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Heavy Action
"Heavy Action" is a piece of music composed by Johnny Pearson. Composed in 1970, and featuring a strong brass fanfare opening, "Heavy Action" soon became a well established sporting theme tune, most associated in the United Kingdom as the theme for '' Superstars'' and in the United States as the theme music for ABC and ESPN's ''Monday Night Football''. ''Superstars'' The BBC commissioned Pearson to write the piece for its music library, while he was working as a member of the ''Top of the Pops'' orchestra accompanying pop stars on the weekly music TV show. During production of the first series of '' Superstars'' in 1973, "Heavy Action" was chosen as the theme music, owing to its high energy brass fanfare opening and Olympian themes. The show (which aired in its first run from 1973 to 1985 and has been revived regularly since then) has always used the theme tune for all episodes of the show in its various incarnations, including the latest 2012 Olympic ''Superstars'' edition. The t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny Pearson
John Valmore Pearson (18 June 1925 – 20 March 2011) was a British composer, orchestra leader and pianist. He led the ''Top of the Pops'' orchestra for sixteen years, wrote a catalogue of library music, and had many of his pieces used as the theme music to television series. Early years Johnny Pearson was born John Valmore Pearson in Plaistow in Kent, the only child of a steel erector. At age seven, Pearson began studying piano. By nine, he had won a scholarship with the London Academy of Music, where he spent four years under English pianist Solomon. However, at the outbreak of war and with the end of his scholarship he was put into trade, and embarked on a seven year toolmaking apprenticeship, much of it at the Siemens Brothers factory in Charlton.Oliver Lomax. ''The Mood Modern'' (2018), Chapter 5, pp. 149-182 In his teens, Pearson gave classical recitals and started a jazz band, the Rhythm Makers. During World War II, Johnny Pearson served in the Royal Artillery Band. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2010 NFL Season
The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League and the 45th of the Super Bowl era. The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, the Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings. Tom Brady, quarterback of the New England Patriots, was named NFL MVP for the 2010 season. In Super Bowl XLV, the league's championship game played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers to win their fourth Super Bowl, spoiling the Steelers' chance for a seventh title. This season also marked the first full-length season in which a team with a losing record made the playoffs, when the Seattle Seahawks won the NFC West with a 7–9 record, after defeating St. Louis in Week 17 to clinch the division title. One week later, the Seahawks dethroned the defending champion New Orleans Saints in the wild-card round, to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1977 Indianapolis 500
The 61st 500 Mile International Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 29, 1977. Considered one of the most historically significant editions of the Indianapolis 500, several sidebar stories complemented the unprecedented accomplishment of race winner A. J. Foyt. Foyt became the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 four times. As of 2022, Foyt's record has been tied by Al Unser Sr., Rick Mears and Hélio Castroneves, but still stands as an Indy 500 record. Foyt's victory is also the last time the winning car (both chassis and engine) was built entirely within the United States. The race was sanctioned by USAC, and was part of the 1977 USAC National Championship Trail. After rain-shortened races in three of the past four years ( 1973, 1975, 1976), the 1977 race was run the full distance under hot and sunny conditions. Two major stories headlined qualifying. During time trials, Tom Sneva won the pole position with a new ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1976 Indianapolis 500
The 60th 500 Mile International Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 30, 1976. Polesitter Johnny Rutherford took the lead on lap 80, and was leading when rain halted the race on lap 103. Two hours later, the race was about to be resumed, but rain fell again. USAC officials called the race at that point, reverted the scoring back to the completion of lap 102, and Johnny Rutherford was declared the winner. Rutherford famously walked to Victory Lane, his second career Indy 500 triumph, having completed only , the shortest official race on record. Janet Guthrie became the first female driver to enter the Indianapolis 500. However, her team was underfunded, and she experienced numerous mechanical and engine problems during the month. While she managed to pass her rookie test, and ran numerous practice laps in multiple cars, she was unable to make an attempt to qualify. She would return with a successful effort a year later in 1977. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mobil Showcase Network
The Mobil Showcase Network, also known as Mobil Showcase or Mobil Showcase Theatre, was an occasional or ad hoc television network from 1976 to 1984 with an ad hoc group of stations. Background A Mobil Oil media expert, Herb Schmertz, wrote canned paid "editorials" placed into newspapers like the ''New York Times'' opinion-editorial page. Schmertz also had Mobil underwriting ''Masterpiece Theatre'' to improve Mobil's image, which Mobil has been sole supporter since the beginning of the series. He also considered having the company buy a newspaper, the ''Long Island Press''. He instead settled on a "sort of TV network" as Mobil and Schmertz were frustrated with the network-developed anti-oil-company news and documentaries. History Schmertz worked with SFM Media Service Corporation lining up 43 stations, primarily in the top 50 markets; half of these were network affiliates. Mobil paid $3.2 million to the stations for the 8 PM ET/PT Thursday time slot for 10 weeks. In the winter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Princess (car)
The Princess is a large family car produced in the United Kingdom by the Austin-Morris division of British Leyland from 1975 until 1981 (1982 in New Zealand). The car inherited a front-wheel drive / transverse engine configuration from its predecessor, the Austin/Morris 1800 range. This was still unusual in Europe for family cars of this type and gave the Princess a cabin space advantage when compared with similarly sized cars from competing manufacturers. The car, which had the design code ADO71, was originally marketed as the Austin / Morris / Wolseley 18–22 series. Ahead of the October 1975 London Motor Show the range was rebranded "Princess". This was effectively a new marque created by British Leyland, although the "Princess" name had previously been used for the Austin Princess limousine from 1947 to 1956, and the Vanden Plas Princess. The Princess is often referred to, incorrectly, as the Austin Princess. Although this name was not used in the UK market, it was use ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Leyland
