Charles Paul
Encyclopedia
Charles Paul is an American
composer
and organist
, most known for his musical accompaniment on radio
and television
.
Originally providing musical accompaniment to such old-time radio
programs as The Adventures of Ellery Queen
and Young Doctor Malone
, he transitioned to television in the 1950s. His music accentuated the TV version of Martin Kane, Private Eye
with an organ and horn combo. His first known soap opera
was Love of Life
which he began accompanying in 1953. In 1954 he added The Secret Storm
and the short-lived The Road of Life
to his duties. By this time Paul had perfected a style that favored the organ, but was often coupled with piano for more intense scenes.
On The Secret Storm Paul began his practice of using "leitmotif" themes to underscore specific characters, such as his stately tune for lovable matriarch Grace Tyrell (Marjorie Gateson
) and his vampy lament for her toxic daughter Pauline Harris (Haila Stoddard
). Paul continued this practice on Love of Life and his successive soaps.
It was in 1956 that Charles Paul began the stint for which he was probably most notable, as organist for television's first thirty-minute soap opera As the World Turns
. Viewers still recall fondly his character themes for Nancy Hughes (Helen Wagner
), Pa Hughes (Santos Ortega
) and the devilishly charming Lisa (Eileen Fulton
). Paul even had motifs for opening scene shots that identified settings, such as Memorial Hospital and the Lowell, Barnes, Lowell & Hughes law firm. Paul also wrote the first theme song for NBC's Another World
which was handled by other organists. Though he was not named in the credits, Paul provided the original scores to headwriter Agnes Nixon's ABC hits
One Life to Live
and All My Children
under the auspices of Aeolus Productions.
In the summer of 1969, many behind-the-scenes shifts occurred at CBS soaps. As a result, Paul lost The Secret Storm
, maintained his positions at Love of Life
and As the World Turns
, and assumed the keyboard duties at longtime favorite Guiding Light
.
By the early 1970s, however, times were changing. Paul soon lost Love of Life
but transitioned both As the World Turns
and Guiding Light
to orchestral arrangements. He would later do likewise for NBC's relatively short-lived Somerset
, ABC's ragingly successful General Hospital
, and—ironically—the last year of CBS's Love of Life
after ten years' absence from that series.
In 2009, Soapluvva established a YouTube tribute channel to both Charles Paul and Eddie Layton who were colleagues of each other at the CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, most known for his musical accompaniment on radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
Originally providing musical accompaniment to such old-time radio
Old-time radio
Old-Time Radio and the Golden Age of Radio refer to a period of radio programming in the United States lasting from the proliferation of radio broadcasting in the early 1920s until television's replacement of radio as the primary home entertainment medium in the 1950s...
programs as The Adventures of Ellery Queen
The Adventures of Ellery Queen
The Adventures of Ellery Queen is the title of a radio series and four separate television series made from the 1950s through the 1970s. They were based on the fictional character and pseudonymous writer Ellery Queen.-Radio:...
and Young Doctor Malone
Young Doctor Malone
Young Doctor Malone is an American soap opera, created by Irna Phillips, which had a long run on radio and television from 1939 to 1963...
, he transitioned to television in the 1950s. His music accentuated the TV version of Martin Kane, Private Eye
Martin Kane, Private Eye
Martin Kane, Private Eye was an early radio series and television crime series sponsored by United States Tobacco Company.- Radio:Martin Kane, Private Eye began as a 1949-52 radio series starring William Gargan in the title rôle as New York City private detective Martin Kane...
with an organ and horn combo. His first known soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
was Love of Life
Love of Life
Love of Life is an American soap opera which aired on CBS Daytime from September 24, 1951 to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation Search for Tomorrow had premiered three weeks before Love of Life, and who would go on to create The Secret Storm two and a half years...
which he began accompanying in 1953. In 1954 he added The Secret Storm
The Secret Storm
The Secret Storm is a soap opera which ran on CBS from February 1, 1954 to February 8, 1974. The series was created by Roy Winsor, who also created the long-running soap operas Search for Tomorrow and Love of Life...
and the short-lived The Road of Life
The Road of Life
The Road of Life is a 1956 Mexican drama film directed by Alfonso Corona Blake. At the 6th Berlin International Film Festival it won the Honourable Mention award....
to his duties. By this time Paul had perfected a style that favored the organ, but was often coupled with piano for more intense scenes.
