A Young Composer and Piano Player Named Johnny Williams Wrote a Gripping Theme for the Anthology TV Show, Kraft Suspense Theatre, aka Crisis; When the Producers Wanted a New Theme for the Second Season, Williams Obliged Them; Hear Both Themes Here

Re-posted by N.S.

David Gideon

Kraft Suspense Theatre (retitled Crisis in syndication) was an anthology series like Alfred Hitchcock’s. Top guest stars and writers, and generous (by tv standards) production quality helped make this series stand out. Johnny Williams (as he was known then) composed a dynamite theme for the show’s first season. But somebody wanted a new theme so Williams did the honors again, and wrote a second dynamite theme. Hear them both and pick your favorite.





Commenter Estroughtonaire complained,

“I liked the first one. The second one sounded too news broadcast.”

N.S.: The only “news broadcast” music I can think of that might be like this would be the abc news for 20-30 years around the country (which was even used by the australian broadcasting corporation). But that music was from a picture which wouldn’t be made until four years AFTER Williams composed his theme—Cool Hand Luke (the tar scene).