Tom Jones (TV program)

Tom Jones
Also known asThe Tom Jones Show
GenreVariety show
music
Written byPaul Wayne
Directed byPerry Rosemond
StarringTom Jones
Opening themeIt's Not Unusual
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes24
Production
Executive producersGordon Mills
Ian Robertson
ProducersPerry Rosemond (producer)
Paul Wayne (producer)
Clancy Grass ("Produced by")
Production locationsPinewood Studios Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
EditorsKen Hayward,
Gastown Productions
Production companiesCatalena Productions; Clancy Grass Productions, Inc.
Original release
Networksyndicated
ReleaseMay 1980 (1980-05) –
June 1981 (1981-06)
Related

Tom Jones[1] was a syndicated television variety show, hosted by Tom Jones, that aired during the 1980-1981 television season. Twenty-four episodes of the show were produced. The show was produced in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The format of the show was for Tom Jones to perform his old hits and solo covers, in addition to new songs with special duet partners. Solo covers included Jones's version of "Unchained Melody"[2] and the Eagles' "Take It to the Limit". Duet highlights from the show included Jones's duet with Tina Turner of Rod Stewart's "Hot Legs", in addition to his duet with Gladys Knight of "Guilty", written by the Bee Gees and originally made popular by Barry Gibb and Barbra Streisand. Other singers featured included Dionne Warwick, Chaka Khan, Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond and Stephanie Mills. Performances from the show have been issued in multiple DVD and CD editions.[3]

The first 12 programs were produced by Catalena Productions, but Catalena and series distributor EPI Limited then sued each other; EPI charged Catalena with being fiscally irresponsible and failing to provide master videotapes of the completed programs.[4] Clancy Grass Productions took over for the other 12 episodes.[5] After Monty Hall and Stefan Hatos forced Catalena into receivership for failure to pay $210,000 in connection with a revival of Let's Make a Deal, it was revealed that costs for the first 12 episodes had exceeded their value by $1 million.[6]

In March 2007, Tom Jones and Tom Jones Enterprises sued C/F International, a licensor of television shows founded by Burt Rosen, whose previous company, EPI Limited, co-distributed the programme in its first run with Alfred Haber, Inc.[7] The lawsuit accused C/F International of improper licensing sound recordings made from the Tom Jones show. It was contended that any rights that C/F International had to license the Tom Jones show did not include the right to make and license separate recordings of the performances on the show. In addition, it was contended that any rights that C/F International had in the Tom Jones show no longer existed, due to numerous breaches of contract.[8]

References

  1. ^ Show title per YouTube: "Tom Jones Opening" and YouTube: "Tom Jones Intro 2"
  2. ^ Made particularly popular through the version by the Righteous Brothers in 1965, though with much earlier origins; see Unchained Melody.
  3. ^ For example, Tom Jones & Friends Live; Duet performances issued by BMG Music 1997; Tom Jones: Greatest Performances; Double CD of single and duet performances issued by 32 Pop Records in 1998, Hot and Live, being 38 solo Tom Jones performances from The Tom Jones Show, issued by Import Records in 2000 and Castle Entertainment in 2003. AllMusic Review of Tom Jones: Greatest Performances by Stephen Thomas Erlewine forms basis for much of the information about the show.
  4. ^ Still, Larry (August 15, 1981). "Tom Jones star of courtroom drama". The Vancouver Sun. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. p. A12. Retrieved January 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Wilson, Peter (September 3, 1981). "Tom Jones show to be continued". The Vancouver Sun. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. p. C7. Retrieved January 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "TV players try to make a deal". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Canadian Press. October 8, 1981. p. 11. Retrieved January 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Credits per YouTube: "Tom Jones - Twist And Shout (1981) #Credits"
  8. ^ See Tom Jones seeks injunction over recordings, Music Week, 2 March 2007; www.musicweek.com. Examples of contentious CDs are Live on The Tom Jones Show Archived 2008-01-24 at the Wayback Machine (released 2006) and Greatest Hits Live (originally issued by C/F International in 1981; later license to and CD issue by Prism Leisure Corporation as 30 Greatest Hits - Live in Concert).