Hatch began working in radio in 1922 as a pianist on KYW. In 1930 he became director of music on KNX in Los Angeles, California, and on CBS, where he created music for such radio shows as Hawk Durango, The General Electric Theater, Frontier Gentleman, December Bride, Young Love, Your Home Front Reporter, The Screen Guild Theater, The Whistler, Suspense, Meet Corliss Archer, My Favorite Husband, Broadway Is My Beat, and Our Miss Brooks. Hatch also worked as a conductor and music director for CBS. During the late 1930s and early 1940s he was conductor on The Campbell Soup Radio Show. He was the musical director and composed the theme for CBS Radio's The Whistler. Additionally, he was the musical director for CBS Radio's Broadway Is My Beat, Mayor of the Town and Luke Slaughter of Tombstone.
Television
His most lasting on-screen television credit was for composing some of the music and conducting the Desi Arnaz Orchestra on I Love Lucy. He was the sole composer for three episodes of I Love Lucy, four episodes of The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, all 156 episodes of The Lucy Show and all of the Here's Lucy episodes up to the time of his death. He also conceived and conducted the music for the TV versions of Our Miss Brooks and December Bride, as well as its spin-off, Pete and Gladys. He also composed music for The Mothers-in-Law. Until the time of his death Hatch was resident musical director of Desilu Studios, and his work included music director on Star Trek, The Untouchables, and other Desilu productions. In 1970, after Hatch had died, Marl Young became the resident music composer for Lucille Ball Productions, Inc.. He composed and conducted the music for season 3 episode 11 of The Twilight Zone - "Still Valley". As the title credits appear a couple of short musical phrases are reminiscent of the Star Trek theme music.
Other professional activities
Hatch was a member of the executive board of the Composers Guild of America.
Personal
Hatch attended the University of Chicago to study engineering, but music fully occupied his life. One of the highlights of his college education was that he wrote the music for the annual Blackfriar's show, the University's dramatic organization. In 1922, Hatch graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in chemical engineering and with High Honors and a Phi Beta Kappa Key. Hatch was married to Margaret Mathews of Grinell, Iowa. They had three children together: Robert Allen, Nancy Margaret and Margaret Ann. He is buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Altadena, Los Angeles County, California.
