About
"'Star Trek' had to open with some kind of something or other. Little did I know when I wrote that first A-flat for the flute, that it was going to go down in history somehow. It's a very strange feeling."
In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Alexander "Sandy" Courage (1919-2008) describes his work as a conductor, arranger, and composer in network radio on The Screen Guild Theater, The Adventures of Sam Spade, and Hedda Hopper's This Is Hollywood. He describes his entrance into feature filmmaking as an arranger at MGM, detailing his screen highlights on Showboat, The Band Wagon, and Seven Brides For Seven Brothers. He talks about his entrance into composing for television at Revue Productions. He details his work on the MGM series National Velvet and talks about several pilots he scored for the studio. Courage talks of his move to 20th Century Fox, working on the feature films The Pleasure Seekers and Doctor Doolittle and on the television series Daniel Boone, for which he composed dozens of episodes. He describes in detail his work writing the fanfare, theme, and music for the two pilots of Star Trek, as well as his work on several later episodes. Courage speaks of his extensive composition work on over one hundred episodes of The Waltons, discusses writing the theme for Judd For The Defense, and composing for Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and several Academy Award telecasts. He discusses his later work for television on the miniseries QBVII and the television special Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas, the latter of which earned him an Emmy award. Jon Burlingame conducted the interview on February 8, 2000 in Malibu, CA.
Highlights
Alexander Courage on creating the main title sound effects for the Enterprise on Star Trek
Alexander Courage on creating the fanfare for the main title on Star Trek
Alexander Courage on writing the theme for Judd for the Defense
Alexander Courage on winning an Emmy for arranging music for Julie Andrews ... the Sound of Christmas
Alexander Courage on Jerry Goldsmith bringing him on to orchestrate the miniseries QBVII
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his childhood and early influences; on his nickname "Sandy"; on his early interest in music and playing the coronet and French horn; on attending the Eastman School of Music
On starting to conduct; on moving to California; on becoming a bandleader in the Army during World War II and attending the Army Music School; on starting to arrange music
On his start in radio and meeting Herbie Spencer and Lud Gluskin
Chapter 2
On his start in CBS radio; on the differences between composing, arranging, and orchestrating music, and doing them all simultaneously for different jobs
On working on three weekly radio shows; on how he got his start at MGM and working on classic musicals, including "The Bandwagon" and "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers"; on composing for the radio show Broadway is My Beat
On his feature film scores for B-movies (including "The Left-Handed Gun")
On his first job in television and the Petrillo ban; on starting to write music for shows at Revue Television; on working for MGM television; on his interest in sports cars
On the process of orchestrating for television; on how orchestrating for television is different from scoring for film
Chapter 3
On his early memories of television and the Hollywood Blacklist; on his arrangements for several Academy Awards broadcasts; on his start at Desilu
On his work for 20th Century Fox; on scoring for on Arrest and Trial, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Daniel Boone, and Peyton Place
On how he was asked to write the theme music for Star Trek; on how he composed the theme
Chapter 4
On the inspiration for the Star Trek theme and playing it for Gene Roddenberry; on creating sound effects for the main title; on scoring two episodes of Star Trek during its first season and deciding to work on the film "Dr. Doolittle" rather than stay with Star Trek; on his fanfare still persisting in Star Trek movies and Star Trek: The Next Generation
On writing the theme for Judd for the Defense; on his Oscar nomination for "Doctor Doolittle"; on orchestrations for "Hello, Dolly!" and quitting the production, but ultimately returning to do the score
Chapter 5
On scoring The Waltons; on scoring the pilot for Boone, created by Earl Hamner, Jr., and scoring several of The Waltons TV movies
On Jerry Goldsmith bringing him on to orchestrate the miniseries QBVII; on working on Lorimar Productions Falcon Crest and Eight Is Enough; on not enjoying working for primetime soap operas
On winning an Emmy for Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas; on his then-current work in orchestration; on writing arrangements for The Boston Pops
On career highlights; on how he'd like to be remembered; on advice to aspiring film and TV composers
Shows
Academy Awards, The
Alexander Courage on his arrangement work for several Academy Awards broadcasts
Apple's Way
Alexander Courage on scoring episodes of Apple's Way
Arrest and Trial
Alexander Courage on working on Arrest and Trial
Boone
Alexander Courage on scoring the pilot for Boone, created by Earl Hamner, Jr.
