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Walter Scharf (1910–2003)

Emmy- and Golden Globe-winner and ten-time Oscar-nominee Walter Scharf was born and raised in New York City, the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants. He started playing music at an early age, helping his uncle play the piano in theaters for silent films. His mother Bessie Zwerling was a well-known comedian in New York's Yiddish theater. He got his ... See full bio »

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Nominated for 10 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations. See more awards »

Known For

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
(1971)
Funny Girl
Funny Girl Music Department
(1968)
The Nutty Professor
The Nutty Professor Music Department
(1963)
Pocketful of Miracles
Pocketful of Miracles Music Department
(1961)

Filmography

Hide Hide Show Show Music department (282 credits)
 1980 From Here to Eternity (TV Series) (composer - 8 episodes)
- Hello, Goodbye, and Farewell (1980) ... (composer: theme music)
- Revenge (1980) ... (composer: theme music)
- Aftermath (1980) ... (composer: theme music)
- Secrets (1980) ... (composer: theme music)
- Homecoming (1980) ... (composer: theme music)
 1979 Salvage 1 (TV Series) (composer - 18 episodes)
- Round Up (1979) ... (composer: theme music)
- Harry's Doll (1979) ... (composer: theme music)
- Dry Spell (1979) ... (composer: theme music)
- Diamond Volcano (1979) ... (composer: theme music)
- Hard Water: Part 2 (1979) ... (composer: theme music)
  The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau (TV Series documentary) (composer - 21 episodes, 1968 - 1976) (conductor - 10 episodes, 1968 - 1976)
- Mysteries of the Hidden Reefs (1976) ... (composer: theme music - uncredited) / (conductor)
- The Incredible March of the Spiny Lobsters (1976) ... (composer: theme music - uncredited) / (conductor)
- The Fish That Swallowed Jonah (1976) ... (composer: theme music - uncredited) / (conductor)
- The Sea Birds of Isabela (1975) ... (composer: theme music - uncredited) / (conductor)
- The Sleeping Sharks of Yucatan (1975) ... (composer: theme music - uncredited)
 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (conductor) / (music arranger)
 1970 Uncle Sam Magoo (TV Movie) (conductor) / (music arranger) / (music supervisor)
 1970 The Cheyenne Social Club (conductor)
 1969 National Geographic Specials (TV Series documentary) (composer - 1 episode)
- Hippo! (1969) ... (composer: theme music)
 1968 Funny Girl (conductor) / (music supervisor) / (orchestrator)
 1966-1967 Mission: Impossible (TV Series) (conductor - 5 episodes)
- The Bank (1967) ... (conductor)
- The Survivors (1967) ... (conductor)
- The Ransom (1966) ... (conductor)
- Old Man Out: Part 2 (1966) ... (conductor)
- Old Man Out: Part 1 (1966) ... (conductor)
 1967 The Wild Wild West (TV Series) (conductor - 1 episode)
- The Night of the Assassin (1967) ... (conductor)
 1967 The Long Duel (composer: additional music - uncredited)
 1965 The Dangerous Christmas of Red Riding Hood (TV Movie) (conductor) / (music arranger)
 1965 Tickle Me (conductor)
 1964 Honeymoon Hotel (conductor)
 1963 The Nutty Professor (conductor)
 1963 My Six Loves (conductor)
 1962 Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (TV Movie) (composer: incidental music) / (conductor)
 1962 It's Only Money (conductor)
 1961 Pocketful of Miracles (music conductor)
 1961 The Errand Boy (conductor)
 1961 The Ladies Man (conductor)
  Shirley Temple's Storybook (TV Series) (conductor - 7 episodes, 1960 - 1961) (musical director - 1 episode, 1961)
- The Princess and the Goblins (1961) ... (conductor)
- The Little Mermaid (1961) ... (conductor)
- The Terrible Clockman (1961) ... (conductor)
- Pippi Longstocking (1961) ... (musical director)
- Babes in Toyland (1960) ... (conductor)
 1960 Cinderfella (conductor)
 1960 The Bellboy (conductor)
 1959 Startime (TV Series) (musical director - 1 episode)
- The Jazz Singer (1959) ... (musical director)
 1959 The Twilight Zone (TV Series) (composer - 1 episode)
- One for the Angels (1959) ... (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1959 Don't Give Up the Ship (conductor)
 1959 The Trap (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1958 Missile Monsters (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1958 Rock-a-Bye Baby (music adaptor)
 1958 King Creole (music adaptor)
 1957 The Sad Sack (conductor)
 1957 The Joker Is Wild (conductor)
 1957 Loving You (conductor) / (music arranger)
 1956 Bundle of Joy (conductor: background score) / (music adaptor: background score)
 1956 Hollywood or Bust (conductor) / (music arranger)
 1956 Three Violent People (conductor)
 1956 Pardners (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1956 Three for Jamie Dawn (conductor - uncredited)
 1956 The Leather Saint (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1956 The Birds and the Bees (conductor)
 1956 Time Table (musical director)
 1955 Artists and Models (conductor) / (music arranger)
 1955 You're Never Too Young (conductor) / (music arranger)
 1955 Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1954-1955 The Donald O'Connor Show (TV Series) (musical director - 7 episodes)
- Episode #1.8 (1955) ... (musical director)
- Episode #1.7 (1955) ... (musical director)
- Episode #1.6 (1955) ... (musical director)
- The Eyes Have It (1954) ... (musical director)
- Sunday World (1954) ... (musical director)
 1954 Living It Up (conductor) / (music arranger)
 1954 Drums Across the River (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1953 The French Line (conductor) / (music arranger)
 1953 War Arrow (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1953 The All American (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1953 Down Laredo Way (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1953 Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1953 Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1953 Francis Covers the Big Town (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1953 Column South (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1953 Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1953 Seminole (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1953 The Redhead from Wyoming (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1952 Hans Christian Andersen (musical director)
 1952 Horizons West (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1952 Yankee Buccaneer (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1952 The Duel at Silver Creek (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1952 Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1952 Red Ball Express (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1952 Steel Town (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1952 Here Come the Nelsons (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1952 The Cimarron Kid (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 Meet Danny Wilson (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 Cave of Outlaws (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 Utah Wagon Train (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 The Lady from Texas (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 Little Egypt (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 Cattle Drive (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 Comin' Round the Mountain (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 Lost Planet Airmen (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 The Dakota Kid (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 Hollywood Story (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 The Fat Man (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 Smuggler's Island (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 Target Unknown (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1951 The Pride of Maryland (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 Mystery Submarine (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 Under Mexicali Stars (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 Kansas Raiders (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 Undercover Girl (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 Saddle Tramp (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 South Sea Sinner (musical director)
