Charles Wolcott New Musical Director At Disney ... - ASMAC.org

\OL I, No. 9 Beverly Hills, California September,r:,-3 r -n >v I *x*" "-"•" :^f*"1'.^S / .O is f i c^ )JL.^3 Ll ^ L •_ .JfcJL-aL.JP•£*• REGRETTABLE custom currently prevailingamong writers of motion picture previews andit-views—either in trade papers, daily newspapersor magazines—is to entirely omit anymention of the composer" who wrote the musicalscore.Film reviews are as a rule very comprehensive'•wd newsy as to who did what in the picture.The cast receives—for obvious and good reasons-the most attention in either praise or criticism.And that should be so, for after all, it is the actorwho portrays the story' on the screen, and is'he main interest as far as the movie-goer isi-oncetned.Next in line come the producer and director,jetting a big play, and continuing down theline, credit is given to the writer, the director"( photography, the assistant director, produc-

.^;^.^.-,,,.^. ^-THE SCORE>&wVOL. I No. 9 SEPTEMBER, 1944Published monthly in Beyerly Hilll. California,THE AMERICAN SOCIETYOF MUSIC ARRANGERSEditor:RUDY DE SAXEP.O.TheAttociott Edltott:Joseph DabinQurlei MizwtllAttat:George E. Mtessner. Jr.Yearly lubscription $1.00Single copy 1 OcAddicts all communications toTHE SCOREBox 807. Beverly Hilll. CaliforniaContent! Copyrighted 1944 byAmerican Society of Music ArrangersLos Angeles, California(Continued from Page 1)distract the audience from interest in the plot.The public thus is only half-conscious of the, music in the background, but take that musicentirely away and something u-ill be definitelymissing.Let us look then at the whole thing with starkrealism. Music becomes as important to a filmas the excellent designing of a set, proper lightingof scenes, good editing, or clever recording.In many respects it is even more important thanthese, for it deals with moods and the portrayalof human emotions. The ability to communicatesuch emotions to the listener through the mediumof music, and connect them with thevisual action on the screen, is unquestionablyan artistic achievement.If the cameraman is to be praised for hisability .in photographing the star at unusualand favorable angles; if the director is to bepraised for his ability* in bringing out the unusualhistrionic devices-,of the actor; why notgive some credit to the music composer whoworries and sweats to create music that willbring out the action on the screen?Take the case of "sneak previews" which arethe best way to tell whether the public u-illor u'ill not like a picture. Films shown at such"sneak previews" have no music, or if they doit is only a temporary sound track comprisingof bits of music taken from previous recordedfilms. Many scenes that get a very poor reactionar such "sneaks" become instantaneous hits afterthe music is written and dubbed in and the picturereleased for public showing.Yes, the time has come where somethingought to be done about the forgotten film composerand arranger. The publicity departmentof the studio, for one, should be the first intrying to remedy this situation. Press-releasesought to be a bit more detailed as to the rolemusic is playing in the making of motionpictures.RUDY DB SAKEbyIncidentally . . . .The history of sound effects in Radio is a littlevague and so is its origination. But some ofthe sound men at CBS claim they know how thefirst sound effect came about. Back in 1919 onone of the comedy shows there was need for thesound of a door opening to herald the entranceof a comedian. It would have been a simplematter to just open the studio door—except thatthe door wasn't close enough to the mike. Someingenious musician gave the lid of an uprightpiano a bang—and it did the trick. The sound ofthe opening and closing door was born—witha bang!Musical Director once removed! Del Castillo,musical director for CBS "Stars Over Hollywood,"who scores the music for all "Stars" producrions,never sees any of the shows. He handlesthe music—bridges -and cues—by remotecontrol from another studio, receiving his cuesfrom script lines as the performances come tohim over special ear-phones.TOMMY DoRSUY doesn't'have any trouble recallingwhere he and his band have been intheir travels throughout the United States. Thetruck which carries their instruments providesa record; from