Jack Elliott (composer)
Jack Elliott | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Irwin Elliott Zucker |
| Born | August 6, 1927 Hartford, Connecticut |
| Died | August 18, 2001(aged 74) Los Angeles,California |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, conductor, music arranger, songwriter, television producer |
Irwin Elliott Zucker(August 6, 1927 – August 18, 2001) was an American television andfilm composer,conductor,music arranger,television producer,and co-founder of theNew American Orchestra,later renamed theAmerican Jazz Philharmonic.
Life and career
[edit]Elliott was born Irwin Elliott Zucker inHartford, Connecticut.He was of Romanian Jewish descent.[1]Elliott graduated from theHartt School of Musicand worked as a jazz pianist in New York and Paris in the 1950s.[2][3]He continued his post-graduate studies in composition with Arnold Franchetti, Isadore Freed,Bohuslav Martinů,andLukas Foss,but it wasJudy Garlandwho brought Elliott to California to become an arranger for hertelevision show.
Elliott continued his run in television as music director forAndy Williams'long-running seriesand later produced and conducted the NBC television specialLive From Studio 8H: 100 Years of America's Popular Music.He also wrote themes for television showsNight Court,and co-wrote the themes toBarney MillerandCharlie's AngelswithAllyn Ferguson.He is listed in New Grove's Dictionary of American Music and was awarded an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, the University of Hartford's Hartt School of Music.
Elliott was co-founder and music director of the American Jazz Philharmonic (formerly the New American Orchestra)[4]and creator of the Henry Mancini Institute.[5]The original name of the Orchestra was "The Big O" and was the largestjazzorchestra of its kind featuring over 92 musicians. Elliott blended the classical European style orchestra withmodern American jazzstyle. His professional repertoire was diverse, highlighted by stints as music director for theAcademy Awards,Emmy Awards,Kennedy Center Honorsand the1984 Summer Olympics.In addition, he holds the distinction of serving asmusic directorof theGrammy Awardsfor 30 consecutive years.
He had an accomplished career in film, scoring numerous hit movies, includingSibling Rivalry,The Jerk,Oh God!,andWhere's Poppa?.He also produced theBlade Runnersoundtrack album with the New American Orchestra.
Death
[edit]Elliott served as music director of the Henry Mancini Institute until his death from abrain tumoron August 18, 2001.[2]
Selected discography
[edit]- Are You Lonesome Tonight?...Wonderful Melodies of the Sixties(Kapp, 1961)
- The Orchestra(withAllyn Ferguson) (FNAM, 1979)
Selected filmography
[edit]- The Happiest Millionaire(1967)
- The Comic(1969)
- Where's Poppa?(1970)
- T.R. Baskin(1971)
- Support Your Local Gunfighter(1971)
- Get to Know Your Rabbit(1972)
- Oh, God!(1977)
- Just You and Me, Kid(1979)
- The Jerk(1979)
- Sibling Rivalry(1990)
Television
[edit]- McHale's Navy(29 episodes, 1965–1966)
- Pistols 'n' Petticoats(9 episodes, 1966–1967)
- The New Dick Van Dyke Show(7 episodes, 1971–1974)
- The Rookies(14 episodes, 1972–1975)
- Really Raquel(1974)
- Barney Miller(1974-1982) (withAllyn Ferguson)
- Charlie's Angels(1976-1981) (with Allyn Ferguson)
- Night Court(1984-1992)
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Academy Award | Nominated | Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment | The Unsinkable Molly Brown(Shared withRobert Armbruster,Leo Arnaud,Jack Hayes,Calvin Jackson,andLeo Shuken) |
| 1987 | BMI Film & TV Awards | Won | BMI TV Music Award | Night Court |
| 1988 | ||||
| 1989 | ||||
| 1981 | Emmy Award | Nominated | Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction | Omnibus(For December 28, 1980 episode Shared withAlf Clausenand William Goldstein) |
| 1989 | Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction | The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Irwin Zucker Becomes Jack Elliott".
- ^abThurber, Jon (2001-08-19)."Jack Elliott; Composer Led Mancini Institute".The L.A. Times.Retrieved2009-02-09.
- ^"Jack Elliott -- Composer, 74".The New York Times.2001-08-24.Retrieved2009-02-09.
- ^Rusch, Bob (March 1976).Vol. 1, No. 3.Cadence. p. 93.
{{cite news}}:Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^Heckman, Don (2002-07-29)."Henry Mancini Institute Pays Tribute to Founder Jack Elliott".The L.A. Times.Retrieved2009-02-09.
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- 1927 births
- 2001 deaths
- American male conductors (music)
- American film score composers
- American male film score composers
- American music arrangers
- University of Hartford Hartt School alumni
- Songwriters from Connecticut
- American television composers
- American television producers
- Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
- Musicians from Hartford, Connecticut
- Writers from Hartford, Connecticut
- Pupils of Lukas Foss
- Songwriters from New York (state)
- 20th-century American composers
- Classical musicians from New York (state)
- 20th-century American conductors (music)
- 20th-century American male musicians
- American male songwriters
- Deaths from brain cancer in California
- 20th-century American songwriters