A look at the top 150 television series of all time provides a complete broadcasting history of each show, listing producers, cast members, years on the air, and more for such hits as "Gunsmoke," "I Love Lucy," "MASH," and "60 Minutes"

Everybody loves TV themes - from the silly "Mr. Ed" and "The Addams Family" to the intense "Mission: Impossible" and "Peter Gunn" to the atmospheric "Hill Street Blues" and "The X-Files". But few people know how this music is made, or the stories of the men and women who have worked tirelessly (and often anonymously) to create it. This book offers the complete story of this important musical style, giving it the serious, and colorfully anecdotal, history it deserves. Divided into chapters on each genre, Burlingame provides the real stories of the composers who worked behind the scenes to create the memorable music we all love. Among those who have written and performed for television include many famous musicians - like jazz pianists Dave Brubeck and Duke Ellington, arranger/producer Quincy Jones, film music giant John Williams, Broadway composer Richard Rodgers, and classical composer Morton Gould. Illustrated throughout with rare photos of the composers at work, this is a fascinating story of how a new genre of musical artistry was created.

This book is part of Hyperink's best little books series. It's close to 3,000 words of fast, entertaining information on a highly demanded topic. Based on reader feedback (including yours!), we may expand this book in the future. If we do so, we'll send a free copy to all previous buyers. ABOUT THE BOOK Who knew that a show about nerds would be so unspeakably cool? That a UCLA particle physics professor would be hired to ensure scientific accuracy throughout a 30 minute CBS sitcom? Apparently, the producers and creators of the smash hit The Big Bang Theory did, and the show now boasts some 12 million viewers a week. And it seems that the show is also inspiring would-be and current physicists (and other scientists, too); according to the show’s science consultant, Dr. David Saltzberg of UCLA, emails are received from both high school and graduate students asking him about certain scientific aspects of the show. He also notes that there was a lot of background work that the writers did prior to shooting, such as following graduate students around and exploring what a physicist’s apartment might actually look like. According to Saltzberg, a real physicist’s apartment was a bit too boring, so the producers had to dress up Leonard and Sheldon’s apartment a little. But, the science itself was spot on. MEET THE AUTHOR Chris St-Jean is a Canadian teacher who has enjoyed American literature for as long as she can remember. Her daughters, ages three and seven, seem to have inherited her appreciation for books as well. She spends her free time writing short stories, hanging out with her husband and children, and working toward a black belt in karate. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK Simon Helberg as Howard Wolowitz: One of Helberg’s biggest passions was music until he hit the 11th grade. That’s when he played a delivery part in an all-female production. Since then, he’s appeared in shows like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Joey, often being typecast as the geek. He got the role of Wolowitz in 2007, prior to the show’s start. Kunal Nayyar as Raj Koothrappali: Nayyar is the newest to the small screen; he was born in London, England and grew up in India. He decided to pursue educational opportunities in the United States and majored in business at the University of Portland in Oregon while taking some acting classes. From there, he went to Temple University in Philadelphia and earned his Masters of Fine Arts. He is a cricket fan and had a guest starring role on NCIS before snagging the part on The Big Bang Theory... Buy a copy to keep reading!

It's the smash hit, all signing, all-dancing phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. This in-depth guide reveals all you need to know about the happiest show on TV - be prepared to fall head over heels for Glee. Also includes detailed recaps of all of the first 13 episodes, mini biographies of all the cast, a sneak peek behind-the-scenes on set at William McKinley High, complete song title listings...and so much more!

This sequel provides yet another dozen of today's most acclaimed writers and producers an open, uncensored forum in which they discuss everything from their work ethic to the political, social, and economic issues affecting the television industry. The West Wing, C.S.I., and Judging Amy are just a few of the dramas that launched a new era of television at the turn of the millennium. TV Creators gives scholars and fans alike an exclusive, firsthand account of the lives, philosophies, and contributions of some of the best television scribes of the past two decades. TV Creators: Volume Two includes revelations such as Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) admitting that he is not a natural storyteller, and Martha Williamson (Touched by an Angel) announcing that "There is nothing more gender blind than an executive producer who desperately needs a good writer." Glenn Gordon Caron (Moonlighting, Now & Again) confesses, "I always think that disaster is an inch away," while Paul Haggis (Family Law) reveals, "I always like to do something that I think I can fail at." Also interviewed are: Aaron Spelling (Charmed, Beverly Hills 90210); Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer); Roy Huggins (The Fugitive); Clifton Campbell (Profiler); Barbara Hall (Judging Amy); Anthony Zuiker (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation); John McNamara (The Fugitive); and Don Bellisario (JAG, Magnum P.I.).

Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn theme. Lalo Schifrin's Mission: Impossible theme. Isaac Hayes' theme from Shaft. These iconic melodies have remained a part of the pop culture landscape since their debuts back when movie studios and TV production companies employed full orchestral ensembles to provide a jazz backdrop for the suspenseful adventures of secret agents, private detectives, cops, spies and heist-minded criminals. Hundreds of additional films and television shows made from the mid-1950s and beyond have been propelled by similarly swinging title themes and underscores, many of which have (undeservedly) faded into obscurity. This meticulously researched book begins with Hayes' game-changing music for Shaft, and honors the careers of traditional jazz composers who--as the 1970s gave way to the '80s and beyond--resolutely battled against the pernicious influx of synth, jukebox scores and a growing corporate disinterest in lavish ensembles. Fans frustrated by the lack of attention paid to jazz soundtrack composers--including Mort Stevens, Laurie Johnson, Mike Post, Earle Hagen, David Shire, Elmer Bernstein and many, many others--will find solace in these pages (along with all the information needed to enhance one's music library). But this is only half the story; the saga's origins are discussed in this book's companion volume, Crime and Action Jazz on Screen: 1950-1970.