Was there a musical "Clark Kent" who ghost-wrote the Superman Theme?
Author and production library authority Paul Mandell of Brooklyn, NY, who also is an expert on the 1951 TV series Superman, has been digging into not only its Main and End Title theme, but a lot of the cues for various episodes. Previously he traced enough music used behind the film "Plan 9 from Outer Space" to issue a CD containing the original library source music used throughout this Ed Wood extravaganza.

Recently he announced his intention to put together a CD to re-issue some of the production library music used in the TV series "Superman."

Also, he has uncovered the possibility that perhaps someone other than the credited composer Leon Klatzkin, was the true author of the Superman TV Theme. He has been told that the theme was recorded in Europe, rather than in New York as Klatzkin said in a 1980s interview with this author.

According to Mandell, Leon Klatzkin was known mostly as a music editor working for various low-budget producers. Mandell's sources, who were contemporaries doubt that Klatzkin was the actual composer, despite copyright records to the contrary. Not only did Klatzkin's name appear on the credits of the Superman Theme, but on episode scores for Gunsmoke, and other shows.

Perhaps Klatzin edited together the sound behind the famous opening montage "Look--It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's SUPERMAN". The editing involved combining the "flying theme", a backwards sound effect for Superman's landing, a bullet, a speeding locomotive, and the "march theme." But did Klatzkin think this editing job constituted "composing", for which he should fill out an ASCAP cue sheet?

Did someone else (comissioned by David Chudnow of MUTEL) really compose the musical parts of this sound montage, for which Klatzkin took credit? Did Klatzkin take advantage of the ignorance of another (perhaps foreign) composer in collecting royalties on this theme for years?

We would like to wish Paul Mandell well in his valiant effort to get to the bottom of these and other mysteries which originated in the rough-and-tumble early days of TV production.

Was there a musical "Clark Kent" who ghost-wrote the Superman Theme?
Author and production library authority Paul Mandell of Brooklyn, NY, who also is an expert on the 1951 TV series Superman, has been digging into not only its Main and End Title theme, but a lot of the cues for various episodes. Previously he traced enough music used behind the film "Plan 9 from Outer Space" to issue a CD containing the original library source music used throughout this Ed Wood extravaganza.

Recently he announced his intention to put together a CD to re-issue some of the production library music used in the TV series "Superman."

Also, he has uncovered the possibility that perhaps someone other than the credited composer Leon Klatzkin, was the true author of the Superman TV Theme. He has been told that the theme was recorded in Europe, rather than in New York as Klatzkin said in a 1980s interview with this author.

According to Mandell, Leon Klatzkin was known mostly as a music editor working for various low-budget producers. Mandell's sources, who were contemporaries doubt that Klatzkin was the actual composer, despite copyright records to the contrary. Not only did Klatzkin's name appear on the credits of the Superman Theme, but on episode scores for Gunsmoke, and other shows.

Perhaps Klatzin edited together the sound behind the famous opening montage "Look--It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's SUPERMAN". The editing involved combining the "flying theme", a backwards sound effect for Superman's landing, a bullet, a speeding locomotive, and the "march theme." But did Klatzkin think this editing job constituted "composing", for which he should fill out an ASCAP cue sheet?

Did someone else (comissioned by David Chudnow of MUTEL) really compose the musical parts of this sound montage, for which Klatzkin took credit? Did Klatzkin take advantage of the ignorance of another (perhaps foreign) composer in collecting royalties on this theme for years?

We would like to wish Paul Mandell well in his valiant effort to get to the bottom of these and other mysteries which originated in the rough-and-tumble early days of TV production.

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