Quincy Jones

Composer / Producer

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Quincy Jones (1933-2024) details his tumultuous early years and pinpoints the moment his life changed as he became interested in music. He talks about starting his music career as an arranger and discusses his quick rise in the music industry. He chronicles his television work, which includes composing music for such classics as Ironside, Roots, Sanford & Son, and The Cosby Show and producing such series as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and In the House. He also discusses producing the 1996 Academy Awards, making the music video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller," and producing "We Are the World." Jon Burlingame conducted the interview on November 14, 2002 in Bel Air, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"The role of music in television, or movies, serves two functions: it deals with tension and release. It has a magical ability to paint the psyche emotionally. We call it sometimes 'emotion lotion,' because it hits you. Nothing hits you harder than music."

People Talking About ...

Highlights

Quincy Jones on composing the theme for Sanford & Son

04:05

Quincy Jones on MTV and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video

03:39

Quincy Jones on being an executive producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

06:12

On Rebop; on composing for the miniseries Roots; on the impact of Roots

Quincy Jones on his friendship with Oprah Winfrey

03:01

Quincy Jones on composing the theme and scoring for the sitcom Hey Landlord!

03:56

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early years growing up in Chicago (and then Washington State); on his education; on the moment when he played a piano and became interested in music; on meeting Ray Charles; on his early musical work

On joining Lionel Hampton's band at 18; on touring in Europe and Asia; on meeting and working with such music professionals as Dizzy Gillespie, Johnny Mathis, and Lalo Schifrin; on working as an arranger; on moving to New York; on being signed to Mercury Records and becoming a company Vice President in 1964

Chapter 2

On first seeing television; on appearing on variety shows; on watching the filming of I Love Lucy; on composing for the feature film The Pawnbroker

On working in Los Angeles; on scoring his first Hollywood films

On composing for his first television series, the sitcom Hey Landlord!

On composing the theme and scoring Ironside; on the show's use of the Moog synthesizer

On composing for European Eye, The Pickle Brothers and The Bill Cosby Show

Chapter 3

On composing the theme and incidental music for The Bill Cosby Show; on the TV-movie Killer By Night; on composing the theme for Sanford & Son; on working on the animated show Big

On being musical director on The New Bill Cosby Show; on composing for NBC's Wednesday Mystery Movie; on producing Duke Ellington: We Love You Madly; on suffering two aneurysms in 1974

Chapter 4

On Rebop; on composing for the miniseries Roots; on the impact of Roots

On his friendship with Oprah Winfrey; on the advent of MTV; on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video and "We Are the World"; on producing The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Chapter 5

On appearing on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (which he produced); on the show's legacy; on producing In the House; on producing a series on the history of rock and roll; on producing shows, in general; on producing the 1996 Academy Awards

On Vibe; on the importance of music in television and film; on his advice to aspiring composers

Shows

Academy Awards, The

Quincy Jones on producing the 1996 Academy Awards

03:45

Bill Cosby Show, The

Quincy Jones on first working with Bill Cosby

01:01

Quincy Jones on composing the theme and incidental music for The Bill Cosby Show

05:21

Duke Ellington… We Love You Madly

Quincy Jones on producing Duke Ellington... We Love You Madly

04:37

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The

Quincy Jones on being an executive producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

06:12

Quincy Jones on appearing on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (which he produced); on the show's legacy

01:58

Hey Landlord!

Quincy Jones on composing the theme and scoring for the sitcom Hey Landlord!

03:56

In the House

Quincy Jones on producing In the House

03:29

Ironside

Quincy Jones on composing the theme and scoring Ironside; on the show's use of the Moog synthesizer

12:43

New Bill Cosby Show, The

Quincy Jones on working as musical director on The New Bill Cosby Show

05:36

Rebop

Quincy Jones on the PBS series Rebop

01:06

Roots

Quincy Jones on composing for Roots

10:41

Sanford and Son

Quincy Jones on composing the theme for Sanford & Son

04:05

Topics

Historic Events and Social Change

Quincy Jones on first working on Holllywood films

03:05

Memorable Moments on Television

Quincy Jones on MTV and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video

03:39

Pop Culture

Quincy Jones on composing the theme for Sanford & Son

04:05

Quincy Jones on composing the theme and incidental music for The Bill Cosby Show

05:21

Representation on Television

Quincy Jones on first working on Holllywood films

03:05

Quincy Jones on the impact of Roots

01:28

TV Theme Songs

Quincy Jones on composing the theme and incidental music for The Bill Cosby Show

05:21

Quincy Jones on composing the theme for Sanford & Son

04:05

Underrepresented Voices

Quincy Jones on first working on Holllywood films

03:05

Quincy Jones on the impact of Roots

01:28

We Considered

Quincy Jones on the impact of Roots

01:28

Professions

Composer

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On composing for his first television series, the sitcom Hey Landlord!

03:56

On composing for European Eye, The Pickle Brothers and The Bill Cosby Show

01:48

Genres

Awards Shows

Quincy Jones on producing the 1996 Academy Awards

03:45

Comedy Series

Quincy Jones on working as musical director on The New Bill Cosby Show

05:36

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

Quincy Jones on producing Duke Ellington... We Love You Madly

04:37

Quincy Jones on the impact of Roots

01:28

People

Bill Cosby

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Quincy Jones on first working with Bill Cosby

01:01

Quincy Jones on composing the theme and incidental music for The Bill Cosby Show

05:22

Quincy Jones on working as musical director on The New Bill Cosby Show

05:36

Christopher Reeve

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Quincy Jones on producing the 1996 Academy Awards

03:45

George Schlatter

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Quincy Jones on working as musical director on The New Bill Cosby Show

05:36

Michael Jackson

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Quincy Jones on MTV and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video

03:39

Oprah Winfrey

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Quincy Jones on his friendship with Oprah Winfrey

03:01

Redd Foxx

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Quincy Jones on composing the theme for Sanford & Son

04:05

Will Smith

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Quincy Jones on being an executive producer of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

06:12