Johnny Mandel (1925–2020), songwriter who composed “M*A*S*H” theme song

Johnny Mandel was an Oscar- and Grammy-winning songwriter who composed songs including the “M*A*S*H” theme (“Suicide Is Painless”) and “The Shadow of Your Smile.”

Allee Willis (1947–2019), songwriter who wrote “Friends” theme and “September”

Allee Willis was a songwriter who was nominated for an Emmy Award for writing the theme song to “Friends,” “I’ll Be There for You.” She worked with Earth, Wind & Fire frequently, co-writing their hits including “September,” “Boogie Wonderland,” and “In the Stone.” Willis won two Grammy Awards, one for co-writing the music and lyrics for the stage adaptation of “The Color Purple,” and the other for her work for the “Beverly Hills Cop” soundtrack, for which she co-wrote the Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance” and Patti LaBelle’s “Stir it Up.” Her other notable songwriting credits include the Pet Shop Boys’ “What Have I Done to Deserve This” and Bonnie Raitt’s “Got You on My Mind.” She was a 2018 inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Hal Blaine (1929–2019), drummer who defined the pop music of a generation

Hal Blaine was the drummer for the Wrecking Crew, the session band that played on some of the greatest pop and rock hits of the 1960s and ‘70s.

John Morris (1926–2018), composer for Mel Brooks’s films

Oscar-nominated for “Blazing Saddles”…

Alan Thicke (1947 - 2016), Growing Pains dad

The Canadian actor was best known for his role as kind-hearted psychiatrist-dad Jason Seaver on the 1980s family sitcom “Growing Pains.”

Mr. Clean Come to Life

House Peters Jr. might not have been a household name, but the product he advertised certainly was ...

The Benny Hill Chase

Benny Hill's wacky theme song has long outlived the show it was once connected to. Any time you hear the first few notes, you know you're in for high-speed hijinks.

The Many Moods of Henry Mancini

Henry Mancini wrote some of the coolest film and TV scores of all time. His jazzy themes and strings-heavy ballads defined movie music in the 1960s.

Waylon Jennings: Outlaw

Sometimes country singer Waylon Jennings was just a little bit more than the law would allow.

Da Da Da Dum (Snap Snap): The Addams Family

100 years ago today, Charles Addams was born – and with him was born a wonderfully macabre sense of humor...