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Walter Scharf

May 04, 2023

Walter Scharf (August 1, 1910 – February 24, 2003) was an American musician, best known as a film, television and concert composer and arranger/conductor.

Walter Scharf
Born(1910-08-01)August 1, 1910
Manhattan, New York City
DiedFebruary 24, 2003(2003-02-24) (aged 92)
Brentwood, Los Angeles, California
GenresFilm, TV, stage and radio
Occupation(s)
Instrument(s)Piano
LabelsJubilee Records

Biography

Broadway theatre

Born in Manhattan, he was the son of Yiddish theatre comic Bessie Zwerling. While in his 20s, he was one of the orchestrators for George Gershwin's Broadway musical Girl Crazy, became singer Helen Morgan's accompanist, and later worked as pianist and arranger for singer Rudy Vallee.

Film

He began working in Hollywood in 1933, arranging for Al Jolson at Warner Bros., Alice Faye at 20th Century-Fox and Bing Crosby at Paramount. He orchestrated the original version of Irving Berlin's White Christmas for the film Holiday Inn (1942), and from 1942 to 1946 he served as head of music for Republic Pictures.

From 1948 to 1954, Scharf was arranger-conductor for the Phil Harris-Alice Faye radio show.

A ten-time Oscar nominee, Scharf worked on more than 100 films, receiving nominations for his musical direction on such pictures as Danny Kaye's Hans Christian Andersen (1952), Barbra Streisand's Funny Girl (1968) and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971).

In the early 1960s, he was approached by Harold Lloyd to provide new scores for his silent film compilations. Lloyd regarded Scharf's ability to mix comedy themes with big, dramatic orchestral touches as ideal for his brand of 'thrill' comedy.

Scharf implemented a similar style for the Jerry Lewis Jekyll and Hyde-inspired comedy The Nutty Professor in (1963), working on more than a dozen Lewis comedies overall. He worked on three Elvis Presley pictures including Loving You (1957) and King Creole (1958), and with lyricist Don Black, he wrote the hit Michael Jackson single from the film Ben (1972), which won him a Golden Globe; and scored the popular Walking Tall (1973) and its two sequels. In 1973, he and Don Black wrote the music and lyrics for the London musical Maybe That's Your Problem (book by Lionel Chetwynd).

Television

Scharf composed music for dozens of television dramas including Ben Casey, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Mission: Impossible, and the 1979 miniseries From Here to Eternity and Blind Ambition, although he became best known for his music for the National Geographic Society and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau documentaries, which he scored between 1965 and 1975. He received two Emmys for the Cousteau series, in 1970 and 1974, and composed an original symphonic work, The Legend of the Living Sea, for a Cousteau museum exhibit aboard the RMS Queen Mary in 1971.

Concert writing

Scharf's initial work for the concert hall was The Palestine Suite, written in 1945 and performed at the Hollywood Bowl under Leopold Stokowski. After retiring from films and TV in the 1980s, he returned to concert writing, notably with The Tree Still Stands: A Symphonic Portrait of the Stages of a Hebraic Man, commissioned by the Stephen S. Wise Temple and first performed in 1989,[1] and the 1993 Israeli Suite. He also wrote an unproduced opera based on Norman Corwin's The Plot to Overthrow Christmas.

Scharf died of heart failure at his home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, at the age of 92.[2][3]

Awards and honors

Scharf received the Golden Score Award from the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers in 1997.[4]

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ Greg Wager, "Film Composer Scharf, 78, Looks for New Challenge", Los Angeles Times, June 6, 1989.
  2. ^ "Walter Scharf, 92; Movie and TV Composer, Arranger, Conductor". Los Angeles Times. February 28, 2003.
  3. ^ "Walter Scharf, 92, Film Score Composer". The New York Times. Associated Press. March 1, 2003.
  4. ^ "ASMAC Golden Scores". American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers. Retrieved September 3, 2017.

