Game show themes used on other game shows

[Ian Wallis]

I was watching one of my game show DVDs the other day and noticed the prize music was the theme from another earlier game show - the exact recording.  It got my wondering how many game shows have used other shows themes as prize or other incidental music.  The first one that comes to mind regarding this topic is Wheel of Fortune, which in 1983 changed the music and "Frisco Disco" (AKA Jeopardy 1978) started popping up nearly every day as prize music.

Here's a list of what I've come up with:

--Wheel of Fortune used both 1975's Blank Check theme and 1978 Jeopardy as prize music at different times
--Dating Game '78 used 1972's Parent Game and the '73-77 Treasure Hunt theme
--Newlywed Game '77 used Parent Game
--High Rollers '78 used 1976's Hot Seat theme
--Price is Right used the original Family Feud theme and Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour
--Let's Make a Deal '80 used both It's Anybody's Guess and the original Split Second theme during the big deal on some shows
--Truth or Consequences '77 used Money Maze theme

I'm sure there are others.  Can anyone think of other examples?

[clemon79]

Can we retcon this for Merv Griffin's Crosswords?

[Vahan_Nisanian]

Do pilots count?

Illinois' Instant Riches used TKO (1989) and Body Talk's (1990) theme.

[Chief-O]

--Let's Make a Deal '80 used both It's Anybody's Guess and the original Split Second theme during the big deal on some shows

The '84-86 version frequently used the SS intro cue as a car cue, and I believe I've heard the main theme used at least once. Also pretty certain I've seen at least one show/clip that used the IAG theme.

[PYLdude]

If you reverse the idea, one of the Body Language cues ended up as the closing theme for Classic Concentration.

[WarioBarker]

Second Chance used the I've Got a Secret '76 theme. Not sure whether the Narz Concentration was using "Splendido!" before Price did, but either way there's that.

I once read a long while back that Price used the Narz Concentration theme ("Fast Break") as a cue, but I've never been able to find anything with it.

Do pilots count?

Illinois' Instant Riches used TKO (1989) and Body Talk's (1990) theme.

If we're going that route, then the Blank Check pilots used the Now You See It theme ("Chump Change"), the 1981 Temptation used the Give-N-Take theme, and the 1984 Jackpot! used the theme from The Love Experts ("Spring Rain").

[Mr. Matté]

--Let's Make a Deal '80 used both It's Anybody's Guess and the original Split Second theme during the big deal on some shows

The '84-86 version frequently used the SS intro cue as a car cue, and I believe I've heard the main theme used at least once. Also pretty certain I've seen at least one show/clip that used the IAG theme.

Three for the Money's theme was also used early on in TANLMAD before the car cue exclusively became Split Second.

A lot of the aired Barris shows (TNTH, TDG, TNG) used the early 70s Barris pilot themes as prize cues.

[BrandonFG]

In the mid-90s, Shop Til You Drop used a modified version of Quicksilver's theme during stunts.

Ian S., LMAD84 used the actual Split Second theme, and not just the intro. I seem to remember it when Brian or Dean would talk about the car offered on the Door #4 Deal Wheel.

Does Blankety Blanks' theme showing up on Double Talk or Shoot for the Stars' theme on Jackpot count?

For pilot themes being used as show themes, Lucky Numbers showed up on High Rollers in 1987.

[TLEberle]

In the mid-90s, Shop Til You Drop used a modified version of Quicksilver's theme during stunts.

Interesting, I thought it was the other way 'round.

[BillCullen1]

Jim Perry's Card Sharks had the same theme as Trebek's Double Dare though it was a different pitch. Cullen's Pass The Buck used the beginning of Geoff Edwards' Jackpot theme.

[BrandonFG]

In the mid-90s, Shop Til You Drop used a modified version of Quicksilver's theme during stunts.

Interesting, I thought it was the other way 'round.

I probably have it backwards...I just didn't notice it until Quicksilver premiered. Come to think of it, I think STYD was in reruns by summer '94, so it would make more sense to be vice versa...

Jefferson Graham's book Come on Down mentioned that $1M Chance-Lifetime used the LMaD theme for a cue. I know a few things from that book were erroneous, but I didn't watch the show that much. Was Jefferson correct on that one?

[PYLdude]

Jim Perry's Card Sharks had the same theme as Trebek's Double Dare though it was a different pitch.

I wouldn't call it a different pitch, instead using a different portion of the music. The Double Dare theme and the Card Sharks theme are from the same piece of music.

[TLEberle]

Jefferson Graham's book Come on Down mentioned that $1M Chance-Lifetime used the LMaD theme for a cue. I know a few things from that book were erroneous, but I didn't watch the show that much. Was Jefferson correct on that one?

I don't recall a place that such a piece of music would fit in: did the price package get a reading if the million dollars wasn't at hand? Maybe there, I guess.

[BrandonFG]

Cullen's Pass The Buck used the beginning of Geoff Edwards' Jackpot theme.

Huh? Those are two different pieces. Pass the Buck wasn't a Cobert theme (I can't find the very recent thread crediting the composer Frank Talley), and the first Jackpot theme was "Jet Set" by Mike Vickers. It was, however, used on This Week in Baseball.

I don't recall a place that such a piece of music would fit in: did the price package get a reading if the million dollars wasn't at hand? Maybe there, I guess.

That's where my mind went too...

[Mr. Matté]

Jefferson Graham's book Come on Down mentioned that $1M Chance-Lifetime used the LMaD theme for a cue. I know a few things from that book were erroneous, but I didn't watch the show that much. Was Jefferson correct on that one?

I don't recall a place that such a piece of music would fit in: did the price package get a reading if the million dollars wasn't at hand? Maybe there, I guess.

Not $1M-Chance but the lousy Matchmaker show did randomly use the LMAD theme as shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1t4AxZenxAs#t=441