Mike Post and Pete Carpenter papers, 1938-1989

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Post, Mike; Carpenter, Pete
Title
Mike Post and Pete Carpenter papers
Dates
1938-1989 (inclusive)
Quantity
186.85 cubic feet (255 boxes)
Collection Number
10004
Summary
The Mike Post and Pete Carpenter papers covers the composition team's work from the mid 1970s through to the end of the 1980s. It mostly covers their work with producer Stephen Cannell, but also includes non-Cannell producrtions such as Hill Street Blues.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

From the mid 1970s through the 1980s, the music of the composition team of Post and Carpenter was ubiquitous on American television. As a duo, they rose to prominence when they scored a pop chart hit with the theme song to The Rockford Files, and they would go on to compose music for some of the most popular TV shows of the 1980s, especially police and detective dramas. Their collaborative productions included A-Team, Wiseguy, and Hunter, while Mike Post also worked solo on shows such as Hill Street Blues. Pete Carpenter died in 1987, but Post continued working on the shows they had scored together. Mike Post later scored L.A. Law and Dick Wolf's Law and Order franchise.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Mike Post and Pete Carpenter collection contains scores, parts, and cue sheets from many of the television shows scored by the Post and Carpenter composing team in the 1970s and 1980s, along with some solo efforts. It includes material from: The A Team (1983-1987), The Greatest American Hero (1981-1983), Hill Street Blues (1981-1987), Hardcastle and McCormick (1983-1986), Hunter (1984-1990), Riptide (1984-1986), The Last Precinct (1986), Wiseguy (1987-1991), Sonny Spoon (1988), and J. J. Starbuck (1987).

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Within a season, episodes are arranged in production number order rather than episode order. Cue sheets can be found in both the full scores and the scores and parts sub-series.

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

Boxes 1-74 were donated in 1986 by Sephen J. Cannell Productions, boxes 75-106 were donated by Pete Carpenter between 1980 and 1983, and boxes 107-255 were donated by Barrett O'Hara between 1985 and 1993.

Processing Note

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Michael W. Harris and Madison White in August 2017.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. A-Team, 1982-1986Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Recording Session Notes and Cue Sheets
Box
119
Season 1 and 2
1982-1984
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
104-108
Season 1
1982-1983
109-112
Season 2
1983-1984
112-116
Season 3
1984-1985
116-119
Season 4
1985-1986
120-122
Season 5
1986-1987
119
Library Music (Main Title and End Credit Versions)
1982-1983
Sub-series 3. Scores and Parts
Box
119
Main Title and End Credits
1983
132-136, 237
Season 1
1982-1983
136-144
Season 2
1983-1984
144-153
Season 3
1984-1985
1-24
Season 4
1985-1986
153-159
Season 5
1986

Series II. Baa Baa Black Sheep (aka: Black Sheep Squadron), 1976-1978Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Timing Notes
Box
77
Season 1
1976-1977
78
Season 2
1977-1978
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
81
Season 1
1976-1977
81
Season 2
1977-1978
81
Unknown Season
1976-1978

Series III. The Duke, 1979Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Timing Notes
Box
79
1979
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
81
Season 1
1979

Series IV. The Greatst American Hero, 1981-1983Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Timing Notes
Box
79
Prod No. 96213, "Train of Thought,"
1982
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
82
Season 1
1981
83-85
Season 2
1981-1982
85-87
Season 3
1982-1983

Series V. Hardcastle and McCormick, 1983-1986Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Source Music and Special Cues List
Box
159
Source Music and Special Cues List, Season 1 and 2
1985
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
167
Pilot
1983
159-161
Season 1
1983-1984
161-164
Season 2
1984-1985
Sub-series 3. Scores and Parts
Box
164-166, 168-171, 178
Season 1
1983-1984
171-178
Season 2
1984-1985
24-37
Season 3
1985-1986

Series VI. Hill Street Blues, 1981-1987Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Full Scores
Box
246
Season 2
1981-1982
126
Season 2 Source Music
1981-1982
246
Season 3
1982-1983
127
Season 3 Source Music
1982-1983
246
Season 4
1983-1984
127-128, 242
Season 4 Source Music
1983-1984
246
Season 5
1984-1985
246
Season 6
1985-1986
128
Season 6, Prod. # 5407
1985
246
Season 7
1986-1987
128
Season 7, Prod. # 6429
1987
Sub-series 2. Scores and Parts
Box
242-243
Season 1
1981
243-245
Season 2
1981-1982
245, 247-248
Season 3
1982-1983
248-250
Season 4
1983-1984
250-251
Season 5
1984-1985
251-252
Season 6
1985-1986
253-255
Season 7
1986-1987

Series VII. Hunter, 1984-1989Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Full Scores
Box
207-209, 212
Season 1
1984-1985
209-211
Season 2
1985-1986
123-126, 212-216, 236
Season 3
1986-1987
126
Season 4 Source Music Arrangements
1987-1988
Sub-series 2. Source Music
Box
211
Source Music
undated
Sub-series 3. Scores and Parts
Box
211
Experiments
undated
211, 217-219
Season 1
1984-1985
38-53
Season 2
1985-1986
219-222, 235
Season 3
1986-1987
222-230, 235
Season 4
1987-1988
230-235
Season 5
1988-1989

Series VIII. J.J. Starbuck, 1987-1988Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Full Scores
Box
129-131, 237-238
Season 1
1987-1988
Sub-series 2. Scores and Parts
Box
238-242
Season 1
1987-1988

Series IX. The Last Precinct, 1986Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Scores and Parts
Box
53-59
Season 1
1986

