John Morris (composer)

John Morris
Born	John Leonard Morris October 18, 1926 Elizabeth, New Jersey
Occupation	retired film composer

John Leonard Morris (born October 18, 1926) is a retired American film and television composer, best known for his work with filmmaker Mel Brooks.

Life and career

Morris was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He has had a long career of composing music for Mel Brooks, starting in 1968 with The Producers which was Brooks' first film. Morris continued to write the scores and songs for most of Brooks' films. However, the music of Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Dracula: Dead and Loving It were both composed by Hummie Mann. In an interview with Film Score Monthly, Brooks explained that Morris couldn't do the music for Men in Tights or Dead and Loving It due to other commitments.^[1] Morris also composed the music to To Be or Not to Be, a film in which Brooks starred as well as wrote but did not direct. The original music for The Elephant Man, a film that was produced by Brooks, was also scored by Morris. John was the only person who managed to film the Ramones live at the CBGB's back in the 1974. Some of his footage was used in the DVD It's Alive.

According to Brooks on an audio commentary of Young Frankenstein, Morris' best scores written for his movies were The Elephant Man and Young Frankenstein.

Filmography

• The Blackwater Lightship (2004) (TV)
• The Lady in Question (1999) (TV)
• Murder in a Small Town (1999) (TV)
• Ellen Foster (1997) (TV)
• Scarlett (1994) (TV)
• Life Stinks (1991)
• Stella (1990)
• Coach (composer: main theme) (1989-97)
• Second Sight (1989)
• The Wash (1988)
• Ironweed (1987)
• Dirty Dancing (1987)
• Spaceballs (1987)
• Haunted Honeymoon (1986)
• Clue (1985)
• The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
• Johnny Dangerously (1984)
• The Woman in Red (1984)
• To Be or Not to Be (1983)
• Yellowbeard (1983)
• Table for Five (1983)
• History of the World: Part I (1981)
• The Elephant Man (1980, Oscar Nomination)
• In God We Tru$t (1980)
• The Scarlet Letter (PBS mini-series 1979/80)
• The In-Laws (1979)
• High Anxiety (1977)
• The World's Greatest Lover (1977)
• The Last Remake of Beau Geste (1977)
• Silent Movie (1976)
• The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)
• Blazing Saddles (1974)
• Young Frankenstein (1974)
• Bank Shot (1974)
• The Twelve Chairs (1970)
• The Gamblers (1970)
• The Producers (1968)
• The French Chef (second theme) (1963)

References

1. Jeffrey K. Howard (August 15, 2001). "Lost Issue Wednesday: Mel Brooks Interview (1997)". Retrieved July 12, 2009.

External links

• John Morris at the Internet Movie Database
• John Morris on Myspace