6ABC Action News’ theme brings back memories and pride to Philadelphians

The theme of 6ABC Action News is a sound that sounds as Philly as it gets. Like the sizzle of a cheesesteak ribeye, the cheer of an Eagles touchdown and the soft crumple of a soft pretzel wrapper.

Fifty-two years later, the funky groove of the 1970s theme remains iconic for longtime Philadelphians who grew up watching the legendary Jim Gardner and other anchors bring the evening news into their living rooms.

Philadelphia comedian Chip Chantry is one of those viewers. While others stand for the American flag, Chantry views the Action News opener “Move Closer to Your World” with the same patriotism. “If you’re in my house, you better stand up for the Action News theme song,” Chantry said in the viral clip from a Helium Club program in April, which has amassed over 500,000 views since June 7.

Chantry, who grew up near Norristown as a child, said the theme brought the excitement of the town to his childhood home. “When I hear Action News, I think about dinner,” said Chantry, whose upcoming special honoring the classic theme is called “Move Closer.” “It’s such an iconic theme and almost like a sports theme for people who don’t like sports. This is like the Rocky theme in your home.”

The theme recalls an era when newscasts were the next big thing in journalism, creating a new generation of star news anchors and generations of local news junkies. The widely popular song has been covered extensively – by everyone from high school bands to bands like The Roots.

The idea for “Move Closer to Your World” came from former 6ABC advertising director Walter Liss, who wanted a theme similar to a popular Coca-Cola commercial with the jingle “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony).”

This song was recorded by the American folk group Hillside Singers, an ensemble formed by the advertising agency McCann Erickson specifically for the Coca-Cola commercial. Liss approached Hillside Singers producer Al Ham to create something similar for Action News. Ham wrote the music and Liss wrote the lyrics in 1970. Two years later, the song debuted on what was then WPVI-TV and has been heard regularly ever since.

“The people of Philadelphia care about the things that belong to us. And when they hear this music every day, it makes them feel like home,” said Mike Monsell, 6ABC’s vice president of marketing. “Nothing embodies that better than (Chantry’s video). It pretty much sums up how people feel here.”

During renovations to the office building in 2012, Monsell found original handwritten notes from Liss and Ham, as well as a photocopy of the theme’s sheet music, in his desk drawer. These now hang in a plaque on the station’s historic wall.

After a decade of exhibition, the ink on the sheet music and handwritten notes began to fade and Monsell was tasked with finding a place to restore the artifacts.

In September 2022, he turned to the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts, where senior paper conservator Heather Hendry and others were able to annotate the music sheets with handwritten notes.

Jessica Silverman, CCAHA’s director of conservation, said the center was able to remove the tape from the documents. Conservators also used pigment inks to mitigate fading and created a replica of the Liss-Ham notes page for display.

While any project is worthwhile, Silverman said preserving Action News has become a “tour favorite.” “People are totally excited about it,” she said.

After the CCAHA-led project was completed in April, the revived sheet music and recreated music pages are now on display at 6ABC. The original light-sensitive music, Monsell said, is kept in a temperature-controlled storage container.

The CCAHA project highlights the importance of the issue for people in the region, but 6ABC is not afraid to address one of the most controversial moments in the station’s history: the change of the theme song in 1996.

According to 6ABC President Bernie Prazenica, a mini-documentary is planned for release in late summer that will document audience reactions to an “orchestrated” version of the opening theme, which premiered on September 20, 1996.

The original by Liss and Ham was updated by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, but viewers immediately took to their phones to denigrate the new interpretation. The criticism forced 6ABC to take the song off the air and re-broadcast the original song after three days.

“I think people who see it will get a real kick out of it,” Prazenica said. “I think it will be fun to look back on, especially for those who know the story but don’t know the music. They’ll get a chance to try it out.”

If you ask anyone at 6ABC, Monsell said, there’s no way the Action News theme will be changed in the future. The original will always remain an integral part of the city’s identity, and he and others will continue to honor the song’s storied legacy.

Somewhere in a living room near Norristown, Chantry and his family are cheering. Standing, of course.