The Brighter Day

The Brighter Day only lasted eight years on television, but it was one of the most cherished of the early television soaps. Created by Irna Phillips, this show focused on the family of the Reverend Richard Dennis.

 

 

 

Main Titles

During its radio run and during its first couple years on television, The Brighter Day opened with the following epigram:

Our years are as the falling leaves. . .we live, we love, we dream. . .and then we go. But somehow we keep hoping, don't we, that are dreams come true on that Brighter Day.

The only Brighter Day opening visual I've seen in my research is the one that was in use by 1960. In that one, wrought iron church gates swing open as the title zooms out at us in a mixture of calligraphic initials for the "B" in Brighter and the "D" in Day and a Times Roman font for the remainder of the title words. By 1960, the above epigram was no longer used.

I've also seen mention in one soap opera message board of a Whitman-sampler style needlepoint picture of a house that was used in earlier seasons. I certainly need more information about other openings for The Brighter Day.

 

End Credits

In 1960, end credit lettering was in a rather lightweight Futura Condensed font.

Theme Song History

Here is a listing of some of the theme songs used during the run of The Brighter Day:

  1. "Prism"
    Composer: Roy Eaton (BMI) (Ray Eton?)
    Publisher: Minnette Music Co.
    C/o Roy Eaton
    595 Main St
    Roosevelt Island, NY 10044-0002
    Approximate Date of Usage: Mid-1950s
    NOTE: According to Craig W. Pattillo's TV Theme Song Soundtrack Directory, this was The Brighter Day's closing theme.
  2. "Brighter Day"
    Composer: Roy Eaton (BMI)
    Publisher: Minnette Music Co.
    Approximate Date of Usage: Mid-1950s
  3. "Thunder"
    Composer: Richard W. Leibert (ASCAP)
    Publisher: Noteworthy Music, Inc. (ASCAP)
    c/o Richard William Leibert
    Sandy Circle
    Cape Coral, FL 33904
    Based on my correspondence with ASCAP, this theme was used only during the Fall of 1956, possibly alternating with a piece called "Morning" based on the mood of that day's episode.
    According to the Pattillo book this was the first main theme for The Brighter Day.
  4. "Morning"
    Composer: Richard W. Leibert (ASCAP)
    Approximate Date of Usage: 1956-?
    Note: This was the second main theme according to the Pattillo book. There is no listing in the ASCAP or BMI databases for a work by this name written by Richard W. (Dick) Leibert.

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