On The Secret Storm Paul began his practice of using "leitmotif" themes to underscore specific characters, such as his stately tune for lovable matriarch Grace Tyrell (Marjorie Gateson
Marjorie Gateson
Marjorie Augusta Gateson , was a character actress in Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s....
) and his vampy lament for her toxic daughter Pauline Harris (Haila Stoddard
Haila Stoddard
Haila Stoddard was an American actor, producer, writer and director. During her career as an actress, Stoddard appeared in a number of plays, movies, and television series, including sixteen years as Pauline Rysdale in The Secret Storm from 1954 to 1970...
). Paul continued this practice on Love of Life and his successive soaps.
It was in 1956 that Charles Paul began the stint for which he was probably most notable, as organist for television's first thirty-minute soap opera As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
. Viewers still recall fondly his character themes for Nancy Hughes (Helen Wagner
Helen Wagner
Helen Wagner was an American actress. Born in Lubbock, Texas, she is best known for her long running role as Nancy Hughes McClosky on the soap opera As the World Turns. Wagner also played the role of Trudy Bauer during the initial TV years of Guiding Light in the early 1950s...
), Pa Hughes (Santos Ortega
Santos Ortega
Santos Ortega was an American actor.-Radio:Ortega was active in radio, starring in The Adventures of Nero Wolfe and narrating a popular radio show called Gangbusters as well as Stroke of Fate. Perhaps his most famous and notable radio role was Commissioner Weston on The Shadow...
) and the devilishly charming Lisa (Eileen Fulton
Eileen Fulton
Eileen Fulton is an American actress.Fulton is known for her role as Lisa Grimaldi on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, a role that she played almost continuously for 50 years from May 18, 1960 until the show's cancellation on September 17, 2010.-As the...
). Paul even had motifs for opening scene shots that identified settings, such as Memorial Hospital and the Lowell, Barnes, Lowell & Hughes law firm. Paul also wrote the first theme song for NBC's Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
which was handled by other organists. Though he was not named in the credits, Paul provided the original scores to headwriter Agnes Nixon's ABC hits
One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
and All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
under the auspices of Aeolus Productions.
In the summer of 1969, many behind-the-scenes shifts occurred at CBS soaps. As a result, Paul lost The Secret Storm
The Secret Storm
The Secret Storm is a soap opera which ran on CBS from February 1, 1954 to February 8, 1974. The series was created by Roy Winsor, who also created the long-running soap operas Search for Tomorrow and Love of Life...
, maintained his positions at Love of Life
Love of Life
Love of Life is an American soap opera which aired on CBS Daytime from September 24, 1951 to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation Search for Tomorrow had premiered three weeks before Love of Life, and who would go on to create The Secret Storm two and a half years...
and As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
, and assumed the keyboard duties at longtime favorite Guiding Light
Guiding Light
Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
.
By the early 1970s, however, times were changing. Paul soon lost Love of Life
Love of Life
Love of Life is an American soap opera which aired on CBS Daytime from September 24, 1951 to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation Search for Tomorrow had premiered three weeks before Love of Life, and who would go on to create The Secret Storm two and a half years...
but transitioned both As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
and Guiding Light
Guiding Light
Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
to orchestral arrangements. He would later do likewise for NBC's relatively short-lived Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, ABC's ragingly successful General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
, and—ironically—the last year of CBS's Love of Life
Love of Life
Love of Life is an American soap opera which aired on CBS Daytime from September 24, 1951 to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation Search for Tomorrow had premiered three weeks before Love of Life, and who would go on to create The Secret Storm two and a half years...
after ten years' absence from that series.
In 2009, Soapluvva established a YouTube tribute channel to both Charles Paul and Eddie Layton who were colleagues of each other at the CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan.