Courage had a very bad experience with Star Trek. Gene Roddenberry was being a jerk and wrote unused lyrics for the Star Trek theme just so he could take half of Courage's residuals.
This is similar to a scam producer Glen Larson used to use on all of his TV shows. He'd ask the composer to play him a demo of the theme (often by Stu Phillips) and then make a few suggestions for changes, which of course the composer would dutifully make, being in a work-for-hire sort of position. Then Glen Larson would claim half the copyright for the theme, in order to profit from the very lucrative theme song residuals.
If you enter "Glen Larson End Credits" into the youtube search window, you'll see this documented in the credits to the QUINCY TV show. But he definitely did it on nearly all of his shows, including Battlestar Galactica Manimal and KnightRider. And Mr. Larson is no composer!
It has to do in part with the politics of studios and composers -- by the time the Star Trek films came along, Sandy Courage was considered an orchestrator rather than a composer in the field. Pigeonholing is still common in Hollywood -- consider that Hans Zimmer and not Alf Clausen scored the new THE SIMPSONS movie. Why? Because Zimmer is a film composer and Clausen is a TV composer. *sigh*
Also, in a reversal of this trend, the producers of the first "Next Generation" film actually hired one of their TV composers, Dennis McCarthy, to score the film. Despite Dennis' fine score, Paramount was not happy with it, and no other TV composer has been allowed to score a big-screen version since!
Thanks a bunch for answering, but I guess I was looking for a solid fact along the lines of, "Well Leonard Nimoy considered him for Star Trek IV but he was too expensive," Or "He refused because he never wanted to do Star Trek again." (But there he is orchestrating his own music on First Contact) I simply can't believe that people in Hollywood can be that short-sighted that they wouldn't consider the guy who WROTE the fanfare that they keep using and paying for and crediting in their films.
Meanwhile, while I appreciate what you're saying about Dennis McCarthy, I have to disagree with you about his score for 'Generations'. I liked his main title/overture, but the rest of the score sounds like (IMHO) a television episode from, say, MacGuyver, with syrupy strings and a very television-ish musical wallpaper quality to it. I was relieved when they got Jerry Goldsmith back for 'First Contact'
HOWEVER, I think Alexander Courage was more prolific and could have probably written a big, epic score for a Trek feature film quite easily. I contend that a big reason the original series was so good was because of its strong music. (Yes, I realize there were a number of composers involved with the show besides Mr. Courage.) Okay, I think I'm done nerding out.
I'd agree that Dennis McCarthy's efforts probably suffered from his long history with the producers of the TV show, who reportedly always called for inobtrusive "droning" music for the TV show rather than the more active music that only lasted for about one season of Next Generation. In Goldsmith's case, he could probably do whatever he thought was best. But then nearly anyone's music would suffer in comparison with Jerry's expertise. :)
Certainly Courage would not have been too expensive, etc. I think if you queried people in the film music industry, they would probably concur that no-one thought of Courage as a "composer" any more after the late 60s. He was loved and revered (among musicians anyway), but as an arranger and orchestrator. I feel certain that would have filtered him out of the running.
I've been seeing his name in credits of movies for years as a composer and orchestrator, and never really knew who he was. If this wonderful documentary was on PBS or TCM, I must have missed it. I'm glad there's YouTube.
I like dancing of a brother in a yeallow shirt. It remids me a ballet - very elegant and refine. T. Rall (Frank) is very jouful and energetic dancer.
galinaqt 3 years ago
Courage had a very bad experience with Star Trek. Gene Roddenberry was being a jerk and wrote unused lyrics for the Star Trek theme just so he could take half of Courage's residuals.
ihate2reg4u 5 years ago
This is similar to a scam producer Glen Larson used to use on all of his TV shows. He'd ask the composer to play him a demo of the theme (often by Stu Phillips) and then make a few suggestions for changes, which of course the composer would dutifully make, being in a work-for-hire sort of position. Then Glen Larson would claim half the copyright for the theme, in order to profit from the very lucrative theme song residuals.
morricone1900 4 years ago
Well, I certainly didn't know about that. What a scumbag! That's really terrible.
drcaputi 4 years ago
If you enter "Glen Larson End Credits" into the youtube search window, you'll see this documented in the credits to the QUINCY TV show. But he definitely did it on nearly all of his shows, including Battlestar Galactica Manimal and KnightRider. And Mr. Larson is no composer!
morricone1900 4 years ago
great videos! What's the music under the Goldsmith section?
jgraville 5 years ago
It's a couple cues from Air Force One combined. The theme from West Wing sounds to me like a homage to this score.
GentleGim 5 years ago
I've never understood why Mr. Courage was never asked to score a Star Trek film. After all, it WAS his theme the movie scores were based around.
Any insight anyone?
drcaputi 5 years ago
It has to do in part with the politics of studios and composers -- by the time the Star Trek films came along, Sandy Courage was considered an orchestrator rather than a composer in the field. Pigeonholing is still common in Hollywood -- consider that Hans Zimmer and not Alf Clausen scored the new THE SIMPSONS movie. Why? Because Zimmer is a film composer and Clausen is a TV composer. *sigh*
morricone1900 4 years ago
Also, in a reversal of this trend, the producers of the first "Next Generation" film actually hired one of their TV composers, Dennis McCarthy, to score the film. Despite Dennis' fine score, Paramount was not happy with it, and no other TV composer has been allowed to score a big-screen version since!
morricone1900 4 years ago
Thanks a bunch for answering, but I guess I was looking for a solid fact along the lines of, "Well Leonard Nimoy considered him for Star Trek IV but he was too expensive," Or "He refused because he never wanted to do Star Trek again." (But there he is orchestrating his own music on First Contact) I simply can't believe that people in Hollywood can be that short-sighted that they wouldn't consider the guy who WROTE the fanfare that they keep using and paying for and crediting in their films.
drcaputi 4 years ago
Meanwhile, while I appreciate what you're saying about Dennis McCarthy, I have to disagree with you about his score for 'Generations'. I liked his main title/overture, but the rest of the score sounds like (IMHO) a television episode from, say, MacGuyver, with syrupy strings and a very television-ish musical wallpaper quality to it. I was relieved when they got Jerry Goldsmith back for 'First Contact'
drcaputi 4 years ago
HOWEVER, I think Alexander Courage was more prolific and could have probably written a big, epic score for a Trek feature film quite easily. I contend that a big reason the original series was so good was because of its strong music. (Yes, I realize there were a number of composers involved with the show besides Mr. Courage.) Okay, I think I'm done nerding out.
drcaputi 4 years ago
I'd agree that Dennis McCarthy's efforts probably suffered from his long history with the producers of the TV show, who reportedly always called for inobtrusive "droning" music for the TV show rather than the more active music that only lasted for about one season of Next Generation. In Goldsmith's case, he could probably do whatever he thought was best. But then nearly anyone's music would suffer in comparison with Jerry's expertise. :)
morricone1900 4 years ago
Certainly Courage would not have been too expensive, etc. I think if you queried people in the film music industry, they would probably concur that no-one thought of Courage as a "composer" any more after the late 60s. He was loved and revered (among musicians anyway), but as an arranger and orchestrator. I feel certain that would have filtered him out of the running.
morricone1900 4 years ago
Inspiring!
Gorillamydreamz 5 years ago
I've been seeing his name in credits of movies for years as a composer and orchestrator, and never really knew who he was. If this wonderful documentary was on PBS or TCM, I must have missed it. I'm glad there's YouTube.
flamingvans 5 years ago