Series X. Magnum, P.I., 1981-1983Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Timing Notes
Box
78
1981
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
87-88
Season 1
1981
88-89
Season 2
1981-1982
89-91
Season 3
1982-1983

Series XI. The Quest, 1982Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Timing Notes
Box
79
Pilot
1982
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
91
Season 1
1982

Series XII. Richie Brockelman, 1976-1978Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Timing Notes
Box
78
Pilot Season 1
1976-1978
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
92
Season 1
1978

Series XIII. Riptide, 1984-1986Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Source Music
Box
182
Source Music
undated
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
178-180
Season 1
1984
180-182
Season 2
1984-1985
Sub-series 3. Scores and Parts
Box
182-185
Season 1
1984
185-191
Season 2
1984-1985
59-74
Season 3
1985-1986

Series XIV. The Rockford Files, 1974-1979Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Timing Notes
Box
75
Film and Season 1
1974-1975
75
Season 2
1975-1976
75
Season 3
1976-1977
76
Season 4
1977-1978
76
Season 5
1978-1979
77
Season 6
1979
Sub-series 2. Music Scoring Logs
Box
80
1974-1978
Sub-series 3. Full Scores
Box
92
Season 1
1974
92-93
Season 2
1975-1976
93-94
Season 3
1976-1977
94
Season 4
1977
94-95
Library Cues
1974-1978

Series XV. Sonny Spoon, 1988Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Full Scores
Box
192-193
Season 1
1988
Sub-series 2. Scores and Parts
Box
193-196
Season 1
1988

Series XVI. Stone, 1979-1980Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Timing Notes
Box
79
1979-1980
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
95-96
Season 1
1979-1980

Series XVII. Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, 1979-1980Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Timing Notes
Box
79
1980
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
96-97
Season 1
1979-1980

Series XVIII. Toma, 1973-1974Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Timing Notes
Box
78
Season 1
1973-1974
Sub-series 2. Full Scores
Box
98
Season 1
1973-1974

Series XIX. Wiseguy, 1987-1989Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Full Scores
Box
196-197, 205-207
Season 1
1987-1988
167
Season 2
1988-1989
Sub-series 2. Scores and Parts
Box
197-202
Season 1
1987-1988
202-205
Season 2
1988-1989

Series XX. Scores for TV Pilots, Movies, Commercials, and Source Music, 1938-1984Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Music Timing Notes
Box
79
Captain America TV films
1978-1979
80
Rabbit Test
1977
79
Texas Wheelers, Invasion of Johnson County (aka Brahmin), Scott Free, Charlie Cobb, Gypsy Warriors
1974-1977
79
Night Rider, Boston and Kilbride, Operating Room, Psalms Precinct (aka Psalms)
1979-1980
Sub-series 2. Pilots and TV Films
Box
102
The Bob Crane Show
1975
100
Boston and Kilbride
1979
122, 235, 237
Brothers-in-Law
1984
99
Captain America TV films
1979
101
Charlie Cobb: Nice Night for a Hanging,
1977
100
Gypsy Warriors
1978
101
Invasion of Johnson County (aka Brahmin)
1976
103
John Muir Project
c. 1975
102
The Night Rider
1979
100
Off The Wall (Script and Main Title Score)
1977
101
Operating Room
1979
100
Psalms Precinct (aka Psalms)
1982
101
Shack
1977
102
Tales of the Gold Monkey
1982
102
The Texas Wheelers
1974
101
Will: The Autobiography of G. Gordon Liddy
1981
103
Parts for Unknown Production
c. 1975
103
Full Scores for Unknown Production
c. 1978
Sub-series 3. Commercials Full Scores
Box
99
Haggar Slacks Commercial
1980
99
Marantz Commercial
undated
100
Texas Instruments Commercials
1980
Sub-series 4. Source Music Scores
Box
80
Source Music Scores: "Undecided" and "P.S. I Love You,"
1938, 1964

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Television -- Production and direction.
  • Television music -- Scores.
  • Television music -- United States.
  • Television music, Arranged.
  • Television programs -- United States.

Titles within the Collection

  • Black Sheep Squadron (Television program)
  • Bob Crane Show (Television program)
  • Boston and Kilbride (Television program)
  • Brothers-in-law (Motion picture : 1985)
  • Captain America (Motion picture : 1979)
  • Captain America II: death too soon (Motion picture)
  • Charlie Cobb (Motion picture)
  • Duke (Television program)
  • Greatest American hero (Television program)
  • Gypsy warriors (Motion picture)
  • Hardcastle and McCormick (Television program)
  • Hill Street blues (Television program)
  • Hunter (Television program)
  • Invasion of Johnson County (Motion picture)
  • J. J. Starbuck (Television program)
  • Last precinct (Television program)
  • Magnum, p.i. (Television program)
  • Night rider (Motion picture)
  • Operating room (Motion picture)
  • Psalms precinct (Motion picture)
  • Quest (Televion program)
  • Rabbit test (Motion picture)
  • Richie Brockelman (Television program)
  • Riptide (Television program)
  • Rockford files (Television program)
  • Scott Free (Television program)
  • Shack (Television program : 1977)
  • Sonny Spoon (Television program)
  • Stone (Television program)
  • Tales of the gold monkey (Television program)
  • Tenspeed and Brown Shoe (Television program)
  • Texas Wheelers (Television program)
  • The A-Team (Television program)
  • Toma (Television program)
  • Will: The autobiography of G. Gordon Liddy (Motion picture)
  • Wiseguy (Television program)

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Bunch, Velton Ray
    • Denson, Frank
    • Edmonson, Greg
    • Grant, Jerry, 1936-
    • Jones, Ron, 1954-
    • Murphy, Walter, 1952-