"In the music department at Universal Television in 1963 I was in one office, John Williams was in another, Quincy Jones, Dave Grusin, and Lalo Schifrin were all there. We'd try to outdo each other. It was a very creative time that doesn't exist now."

    About This Interview

    In his two-hour interview, Jerry Goldsmith talks about his early years at CBS where he began as a typist in the music department and then began working on shows, adding library music (and some original work) to radio series of the day. He describes his transition to television with the "live" dramatic anthology series Climax! He talks about the schedule for this series, the kinds of music he wrote, and the phenomenon of working in "live" television. He also discusses working on the last two seasons of the prestigious CBS anthology series Playhouse 90. Additionally, he talks about his continued work in television (at Revue Studios, Lorimar Studios, and elsewhere), where he worked on other filmed series, television movies, and television miniseries. Jon Burlingame conducted the interview on May 8, 2002 in Beverly Hills, CA.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On his early life and influences; on his early aspirations and career path; on his early experience with watching television   

    04:57

    On getting into the business of composing music; on going to work for CBS Radio; on his job in the CBS Radio music library and on how he came to start writing scores for CBS radio shows

    10:09

    On transitioning into composing for CBS television with the series Climax!; on the craft of composing music for live television broadcasts and on the process of composing for television; on the experiences of having his score played during live broadcasts

    13:22

    Chapter 2

    On where he would sit and conduct the orchestra during live Playhouse 90 broadcasts for director John Frankenheimer and on mishaps on live television; on the pressure of composing for live television in the '50s and what he learned in that time; on working with producer Norman Felton on Studio One

    08:23

    On Climax! being in color and being the first dramatic show to be taped; on composing for Playhouse 90 for producer Herbert Brodkin; on the various directors of Playhouse 90

    10:30

    On the process of composing for television; on the transition into composing for filmed television shows like Black Saddle; on the larger ensemble he used for The Twilight Zone episode "The Invaders"

    10:03

    Chapter 3

    On composing for The Twilight Zone and working with Rod Serling on various shows; on leaving CBS and going to compose for Revue (later Universal Television) for series like Thriller; on composing for Dr. Kildare and other shows and his process of composing for television

    12:44

    On composing the theme and incidental music for The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; on being under contract for FOX and composing music for The Loner; on composing for Jericho and being nominated for Emmy Awards for composing for Thriller and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    05:38

    On composing for CBS Playhouse and the state of the television orchestras in the '60s; on composing for Room 222; on composing the themes for The Waltons, Barnaby Jones, Police Story, and Hawkins

    10:09

    Chapter 4

    On composing for the made-for-television movie The Red Pony for which he won an Emmy Award; on composing for QB VII; on composing for Babe and Pursuit

    08:15

    On composing for Contract on Cherry Street; on composing for Hollywood Television Theater and Masada; on composing the theme for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," which later became the theme for Star Trek: The Next Generation, and composing for other "Star Trek" features and shows including Star Trek: Voyager 

    08:38

    On the difference between composing for features and composing for television; on career highlights; on advice to aspiring composers

    08:00

    Babe

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Babe and Pursuit

    02:06

    Black Saddle

    Jerry Goldsmith on the transition into composing for filmed television shows like Black Saddle

    04:35

    CBS Playhouse

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for CBS Playhouse and the state of the television orchestras in the '60s

    01:09

    Climax!

    Jerry Goldsmith on transitioning into composing for CBS television with the series Climax!

    05:40

    Jerry Goldsmith on Climax! being in color and being the first dramatic show to be taped

    02:37

    Contract on Cherry Street

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Contract on Cherry Street

    01:00

    Dr. Kildare

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Dr. Kildare and other shows and his process of composing for television

    05:06

    Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Jericho and being nominated for Emmys for composing for Thriller and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    01:38

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for the made-for-television movie The Red Pony for which he won an Emmy

    01:17

    Hollywood Television Theatre

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Hollywood Television Theater and Masada

    03:34

    Jericho (1966-67)

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Jericho and being nominated for Emmy Awards for composing for Thriller and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    01:38

    Loner, The

    Jerry Goldsmith on being under contract for FOX and composing music for The Loner

    02:15

    Man From U.N.C.L.E., The

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing the theme and incidental music for The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    01:43

    Masada

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Hollywood Television Theater and Masada

    03:34

    Playhouse 90

    Jerry Goldsmith on where he would sit and conduct the orchestra during live Playhouse 90 broadcasts for director John Frankenheimer and on mishaps on live television 

    04:12

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Playhouse 90 for producer Herbert Brodkin

    05:48

    Jerry Goldsmith on the various directors of Playhouse 90

    02:04

    Pursuit

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Babe and Pursuit

    02:06

    QB VII

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for QBVII

    04:49

    Room 222

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Room 222

    01:15

    Star Trek: The Next Generation

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing the theme for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture", which later became the theme for Star Trek: The Next Generation, and composing for other "Star Trek" features and shows including Star Trek: Voyager  

