Les Baxter - Lassie TV Theme (Whistle)

This is a short piece of music but a memorable one. The theme for one of the most beloved television programs, "Lassie", was composed by Les Baxter.
This theme (aka "Whistle") wasn't used until the show was in its 5th season beginning in the fall of 1957 with Jon Provost starring as Timothy Martin with the Martin family owning Lassie. The previous four years Lassie had been "owned" by the Miller family with Tommy Rettig playing the role of Jeff Miller. The "whistling" provided in the theme was performed by Muzzy Marcellino who also whistled on the "Mickey Mouse Club", and in the films "High And The Mighty" starring John Wayne and "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly" starring Clint Eastwood.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Les Baxter
• Lassie TV Theme
• Muzzy Marcellino

[alphasue]

Where did you find this music (without the opening remarks)? Tryiing to upload this song for a photoshow of my dog that passed away.

[Nocaro]

@alphasue I would tell you if I could honestly recall, but I can't. I have so much music collected over many years that I just can't remember where I came to have every piece.

[BeachMusicLvr]

Hey Lanny- your trivia amazes me over and over again, but did you intentionally forget Rudd Weatherwax as the real owner of Lassie?

[Nocaro]

@BeachMusicLvr Well, I probably should have at least mentioned the man...my oversight...thanks...Lanny

[NelsonStJames]

Didn't know he was the same whistler in "The High and the Mighty" . Boy I miss whistling, always a bit ticked off I never could do it.

[fmazzar]

I;m enjoying the old Lassie comic books put out by Dell back in the 50's...

[RosesareAllie]

i always wanted a dog like Lassie and Beethoven when i was little...heck i still do :D

[TxmxthyJS7868]

I'm researching Les Baxter's works and I find his music so enjoyable and this is especially true for this recording according to wiki his specializes in the lounge/easy listening music genre and I really like that kind of sound along with jazz music and I have heard of Percy Faith, them two are a lot alike music wise, you got to realize that so much is changed this was definitely a classy era and if I ever heard this on the radio today, I would immediantly start dancing and humming along lol :D

[generalninja2]

Thanks for posting this great piece. Brings back many great memories of watching Lassie as a kid growing up in the 50s and 60s. I currently own my second and third Collies ( a brother and sister from the same litter- tricolour, and sable and white- like Lassie ) after loosing my first wonderful Collie a year ago at 12 years 7 months old. They are a wonderful, loving, intelligent breed - just the way they're portrayed by Lassie !

[picoharmotimpo]

I can remember this theme, or a version of it, being used at the END of a color version of Lassie that I was growing up in the 1970s. Does anyone know about it?

I remember it always made me cry since it seemed kind of sad! Thanks for sharing this beautiful music.

[Osmigo1]

Thanks SO much for posting this. Yes, it brings back many memories of coming home from school, eating mom's milk and cookies and watching "Lassie" on the little black and white TV. Remember back when people could whistle? My uncle (long since passed) could whistle this perfectly. I'll never forget it.

[titanicpiano14]

Check out my rendition of the 1967 Lassie theme on strings!