In the Late 1980's Rupert Murdoch created the Fox television network, to be America's 4th Network. One of the first shows developed to kick off the new network came out of the Flagship Station, FOX5 in New York City, it was called "A Current Affair", and hosted by Maury Povich, a daytime talk show host from Fox's Washington Station. The show ran from 1987 to 1997. The show went to number 1 in syndication, and was broadcast nightly, nationally, and featured hundreds of pieces of music, by composer Mike Catalano. This begin at a time where there was no such thing really as "Re-enactments" , on TV news magazine shows. Eventually, every news magazine show on American television began to do re-enactments with original music scores, from America's Most Wanted to Dateline. Reporter Steve Dunleavy, shared a common love with composer Mike Catalano for the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, composer of "The Girl from Ipanema". It was this common passion, that made Mike who was working camera on "A Current Affair' a logical easy choice to begin scoring pieces for the show. Thru that intial introduction, Mike went on to compose music for many other shows for Fox, including GOOD DAY NEW YORK, CAROL JENKINS LIVE, AND FOX NEWS. Take a peak back into TV history with a few clips we've posted for you hear with Mike's music and/or theme music.
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CATMAN
RECORDS
INC. NYC
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Probably the real ground breaker for A Current Affair and for Mike as a composer was the infamous "Preppie Murder" case, which was the #1 rated show, about a tragic murder in Central Park in NYC. Reporters Steve Dunleavy and Raphael Abramovitz, got the scoop, while the perpetrator Robert Chambers was awaiting trial in the highly publicized case, they got a video of Chambers making fun of the murder with a doll at a party with some college friends. 22 minutes of music by Mike Catalano featuring Saxophonist Blue Lou Marini (SNL, BLUES BROTHERS) set the mood for this very NYC story. |
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This is a clip from the Fox Network's show "THE REPORTERS", to which Mike Catalano composed the theme. Here is one of many stories by Reporter Steve Dunleavy, featuring original music by Mike Catalano.
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GOOD DAY NEW YORK FOX5 NYC. What began as an idea from A Current Affair creator Peter Brennan to make a completely different kind of morning show to compete with the networks for the new Fox network, became a smash hit, by taking the show out of the studio into the streets of NYC, with then-hosts Marion Etoile Watson and the late Bob Fitzsimmons, holding the fort back in the studio! We don't have footage of the opening credits boyscout-playing-revelee, which was the producer direction for Mike to make about 30 different synth versions of, but HERE is the closing them for GOOD DAY NEW YORK, music by composer pianist Mike Catalano |
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CAROL JENKINS LIVE
TALK SHOW THEME MUSIC by
MIKE CATALANO
Featuring Saxophones by ALEX FOSTER of the Saturday Night Live Band |
August 2007, we'll be posting more of Mike Catalano's Theme music work and samples ASAP, for more information or Sampler CD, write to: marketing@catmanrecords.com |