Paul J. Smith (October 30, 1906 – January 25, 1985) was an American music composer and violinist best known for his work at

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

Life and career

Smith was born in

Calumet, Michigan Calumet ( or ) is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. Also known as Red Jacket, the village includes the ...

on October 30, 1906. Upon graduating high school, he studied music at The College of Idaho from 1923 to 1925 before he was accepted into the Bush Conservatory of Music in Chicago, Illinois. His abilities in theory and composition earned him a scholarship to study music theory at

Juilliard The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most e ...

, however, it is unclear if he ever pursued this invitation. Smith spent much of his life working at

as composer for many of its films' scores, animated and live-action alike, movie and television alike; from 1962 to 1963, he also composed music for '' Leave It to Beaver''. In '' Fantasia'', he is one of the studio employees in the orchestra. He also composed the scores for several of the ''

True-Life Adventures ''True-Life Adventures'' is a series of short and full-length nature documentary films released by Walt Disney Productions between the years 1948 and 1960. The first seven films released were thirty-minute shorts, with the subsequent seven film ...

'' episodes. In 1950, Smith and Oliver Wallace composed the musical score of Disney's ''Cinderella''. Smith's main collaborator and partner was Hazel "Gil" George, who wrote the song title for '' The Light in the Forest'' with him and

Lawrence Edward Watkin Lawrence Edward Watkin (December 9, 1901 – December 16, 1981) was an American writer and film producer. He was known primarily as a scriptwriter for a series of 1950s Walt Disney films. Life Watkin was born in Camden (town), New York in 1901. ...

. Another one of Smith's collaborator was George Bruns who worked with him on films like '' Westward Ho the Wagons!''. Smith also did the

stock music Production music (also known as stock music or library music) is recorded music that can be licensed to customers for use in film, television, radio and other media. Often, the music is produced and owned by production music libraries. Backgrou ...

for the '' Blondie'' series of the late 1940s and early 1950s. He won an

Academy Award for Best Original Score The Academy Award for Best Original Score is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by ...

with Leigh Harline and

Ned Washington Ned Washington (born Edward Michael Washington, August 15, 1901 – December 20, 1976) was an American lyricist born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Life and career Washington was nominated for eleven Academy Awards from 1940 to 1962. He won the Be ...

for ''

Pinocchio Pinocchio ( , ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the children's novel ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' (1883) by Italian writer Carlo Collodi of Florence, Tuscany. Pinocchio was carved by a woodcarver named Geppetto in a Tuscan vil ...

'', which was his first and only Oscar win. Smith received seven more Oscar nominations for ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'', ''Saludos Amigos'', ''Victory Through Air Power'', ''The Three Caballeros'', ''Song of the South'', ''Cinderella'' and ''Perri''.

Death

Smith died on January 25, 1985, in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents ac ...

, from Alzheimer's disease at age 78. In 1994, he was posthumously honored as a Disney Legend.

Animation scores

*'' Thru the Mirror'', 1936 *'' Don Donald'', 1937 *'' Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'', 1937 *''

Donald's Nephews ''Donald's Nephews'' (1938) is a Donald Duck animated cartoon which features Donald being visited by his three nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. This cartoon is Huey, Dewey, and Louie's first appearance in animation. Al Taliaferro, the artist fo ...

'', 1938 *'' The Practical Pig'', 1939 *''

'', 1940 *'' Bone Trouble'', 1940 *'' Fantasia'', 1940 (violinist in orchestra) *'' Fire Chief'', 1940 *'' Pluto's Playmate'', 1941 *'' Canine Caddy'', 1941 *'' A Gentleman's Gentleman'', 1941 *'' The Reluctant Dragon'' (additional music) *''

Donald Gets Drafted ''Donald Gets Drafted'' is a 1942 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon has Donald Duck being drafted into the U. S. Army during World War II and follows his introduction ...

'', 1942 *''

Bambi ''Bambi'' is a 1942 American animated drama film directed by David Hand (supervising a team of sequence directors), produced by Walt Disney and based on the 1923 book '' Bambi, a Life in the Woods'' by Austrian author and hunter Felix Sal ...

