Ohio's Academic Challenge Theme...

[urbanpreppie05]

For the Cleveland Academic Challenge, I seem to remember, for some STRANGE reason, The theme sounding very similar to SCTV.

If anyone remembers the theme to Academic Challenge, did it sound like that at all, or have I lost what's left of my mind?

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'urbanpreppie05\' date=\'Mar 19 2005, 06:18 PM\']For the Cleveland Academic Challenge, I seem to remember, for some STRANGE reason, The theme sounding very similar to SCTV.
If anyone remembers the theme to Academic Challenge, did it sound like that at all, or have I lost what's left of my mind?

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It is the same. As soon as I heard the SCTV theme late last night when an episode played on TV Land {continued curses to NBC for dropping that in favor of Friday Night Videos} I plunked one of my late-1980s episodes of Academic Challenge into the VCR because I thought the same thing and that IS the theme. Love that Eugene Levy impersonation of Ricardo Montalban.
By the way, Adam Shapiro is no Don Webster. And Joe Conway was no Al Roker.

[Gus]

Is this the theme from the old show you're talking about? I've never seen SCTV, but somehow, I don't think the current theme would fit...

Not that I have any *personal* connection to the current show... ;-) Seriously, I was on the new show twice. I had a link to a picture in my sig, but I got rid of it to fit more info.

On the subject of themes, though, does anyone happen to know the name of the theme that was used in the mid-90s "It's Academic" years? It's some stock music I've heard elsewhere that sounds like a pop marching band playing, and it has a really distinctive tuba line... Pardon my impression: "Dat (wum) dat (wum) da da doo dat, da dah da dat (wum) dat (wum) da da doo dat, da dah da dat..."

[tjhornikel]

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Mar 19 2005, 06:54 PM\'][quote name=\'urbanpreppie05\' date=\'Mar 19 2005, 06:18 PM\']For the Cleveland Academic Challenge, I seem to remember, for some STRANGE reason, The theme sounding very similar to SCTV.
If anyone remembers the theme to Academic Challenge, did it sound like that at all, or have I lost what's left of my mind?

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It is the same. As soon as I heard the SCTV theme late last night when an episode played on TV Land {continued curses to NBC for dropping that in favor of Friday Night Videos} I plunked one of my late-1980s episodes of Academic Challenge into the VCR because I thought the same thing and that IS the theme. Love that Eugene Levy impersonation of Ricardo Montalban.
By the way, Adam Shapiro is no Don Webster. And Joe Conway was no Al Roker.

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And Al Roker was no Bob Zappe.

[urbanpreppie05]

Don- THANK YOU!!! I thought I was losing my mind!

And 2 things gus...

The old academic challenge was MUCH MUCH different. Much cheesier, as it had a PYL-style board that picked catagories. Seriously. Also, instead of the Academic Challenge/It's Academic Logo behind each podium, they had these hanging octogon shapes that got smaller the further back they went. And Even when the SCTV theme was dropped, the newer (pre marching band theme) was pretty cheesy too.

Also, Cloverleaf is a UA feeder school! I didn't know there was another  fan so close to me...

[mbclev]

[quote name=\'urbanpreppie05\' date=\'Mar 19 2005, 09:36 PM\']Don- THANK YOU!!! I thought I was losing my mind!

And 2 things gus...

The old academic challenge was MUCH MUCH different. Much cheesier, as it had a PYL-style board that picked catagories. Seriously. Also, instead of the Academic Challenge/It's Academic Logo behind each podium, they had these hanging octogon shapes that got smaller the further back they went. And Even when the SCTV theme was dropped, the newer (pre marching band theme) was pretty cheesy too.

Also, Cloverleaf is a UA feeder school! I didn't know there was another  fan so close to me...

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Actually, it was hexagons that backdropped the "Academic Challenge" set for many years.  Before that, there were open triangles on which a pennant-shaped sign was hung that had the school's name and location.

Regarding the theme that Gus mentioned, it was used from 1996-99 here in the Cleveland area, and is probably used as the opening theme on the Washington, D.C. version (albeit at a slightly higher musical pitch; I heard it as recently as 2003 on a trip to the area to see the World Figure Skating Championships).  I think it's from the movie "Spy Hard" because I heard it in a promo that I think was for an airing of that movie.

[Don Howard]

The best theme used on Academic Challenge was used through 1979 and I think it's the which was used on Mac McGarry's version in Baltimore.
After hearing David Mark say, "The following is a TV5 video tape presentation", the opening bars were played, announcer Paul King intoned: "Tonight! These three teams will compete on Academic Challenge!!!", Don Webster introduced the schools, a one minute round was played and then we heard Paul plug Ohio Edison and The Illuminating Company before Don was brought on stage and he welcomed us to "television's fastest free-for-all for brains".

[TimK2003]

There were at least 5 versions of themes for Academic Challenge over the years -- Not including the current version:  I wish I could easily describe or hum them onto an mp3, but that would be extreme torture.

1 -- 1996-1999:
Starting with the most recent in the final years of Academic Challenge/It's Academic, that theme  sounds like a song you could do the hand jive to.  This piece was also used in the movie, "Nuns on the Run", with Eric Idle.  It was the scene in which they were running through the hospital.

2 -- 1995(?):
I believe that they used briefly a sort of generic background theme which most closely resembled the first original "Password" theme.  I'm thinking this was used around the time AC hit their 30 Anniversary -- when the show would open with show pictures of the past  -- perhaps it was the very first theme from the 60s revisited?

3  -- Mid 80's - 1994:
When they used the PYL-style board, they had the upbeat brassy theme, which is probably the one everyone says was used on SCTV.

4 -- Late 70's - Mid 80's:
An almost sports-flavored theme in the late 70s, which was very remeniscent of the traditional game show themes of the 70s -- could almost pass as a Bob Stewart show theme.

5 --  Late 60's - Mid 70's:
The earliest one I can remember was back in the late 60's/early 70s.  It was a slower, waltz-tempo except it was, for that time, a very futuristic electronic theme (think "Norwegian Wood" by the Beatles).

There was also a cheesy "royal" fanfare they used when announcing the team scores at the end of the game, one team at the time.  Was that paired up with the #3 or #4 theme from above??

[Gus]

[quote name=\'urbanpreppie05\' date=\'Mar 19 2005, 09:36 PM\']And 2 things gus...

The old academic challenge was MUCH MUCH different. Much cheesier, as it had a PYL-style board that picked catagories. Seriously. Also, instead of the Academic Challenge/It's Academic Logo behind each podium, they had these hanging octogon shapes that got smaller the further back they went. And Even when the SCTV theme was dropped, the newer (pre marching band theme) was pretty cheesy too.

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I do remember the PYL board and the octo/hexagon set. I also remember that cheesy, CHEESY siren sound effect and accompanying gra-- no, "graphic" is too dignified. Anyway, I must have been three years old at that time, and I'm surprised I remember that much! Although I am trying to remember the format that was used in those days, and I'm drawing a blank...

Also, Cloverleaf is a UA feeder school! I didn't know there was another fan so close to me...

Nor did I. I'll assume by your reaction that you work at U Akron and live nearby.

I should change my "location" field to something funnier. I think I will.