Stuart Phillips (born September 9, 1929) is an American composer of

film score A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to e ...

s and television series

theme music Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at so ...

, conductor and record producer. He is perhaps best known for composing the theme tunes to the television series ''

McCloud (TV series) ''McCloud'' is an American police drama television series created by Herman Miller, that aired on NBC from September 16, 1970, to April 17, 1977. The series starred Dennis Weaver, and for six of its seven years as part of the ''NBC Mystery Movi ...

'', '' Battlestar Galactica'' and ''

Knight Rider ''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series '' Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...

''.

Biography

Career

Phillips studied music at

The High School of Music & Art The High School of Music & Art, informally known as "Music & Art" (or "M&A"), was a public specialized high school located at 443-465 West 135th Street in the borough of Manhattan, New York, from 1936 until 1984. In 1961, Music & Art and the High ...

in New York City, New York, and at the

Eastman School of Music The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman. It offers Bachelor of Music ...

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, and Yonkers, with a population of 211,328 at the 2020 United States census. Located in W ...

. While at Eastman, he began arranging music for the Rochester Civic Orchestra.Stu Phillips official biography
at stuwho.com In 1958, Phillips began composing television and film scores. One of his first scores was for Columbia's 1964 movie, ''

Ride the Wild Surf ''Ride the Wild Surf'' is a 1964 American romantic drama film. It was filmed in 1963 and distributed in 1964. Unlike the beach party movies of the era, this was a departure from the typical Hollywood approach to surfing as it was a drama, not a ...

''. He also founded

Colpix Records Colpix Records was the first recording company for Columbia Pictures–Screen Gems. Colpix got its name from combining Columbia (Col) and Pictures (Pix). CBS, which owned Columbia Records, then sued Columbia Pictures for trademark infringement ov ...

and produced hits for

Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blu ...

The Skyliners The Skyliners are an American doo-wop group from Pittsburgh. The original lineup was: Jimmy Beaumont (lead), Janet Vogel (soprano), Wally Lester (tenor), Jackie Taylor (bass voice, guitarist), Joe Verscharen (baritone). The Skyliners were bes ...

and

Shelley Fabares Michele Ann Marie "Shelley" Fabares (; born January 19, 1944) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her television roles as Mary Stone on the sitcom ''The Donna Reed Show'' (1958–1963) and as Christine Armstrong on the sitcom ...

, (pronounced 'fab bray'). Stu Phillips produced "

Johnny Angel ''Johnny Angel'' is a 1945 American film noir directed by Edwin L. Marin and written by Steve Fisher (adapted by Frank Gruber) from the 1944 novel ''Mr. Angel Comes Aboard'' by Charles Gordon Booth. The movie stars George Raft, Claire Trevor a ...

" for Shelly Fabares, who played the teen-age daughter on The Donna Reed Show. According to Joel Whitburn's 'Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits' "Johnny Angel" was released March 17, 1962, and was a #1 hit from April 7–20, 1962 staying on the charts for 13 weeks. There was also a follow-up hit to "Johnny Angel" called " Johnny Loves Me" which also made the Top 40 (#21) in July of '62. In the mid-1960s, he worked for Capitol Records and created, produced and arranged for the easy listening studio orchestra the

Hollyridge Strings The Hollyridge Strings was an American studio orchestra that specialized in easy-listening music, and recorded for the Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distri ...

. Excerpts from the Hollyridge Strings album ''The Beatles Song Book'' can be heard on the 1964 Capitol documentary album ''

The Beatles' Story ''The Beatles' Story'' is the sixth album by the English rock band the Beatles in the United States, issued on 23 November 1964 by Capitol Records. It is a documentary double album featuring interviews, press conferences, and snippets of origina ...

''. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Phillips continued scoring films and television series including music for the films ''

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls ''Beyond the Valley of the Dolls'' is a 1970 American satirical musical melodrama film starring Dolly Read, Cynthia Myers, Marcia McBroom, Phyllis Davis, John LaZar, Michael Blodgett, and David Gurian. The film was directed by Russ Meyer and ...

'' (1970), '' The Seven Minutes'' (1971) and the television series ''

The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...

'' and ''

Get Christie Love! ''Get Christie Love!'' is an American crime drama TV series starring Teresa Graves as an undercover African-American female detective which originally aired on ABC from January 22, 1974, until April 5, 1975. The starring television role made Gr ...

''. In 1974, he began working at

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

scoring television series; Glen A. Larson made extensive use of his compositions. During this time, he scored music for the television series ''

The Six Million Dollar Man ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' is an American science fiction and action television series, running from 1973 to 1978, about a former astronaut, USAF Colonel Steve Austin, portrayed by Lee Majors. After a NASA test flight accident, Austin is re ...

