Franklyn Marks

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Franklyn Marks (born May 31, 1911 in Cleveland , Ohio , † July 12, 1976 in Sherman Oaks , California ) was an American composer and arranger who has emerged as both a film composer and a composer of progressive jazz .

Act

Marks wrote the song Merry Widow on a Spree (1937, as Frank Marks) for Irving Mills , which he also recorded as a pianist with the Millphonics Orchestra . In the same year he played several pieces with his own band. Over the next few years he arranged for Charlie Barnet and was involved in the orchestration of the musicals Too Many Girls and Best Foot Forward .

From 1950 Marks wrote compositions for Stan Kenton's orchestra that overcame the limitations of classical composition and were oriented towards Latin jazz . His Trajectories was played by Kenton at the opening of all concerts. Kenton also recorded Spirals and Evening in Pakistan . Marks songs have also been recorded by Jerry Lewis , Mel Blanc , Ike Carpenter, Bob Crosby , Laurindo Almeida, and Artie Shaw . In 1953 he accompanied Yma Sumac on the piano when she performed at the Mocambo Club in Hollywood.

Working for Kenton compensated for the constraints that Marks' work for the Hollywood studios, especially since 1955 for Walt Disney Studios , brought with it. But unlike in jazz, he was able to earn his living there. As a composer he acted in 1955 for an episode of the Mickey Mouse Club and from 1956 for 25 episodes of the television series Disney Land and other Disney television productions. For the cinema, he first orchestrated the music for cartoons , documentaries and feature films from the Disney studios for Paul J. Smith , George Bruns and Marvin Hamlisch , before writing the music himself for the first film about Dagobert Duck in 1967 . He also wrote individual film songs, for example Climb the Mountain for William Alwyn's soundtrack to Third Man on the Mountain (1959).

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Franklyn Marks 1911-1976
  2. ^ Brian Rust Jazz and Ragtime Records (1897-1942): LZ , p. 1173
  3. ^ Brian Rust The American Dance Band Discography 1917-1942: Arthur Lange to Bob Zurke , p. 1187
  4. ^ Steven Suskin The Sound of Broadway Music: A Book of Orchestrators and Orchestrations . Oxford: Oxford University Press 2011, pp. 338, 377
  5. ^ Billboard , Oct. 3, 1953, p. 15
  6. ^ Letter from 1967 to Michael Sparke Stan Kenton: This is an Orchestra! Denton: University of North Texas Press 2010, p. 85
  7. ^ Ian Johnson William Alwyn: The Art of Film Music Boydell & Brewer 2006, p. 288
personal data
SURNAME Marks, Franklyn
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American composer and arranger
DATE OF BIRTH May 31, 1911
PLACE OF BIRTH Cleveland , Ohio
DATE OF DEATH July 12, 1976
Place of death Sherman Oaks , California