'', 1942 (orchestration) *'' Saludos Amigos'', 1942 *''

Fall Out Fall In ''Fall Out Fall In'' is a Walt Disney cartoon starring Donald Duck. It was released on April 23, 1943, by RKO Radio Pictures. The film's title incorporates two military commands: "fall in," meaning to create an organized formation of soldiers, a ...

'', 1943 *'' Victory Through Air Power'', 1943 *''

The Old Army Game ''The Old Army Game'' is a 1943 World War II cartoon starring Donald Duck that was produced by Walt Disney and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures. Plot Pete is inspecting a camp and goes through the cabins to see all of the soldiers sleeping. H ...

'', 1943 *''

Donald's Off Day ''Donald's Off Day'' is a 1944 Walt Disney animated short by Jack Hannah starring Donald Duck and Huey, Louie and Dewey. It stars the nephews tricking Donald into thinking that he is seriously ill. This cartoon was Hannah's debut as an animati ...

'', 1944 *'' Tiger Trouble'', 1945 *''

The Three Caballeros ''The Three Caballeros'' is a 1944 American live-action/animated musical anthology film produced by Walt Disney and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film premiered in Mexico City on December 21, 1944. It was released in the United States on ...

'', 1945 *'' The Eyes Have It'', 1945 *'' Californy'er Bust'', 1945 *'' Hockey Homicide'', 1945 *''

The Lady Said No ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...

'', 1946 *''

Song of the South ''Song of the South'' is a 1946 American live-action/animated musical drama film directed by Harve Foster and Wilfred Jackson; produced by Walt Disney and released by RKO Radio Pictures. It is based on the Uncle Remus stories as adapted by J ...

'', 1946 (cartoon segments) *'' Fun and Fancy Free'', 1947 *'' Mail Dog'', 1947 *'' Melody Time'', 1948 (''Pecos Bill'' and ''Johnny Appleseed'') *'' So Dear to My Heart'', 1949 *'' Toy Tinkers'', 1949 *''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

'', 1950 *'' Trailer Horn'', 1950 *'' Puss Cafe'', 1950 *'' Motor Mania'', 1950 *''

Pests of the West This is a list of animated short films produced by Walt Disney and Walt Disney Animation Studios from 1921 to the present. This includes films produced at the Laugh-O-Gram Studio which Disney founded in 1921 as well as the animation studio now o ...

'', 1950 *''Food For Feudin'', 1950 *''

Hook, Lion and Sinker ''Hook, Lion and Sinker'' is a Disney short cartoon featuring Donald Duck, who appears as a fisherman, and Louie the Mountain Lion. This is the second episode to feature Louie and the only episode where he is shown to have a son. The film's plot ...

'', 1950 *''

Camp Dog This is a list of animated short films produced by Walt Disney and Walt Disney Animation Studios from 1921 to the present. This includes films produced at the Laugh-O-Gram Studio which Disney founded in 1921 as well as the animation studio now o ...

'', 1950 *''

Hold That Pose ''Hold That Pose'' is a 1950 American animated cartoon produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film's plot centers on Goofy trying to get a job as a wildlife photographer but ending up causing trouble in a g ...

'', 1950 *''

Lion Down ''Lion Down'' is a 1951 Goofy cartoon featuring Goofy and Louie the Mountain Lion. The film's plot centers on Goofy and Louie competing for a comfortable place to rest. The film is Louie's third appearance. Plot Goofy is trying to enjoy some pe ...

'', 1951 *'' Dude Duck'', 1951 *''

Test Pilot Donald ''Test Pilot Donald'' is a 1951 American animated short film featuring Donald Duck and Chip 'n' Dale. The cartoon was directed by Jack Hannah and produced by Walt Disney. In the film, Donald flies his model airplane into Chip 'n Dale's tree. Dal ...

'', 1951 *'' Lucky Number'', 1951 *''R'Coon Dawg'', 1951 *''Get Rich Quick'', 1951 *'' Cold Turkey'', 1951 *''

Fathers Are People ''Goofy'' is a series of American animated comedy short films produced by Walt Disney Productions. The series started in 1939 with '' Goofy and Wilbur'' and ended in 1953 with ''How to Sleep''. An additional short, '' How to Hook Up Your Home ...

