THIRD MAN THEME

Created on 12/08/2001
Latest update on 21/11/2023

Artist: Anton Karas
Author: Anton Karas
Year: 1949

First without title, based on a melody Karas had found in a practice book with zither etudes. Rough recording Third Man director Carol Reed had taken back to England to be certain it matched with the film's intended mood. Version opening Anton Karas' cd The First Man Of The Zither (Jasmine).

Covers:

1949:

Anton Karas [in film The Third Man; n°1 UK & US (for 11 weeks)]

1949:

Lou Preager

1949:

Guy Lombardo [n°1 US for a further 11 weeks]

1950:

Bob Hope, Bing Crosby & Judy Garland [as a comedy ditty for a radio broadcast]

1952:

Hank Snow & Chet Atkins [guitar instrumental]

1956:

Billy Vaughn

1958:

Earl Bostic

1959:

Mickey Baker

1959:

Eddie Cochran [as Fourth Man Theme]

1961:

Ventures

1965:

Skatalites [as Third Man Ska]

1965:

Jokers

1965:

Indios Tabajaras

1972:

Victor Borge [persiflage]

1973:

Band

1973:

Migra's

1979:

Tielman Brothers

1994:

André Rieu

1994:

Waikikis [as Third Man Tamouré]

2001:

Martin Carthy [Celtic version]

Zither player Karas had lived the life of a street musician when at the age of 43 fate struck. Director Carol Reed had just finished the shooting of his film with Orson Welles (Harry Lime), when all he needed was the music. Action took place in Vienna, so waltzes would make for an obvious choice, too obvious if you asked Reed, but he had no alternative. Until one night he strolled past a Heurigen (wine-bar) and heard a zither playing, who else but Anton Karas. Carol knew at once he had found the sound he was looking for, took Karas to London and made him do the whole score. One of the themes was a piece Karas had composed some twenty years before and that became The Third Man Theme, AKA The Harry Lime Theme. Recorded under Reed's kitchen table for spooky effect-reasons and an early example of overdubbing. And while this unnamed instrumental piece hit on both sides of the Atlantic, Karas as usual played the streets of Vienna for circus money. In the long run he opened his own Heurigen (named 'Zum Dritten Mann', you bet) in the village of Sievering, near Vienna. See also: Danube Incident.

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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