one end to the other it isscrawled with names, initials, and home town offans."People's Concert," as presented at the HollywoodBowl on August 25th, is another proofthat ideas can be borne in this fair town of ours.Film Composer Franz Waxman, as conductor ofa chorus of some 200 singers, gave a performancethat will be remembered. The programcompiled exclusively from works by living composers,included: "American Salute," by MortonGould; "Death and Transfiguration," byRichard Strauss; Excerpt from "Symphony No.4," by Knipper; "Symphonic Fantasy," on aBach Choral, by Franz Waxman; March from"The Love for Three Oranges," by Prokofieff;"Biguine," by Jerome Moross; "The LonesomeTrain," by Earl Robinson.THE MUSICIANS CONGRESS concert given onAugust 30, at the Philharmonic Auditorium,was received enthusiastically by a near-capacityaudience. Under the colorful direction of LeopoldStokowski, with a first-rate orchestra, theprogram included music by ShostakovichTschaikovsky, Morton Gould, Villa-Lobos^Wood, Bizet, and Bach. Rise Stevens was soloistand Orson Welles spoke for the MusiciansCongress.The Musicians Congress, according to itschairman, Lawrence Morton, "has been organizedas a manifestation of the musicians' concernwith the program of the war and with thekind of peace to follow. Its program is to bringthe beauty of music to ever-increasing audiences,to encourage the growth and development of anational democratic culture by collaboratingfully with our colleagues in the related arts, andto contribute to the building of a permanentpeace through an ever-increasing exchange ofcultures with artists of other countries."A SCORE IS BORN. . By CHARLES MAXWELL(This is the second in a series of articles deiiing with music in the film!, hy Charles Maxueii,The present article covers the creative pha

By JOE DUBINAi one time or another I imagine everyone"f us has come across a "mad musician." Suchi nnc was my friend, Morton Dorton. (Anyrocmblance between this name and an actualperson or persons is miraculous!)• Morton first attracted attention when he wasplaying in one of our well-known rhumbaKinds. It seems that the leader of this aggregation,while a good musician, was rather vaguen rehearsals. He would rehearse a new arrangement,then make numerous cuts and changes,and to make it worse, his explanation of theseChanges would be utterly incomprehensible totht musicians. But Morton Dorton was un-JMnied. He came to rehearsal one day, and assoon as the leader started his inexplicable explanations,Morton reached into his sax caseand came up with a huge crystal ball! "**• The next job Jdorton—lost was with a radiohand. The leader of this outfit had studiedmathematical arranging, but wasn't quite asfiood at it as he thought he was. One fine daythis leader brought one of these musical monstrositiesto rehearsal. A confrere asked Mortonhow he thought the leader could write such unmusicalmusic. "Very simple," replied our hero,first he writes no melody, then he harmonizesit!"• I dropped into Morton's hotel room late onenight. It was one of those bitter cold nightsthat sometimes hit Chicago, and the hotel was'ather short on heat. I knocked on the door, andMorton yelled for me to come in. I entered andfound him in bed, with his bare feet stickingout from under the blankets. When 1 suggestedhe cover them up, he stormed: "What? Why, I••wouldn't have those cold things in bed withme!"• I hen there was the time Morton, after liftinga lew too many ciders, walked into the lobby of• hotel at 3:00 a,ra., loudly and belligerentlyranging on a huge bass drum. When the nightclerk and bellboys tried to stop him, he said:whatsa matter? . . . Don't any of you likemusic?" . . .\ '• V 'UoErdody In 'Blue Bird'"Blue Bird" and "First Illusion,'' P. R. C.productions, had Leo Erdody as composer andconductor of musical score.Rudy Vallee BackRudy Vallee, for the past two years serving*'iih the U. S. Coast Guard, is coming back toraaio. His return marks the first big-time radio»ar to resume professional life.