Jackie Gleason show question

[Bright Moments]

was it sammy spear/sammy shapiro who played the trumpet part of the theme song? you know - the part that goes "da da dada dada da, da da dada dada da"?

[AllenLowe]

I thought it went:

"da da dada dada da, da da dada dodo doedayday" -

[Free For All]

Sammy Spear was a trumpet player who became a conductor, and IIRC he was leading the orchestra but not playing for the theme "Melancholy Serenade".

[AllenLowe]

historical note: Sammy Spear lived in the same apartment building as my parents in the 1950s (maybe in Queens; not sure).

on the day I was born my mother, in labor, was wheeled through the lobby. Sammy looked on and said:

"Away she goes."

the rest is history.*****

*****some of the above is true, but most is complete fiction, though it is all possible

[JSngry]

http://www.local802afm.org/publication_entry.cfm?xEntry=50301582#griffin says it was Chris Griffin.