Daniel Boone
Alexander Courage on scoring episodes of Daniel Boone
I Love Lucy
Alexander Courage on Bill Hatch composing for the radio program My Favorite Husband, the radio precursor to I Love Lucy, and Bill becoming head of the music department at Desilu
Judd for the Defense
Alexander Courage on writing the theme for Judd for the Defense
Julie Andrews ... the Sound of Christmas
Alexander Courage on winning an Emmy for arranging music for Julie Andrews ... the Sound of Christmas
Land of the Giants
Alexander Courage on working for Irwin Allen on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Lost in Space
Alexander Courage on scoring many episodes of Lost in Space and wishing he had stayed at Star Trek
Peyton Place
Alexander Courage on scoring episodes of Peyton Place
Police Story
Alexander Courage on scoring Gene Roddenberry's Police Story
QB VII
Alexander Courage on Jerry Goldsmith bringing him on to orchestrate the miniseries QBVII
Star Trek
Alexander Courage on how he was asked to write the theme music for Star Trek
Alexander Courage on how he composed the theme music for Star Trek
Alexander Courage on creating the sound effects for the alien planet on Star Trek
Alexander Courage on creating the main title sound effects for the Enterprise on Star Trek
Alexander Courage on creating the fanfare for the main title on Star Trek
Alexander Courage on music for the second Star Trek pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before"
Alexander Courage on music for the original Star Trek pilot "The Cage" and his initial thoughts on the show
Alexander Courage on the recording session for the music for the original Star Trek pilot "The Cage" and the show's main titles
Alexander Courage on the inspiration for the Star Trek theme and playing it for Gene Roddenberry
Alexander Courage on scoring two episodes of Star Trek during its first season and deciding to work on the film "Dr. Doolittle" rather than stay with Star Trek
Alexander Courage on the deterioration of his relationship with Gene Roddenberry over royalities
Alexander Courage on scoring additional episodes of Star Trek during the show's third season
Alexander Courage on not being asked to score the Star Trek movie
Alexander Courage on scoring many episodes of Lost in Space and wishing he had stayed at Star Trek
Alexander Courage on the highlight of his career - Star Trek (and his experience at a convention)
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Alexander Courage on his fanfare opening every episode of Star Trek:The Next Generation
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Alexander Courage on working for Irwin Allen on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Waltons, The
Alexander Courage on scoring episodes of The Waltons and putting puns into the titles of music cues
Alexander Courage on taking over the music for The Waltons in the third season, and the style of music he wrote for the program over the course of eight years
Alexander Courage on working with The Waltons creator Earl Hamner, Jr.
