Famed Composer Earle Hagen Dies May 27, 2008
- Rock and Pop
By Ann Donahue, L.A.
Earle Hagen, the prolific Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning composer of theme songs for "The Andy Griffith Show," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "That Girl" and "The Mod Squad" died Monday at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He was 88.
Hagen composed original music for more than 3,000 television shows during his three-decade career, which also included a tenure as an film score arranger and orchestrator for 20th Century Fox.
"Not only was Earle the Father of modern day television music - but his mentoring godfathered countless other composers into the field," says Mike Post, composer for the "Law & Order" franchise, "Dragnet" and "NYPD Blue." "He lived his entire life with kindness and generosity."
Born in Chicago, Hagen moved to Los Angeles as a child and began playing the trombone in junior high school. He graduated at 16 from Hollywood High School and started touring with big bands.
He enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1942, where he served in the Radio Production Unit, arranging and writing for the unit's 65-piece orchestra. He began arranging for movie musicals at this time, including "Cover Girl" starring Rita Hayworth.
In 1946, 20th Century Fox signed him as a contract arranger, where he worked on "With a Song in My Heart," "Call Me Madam," "Gentleman Prefer Blondes," and "There's No Business Like Show Business."
Hagen's partnership with fellow arranger Herbert Spencer began in 1952 when they launched the Spencer-Hagen Orchestra, which recorded albums for RCA and Liberty.
It was in this era Hagen met director Sheldon Leonard, and when Leonard began producing his own TV shows, he turned to Hagen as his primary composer. For "The Andy Griffith Show," Hagen wrote the theme - and is the one who whistled the famous tune for the track.
In 1960, he shared an Oscar nomination with Lionel Newman as musical director for the Marilyn Monroe film "Let's Make Love."
Hagen was the author of three books, including the definitive "Scoring for Films," which was published in 1971. (The book came out of a private study group Hagen held for up-and-comers in his home; knowing that novice film composers wouldn't be flush with cash, Hagen, an avid golfer, asked students to bring three dozen golf balls in lieu of tuition.)
Hagen was a winner of BMI's lifetime achievement honor, the Richard Kirk Award, in 1987. He previously won BMI's President's Award in 1987 for his decade of teaching the film-scoring workshop for the organization and the Classic Contribution Award in 2006 for his iconic themes and lifetime of mentorship.
In recent months, his work has received tributes from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and that National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Hagen is survived by his wife, the former Laura Roberts; two sons, Deane and James; three stepchildren and four grandchildren. He was predeceased in 2002 by his first wife, the former Elouise Sidwell.
Funeral arrangements are pending; in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation.
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