Lorenzo Music
{{short description|American actor, producer, and writer (1937–2001)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Lorenzo Music
| image = Lorenzo and Henrietta Music.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Music with his wife Henrietta
| birth_name = Gerald David Music
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1937|5|2}}
| birth_place = New York City, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2001|8|4|1937|5|2}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| other_names = L. Music
| alma_mater = University of Minnesota Duluth
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|performer|writer|producer}}
| years_active = 1958–2001
| spouse = {{marriage|Henrietta Music|1959}}
| children = 4
| relatives = Carla Lalli Music (daughter-in-law)
}}
Gerald David "Lorenzo" Music (May 2, 1937 – August 4, 2001) was an American actor, composer, musician, performer, writer and producer.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/08/arts/lorenzo-music-actor-64.html| newspaper=The New York Times|title=Lorenzo Music – Actor, 64| agency=Associated Press| date=August 8, 2001}} Music began his career in the 1960s with his wife, Henrietta, forming the comedy duo Gerald and His Hen. He then became a writer and a regular performer on the controversial CBS variety show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. In the 1970s, Music co-created the sitcom The Bob Newhart Show with David Davis and composed its theme music with his wife. He also wrote episodes for The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rhoda, and got a major voiceover role for playing the unseen, but often heard, Carlton the Doorman in Rhoda. Music gained fame in the 1980s for voicing Jim Davis' comic strip character Garfield in twelve animated specials, and later an animated series, video games, and commercials. His distinctive voice of Garfield was also emulated by other actors following his death in 2001.
Early life and career
Gerald David Music was born on May 2, 1937, in Brooklyn, New York City to Harry and Sophie (nee Nessell) Music.{{Cite web |title=Lorenzo Music |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Lorenzo-Music/ |access-date=February 15, 2024 |website=Behind the Voice Actors}} He was six years old when his family moved to Duluth, Minnesota because of his father's job at one of the shipyards. His parents later divorced. He was a student at Central High School and then at the University of Minnesota Duluth.{{cite web |title=Lorenzo Music |url=http://zenithcity.com/archive/people-biography/lorenzo-music/ |website=Zenith City Press|date=April 16, 2017 | access-date=5 August 2018}} Music met his wife, Henrietta, in college at its Theatre Arts Department. Together, they had four children and formed a comedy duo, Gerald and His Hen, performing together for eight years, even performing at a USO show in Japan.{{cite news| title=Lorenzo Music; Voice of Garfield the Cat| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-aug-08-me-31716-story.html| date=August 8, 2001| first=Myrna| last=Oliver| newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}
Career
=Writer=
Music became a writer and a regular performer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour from 1967 to 1969 and won an Emmy Award for writing.{{Cite web |title=Lorenzo and Henrietta Music {{!}} College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences {{!}} UMN Duluth |url=https://cahss.d.umn.edu/articles/125-musics |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=cahss.d.umn.edu}} He was a writer and story editor on The Mary Tyler Moore Show,{{Cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=Lorenzo Music, voice of Garfield, dies |url=https://www.chron.com/news/nation-world/article/lorenzo-music-voice-of-garfield-dies-2053670.php |access-date=2024-02-15 |work=Chron |language=en}} and he co-created The Bob Newhart Show with his writing partner, David Davis. The show ran on CBS from 1972 to 1978; he also co-wrote the theme song to the show with his wife.
Music continued writing for The Mary Tyler Moore Show spin-off Rhoda, which he co-developed with Davis. While casting Rhoda, the producers were looking for a voice actor to play the part of Carlton, the comically unseen doorman. Music had no interest in being an actor, but the producers loved his sleepy, husky voice and offered him that role,{{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Myrna |date=2001-08-08 |title=Lorenzo Music; Voice of Garfield the Cat |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-aug-08-me-31716-story.html |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} which made his voice recognizable to a worldwide television audience. The character was popular enough to warrant a one-off single in 1975 called "Who Is It?" (b/w "The Girl in 510", United Artists UA-XW643-X), which became a regional hit. Music also co-produced and co-wrote a 1980 animated special titled Carlton Your Doorman, which won an Emmy Award. Though it was a pilot episode, CBS did not pick it up as a series.
In 1976, Lorenzo and Henrietta were given the opportunity to host a syndicated television variety show of their own. The Lorenzo and Henrietta Music Show was produced at a time when there was a glut of television variety shows, but it did not last. In 1983, Music voiced Ralph the All-Purpose Animal in the stop-motion animated film Twice Upon a Time.
=''Garfield''=
{{Main|Garfield}}
In the 1980s, Jim Davis' Garfield was the most popular comic strip in America since Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts. Compilation books and merchandising of the strip were topping best-seller lists, and Davis was negotiating to make an animated television special. Producers needed someone to voice the main character in the strip: Garfield, a fat, lazy, sarcastic, and demanding cat. The audition attracted several famed vocal talents, including Sterling Holloway, the voice of Winnie the Pooh. After one audition, Music was immediately cast as the voice of Garfield; in Davis' words: "I looked at the room full of [voice] actors, and then in the corner I saw Lorenzo, quietly licking himself". Music would serve as the voice of Garfield in all twelve specials, an animated series, video games, and commercials until his death in 2001.