    04:00

    Studio One

    Jerry Goldsmith on working with producer Norman Felton on Studio One

    02:31

    Thriller

    Jerry Goldsmith on leaving CBS and going to compose for Revue (later Universal Television) for series like Thriller

    04:47

    Twilight Zone, The

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for The Twilight Zone and working with Rod Serling on various shows

    02:49

    Twilight Zone, The: "The Invaders"

    Jerry Goldsmith on the larger ensemble he used for The Twilight Zone episode "The Invaders"

    00:55

    Waltons, The

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing the theme for The Waltons, Barnaby Jones, Police Story, and Hawkins

    03:36

    Advice

    Jerry Goldsmith on advice to aspiring composers

    02:12

    Anthology Drama

    Jerry Goldsmith on the craft of composing music for live television broadcasts and on the process of composing for television

    04:29

    Jerry Goldsmith on the pressure of composing for live television in the '50s and what he learned in that time

    01:39

    Bloopers

    Jerry Goldsmith on where he would sit and conduct the orchestra during live Playhouse 90 broadcasts for director John Frankenheimer and on mishaps on live television 

    04:12

    Emmy Awards

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Jericho and being nominated for Emmys for composing for Thriller and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    01:38

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for the made-for-television movie The Red Pony for which he won an Emmy

    01:17

    Television Industry

    Jerry Goldsmith on advice to aspiring composers

    02:12

    TV's Golden Age (1940s & '50s)

    Jerry Goldsmith on the craft of composing music for live television broadcasts and on the process of composing for television

    04:29

    Jerry Goldsmith on the pressure of composing for live television in the '50s and what he learned in that time

    01:39

    Composer

    Jerry Goldsmith on the craft of composing music for live television broadcasts and on the process of composing for television

    04:30

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Dr. Kildare and other shows and his process of composing for television

    05:06

    Jerry Goldsmith on the difference between composing for features and composing for television

    04:12

    Jerry Goldsmith on advice to aspiring composers

    02:12

    Music Director

    Jerry Goldsmith on the process of composing for television

    02:34

    Music Professionals

    Jerry Goldsmith on the craft of composing music for live television broadcasts and on the process of composing for television

    04:30

    Jerry Goldsmith on the process of composing for television

    02:34

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Dr. Kildare and other shows and his process of composing for television

    05:06

    Jerry Goldsmith on the difference between composing for features and composing for television

    04:12

    Jerry Goldsmith on advice to aspiring composers

    02:12

    Classic Anthology Series

    Jerry Goldsmith on transitioning into composing for CBS television with the series Climax!

    05:40

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Playhouse 90, Climax!, and Studio One

    18:55

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for The Twilight Zone (Part 1)

    00:55

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for The Twilight Zone  and working with Rod Serling on various shows (Part 2)

    02:49

    Jerry Goldsmith on leaving CBS and going to compose for Revue (later Universal Television) for series like Thriller

    04:47

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Jericho and being nominated for Emmy Awards for composing for Thriller  and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    01:38

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for CBS Playhouse  and the state of the television orchestras in the '60s

    01:10

    Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing the theme and incidental music for The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    01:43

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Jericho and being nominated for Emmy Awards for composing for Thriller  and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    01:38

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing the theme for The WaltonsBarnaby JonesPolice Story, and Hawkins

    03:36

    Drama Series

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for various made-for-television movies in the '70s including The Homecoming, the pilot for The Waltons

    04:08

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Jericho and being nominated for Emmy Awards for composing for Thriller  and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

    01:38

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing the theme for The WaltonsBarnaby JonesPolice Story, and Hawkins

    03:36

    Medical Dramas

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Dr. Kildare  and other shows and his process of composing for television

    05:06

    Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing the theme for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture", which later became the theme for Star Trek: The Next Generation, and composing for other "Star Trek" features and shows including Star Trek: Voyager  

    04:00

    TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for various made-for-television movies in the '70s including The Homecoming, the pilot for The Waltons

    04:08

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for QB VII

    04:49

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Babe and Pursuit

    02:06

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Contract on Cherry Street

    01:00

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Hollywood Television Theater and Masada

    03:34

    Western Series

    Jerry Goldsmith on being under contract for FOX and composing music for The Loner

    02:15

    Herbert Brodkin

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Playhouse 90 for producer Herbert Brodkin

    05:48

    Norman Felton

    Jerry Goldsmith on working with producer Norman Felton on Studio One

    02:31

    John Frankenheimer

    Jerry Goldsmith on where he would sit and conduct the orchestra during live Playhouse 90 broadcasts for director John Frankenheimer and on mishaps on live television 

    04:12

    Rod Serling

    Jerry Goldsmith on composing for The Twilight Zone  and working with Rod Serling on various shows

    02:49

    All Interviews

    Loading Interviews...