Jerry Goldsmith

Composer


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
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.

"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."

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Full Interview

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Chapter 1

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

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
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
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"

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
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.
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

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

Babe

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Babe and Pursuit
02:06

Black Saddle

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Jerry Goldsmith on the transition into composing for filmed television shows like Black Saddle
04:35

CBS Playhouse

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for CBS Playhouse and the state of the television orchestras in the '60s
01:09

Climax!

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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

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Contract on Cherry Street
01:00

Dr. Kildare

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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)

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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

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Hollywood Television Theater and Masada
03:34

Jericho (1966-67)

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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

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Jerry Goldsmith on being under contract for FOX and composing music for The Loner
02:15

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

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing the theme and incidental music for The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
01:43

Masada

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Hollywood Television Theater and Masada
03:34

Playhouse 90

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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

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Babe and Pursuit
02:06

QB VII

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for QBVII
04:49

Room 222

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Room 222
01:15

Star Trek: The Next Generation

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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

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Jerry Goldsmith on working with producer Norman Felton on Studio One
02:31

Thriller

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Jerry Goldsmith on leaving CBS and going to compose for Revue (later Universal Television) for series like Thriller
04:47

Twilight Zone, The

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for The Twilight Zone and working with Rod Serling on various shows
02:49

Twilight Zone, The: "The Invaders"

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Jerry Goldsmith on the larger ensemble he used for The Twilight Zone episode "The Invaders"
00:55

Waltons, The

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing the theme for The Waltons, Barnaby Jones, Police Story, and Hawkins
03:36
Topics

Advice

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Jerry Goldsmith on advice to aspiring composers
02:12

Anthology Drama

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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

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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

View Topic
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

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

View Topic
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

Television Industry

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Jerry Goldsmith on advice to aspiring composers
02:12
Professions

Composer

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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

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Jerry Goldsmith on the process of composing for television
02:34

Music Professionals

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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
Genres

Classic Anthology Series

View Genre
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

View Genre
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

View Genre
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

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Dr. Kildare  and other shows and his process of composing for television
05:06

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

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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

View Genre
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

View Genre
Jerry Goldsmith on being under contract for FOX and composing music for The Loner
02:15
People

Herbert Brodkin

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for Playhouse 90 for producer Herbert Brodkin
05:48

Norman Felton

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Jerry Goldsmith on working with producer Norman Felton on Studio One
02:31

John Frankenheimer

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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

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Jerry Goldsmith on composing for The Twilight Zone  and working with Rod Serling on various shows
02:49

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