 1950 Vigilante Hideout (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 Deported (musical director - uncredited)
 1950 Jungle Stampede (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 The Old Frontier (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 Covered Wagon Raid (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 Winchester '73 (composer: title music - uncredited)
 1950 Sierra (musical director - uncredited)
 1950 Curtain Call at Cactus Creek (musical director - uncredited)
 1950 The Invisible Monster (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 I Was a Shoplifter (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town (composer: stock music - uncredited) / (orchestrator)
 1950 The Kid from Texas (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1950 Tarnished (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 Undertow (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 Abandoned (musical director)
 1949 Flame of Youth (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 The James Brothers of Missouri (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 Arctic Manhunt (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 The Wyoming Bandit (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 Calamity Jane and Sam Bass (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 King of the Rocket Men (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 Illegal Entry (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 City Across the River (musical director - uncredited)
 1949 Ma and Pa Kettle (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 Death Valley Gunfighter (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 Hideout (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 Sheriff of Wichita (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1949 Rose of the Yukon (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1948 The Far Frontier (musical director - uncredited)
 1948 Mexican Hayride (conductor) / (music arranger)
 1948 Out of the Storm (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1948 Angel in Exile (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1948 Sons of Adventure (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1948 California Firebrand (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1948 Casbah (music arranger) / (music director)
 1948 Are You with It? (music arranger) / (musical director)
 1948 Madonna of the Desert (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1947 Under Colorado Skies (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1947 Spoilers of the North (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1946 Stagecoach to Denver (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1946 I've Always Loved You (musical director)
 1946 The Magnificent Rogue (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1946 Rio Grande Raiders (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1946 Red River Renegades (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1946 One Exciting Week (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1946 The El Paso Kid (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1946 The Catman of Paris (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1946 Alias Billy the Kid (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1946 Murder in the Music Hall (musical director)
 1946 Days of Buffalo Bill (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1946 The Phantom Rider (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 The Cherokee Flash (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 Woman Who Came Back (musical director)
 1945 Dakota (musical director)
 1945 Mexicana (musical director)
 1945 Colorado Pioneers (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 Rough Riders of Cheyenne (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 Love, Honor and Goodbye (musical director) / (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1945 The Fatal Witness (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 Phantom of the Plains (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 Hitchhike to Happiness (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 Trail of Kit Carson (composer: stock music - uncredited) / (music department head - uncredited)
 1945 Road to Alcatraz (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 Gangs of the Waterfront (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 The Chicago Kid (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 Santa Fe Saddlemates (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 Three's a Crowd (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 Corpus Christi Bandits (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1945 Earl Carroll Vanities (musical director)
 1945 Sheriff of Cimarron (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1944 The Big Bonanza (composer: title music - uncredited)
 1944 Lake Placid Serenade (musical director)
 1944 Brazil (musical director)
 1944 Faces in the Fog (composer: additional music - uncredited)
 1944 Zorro's Black Whip (musical director - uncredited)
 1944 Storm Over Lisbon (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1944 Haunted Harbor (musical director - uncredited)
 1944 The Girl Who Dared (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1944 Atlantic City (musical director)
 1944 The Yellow Rose of Texas (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1944 Goodnight, Sweetheart (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1944 Man from Frisco (musical director) / (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1944 Henry Aldrich's Little Secret (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1944 The Tiger Woman (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1944 Cowboy and the Senorita (musical director)
 1944 Rosie the Riveter (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1944 Call of the South Seas (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1944 Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1944 Casanova in Burlesque (composer: additional music) / (musical director)
 1944 Captain America (composer: stock music - uncredited) / (musical director - uncredited)
 1944 The Fighting Seabees (musical director - uncredited)
 1944 Hands Across the Border (composer: additional music - uncredited) / (musical director)
 1943 Whispering Footsteps (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 Canyon City (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 Mystery Broadcast (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 A Scream in the Dark (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 Hoosier Holiday (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 Sleepy Lagoon (musical director)
