Stuart Phillips (born September 9, 1929) is an American composer of film scores and television series theme music, conductor and record producer. He is best known for composing the theme tunes to the television series McCloud, Battlestar Galactica, and Knight Rider.
Stu Phillips | |
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 Phillips in 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Stuart Phillips |
| Born | September 9, 1929 |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, arranger, conductor |
| Years active | 1958–present |
| Labels | Colpix, Capitol |
| Website | www |
Biography
editCareer
editPhillips studied music at The High School of Music & Art in New York City, New York, and at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. While at Eastman, he began arranging music for the Rochester Civic Orchestra.[1]
In 1958, Phillips began composing for Columbia Pictures' television and record subsidiaries. He founded Colpix Records and produced high-charting hits for James Darren, Nina Simone, The Skyliners, Shelley Fabares, and The Monkees. He also furnished music for Columbia's television series, including The Donna Reed Show with Fabares and The Monkees. Phillips branched out into motion-picture work, and scored Columbia's 1964 movie, Ride the Wild Surf.
In the mid-1960s, he worked for Capitol Records and created, produced and arranged for the easy listening studio orchestra the Hollyridge Strings.[1] Excerpts from the Hollyridge Strings album The Beatles Song Book can be heard on the 1964 Capitol documentary album The Beatles' Story.[2]
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Phillips continued scoring films and television series including music for the films Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970), The Seven Minutes (1971) and the television series Get Christie Love!.
In 1974, he began working at Universal Studios scoring television series; Glen A. Larson made extensive use of his compositions. During this time, he scored music for the television series The Six Million Dollar Man, McCloud, and Battlestar Galactica.[1] His Battlestar Galactica theme was featured prominently in the film Airplane II: The Sequel (1980). He also composed music for the television series The Amazing Spider-Man (which was for Charles Fries/Dan Goodman/Danchuck Productions) during this time.
In the 1980s, Phillips left Universal and began working at 20th Century Fox, again being a favorite composer of Glen A. Larson, where he composed music for the television series The Fall Guy, Automan and Knight Rider.[1] All programs were Larson productions.
Later years
editPhillips went into semi-retirement in the 1990s at his home in Studio City, California. Since that time, he has appeared at fan conventions for Battlestar Galactica and has attended cult-film screenings for Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.[1]
In 2002, Phillips published his autobiography Stu Who?: Forty Years of Navigating the Minefields of the Music Business.
In 2006, he also participated in a documentary film featured on the special edition DVD re-release of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.[3]
Long a "serious" musician, Phillips has also orchestrated pieces by Ludwig van Beethoven and Sergei Rachmaninoff for Symphony orchestra.[1]
Phillips can be heard on FaLaLaLaLa.com discussing the history of The Hollyridge Strings's Christmas album, which it released in 2008.
Filmography
editFilm music
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Television music
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GL denotes a Glen Larson production, where known. Phillips was one of Larson's favorite composers.
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Awards and nominations
edit- Nominated: 1964 Best Instrumental Performance - Non Jazz, The Beatles Song Book (Hollyridge Strings)
- Nominated: 1979 Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special, Battlestar Galactica
BMI Film & TV Awards
- Won: 2005 Best Ringtone, Knight Rider
Further reading
edit- Phillips, Stu. 2002. Stu Who?: Forty Years of Navigating the Minefields of the Music Business. Studio City, California. Cisum Press. ISBN 978-0-9720363-3-7
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Stu Phillips official biography at stuwho.com
- ^ Gillian G. Gaar, « 100 Things Beatles Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die », Triumph Books, 2013
- ^ The Beyond the Valley of the Dolls special-edition DVD features Look on up at the Bottom: The Music of the Dolls. USA: 20th Century Fox.
External links
edit- Official website
- Stu Phillips at IMDb
- Stu Phillips discography at Discogs