SOMERSET
Somerset, which ran from March 30, 1970 to December 31, 1976, made history in a couple ways. First, it was the first-ever daytime soap opera spin-off from an existing daytime television soap (Another World). Also, it was one of three soaps, along with The Best of Everything and A World Apart, that premiered on March 30, 1970, marking the last time more than one new daytime soap ever premiered on the same day.
Another World in Somerset Period
During its first year on the air, Somerset
used the same theme music as its mother show, Another World. It also
used Another World's wreath of interlocking circles logo at least until
the 1972/73 season, however the words "Another World" were replaced
by "Somerset." In both shows' logos, the lettering was in what may
have been the Craw Modern font.
Included with this paragraph is an approximation of how that logo
looked, courtesy of Mr. Big Dave Furnace, to whom I?m grateful.
Be Ye Separate, Somerset!
Somerset ceased to be known as Another World in Somerset by March 1971, but the AW wreath of interlocking circles logo continued to be used until the 1974/75 season. The theme music was played on organ until the 1973/74 season, then changed to an orchestral version of the Charles and Dina Paul Somerset theme heard on the album Original Themes from the Great Soap Operas. As for the 1971 to 1973 theme, it could be Chet Kingsbury's organ rendition of the Pauls' Somerset theme, but this needs further investigation. (Oh, how I wish Procter & Gamble or Viacom would raise money to transfer and digitally remaster all those 1971 and 1973 Somerset episodes held at UCLA!)
New Information--As of August 6, 2001: I've recently learned that Somerset's
painting-of-the-town logo was already in use as early as the 1972/73 season, at
least for the opening. The 1972/73 painting of the town was accompanied by the
orchestral version of the Somerset theme by Charles and/or Dina Paul.
By no later than the 1974/75 season, Somerset changed its opening visual to an impressionistic painting of the village of Somerset. The camera would pull away from a section of the painting until the entire view was revealed, along with the title of the show in Craw Clarendon Condensed (or Egyptian Condensed) type. This painting was accompanied by the small jazz ensemble arrangement of the Somerset theme heard on the album Original Themes from the Great Soap Operas.
By 1976, the painting was replaced by an aerial photograph of Lambertville, New Jersey (Thanks to Eric Patton for this information.), which was used to represent Somerset.
End
Credits
End credits were quite similar in format to those of the mother show, Another World, in that they usually ran over an empty set or a "beauty shot" continuation of action from that day's episode. The lettering was in a combination of Garamond Italic for the "titles" or "character names" and Cloister Bold for the names of the cast and production staffers.
Theme Music Listings
- Theme #1: "Another
World Theme"
Composer: Charles Paul.
Copyright: April 27, 1964 (Eu 822925)
Dates of Usage: March 1970 to March 1971
Published Sheet Music:
Recordings: - LP: "Original
Themes from the Great Soap Operas"
Charles Paul
Realm Records (A division of Columbia House) 2V-8056 (1977) - Theme #2: "Somerset
Theme" a.k.a. "This is Somerset"
ASCAP T-code # 490288141
Composer: Chet Kingsbury (ASCAP)
Original publisher: Emil Ascher, Inc.
Current Publisher: Unknown
ASCAP Surveyed Usage Dates: First Quarter (January to March) 1971 to Third Quarter (July to September) 1976
Published Sheet Music:
Recordings: - Theme #2A: derived from
either "Somerset Village" or "Somerset Suite"
Composer: Dina Dore Paul
Publisher: Mi-Voix Music
Approximate Dates of Usage: 1971? to end.
Note: This may be the same as Chet Kingsbury's "Somerset Theme." As I remember, the Charles/Dina Paul Somerset theme music was certainly in use by no later than the Fall of 1974, but NBC press releases credited Chet Kingsbury with the show's music until as late as 1976.
Published Sheet Music:
Recordings: - "Original Themes
from the Great Soap Operas"
Charles Paul
Realm Records (A division of Columbia House) 2v-8056 (1977)
I want to thank Kenn "Bhim" Bhimkumar-Reyes for some of the data in this section. I also want to thank Eddie Drueding for allowing to use his AW and Somerset frame grabs for this page.