasies, my informants told me that Lorne Greene, who played Pa Cartwright had recorded the Bonanza song and indeed he did and here it is...



And since all this started with my posting about the unsung lyrics to the Bewitched theme tune, I thought you might enjoy seeing the Bonanza boys and the Bewitched babes (along with the Man from U.N.C.L.E.) promoting the latest line-up of automobiles available from their series' sponsors, Chevrolet, back in 1965...



8 comments:

Good Dog said...

Listening to the Bonanza theme song again I really didn't think Lorne Greene's heart was in it... and then I saw the ads.

Just how many jolts from a cattle prod did it take to get them in front the camera?

That business about loosening the steering column to adjust the wheel looks like a lawsuit in-waiting.

Chuck Munson said...

YouTube is truly a thing to marvel. The most, well, er, interesting things show up on it. I knew that there were words to Bonanza and I want to say that I've even heard it sung before, but the Chevrolet promo truly dropped my jaw. They certainly had no qualms about mixing fantasy special effects into the reality of actors and being on a backlot! Of course, it was all about the cars, so why quibble?

I recall very clearly riding in cars like that when I was a child in the days before (shudder) car seats and widespread use of seat belts!

Suzanne said...

That Bonanza song isn't that bad actually! As for the car ad, half way through I lost the will to live!
heriph: a pathetic sales pitch for a pathetic car
P.S. I used to love "High Chaparal"

Brian Sibley said...

GOOD DOG - What a loyal 'commentator' you are, to listen to Lorne Greene's rendition again having already left a comment about it on the Star Trek post! And, yes, he's quite clearly just doing it for the dosh!

As for the commercial: the opening ("I guess we should call it [Virginia City] Chevrolet City") is particularly toe-curling.


CHUCK MUNSON - I love that bizarre intermingling of 'real life' and 'reel life' suggesting that actors live on sets and are perpetually wandering about (and driving around) in costume!

As you say, how things have changed! In those days it was OK to ride sitting on the trunk (boot) in flowing gown and with piled up hair. I think the manufacturer of Miss Moorehead's hairspray should have got a name-check!


SUZANNE - It did go on a bit, I admit, but I really couldn't help thinking that someone missed an opportunity to team up Dan Blocker and Agnes Moorehead in a series of their own!

Arts and Crafts said...

I want a Chevrolet!!!!

Bill Field said...

Brian, I found this youtube clip which has edited the cast of Cheers and the cast of Bonanza singing the theme song- I hope you laugh as hard as I did!




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qfEthKSwXY

Neil-W said...

There was a chap who had a blog with the ironic title 'You Dont Have To Visit This Blog' who would amass a slew of versions to theme songs by actors and put them into compilations. He also had a soft spot for Maureen O'Hara and Elizabeth Montgomery .The blog imploded after some catty in-fighting among its users and i guess the host just got fed up. But it sprung to mind when i read the To Boldly Sing post.
I've no idea if that blog survived but just thought i'd mention it, hope that's ok

Brian Sibley said...

EUDORA - OK. What colour?

BILL FIELD - Thanks for the laugh! Cheers!

NEIL-W - Yes! I found it. Old posts are still there but, sadly, nothing new posted in over two years.