I'm sure you know the theme song to GILLIGAN'S ISLAND by heart. That 1964-67 sitcom was created by Sherwood Schwartz, who recognized a winning formula and duplicated it to open his next show.
IT'S ABOUT TIME starred Frank Aletter and Jack Mullaney as astronauts Mac and Hector, whose space capsule went off course and landed back on Earth...millions of years in the past! They befriended cavepeople Shad (Imogene Coca) and Gronk (Joe E. Ross) and their family, as well as the other English-speaking (!) primitives in the village.
At least that was the original series concept. After a few episodes, the ratings were not impressive, so Schwartz spun the premise upside-down, having Mac and Hector fix their spaceship and bring the cave family with them to 1967! This idea didn't work either with viewers, and IT'S ABOUT TIME was canceled after one season.
The memorable theme song was written by George Wyle, Schwartz, and Gerald Fried, who also scored the episodes. Here are the opening and closing titles from the pilot, which was directed by LETHAL WEAPON's Richard Donner (!) and aired on CBS September 11, 1966.
P.S. Coca's (YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS) character was named Shag in the pilot, but was later changed to Shad.
I actually remember this show, and its catch phrase/running gag of the cavemen thinking the astronauts were from the "other side of the hill."
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