External links

May 04, 2023
walter, scharf, august, 1910, february, 2003, american, musician, best, known, film, television, concert, composer, arranger, conductor, born, 1910, august, 1910manhattan, york, citydiedfebruary, 2003, 2003, aged, brentwood, angeles, californiagenresfilm, stag. Walter Scharf August 1 1910 February 24 2003 was an American musician best known as a film television and concert composer and arranger conductor Walter ScharfBorn 1910 08 01 August 1 1910Manhattan New York CityDiedFebruary 24 2003 2003 02 24 aged 92 Brentwood Los Angeles CaliforniaGenresFilm TV stage and radioOccupation s Film composerconductorarrangermusicianInstrument s PianoLabelsJubilee Records Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Broadway theatre 1 2 Film 1 3 Television 1 4 Concert writing 2 Awards and honors 3 Selected filmography 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditBroadway theatre Edit Born in Manhattan he was the son of Yiddish theatre comic Bessie Zwerling While in his 20s he was one of the orchestrators for George Gershwin s Broadway musical Girl Crazy became singer Helen Morgan s accompanist and later worked as pianist and arranger for singer Rudy Vallee Film Edit He began working in Hollywood in 1933 arranging for Al Jolson at Warner Bros Alice Faye at 20th Century Fox and Bing Crosby at Paramount He orchestrated the original version of Irving Berlin s White Christmas for the film Holiday Inn 1942 and from 1942 to 1946 he served as head of music for Republic Pictures From 1948 to 1954 Scharf was arranger conductor for the Phil Harris Alice Faye radio show A ten time Oscar nominee Scharf worked on more than 100 films receiving nominations for his musical direction on such pictures as Danny Kaye s Hans Christian Andersen 1952 Barbra Streisand s Funny Girl 1968 and Willy Wonka amp the Chocolate Factory 1971 In the early 1960s he was approached by Harold Lloyd to provide new scores for his silent film compilations Lloyd regarded Scharf s ability to mix comedy themes with big dramatic orchestral touches as ideal for his brand of thrill comedy Scharf implemented a similar style for the Jerry Lewis Jekyll and Hyde inspired comedy The Nutty Professor in 1963 working on more than a dozen Lewis comedies overall He worked on three Elvis Presley pictures including Loving You 1957 and King Creole 1958 and with lyricist Don Black he wrote the hit Michael Jackson single from the film Ben 1972 which won him a Golden Globe and scored the popular Walking Tall 1973 and its two sequels In 1973 he and Don Black wrote the music and lyrics for the London musical Maybe That s Your Problem book by Lionel Chetwynd Television Edit Scharf composed music for dozens of television dramas including Ben Casey The Man from U N C L E Mission Impossible and the 1979 miniseries From Here to Eternity and Blind Ambition although he became best known for his music for the National Geographic Society and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau documentaries which he scored between 1965 and 1975 He received two Emmys for the Cousteau series in 1970 and 1974 and composed an original symphonic work The Legend of the Living Sea for a Cousteau museum exhibit aboard the RMS Queen Mary in 1971 Concert writing Edit Scharf s initial work for the concert hall was The Palestine Suite written in 1945 and performed at the Hollywood Bowl under Leopold Stokowski After retiring from films and TV in the 1980s he returned to concert writing notably with The Tree Still Stands A Symphonic Portrait of the Stages of a Hebraic Man commissioned by the Stephen S Wise Temple and first performed in 1989 1 and the 1993 Israeli Suite He also wrote an unproduced opera based on Norman Corwin s The Plot to Overthrow Christmas Scharf died of heart failure at his home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles at the age of 92 2 3 Awards and honors EditScharf received the Golden Score Award from the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers in 1997 4 Selected filmography EditJosette 1938 Hit Parade of 1941 1940 Thumbs Up 1943 Someone to Remember 1943 In Old Oklahoma 1943 The Fighting Seabees 1944 The Lady and the Monster Atlantic City 1944 Lake Placid Serenade 1944 Earl Carroll Vanities 1945 The Cheaters 1945 Mexicana 1945 Dakota 1945 I ve Always Loved You 1946 Casbah 1948 The Saxon Charm 1948 City Across the River 1949 Red Canyon 1949 Take One False Step 1949 Yes Sir That s My Baby 1949 Buccaneer s Girl 1950 Sierra 1950 South Sea Sinner 1950 Deported 1950 The Court Jester 1955 Time Table 1956 Three Violent People 1957 The Joker Is Wild 1957 The Geisha Boy 1958 Don t Give Up the Ship 1959 The Bellboy 1960 Cinderfella 1960 The Ladies Man 1961 The Errand Boy 1961 It s Only Money 1962 My Six Loves 1963 The Nutty Professor 1963 Honeymoon Hotel 1964 Where Love Has Gone 1964 Funny Girl 1968 Pendulum 1969 If It s Tuesday This Must Be Belgium 1969 The Cheyenne Social Club 1970 Willy Wonka amp the Chocolate Factory 1971 Ben 1972 Walking Tall 1973 Walking Tall Part 2 1975 Walking Tall Final Chapter 1977 When Every Day Was the Fourth of July 1978 The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal 1979 The Scarlett O Hara War 1980 Twilight Time 1982 References Edit Greg Wager Film Composer Scharf 78 Looks for New Challenge Los Angeles Times June 6 1989 Walter Scharf 92 Movie and TV Composer Arranger Conductor Los Angeles Times February 28 2003 Walter Scharf 92 Film Score Composer The New York Times Associated Press March 1 2003 ASMAC Golden Scores American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers Retrieved September 3 2017 External links EditWalter Scharf at AllMusic Walter Scharf discography at Discogs Walter Scharf at IMDb Walter Scharf at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Walter Scharf amp oldid 1141590177, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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