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Fred Werner (American composer)

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For the Australian composer and music teacher, see Fred Werner.
Fred Werner
Birth nameFrederick Henry Werner Jr.
Born(1934-06-11)11 June 1934
DiedJune 11, 2024(2024-06-11) (aged 90)
Arizona, USA
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • composer
  • arranger
  • musical director
  • orchestrator
  • conductor
  • musical supervisor
Instruments
  • Piano
Years activeEarly 1960s – 2020s
Websitewww.fredwerner.com

Frederick Henry Werner Jr. (June 11, 1934 – June 11, 2024) was an American musician and composer who wrote and arranged music for television, cinema, and Broadway musicals. He started his career in New York in the early 1960s working with Frank Loesser, Noël Coward, and Bob Fosse. Later, he moved to California to work in television and movies, eventually returning to Broadway. He was nominated for a Tony Award in 1964 for Best Conductor and Musical Director for the musical High Spirits.[1] He is also known for his work on Les Crane's 1971 album Desiderata.[2]

Theater works

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Werner's first credited work was as the dance music arranger for The Conquering Hero in 1961,[3] which ran on Broadway for eight performances.[4] Later that same year, he worked as the vocal music arranger on Sail Away.[5] He additionally served as the dance music arranger for Little Me in 1962 and 1964,[6] and Sweet Charity on Broadway in 1966[7][8] and on the West End in 1967.[9] Fred was the musical director for High Spirits in 1964[10][1] (earning him a Tony Award nomination),[1] Pleasures and Palaces in 1965,[11] and Sweet Charity both during its 1966 debut,[7] and the 1986 revival.[12] He is credited as the orchestrator on Skyscraper in 1965[13] and Sweet Charity in 1986,[12] and the musical supervisor and arranger on Noël Coward's Sweet Potato in 1968.[14] He arranged the music for Liza Minnelli's 1974 Broadway special Liza (see Live at the Winter Garden).[15]

Film and television work

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Fred began his work in television and movies in 1967 as the music coordinator for the pilot episode of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.[16] Continuing his work with Liza Minnelli and Bob Fosse in 1972, he was the choreographic music associate in the movie Cabaret,[17] and the musical arranger and supervisor on the concert film Liza with a Z.[18] In 1974, he worked as the music supervisor for the Lucille Ball musical film Mame[19] and Huckleberry Finn. He is also credited as the composer and conductor for the Huckleberry Finn score.[20] His final on-screen credit as the music supervisor was for the 1975 TV movie It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman!, for which he was also the conductor.[21]

Fred composed theme and additional music for various projects, including the pilot of One Day at a Time (originally titled "Three to Get Ready"),[22] The Dukes of Hazzard[23] and The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!,[24] and Flo.[citation needed] He was also the musical director for The Jim Nabors Hour for the entire run in 1978.[25]

Desiderata

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Fred produced, composed, and performed music on the 1971 Les Crane album Desiderata.[2] The title track poem "Desiderata" was originally written by the Indiana writer, poet, and attorney Max Ehrmann in 1927.[26] Fred arranged the track to repeat "You are a child of the universe, No less than the trees and the stars: You have a right to be here."[27][28][29] The album won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 1972.[27]

Personal life

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Towards the end of his life, Fred was working on a new musical titled The Seven Year Itch.[30][31] He died on June 11, 2024, his 90th birthday. He was subsequently honored at the 77th Tony Awards.[32]

Composition work

[edit]
Title Year Director Notes
Hucklebery Finn 1974 J. Lee Thompson Musical film[20]
Harry O 1975 Richard Lang, Harry Falk TV series
Moonshine County Express 1977 Gus Trikonis Film
Eight is Enough 1977 David Moessinger, Reza Badiyi, William F. Claxton TV series[22]
The Fitzpatricks 1977–1978 Various TV series[33]
Beverly and Friends 1978 Mark Warren TV movie
Legends of the Superheroes 1979 Bill Carruthers, Chris Darley Television specials
America vs. the World: Circus Challenge 1979 Bill Carruthers TV movie
Sweepstakes 1979 Various TV series[34]
The MacKenzies of Paradise Cove 1979 Jerry Thorpe, Harry Harris TV series
Whodunnit? 1979 Bill Carruthers TV game show
The Death of Ocean View Park 1979 E.W. Swackhamer TV movie
Women Who Rate a 10 1981 Mark Warren TV special
Flo 1980–1981 Various TV series
A Small Killing 1981 Steven Hilliard Stern TV movie
Dynasty 1981 Gabrielle Beaumont, Jerome Courtland TV series[35][36][37]
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers 1982 Various TV series
Dukes of Hazzard 1979–1983 Various TV series[23]