British Leyland was an automotive engineering and manufacturing conglomerate formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd (BLMC), following the merger of Leyland Motors and British Motor Holdings. It was partly nationalised in 1975, when the UK government created a holding company called British Leyland, later renamed BL in 1978. It incorporated much of the British-owned motor vehicle industry, which in 1968 had a 40 percent share of the UK car market, with its history going back to 1895. Despite containing profitable marques such as Jaguar, Rover and Land Rover, as well as the best-selling Mini, BLMC had a troubled history, leading to its eventual collapse in 1975 and subsequent part-nationalisation. After much restructuring and divestment of subsidiary companies, BL was renamed the Rover Group in 1986, becoming a subsidiary of British Aerospace from 1988 to 1994, then was subsequently bought by BMW. The final surviving incarnation of the c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Super Bowl IX
Super Bowl IX was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Minnesota Vikings to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1974 season. The game was played on January 12, 1975, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Steelers defeated the Vikings by the score of 16–6 to win their first Super Bowl championship. This game matched two of the NFL's best defenses and two future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Led by quarterback Terry Bradshaw and the ''Steel Curtain'' defense, the Steelers advanced to their first Super Bowl after posting a 10–3–1 regular-season record and playoff victories over the Buffalo Bills and the Oakland Raiders. The Vikings were led by quarterback Fran Tarkenton and the ''Purple People Eaters'' defense; they advanced to their second consecutive Super Bowl and third overall after finishing the regular se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Facenda
John Thomas Ralph Augustine James Facenda ( ; August 8, 1913September 26, 1984) was an American broadcaster and sports announcer. He was a fixture on Philadelphia radio and television for decades, and achieved national fame as a narrator for NFL Films and ''Football Follies''. Through his work with NFL Films, Facenda was known by many National Football League fans as "The Voice of God". Biography Early years Facenda had six brothers and six sisters. His father was an immigrant from Italy who went from Portsmouth, Virginia, to help with building the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia while his wife and children remained in Virginia. Facenda attended Roman Catholic High School in Center City, Philadelphia and then later Villanova University but dropped out. Radio and television work After leaving school, Facenda worked for the now-defunct ''Philadelphia Public Ledger'' newspaper. The ''Public Ledger'' also owned a radio station, WHAT. Facenda's radio career began when the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NFL Films
NFL Productions, LLC, doing business as NFL Films, is the film and television production company of the National Football League. It produces commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries for and about the NFL, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows. Founded as Blair Motion Pictures by Ed Sabol in 1962 and run by his son Steve Sabol until his death, it produces most of the NFL's filmed and videotaped content except its live game coverage, which is handled separately by the individual networks. NFL Films is based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Founding Founder Ed Sabol was a World War II veteran who worked selling topcoats after returning to the United States. In his spare time, he often used a motion picture camera, received as a wedding gift, to record his son Steve's high school football games. Inspired by his own work, Sabol founded a small film company called Blair Motion Pictures, named after his daughter Blair.''Ed Sabol: A Football L ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SFM Holiday Network
The SFM Holiday Network was an 'occasional' network from SFM Media which aired on holiday weekends (such as the 4th of July, Christmas, etc.) from 1978 until 1991. The network would usually clear 88% of the U.S. History After the success of the Mobil Showcase Network, SFM Media launched its own occasional network, SFM Holiday Network in 1978. For 1982, 11 films were scheduled by the network. In 1983, the Network started its season in March with 150 stations. Format Popcorn magnate Orville Redenbacher hosted the show (his company was a main sponsor of the Holiday Network), in special segments with his grandson. The theme song used for many of the SFM Holiday Network broadcasts, including the commercial "bumpers", was Johnny Pearson's "Heavy Action", which was also used as the instrumental theme for ''Monday Night Football''. Programs SFM would arrange for programming by giving part of the advertising to the movie companies, while the station would get about half the ad time. S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Broadcast Syndication
Broadcast syndication is the practice of leasing the right to broadcasting television shows and radio programs to multiple television stations and radio stations, without going through a broadcast network. It is common in the United States where broadcast programming is scheduled by television networks with local independent affiliates. Syndication is less widespread in the rest of the world, as most countries have centralized networks or television stations without local affiliates. Shows can be syndicated internationally, although this is less common. Three common types of syndication are: ''first-run'' syndication, which is programming that is broadcast for the first time as a syndicated show and is made specifically to sell directly into syndication; ''off-network'' syndication (colloquially called a "rerun"), which is the licensing of a program whose first airing was on network TV or in some cases, first-run syndication;Campbell, Richard, Christopher R. Martin, and Bettina ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
