Richard Markowitz

Richard Allen Markowitz (September 3, 1926 in Santa Monica, California – December 6, 1994 in Santa Monica, California) was an American film and television composer. He was the father of singer Kate Markowitz.

Biography

As a Santa Monica High School student, Markowitz led a big band called Dick Allen and the Teenagers under the name Dick Allen. Following his graduation in 1943 he performed military service in World War II. After the war, Markowitz studied music in Paris and under Arthur Honegger and Arnold Schoenberg.[1] While in Paris he played in jazz clubs and met his wife Haru Yanai.[2]

Markowitz began film composing with the 1958 film Stakeout on Dope Street for director Irvin Kershner. He collaborated again with Kernsher on the films The Young Captives, (1959), Hoodlum Priest (1961), and Face in the Rain (1963). He collaborated with his wife on the score of the film Roadracers (1959) where Haru wrote lyrics to the songs. His other film scores included One Man's Way (1963), Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965), Wild Seed (1965), Ride Beyond Vengeance (1966), The Shooting (1966), which starred Warren Oates and Jack Nicholson, Cry for Me, Billy (1972), and Circle of Power (1981).

In 1961 he composed the score for Bert I. Gordon's The Magic Sword and began his television career composing the theme song and background music to The Rebel where the theme song was sung by Johnny Cash.

He again scored a well known Western TV series when he replaced Dimitri Tiomkin in conducting the theme and background music to The Wild Wild West. Keeping with the Western genre he scored the television movie (Scalplock) that spawned the series The Iron Horse as well as providing music for a variety of American television series and made for TV movies such as Weekend of Terror (1970), The Hanged Man (1974), Brinks: The Great Robbery (1976), Mayday at 40,000 Feet! (1976) and Death Car on the Freeway (1979).

Television series scored by Markowitz

Television

"Episode(s)" denotes the listing may be incomplete.

Year Title Info On CD?
1949 Trouble, Inc. (failed pilot) NO
1961 Las Vegas Beat TV movie (failed pilot) NO
1962 Ben Casey Episode(s):
"Rigadoon for Three Pianos" (Season 2)
"Will Everyone Who Believes in Terry Dunne Please Applaud" (season 2)
"La Vie, La Vie Interieure" (season 2)
"A Cardinal Act of Mercy -- Part 1" (season 2)
"A Cardinal Act of Mercy -- Part 2" (season 2)
"A Hundred More Pipers" (season 2)
"The Echo of a Silent Cheer -- Part 1" (season 3)
"The Echo of a Silent Cheer -- Part 2" (season 3)
"Light Up the Dark Corners" (season 3)
"There Was Once a Man in the Land of Uz" (season 3)		 NO
1962 Empire At least one episode. NO
1963 Breaking Point At least two episodes. NO
1963 Postmark: Jim Fletcher Episode(s):
"(unknown title)" (failed pilot)
And theme music.		 NO
1965 Branded Episode(s):
"One Way Out" (season 1)		 NO
1967 Custer Episode(s):
"Sabers In the Sun" (pilot)		 NO
1967 Hondo Episode(s):
"Hondo and the Brave"
And theme music.		 NO
1974 The Streets of San Francisco Episode(s):
"Mask of Death"
 NO
1975 Joe Forrester Episode(s):
"Deadly Weekend: Part 1"
"Deadly Weekend: Part 2"
And theme music.		 NO
1976 Most Wanted Episode(s):
"The Slaver"		 NO
1977 Hunter Episode(s):
"The Barking Dog"		 NO
1976 Most Wanted Episode(s):
"Slaver"		 NO
1976 The Quest Episode(s):
"The Buffalo Hunters"		 NO
1978 The Runaways Episode(s):
"No Prince for My Cinderella"
"Melinda and the Pinball Wizard"
"Lies We Live With"
"Too Young to Love"		 NO
1978 Doctors' Private Lives Episode(s):
"Pilot"
(only four episodes made; John Cacavas also on the series)		 NO
1984 Glitter At least one episode. NO
1984 Murder, She Wrote Total 72 episodes (from season 1 to 7) NO
1986 Blacke's Magic Episode(s):
"Knave of Diamonds, Ace of Hearts"
"Vanishing Act"
"Prisoner of Paradise"
"Forced Landing"		 NO
1986 Dynasty All episodes:
"The Decision"
"The Vigil"
Both episodes from season 6 and co-composed (uncredited) with Jack Smalley.		 NO
1987 The Law and Harry McGraw Episode(s):
"Dead Men Don't Make Phone Calls"
"Murder by Landslide"
"Yankee Doodle Dandy"
"The Fallen Arrow"
"She's Not Wild About Harry"
"Angela's Secret" (co-scored with Jack Smalley)
"Solve It Again Harry"
"Gilhooey's Is History"
"Waiting Game"
Theme music nominated for an Emmy.		 NO

References

  1. ^ "The Night of the Composers". Archived from the original on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  2. ^ p. 44 Bessman, Jim Markowitz Maps Solo Career with Dad as Inspiration Billboard 27 March 2004


Stub icon

This article about an American composer born in the 20th century is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.