Studio albums

[edit]
Title Year Artist Notes
The Grass Menagerie 1968 Henry Gibson Composer[38]
Desiderata 1971 Les Crane Producer, arranger, audio production, conductor, composer[2]
Emerge 1973 The McCrarys Producer[39]
You Light Up My Life 1977 Debby Boone Arranger, producer
At Carnegie Hall 1987 Liza Minnelli Arranger, orchestration
Highlights From the Carnegie Hall Concert 1987 Liza Minnelli Orchestration, arranger, orchestra
Star-Spangled Rhythm 1997 Various Arranger
The Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary Collection 2010 Various Composer, primary artist[40]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "High Spirits (Broadway, Neil Simon Theatre, 1964)". Playbill. Playbill, Inc. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Fred Werner". The Desiderata: You Are A Child Of The Universe. DigitalCommons@UMaine. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Person List: The Conquering Hero". Playbill. Playbill Inc. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  4. ^ "The Conquering Hero". Playbill. Playbill, Inc. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Sail Away (Broadway, Broadhurst Theatre, 1961)". Playbill. Playbill, Inc. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Little Me (Broadway, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 1962)". Playbill. Playbill, Inc. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Sweet Charity (Broadway, Palace Theatre, 1966)". Playbill. Playbill, Inc. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Theater Review: Can Sweet Charity Still Work?". Vulture Theater Review. Vulture. 20 November 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Credits for Sweet Charity (London Production, 1967)". OVRTUR. ovrtur.com. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Theater: 'High Spirits' and Bea Lillie; Musical Comedy Opens at the Alvin Theater". The New York Times. The New York Times. 8 April 1964. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  11. ^ Hetrick, Adam (24 January 2013). "Frank Loesser's Pleasures and Palaces, Unseen Since 1965, Resurfaces in Texas Jan. 24". Playbill. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Stage: 'Sweet Charity,' A Bob Fosse Revival". The New York Times Theater. 28 April 1986. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Skyscraper (Broadway, Lunt-Fontanne, 1965)". Playbill. Playbill, Inc. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Noël Coward's Sweet Potato". Playbill. 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Liza (Broadway, Winter Garden, 1974)". Playbill. Playbill, Inc. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Pilot". Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. Season 1. Episode 1. 9 September 1967. NBC. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Cabaret (1972)". Cabaret Credits. Turner Classic Movies, Inc. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Liza with a "Z" : a concert for television". Library of Congress. Library of Congress, Music Division. 2000. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Mame". American Film Institute Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  20. ^ a b "Fred Werner". American Film Institute Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  21. ^ "It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superman". Televised Opera and Musical Comedy Database. The Trustees of Indiana University. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Eight is Enough". Library of Congress. Library of Congress, Music Division. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  23. ^ a b "The Dukes of Hazzard (1979/85)". Library of Congress. Library of Congress, Music Division. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion (1997)". Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion Credits. Turner Classic Movies, Inc. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  25. ^ "Pilot". The Jim Nabors Show. Season 1. Episode 1. 19 March 1978. CBS. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  26. ^ Ehrmann, Max (1952), The Journal of Max Ehrmann, p. 309, 1934, January 4.—An editor in Kansas criticizes my Desiderata ...
  27. ^ a b Masters, Marshall (2004). Indigo E. T. Connection: The Future of Indigo Children. Your Own World. p. 73. ISBN 9780975517727.
  28. ^ Hampson, Tom; Whalen, Loretta (1991). Tales of the Heart: Affective Approaches to Global Education. Friendship Press. p. 120. ISBN 9780377002234.
  29. ^ Higgins, C. S.; Moss, Peter D. (1982). Sounds Real: Radio in Every Day Life. University of Queensland Press. p. 54. ISBN 9780702219108.
  30. ^ "Plays". The Marton Agency, Inc. – An International Theatre Rights Agency. The Marton Agency. 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  31. ^ "Staged Reading – Play Reading: The Seven Year Itch". Club Free Time – Free things to do in New York City. Club Free Time. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  32. ^ Scherzinger, Nicole (singer) (16 June 2024). The 77th Annual Tony Awards® In Memoriam CBS (YouTube video). David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, New York City: CBS.
  33. ^ "The Fitzpatricks". Library of Congress. Library of Congress, Music Division. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  34. ^ "$weepstake$". Library of Congress. Library of Congress, Music Division. 1979. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  35. ^ "Dynasty. The mid-East meeting". Library of Congress. Library of Congress, Music Division. 1981. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  36. ^ "Dynasty. Reconciliation". Library of Congress. Library of Congress, Music Division. 1981. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  37. ^ "Dynasty. The verdict". Library of Congress. Library of Congress, Music Division. 1981. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  38. ^ "Henry Gibson – The Grass Menagerie (Or A Flower Child's Garden of Verses)". Discogs. 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  39. ^ Copyright Office, Library of Congress (1973). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series, Part 5: Music. Vol. 27. Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 2541.
  40. ^ "The Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary Collection". Watertower Music. Watertower Music Inc. 28 September 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
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