- Will Schaefer
Willis H. Schaefer (
November 23 ,1928 –June 30 ,2007 ) was an American composer nominated for both anEmmy Awards and aPulitzer Prize for his work. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/07/04/entertainment/e203116D78.DTL AP via "The San Francisco Chronicle", "Will Schaefer, wrote 'Jeannie' and 'Flintstones' music, dies" July 4, 2007] ] He wrote background music for a number of popular television shows and composed over 700 commercials.Early life and career
Schaefer was born in
Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1928. His father, Helmut Schaefer, was a founder of the Kenosha Symphony Orchestra. Schaefer was educated at Mary D. Bradford High School in Kenosha,De Paul University (B.M.), andNorthwestern University (M.A. and some work toward a Doctor of Music degree). [ [http://www.wlip.com/pages/67367.php?contentType=4&contentId=186440 AM 1050 WLIP "Will Schaefer 1923-2007"] ]His first credits as a film and television composer date from 1948. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0769670/ IMDb "Will Schaefer"] ] He served during the
Korean War with the United States Fifth Army Band as an arranger and assistant conductor writing music forRadio Free Europe and theVoice of America .Composer and arranger
Schaefer returned to composing themes for television after the Korean War with "
Gunsmoke " and "The Phil Silvers Show ". [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0769670/ IMDb "Will Schaefer"] ] In following decades, he would compose background music for many popular television programs including "I Dream of Jeannie ,The Flintstones ,The Flying Nun ,Hogan's Heroes ,The Jetsons " and "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ". [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/07/04/entertainment/e203116D78.DTL AP via "The San Francisco Chronicle", "Will Schaefer, wrote 'Jeannie' and 'Flintstones' music, dies" July 4, 2007] ]Schaefer arranged and recorded music for over 700 commercials winning three
Clio Awards . He also helped arrange music for theIt's a Small World ride forDisney . Schaefer was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his concert piece "The Sound of America" commissioned for theUnited States Bicentennial . In 1978, his work on the Disney TV movie "The Skytrap " was nominated for an Emmy for best score. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/07/04/entertainment/e203116D78.DTL AP via "The San Francisco Chronicle", "Will Schaefer, wrote 'Jeannie' and 'Flintstones' music, dies" July 4, 2007] ]His last credited work was the track "Now That We're Men" on the "
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie " soundtrack of 2004. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0769670/ IMDb "Will Schaefer"] ] He died ofcancer in anursing home inCathedral City nearPalm Springs, California . [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/07/04/entertainment/e203116D78.DTL AP via "The San Francisco Chronicle", "Will Schaefer, wrote 'Jeannie' and 'Flintstones' music, dies" July 4, 2007] ]References
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