 1943 Nobody's Darling (musical director)
 1943 Headin' for God's Country (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 The West Side Kid (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 Someone to Remember (musical director)
 1943 Silver Spurs (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 The Masked Marvel (musical director - uncredited)
 1943 Secret Service in Darkest Africa (musical director - uncredited)
 1943 Thumbs Up (musical director)
 1943 Henry Aldrich Swings It (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 Song of Texas (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 Riders of the Rio Grande (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 Daredevils of the West (musical director - uncredited)
 1943 Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 Chatterbox (musical director)
 1943 Shantytown (musical director)
 1943 Santa Fe Scouts (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 The Mantrap (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 Tahiti Honey (composer: additional music - uncredited)
 1943 Hit Parade of 1943 (musical director)
 1943 The Blocked Trail (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1943 The Purple V (composer: title music - uncredited)
 1943 Hello Frisco, Hello (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1943 London Blackout Murders (composer: title music - uncredited)
 1942 Johnny Doughboy (composer: additional music - uncredited) / (musical director)
 1942 Ice-Capades Revue (composer: music cues) / (musical director)
 1942 Secrets of the Underground (composer: additional music - uncredited) / (musical director)
 1942 The Palm Beach Story (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1942 Valley of Hunted Men (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1942 Youth on Parade (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1942 Flying Tigers (musical director)
 1942 Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1942 The Major and the Minor (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1942 Bells of Capistrano (composer: additional music - uncredited)
 1942 Henry Aldrich, Editor (composer: title music - uncredited)
 1942 Call of the Canyon (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1942 Holiday Inn (composer: additional music - uncredited) / (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1942 Priorities on Parade (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1942 Are Husbands Necessary? (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1942 Moonlight Masquerade (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1942 Stardust on the Sage (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1942 Romance on the Range (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1942 Take a Letter, Darling (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1942 This Gun for Hire (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1942 True to the Army (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1942 Reap the Wild Wind (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1942 The Lady Has Plans (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1942 Blue, White and Perfect (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1941 Louisiana Purchase (composer: additional music - uncredited) / (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1941 West of Cimarron (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1941 Red River Valley (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1941 Bahama Passage (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1941 Mr. Bug Goes to Town (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1941 Tuxedo Junction (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1941 Birth of the Blues (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1941 Down Mexico Way (composer: title music - uncredited)
 1941 Ice-Capades (composer: main and end title music - uncredited)
 1941 Mountain Moonlight (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1941 Puddin' Head (orchestrator)
 1941 Country Fair (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1941 Rookies on Parade (orchestrator)
 1941 Road to Zanzibar (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1941 That Night in Rio (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1941 I Wanted Wings (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1941 Murder Among Friends (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1941 Prairie Pioneers (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1941 Tall, Dark and Handsome (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1941 Hudson's Bay (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1940 Michael Shayne: Private Detective (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1940 The Mark of Zorro (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1940 Hit Parade of 1941 (orchestrator)
 1940 Pier 13 (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1940 Manhattan Heartbeat (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1940 Maryland (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1940 Sailor's Lady (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1940 Lucky Cisco Kid (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1940 Free, Blonde and 21 (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1940 Johnny Apollo (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1939 The Honeymoon's Over (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1939 Barricade (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1939 Hollywood Cavalcade (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1939 Second Fiddle (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1939 Susannah of the Mounties (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1939 The Three Musketeers (composer: additional music - uncredited)
 1938 Just Around the Corner (music arranger - uncredited)
 1938 Suez (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1938 Alexander's Ragtime Band (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1938 Kentucky Moonshine (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1938 Four Men and a Prayer (composer: stock music - uncredited)
 1937 Ali Baba Goes to Town (composer: additional music - uncredited)
 1937 Wake Up and Live (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1937 Seventh Heaven (orchestrator - uncredited)
 1937 Nancy Steele Is Missing! (composer: additional music - uncredited)
 1936 Follow the Fleet (music arranger - uncredited)
Show Show Composer (125 credits)
Show Show Soundtrack (44 credits)
Show Show Miscellaneous Crew (1 credit)
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Show Show Self (4 credits)
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Personal Details

Other Works:

Unsold pilot: Wrote the music for "Suzuki Beane" one of the pilot episodes produced for a proposed TV anthology series called "The Victor Borge Comedy Theatre." See more »
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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

Composing for films is a gypsy industry. I was lucky, but also had years of starving and it was tough. You have to put up with so much rejection.

Trivia:

He had two children with his wife, Betty: son, Allen; and daughter, Susan. See more »

Star Sign:

Leo

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