Alexander Courage on working on the TV movies of The Waltons
Topics
Advice
Alexander Courage on advice to aspiring film and TV composers
Historic Events and Social Change
Alexander Courage on becoming a bandleader in the Army during World War II and attending the Army Music School
Alexander Courage on starting to arrange music while he was in the Army
Hollywood Blacklist
Alexander Courage on his memories of the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Alexander Courage on his memories of the Hollywood Blacklist
Pop Culture
Alexander Courage on writing the theme music for Star Trek
Alexander Courage on creating the sound effect for the Enterprise on Star Trek
Alexander Courage on writing the theme for Judd for the Defense
Television Industry
Alexander Courage on his memories of the Hollywood Blacklist
Alexander Courage on advice to aspiring film and TV composers
TV Theme Songs
Alexander Courage on writing the theme music for Star Trek
Alexander Courage on creating the sound effect for the Enterprise on Star Trek
Alexander Courage on writing the theme for Judd for the Defense
War
Alexander Courage on becoming a bandleader in the Army during World War II and attending the Army Music School
Alexander Courage on starting to arrange music while he was in the Army
World War II
Alexander Courage on becoming a bandleader in the Army during World War II and attending the Army Music School
Alexander Courage on starting to arrange music while he was in the Army
Professions
Composer
Alexander Courage on the differences between composing, arranging, and orchestrating music
Alexander Courage on the process of orchestrating for television
Alexander Courage on how orchestrating for television is different from scoring for film
Alexander Courage on the cavalier attitude toward scoring for television in the 1960s
Alexander Courage on advice to aspiring film and TV composers
Music Professionals
Alexander Courage on the differences between composing, arranging, and orchestrating music
Alexander Courage on the process of orchestrating for television
Alexander Courage on how orchestrating for television is different from scoring for film
Alexander Courage on the cavalier attitude toward scoring for television in the 1960s
Alexander Courage on fun times he had writing music - for "The Sun Also Rises" and writing for Fred Astaire in "Funny Face"
Alexander Courage on advice to aspiring film and TV composers
Genres
Drama Series
Alexander Courage on scoring episodes of The Waltons
Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series
Alexander Courage on writing the theme music for Star Trek
Alexander Courage on working for Irwin Allen on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Alexander Courage on the Star Trek Theme
TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials
Alexander Courage on Jerry Goldsmith bringing him on to orchestrate the miniseries QBVII
People
Irwin Allen
Alexander Courage on working for Irwin Allen and Hugo Friedhofer on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Desi Arnaz
Alexander Courage on Bill Hatch composing for the radio program My Favorite Husband, the radio precursor to I Love Lucy, and Bill becoming head of the music department at Desilu
Lucille Ball
Alexander Courage on Bill Hatch composing for the radio program My Favorite Husband, the radio precursor to I Love Lucy, and Bill becoming head of the music department at Desilu
Lud Gluskin
Alexander Courage on meeting Lud Gluskin, head of national CBS music, and getting his start in radio
Alexander Courage on getting his start in CBS radio
Alexander Courage on Bill Hatch composing for the radio program My Favorite Husband, the radio precursor to I Love Lucy, and Bill becoming head of the music department at Desilu
Jerry Goldsmith
Alexander Courage on meeting Jerry Goldsmith
Alexander Courage on not being asked to score the Star Trek movie
Alexander Courage on Jerry Goldsmith's theme for The Waltons
Alexander Courage on Jerry Goldsmith bringing him on to orchestrate the miniseries QBVII
Alexander Courage on orchestrating Jerry Goldsmith's features
Earl Hamner, Jr.
Alexander Courage on working with The Waltons creator Earl Hamner, Jr.
Robert Justman
Alexander Courage on working with associate producer Bob Justman on Star Trek
Marilyn Monroe
Alexander Courage on his encounter with Marilyn Monroe
Arthur Morton
Alexander Courage on orchestrating Jerry Goldsmith's features
Lionel Newman
Alexander Courage on he and Lionel Newman getting an Oscar nomination for the score for "The Pleasure Seekers"
James C. Petrillo
Alexander Courage on the Petrillo ban
Gene Roddenberry
Alexander Courage on how he was asked to write the theme music for Star Trek
Alexander Courage on the inspiration for the Star Trek theme and playing it for Gene Roddenberry
Alexander Courage on Gene Roddenberry's changes to the Star Trek main title
Alexander Courage on music for the second Star Trek pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before"
Alexander Courage on the deterioration of his relationship with Gene Roddenberry over royalities
Herbert W. Spencer
Alexander Courage on meeting Herbie Spencer, chief arranger at Fox, and getting his start in radio
John Williams
Alexander Courage on getting John Williams his first orchestration job
Alexander Courage on orchestrating for John Williams
Stanley Wilson
Alexander Courage on working with Stanley Wilson at Revue Television