Alexander Courage, the composer who wrote one of the most recognizable television theme songs ever for the series Star Trek has passed away in Palisades, California at the age of 88.
His passing on May 15th was reported late yesterday.
A composer whose career spanned radio, television and film, Courage’s eight note brass fanfare that heralded the voyages of the starship Enterprise, were reprised through virtually all television and film iterations of the popular science fiction franchise.
As a composer and orchestrator, Courage worked on numerous films from the 1950s through the 1990s including Pagan Love Story (1950), Shake, Rattle & Rock! (1956), The Left Handed Gun (1958), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Legend (1985), Hook (1991), Basic Instinct (1992), The Mummy (1999) and Hollow Man (2000). While working at MGM, he orchestrated numerous musicals including Annie Get Your Gun (1950), Show Boat (1951), Singin’ In The Rain (1952), Oklahoma (1955), Gigi (1958), Hello Dolly (1969) and Fiddler On The Roof (1971).
Courage received two Academy Award nominations for his his adaptation of scores for 1963’s The Pleasure Seekers and 1967’s Doctor Dolittle.
Via Film Music Society.
Just saw that another TV composer died this week. Earle Hagen( I Spy Andy Griffith) RIP.