This is interesting. I thought the tune from the Ernie Kovacs clip this morning was "Rialto Ripples" by Gershwin and Donaldson. And if you clicked on the link I provided to an old piano roll copy of that tune, you can hear why I thought that. Like maybe because it's the same song.
But as Kovacs fans are now informing me, the piece ol' Ernie used was "Oriental Blues," aka "Ernie's Tune," written by Jack Newlon. This website which studies classic TV themes has the following posted…
…this piece is based upon "Rialto Ripples" cowritten by the teenage George Gershwin with Walter Donaldson. Comparison of the melodies verifies that the "A" themes of both pieces are nearly identical (only the bridge and overall tempo was changed to protect the guilty.) "Rialto Ripples" strolls along at a leisurely pace, but "Oriental Blues" is a more frantic piece often with added comedic sound effects during the bridge…
Given how litigious the Gershwin estate has always been — especially back when Ira was alive — it's amazing that a national TV show got away with featuring such a total rip-off. Then again, since "Rialto Ripples" was written so early in Gershwin's life — he was eighteen when it was copyrighted — and he only co-wrote it, perhaps his estate didn't control it in any way.
Thanks to all who wrote in, including Robert Poodiack, Mary Wallace, Dave Sikula and Eric Wilson. And isn't it interesting that Ernie Kovacs — a man from whom so many stole — would have had a "hot" theme song?