'', 1951 *''

Out of Scale ''Out of Scale'' is a 1951 American animated short film directed by Jack Hannah and produced by Walt Disney. In the episode, Donald Duck has a ride-on sized train layout in his backyard. There's a large tree (home to Chip 'n Dale) that's out o ...

'', 1951 *'' No Smoking'', 1951 *''

Two-Gun Goofy ''Goofy'' is a series of American animated comedy short films produced by Walt Disney Productions. The series started in 1939 with ''Goofy and Wilbur'' and ended in 1953 with ''How to Sleep''. An additional short, ''How to Hook Up Your Home Theat ...

'', 1952 *''

Susie the Little Blue Coupe ''Susie the Little Blue Coupe'' is a 1952 animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and originally released by RKO Radio Pictures on June 6, 1952. The eight-minute film was directed by Clyde Geronimi and based on an original shor ...

'', 1952 *'' The Little House'', 1952 *''

Father's Day Off ''Goofy'' is a series of American animated comedy short films produced by Walt Disney Productions. The series started in 1939 with ''Goofy and Wilbur'' and ended in 1953 with ''How to Sleep''. An additional short, ''How to Hook Up Your Home Theat ...

'', 1953 *'' The Simple Things'', 1953The Cartoon Music-Google Books (pg. 35)
/ref> *''The Jounery Mistery Of Boob'', 1963

Live-action theatrical film scores

*'' Glamour Girl'', 1948 *''The Strange Mrs. Crane'', 1948 *'' Love Happy'', 1949 (conductor) *'' In Beaver Valley'', 1950 includes "Jing-a-Ling", lyrics added by

Don Raye Don Raye (born Donald MacRae Wilhoite Jr., March 16, 1909 – January 29, 1985) was an American songwriter, best known for his songs for The Andrews Sisters such as " Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar", " The House of Blue Lights", "Just for a Th ...

*''Pecos River'', 1951 *'' About Face'', 1952 *'' Water Birds'', 1952 *'' The Living Desert'', 1953 *'' The Vanishing Prairie'', 1954 *''

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas'' (french: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers) is a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. The novel was originally serialized from March 1869 through June 1870 in Pierre-Ju ...

'', 1954 *''

The Great Locomotive Chase ''The Great Locomotive Chase'' is a 1956 American adventure western film produced by Walt Disney Productions, based on the Great Locomotive Chase that occurred in 1862 during the American Civil War. Filmed in CinemaScope and in color, the ...

'', 1956 *'' Secrets of Life'', 1956 *'' Westward Ho, the Wagons!'', 1956 *''

Perri Perri may refer to: * ''Perri'' (novel) or ''The Youth of a Squirrel'', a 1938 novel by Felix Salten * ''Perri'' (film), a 1957 Disney film *Perri (name), a surname and given name * Perri (surname) See also * Peri (disambiguation) * Perry (disamb ...

'', 1957 *'' The Light in the Forest'', 1958 *'' The Shaggy Dog'', 1959 *''

Pollyanna ''Pollyanna'' is a 1913 novel by American author Eleanor H. Porter, considered a classic of children's literature. The book's success led to Porter's soon writing a sequel, ''Pollyanna Grows Up'' (1915). Eleven more ''Pollyanna'' sequels, known ...

'', 1960 *'' Swiss Family Robinson'', 1960 *'' The Parent Trap'', 1961 *'' Moon Pilot'', 1962 *'' Bon Voyage!'', 1962 *'' In Search of the Castaways'', 1962 *''

Miracle of the White Stallions ''Miracle of the White Stallions'' is a 1963 American adventure war film released by Walt Disney starring Robert Taylor (playing Alois Podhajsky), Lilli Palmer, and Eddie Albert. It is the story of the evacuation of the Lipizzaner horses ...

'', 1963 *''Yellowstone Cubs'', 1963 *'' The Three Lives of Thomasina'', 1963

References

Film Composers in America, A. Filmography 1911- 1970 by Clifford McCarthy

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Paul 1906 births 1985 deaths American film score composers American male film score composers Animated film score composers Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners College of Idaho alumni Walt Disney Animation Studios people People from Calumet, Michigan Deaths from Alzheimer's disease Deaths from dementia in California Musicians from Michigan 20th-century American composers 20th-century American male musicians