•slice's new series, to be sponsored by Drene,is heard over NBC Saturdays from 8:30 to'•TO p.m. Although still a Coast Guardsman,* lee recently was placed on inactive duty."'rank de Vol handles the orchestral baton.'307 Bond St., Los Angeles, CaliforniaPRospect 1388Score and Manuscript Paperfor trie Profetsional MusicianTHE SCORERobert Dolan In'Murder He Says'"Murder He says," a Paramount Pic, is tohave Robert Dolan as composer of the musicalscore.SCOREBOARDMURRAY CUTTER orchestrated "NationalVelvet," MGM.SID CUTNER orchestrated on "Mrs. Parkington,"MGM.ARTHUR MORTON orchestrated "Laura,"20th Cent.TED DUNCAN orchestrated on "Mrs.Parkington," MGM.ROBERT FRANKLYN orchestrated on"Mrs. Parkington," MGM; also on"Woman in the Window," Intl.RUDY DE SAXE orchestrated on "Womanin the Window," Int'l.HARRY SIMEONE arranged "Bombalera,"Paramount.BOB TAYLOR orchestrated on "Out ofThis World," Paramount.ARTHUR SCHOEHP orchestrated on"Woman in the Window," Int'l.GEORGE PARRISH orchestrated on "AMedal for Benny," Paramount.LEONID RAAB orchestrated "I'll Be SeeingYou," Vanguard; also "ObjectiveBurma," Warners.LEO SHUKEN orchestrated on "A Medalfor Benny," Paramount.GEORGE DUNING wrote backgroundscore to "Carolina Blues," Columbia.MARLIN SKILES wrote score to "StrangeAffair," Columbia, with Arthur Mortonassisting.JEROME MOROSS" orchestrated "Strangersin Our Midsr," Warners.JOSEPH DUBIN wrote score to "Light ofOld Santa Fe" and "Faces in the Fog,"Republic.MORT • .GLICKMAN orchestrared on"Lights of Old Santa Fe" and "Facesin the.Fog," Republic.WALTER SCHARF wrote score to "Brazil,"Republic.DAVE RAKSIN wrote score to "Laura,"20th Cent.DALE BUTTS orchestrated on "Lights ofOld Santa Fe," Republic.WILLIAM LAVA wrote score to "I Won'tPlay," Warners.RAY HEINDORF wrote score to "HollywoodCanteen," Warners.GIL GRAU orchestrated "Farewell Mi-Lovely" and "Master Race," RKO.LEIGH HARLINE composed score -to"Having a Wonderful Crime," RKO.The Scoreboard is the "Who's Doin'What" in radio, dance and motion-pictureindustry. To be included in thislisting, which tvill appear in each issue,please send all information regardingyour professional activities to THESCORE, P. 0. Box 807 Beverly Hills,California.Studio News ....M-G-MPictures Scored: "National Velvet," with HerbertStofhart on the score; "Mrs. Parkington,"with Dronialau Kaper on score, andCastelnuovo-Tedesco assisting.In Preparation', "Ziegfeld Follies"; "Music forMillions"; "Anchors Aweigh"; Thrill of aRomance"; "Seattle," -and "The Picture ofDorian Gray."PARAMOUNTPictures Scored and Scoring: "Her Heart in HerThroat"; "Murder He Says"; "A Medal forBenny"; "Bombalera,". and "isle of Tabu."In Preparation: "Two Years Before the Mast,"with Victor Young on the score; "Here Comethe Waves"; "Out of This World," and"Kitty."COLUMBIAPictures Scored: "Carolina Blues"; "StrangeAffair."In Preparation: "Tonight and Every Night";"Together Again"; "Hello Mom."INTERNATIONALPictured Scored: "Woman in the Window."In Preparation; "It's a Pleasure."WARNER BROS.Pictures Scored: "Strangers in Our Midst," withAdolph Deutsch; "Objective Burma"; "HollywoodCanteen"; "Christmas in Connecticut";"I Won't Play," and "Nautical But Nice,"with Howard Jackson on score.In Preparation: "The Corn Is Green"; "OfHuman Bondage"; "God Is My Co-Pilot' ;"Roughly Speaking."REPUBLICPictures Score.!: "Lights of O1J Santa Fe";"Zorro's Black Whip"; "Brazil", "Faces inthe Fog."In Preparation: "Hitch Hike to Happiness";"Earl Carroll's Vanities," with Walter Scharfas musical director.UNIVERSALPictures Scored:. "Can't Help Singing", "StarsOver Manhattan"; "I'll Remember April";"Beyond the Pecos."In Preparation: "Frisco Sal" and "Salome."with Edward Ward as musical director;"Enter Arsene Lupin"; "The Fugitive."RKOPictures Scored: "Farewell My Lovely" and"Master Race," with Roy Webb on the score;"Having a Wonderful Crime," with LeighHarline.In Preparation: "Brighton Strangler"; "Nevada";"Falcon in Hollywood"; "Betrayalfrom the East"; "Two o'clock Courage," and"Pan-Americana."fVictor Young Has'A Medal For Benny'Victor Young completed scoring for "AMedal for Benny" (Paramount), which wasrecorded recently. George Parrish and LeoShuken 'orchestrated.Felix Mills Musical DirectorOn 'Man Called X'Felix Mills, one of Hollywood's well-knownarrangers and band leaders, has been namedmusical director for the Lockheed Air show."The Man Called X." Mills at present is composer-conductorfor Columbia's "Silver Theatre"and the "George Burns and Gracie Allen Program."•.;:-,- ,„-£»

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