Leroy Shield
Leroy Shield (born October 2, 1893 in Waseca , Minnesota as LeRoy Bernard Shields , † January 9, 1962 in Vero Beach , Florida ) was an American film and radio composer. He became known through his compositions for Laurel and Hardy as well as the little rascals .
life and career
Leroy Shields was born in Minnesota to Patrick F. Shields and his wife Maude. He made his professional debut as a concert pianist at the age of 12. During the First World War he was the band leader of his regiment and then accompanied Éva Gauthier on tours through America and Cuba. In 1922, Shield took a trip to Europe. Between 1923 and 1931 he worked for Victor Talking Machine Company and RCA Victor as a composer and conductor for radio shows and records. Through a collaboration with actress Thelma Todd , he came into contact with Hal Roach Studios in the late 1920s. By 1938, Shield composed music for over 180 films from Hal Roach Studios, including the classic comedies by Laurel and Hardy and The Little Rascal .
Perhaps his most famous composition is Good Old Days , the music for the little rascal film Teacher's Pet . Good Old Days became the title and signature music of all of the following films by Die Kleine Trolchen and achieved notoriety beyond the series. His song Beautiful Lady also became the theme of a comedy series starring Thelma Todd and ZaSu Pitts . Nevertheless, for his work at Hal Roach Studios, he was mentioned in the opening credits for only two of the more than 180 films. After some quarrels, the collaboration ended in 1938. At the same time he was working with the orchestra of the National Broadcasting Company and was a conductor on many popular radio shows. In the early 1950s he toured with Arturo Toscanini , and in 1955 Shield finally retired. In addition to his music work, he also published poems.
In 1962 Leroy Shields died of cancer at the age of 68. He was married to Katherine Williams.
Filmography (selection)
- 1930: Pups Is Pups
- 1930: Teacher's Pet
- 1930: Happy Childhood (Brats)
- 1930: Housing Agents (Another Fine Mess)
- 1931: All dogs love Stan (Laughing Gravy)
- 1931: The Lady on the Shoulder (Chickens Come Home)
- 1931: The bride is stolen (Our Wife)
- 1931: Savior in need (One Good Turn)
- 1932: Going to anchor (Any Old Port!)
- 1932: The grueling piano transport (The Music Box)
- 1932: The Devil Brothers (Pack Up Your Troubles)
- 1933: As a dowry hunter (Me and My Pal)
- 1933: Men in the Chimney (Dirty Work)
- 1933: On the edge of the circular saw (Busy Bodies)
- 1934: Those Distant Mountains (Them Thar Hills)
- 1936: The Doppelgangers (Our Relations)
Web links
- Leroy Shield in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Leroy Shield (Homepage)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Shield, Leroy |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Shields, LeRoy Bernard (maiden name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American composer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 2, 1893 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Waseca , Minnesota |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 9, 1962 |
| Place of death | Vero Beach , Florida |