If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s an example: Jimmy Fallon (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon) is about to do a bit - in this case, Audience Suggestion Box - and the house band, The Roots, introduce the bit with a song that lasts all of a few seconds.
Jimmy is, of course, not the only late night talk show to introduce bits this way - in fact, I think most, if not all, late night talk shows do this.
When did this convention start? I don’t remember seeing it on Johnny Carson when I was a small child back in the day, but I do remember seeing it on Letterman when I was a teen. Did Letterman introduce the idea?
Carson did it, and I doubt he invented it. Skitch Henderson et al. were more often highlighted than those in recent years, so abbreviated band music is not new.
It probably dates back to radio.
I think you misspelled “vaudeville” there.
Definitely vaudeville, perhaps earlier (“variety” shows).
It COULD go back to vaudeville- if not, I’m sure the old pianists and organists at silent movie theaters had fun thinking up musical bits that fit with the scenes that were appearing on the screen.
Bob Hope was always introduced by “Thanks for the Memory”, a song he sang in “The Big Broadcast of 1938”. The Jack Benny theme “Love in Bloom” apparently began when he sponsored by Lucky Strike (1944-1955).