Lee Hoffman was 32 years old when he got the assignment to write the theme song for HALFWAY THERE. It was the first time someone trusted him to do the work alone and gave him complete freedom. In the early 70s he had touched up themes for ALL IN THE FAMILY and THE JEFFERSONS. "Always uncredited and that's fine because they never felt like they had any piece of me in them."
At 73 Hoffman has a youthful light to him when he talks about the show. "It's been sad for me that this has been lost for so long."
Last year a beta recording of one of the episodes appeared online. The show, whose tape library was lost in a fire in the mid-80s, is having a resurgance thanks to leaks like this. "When I saw it I did tear up a bit. But I'm soft like that. Still, it brought me back." Hoffman plays the song on a loop.
"I remember sitting here trying to come with a great hook that would really sum up the themes of the show." Hoffman said while sitting at the piano where he created so many classic theme songs. "But all of the ways I tried felt too cute. I didn't want to betray the deeper themes the show was dealing with."
He stepped away from his piano and decided that he needed a drink. Fortunately, his cooler was empty and he took a cab into town. Chance brought him to an old Irish tavern. "I had never even realized the place existed but I went inside and ordered a pint. I was starting to feel depressed and kept nodding to the bartender for refills. Sometime close to midnight I started paying attention to three older men post up at one of the tables in the back. Their eyes were glazed over and the table was cluttered with empty glasses. One of them, a bald man with hair sticking from his sides and ears, started to sing. I listened as the other two joined in. The words were dark, about a lost lover, but their tone was so joyful that I was moved. As cliche as it is, I grabbed a pen and napkin and started to scribble down ideas."
Hoffman downed a few more pints before blacking out. What came to him that night he feels was a sort of divine intervention because the next morning he woke up with a severe headache but a near complete version of what would become the Halfway There theme song.
"It's kind of amazing because when I woke up and saw it I figured what I had done would be complete crap. I spent most of the morning eating bacon and drinking coffee to settle my stomach. Around mid-afternoon I looked at it. I sung it in my head a few times and thought maybe it wasn't so bad. Soon I started singing it aloud. I remembered the men at the bar and tried to get into their joyful rhythm. The song felt alive. I made a few alterations and sent it off to the studio. Really what I came up with that night is what ended up being recorded."
Hoffman remembers visiting the set in the later weeks of production. Showrunner, Sydney Kaine, was visibly exhausted. "His eyes were sunken in and his skin was white from spending so much time on the sound stage. I remember him grabbing me and giving me a big hug. He said, Lee you gave it a soul." His eyes were wet holding back tears.
"I hadn't heard any of the recordings. I waited until the premiere. I was anxious that night and had a girl friend from back home watch it with me. When the show started a chill ran up my spine. The music, with the actors singing, and everything Sydney was doing filled me with so much pride. I really think it is the best thing I've ever done."
HALFWAY THERE (1977-1980) told the story of Arnold Nestor who after his wife leaves him is left to run their Halfway House. He enlists the help of newly recovered drug addict Jackson to help him manage Chaz and Freddie. Both are dealing with substance abuse problems and it is up to Arnold and Jackson to help them lead a straight life.
The show ran for three seasons until ABC cancelled it. Executives cited the lack of humor as the reason for cancellation even though the show maintained steady, if not rising, ratings. Showrunner, Sydney Kaine, claimed that the show was cancelled due to constant fighting between himself and ABC Head, Robert Toomey.