'', '' McCloud'', and '' Battlestar Galactica''. His ''Battlestar Galactica'' theme was featured prominently in the film '' Airplane II: The Sequel'' (1980). He also composed music for the television series ''

The Amazing Spider-Man ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly per ...

'' (which was for Charles Fries/Dan Goodman/Danchuck Productions) during this time. In the 1980s, Phillips left Universal and began working at

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

, again being a favorite composer of Glen A. Larson, where he composed music for the television series ''

The Fall Guy ''The Fall Guy'' is an American action/adventure television series produced for ABC and originally broadcast from November 4, 1981, to May 2, 1986. It starred Lee Majors, Douglas Barr, and Heather Thomas as Hollywood stunt performers who mo ...

'', ''

Automan ''Automan'' is an American superhero television series produced by Glen A. Larson. It aired for 12 episodes (although 13 were made) on ABC between 1983 and 1984. It consciously emulates the stylistic trappings of the Walt Disney Pictures live- ...

'' and ''

''. All programs were Larson productions.

Later years

Phillips went into semi-retirement in the 1990s at his home in

Studio City Studio City is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 1927, ...

, California. Since that time, he has appeared at fan conventions for ''Battlestar Galactica'' and has attended cult-film screenings for ''Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.'' In 2002, Phillips published his autobiography ''Stu Who?: Forty Years of Navigating the Minefields of the Music Business.'' In 2006, he also participated in a documentary film featured on the special edition DVD re-release of ''Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.''The ''Beyond the Valley of the Dolls'' special-edition DVD features ''Look on up at the Bottom: The Music of the Dolls.'' USA: 20th Century Fox. Long a "serious" musician, Phillips has also orchestrated pieces by

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...

and Sergei Rachmaninoff for Symphony orchestra. Phillips can be heard on FaLaLaLaLa.com discussing the history of The Hollyridge Strings's Christmas album, which it released in 2008.

Filmography

Film music

* ''

Mad Dog Coll Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll (born Uinseann Ó Colla, July 20, 1908 – February 8, 1932) was an Irish-American mob hitman in the 1920s and early 1930s in New York City. Coll gained notoriety for the allegedly accidental killing of a young child dur ...

'' (1961) * ''

The Man from the Diner's Club ''The Man from the Diners' Club'' is a 1963 comedy film starring Danny Kaye and directed by Frank Tashlin. It was made by Ampersand and Dena Productions and released by Columbia Pictures. Plot Foots Pulardos is a mobster who intends to flee to M ...

'' (1963) * ''

'' (1964) * '' Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round'' (1966) * ''

Hells Angels on Wheels ''Hells Angels on Wheels'' is a 1967 American biker film directed by Richard Rush, and starring Adam Roarke, Jack Nicholson, and Sabrina Scharf. The film tells the story of a gas-station attendant with a bad attitude who finds life more exciting ...

'' (1967) *'' The Name of the Game Is Kill!'' (1968) * '' Angels from Hell'' (1968) * '' 2000 Years Later'' (1969) * '' Run, Angel, Run!'' (1969) * ''Follow Me'' (1969) * ''

The Gay Deceivers ''The Gay Deceivers'' is a 1969 American comedy film written by Jerome Wish and directed by Bruce Kessler. The film focuses on Danny Devlin (Kevin Coughlin) and Elliot Crane ( Lawrence P. Casey), two straight men who attempt to evade the draft ...

'' (1969) * ''

Venus in Furs ''Venus in Furs'' (german: Venus im Pelz, links=no) is a novella by the Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, and the best known of his works. The novel was to be part of an epic series that Sacher-Masoch envisioned called '' Legacy of Cai ...

'' (also known as ''Paroxismus'') (Uncredited, 1969) * ''

'' (1970) * ''

Nam's Angels ''The Losers'' released on video as ''Nam's Angels'' is a 1970 American biker war film directed by Jack Starrett. Plot The plot involves a gang of Hells Angels-type bikers called "The Devil's Advocates" involved in the Vietnam War. They are sen ...

'' (1970) * ''The Curious Female'' (1970) *'' Savage Intruder'' (1970) * '' The Red, White, and Black'' (1970) * ''Revenge Is My Destiny'' (1971) * '' Simon, King of the Witches'' (1971) * '' The Seven Minutes'' (1971) * ''Jud'' (1971) * '' Pickup on 101'' (1972) * ''Throw Out the Anchor!'' (1974) * ''

How to Seduce a Woman ''How to Seduce a Woman'' is a 1974 American comedy film, directed by Charles Martin. It stars Angus Duncan, Angel Tompkins, and Alexandra Hay, and was released in late January 1974. Plot synopsis Employees of a well-off con man and lady's man ...

'' (1974) * ''

Macon County Line ''Macon County Line'' is a 1974 American independent film directed by Richard Compton and produced by Max Baer Jr. Baer and Compton also co-wrote the film, in which Baer stars as a vengeful county sheriff in Georgia out for blood after his wife i ...

