Classic TV Theme: Soap

&(1977) was a night-time parody of daytime soap operas (so named because household detergents were often sponsors of continuing dramas on radio). A large cast, and increasingly preposterous storylines, kept the show going for four seasons. The series helped boost the career of Billy Crystal, but Robert Urich&character was killed off in the first season finale, leaving audiences with a whodunit cliffhanger. It was Robert Guillaume as the sharp-tongued butler who made the most of his role. His character was spun-off into a new series (&which ran almost twice as long as &did. The &theme, is by George Aliceson Tipton, a favorite of Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions. 0:00 First season open; includes an explainer about the two families. 0:53 Revised (shorter) opening. 1:27 Episode intro. 1:39 End credits. Producers recorded a long version, extended by repeating the same passage over and over, faded out as needed to match the credits roll.