`HAPPY TRAILS' BEST TV THEME OF ALL?

`HAPPY TRAILS' BEST TV THEME OF ALL?

NEW YORK (Wireless Flash) -- Roy Rogers may have ridden off into the sunset but his "Happy Trails" theme song is still humming along. In fact, it's just been chosen the best TV theme song of all time by "TV Guide" magazine -- not bad for a song that Rogers' wife, Dale, wrote on the back of an envelope in less than 15 minutes. According to Roy Rogers, Jr., Dale wrote "Happy Trails" back in 1950 because she thought Roy could use a good cowboy trail song. Her inspiration was the opening notes of "The Grand Canyon Suite" and, once Dale wrote the song, she taught it to Roy and his band who performed it live on the radio all in the same day. Other top theme songs selected by "TV Guide" include "Hawaii Five-0," "Peter Gunn," "Dr. Kildare," "The Ballad Of Jed Clampett," "Rawhide," "Miami Vice" and "Welcome Back Kotter." "TV Guide" editor David Hiltbrand says couch potato classics like "The Flintstones Theme" and "Gilligan's Island" didn't make the list because he considers those songs to be "mere jingles."

CONTACT: David Hiltbrand, **** (TV Guide editor); Arrange with Ari Karpel; NYC; (212) 852-7440; Roy Rogers, Jr, ****; Victorville, CA; (760) 243-4548