'' (1974) * ''The Meal'' (1975) * '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' (1979) * '' Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider'' (1979) * ''Hollywood Goes to the Bowl 2004'' (2004)

Television music

GL denotes a

Glen Larson Glen Albert Larson (January 3, 1937 – November 14, 2014) was an American musician, television producer, writer, and director. His best known work in television was as the creator of the television series ''Alias Smith and Jones'', ''Battlestar ...

production, where known. Phillips was one of Larson's favorite composers. * ''

The Donna Reed Show ''The Donna Reed Show'' is an American sitcom starring Donna Reed as the middle-class housewife Donna Stone. Carl Betz co-stars as her pediatrician husband Dr. Alex Stone, and Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen as their teenage children, Mary ...

'' (Unknown episodes, 1958) * ''Rockabye the Infantry'' (1963) * ''

'' (54 episodes, 1966–1968) * ''The Six Million Dollar Man: Wine, Women and War'' (1973) GL * ''

'' (Unknown episodes, 1974) GL * ''

Switch In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type of ...

'' (2 episodes, 1975) GL * '' McCloud'' (8 episodes, 1974–1976) GL * ''Benny and Barney: Las Vegas Undercover'' (1977) * ''

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries ''The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries'' (re-titled ''The Hardy Boys'' for season three) is an American television mystery series based on the ''Hardy Boys'' and ''Nancy Drew'' juvenile novels. The series, which ran from January 30, 1977, to Janu ...

'' (14 episodes, 1977) GL * ''

Quincy, M.E. ''Quincy, M.E.'' (also called ''Quincy'') is an American mystery medical drama television series from Universal Studios that aired on NBC from October 3, 1976, to May 11, 1983. Jack Klugman starred in the title role as a Los Angeles County med ...

'' (17 episodes, 1976–1977) GL * ''

'' (Unknown episodes, 1978) * ''

Evening in Byzantium ''Evening in Byzantium'' is a 1978 American two-part, four-hour made-for-television drama film produced by Glen A. Larson Productions and Universal Television, and directed by Jerry London, about the Cannes Film Festival being overtaken by terror ...

'' (1978) * '' Battlestar Galactica'' (Pilot/TV movie, 1978) GL * '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' (1979) GL * '' Battlestar Galactica'' (21 episodes, 1978–1979) GL * ''

The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo ''The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo'' is an American action comedy television series that ran on NBC from September 18, 1979, to May 5, 1981. For its second season the show was renamed ''Lobo''. The program aired Tuesday nights, at 8:00p.m. Easte ...

'' (Unknown episodes, 1980–1981) GL * ''Conquest of the Earth'' (1980) GL * ''

Galactica 1980 ''Galactica 1980'' is an American science fiction television series and a spin-off from the original '' Battlestar Galactica'' television series. It was first broadcast on ABC in the United States from January 27 to May 4, 1980, lasting for 10 ...

'' (Unknown episodes, 1980) GL * ''

B. J. and the Bear ''B.J. and the Bear'' is an American action comedy television series which aired on NBC from February 10, 1979, to May 9, 1981. Created by Glen A. Larson and Christopher Crowe, the series stars Greg Evigan. The series was produced when the CB ...

'' (1 episode, 1980) GL * ''Battles: The Murder That Wouldn't Die'' (1980) GL * ''Waikiki'' (1980) * ''Midnight Lace'' (1981) * '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' (5 episodes, 1979–1981) GL * ''

'' (Unknown episodes, 1981) GL * '' Chicago Story'' (Unknown episodes, 1982) * ''Terror at Alcatraz'' (1982) * ''

Rooster The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

'' (1982) * ''

'' (4 episodes, 1983) GL * '' Masquerade'' (1 episode, 1983) GL * ''

'' (14 episodes, 1982–1984) GL * '' Half Nelson'' (Unknown episodes, 1985) GL * ''In Like Flynn'' (1985) * '' The Highwayman'' (Pilot/TV Movie, 1987) GL * '' The Highwayman'' (1 episode, 1988) GL * ''The Road Raiders'' (1989)

Awards and nominations

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

*Nominated: 1964 Best Instrumental Performance - Non Jazz, ''The Beatles Song Book (Hollyridge Strings)'' *Nominated: 1979 Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special, ''Battlestar Galactica'' BMI Film & TV Awards *Won: 2005 Best Ringtone, ''Knight Rider''

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Stu 1929 births 20th-century American conductors (music) 20th-century American male musicians American film score composers American male conductors (music) American male film score composers American male songwriters American music arrangers American television composers Living people Male television composers Place of birth missing (living people) Record producers from New York (state) The High School of Music & Art alumni