=Other work=
Music also voiced characters for the animated series Pac-Man, Adventures of the Gummi Bears, Fluppy Dogs, The Real Ghostbusters, Pound Puppies, TaleSpin, and Darkwing Duck. After Garfield and Friends ended in 1994, Music retired from cartoon voice acting.
Music did voice-overs for many commercials for prime-time TV, such as Larry the Crash Test Dummy in the "You Could Learn a Lot from a Dummy" public safety announcements sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and for Florida grapefruit juice, a lesser-known series of commercials extolling Florida agriculture as opposed to the more popular "Florida orange juice" commercials.
In keeping with his beliefs in Subud and its emphasis on charity, Music frequently volunteered his time on a suicide hotline. Music recalled that sometimes a caller would change his tone: "I am bankrupt, my wife ran off with another man... Hey, you sound just like that cat on TV!"{{cite web| last1=Evanier| first1=Mark| title=Lorenzo Music, R.I.P.| url=http://www.newsfromme.com/2001/08/05/lorenzo-music-r-i-p/| website=News From Me| author-link=Mark Evanier| date=August 5, 2001| access-date=March 30, 2016}}
Music's voice could be heard on Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America Volume Two album, released as a CD by Rhino Records. Music appeared on the album as James Madison and Robert E. Lee. He also appeared as an intercom announcer on an episode of The Drew Carey Show.{{cite web |title=Lorenzo Music: Actor |url=https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0615718/filmotype/actor?ref_=m_nmfm_2 |website=IMDb |access-date=25 November 2021}} Music served as the voice-over for commercials for Ore-Ida Potatoes and Fruit and Cream Strawberry Twinkies. He later served as the pitchman for Ruggles Ice Cream.
Personal life
Music was married to composer/writer Henrietta Music for forty-two years; together they had four children.{{cite news| title=Lorenzo Music; Voice of Garfield the Cat| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-aug-08-me-31716-story.html| date=August 8, 2001| first=Myrna| last=Oliver| work=Los Angeles Times}}
Death and legacy
Music died from complications related to lung and bone cancer on August 4, 2001, at the age of 64. His body was cremated, and his ashes were scattered at sea.
Since Music's death, Frank Welker replaced him as the voice of Garfield in three fully-CGI films, an animated series, and the Nickelodeon crossover fighting video game All-Star Brawl. Garfield's voice was also provided by Bill Murray in two live-action films. Coincidentally, Music voiced Peter Venkman in the first two seasons of The Real Ghostbusters before being replaced by Dave Coulier. Welker provided the voices of Ray Stantz and Slimer in the same series as well. Chris Pratt voiced Garfield in a CGI animated film in 2024.
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"| Notes |
|---|
| 1976
| Mullins | |
| 1980
| Carlton | |
| 1983
| Ralph the All-Purpose Animal (voice) | |
| 1986
| The Adventures of the American Rabbit | Ping (voice) | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"| Notes |
|---|
| 1967–1969
| The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour | Regular Performer | 50 episodes |
| 1974–1978
| Rhoda | Carlton the Doorman | 82 episodes |
| 1975
| Himself/Contestant | 6 episodes |
| 1976
| The Lorenzo and Henrietta Music Show | Himself/host | 35 episodes |
| 1996
| Store Announcer | Episode: "There Is No Scientific Name for a Show About God" |
=Animation=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"| Notes |
|---|
| 1980
| Carlton the Doorman | TV pilot episode |
| 1982
| rowspan=2 | Garfield | rowspan=2|Television special |
| rowspan=2 | 1983 |
| Pac-Man
| Super-Pac | 4 episodes |
| 1984
| rowspan=2 | Garfield | rowspan=2|Television special |
| rowspan=2 | 1985 |
| The GLO Friends Save Christmas
| Moose | Television film |
| 1985–1991
| Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears | Tummi Gummi, Knight, Man, Additional voices | 60 episodes |
| 1985-1999
| The Incredible Crash Test Dummies | Larry the Crash Test Dummy | PSAs |
| rowspan=2 |1986
| Garfield | Television special |
| Fluppy Dogs
| Ozzie | Television film |
| 1986–1987
| Main-role; 78 episodes; first season and syndication run |
| rowspan=4 |1987
| Garfield | Television special |
| Pound Puppies
| Teensy | Episode: "Little Big Dog/The Bright Eyes Mob" |
| The Jetsons
| Florist | Episode: "The Odd Pod" |
| A Garfield Christmas Special
| Garfield | Television special |
| 1988–1994
| Garfield, Charlie, Devil Garfield, Angel Garfield, Additional voices | Main-role; 121 episodes |
| 1988
| Garfield | Television special |
| 1988–1989
| Additional voices | 3 episodes |
| rowspan=2 |1989
| Garfield's Babes and Bullets | rowspan=3 | Garfield | Television special |
| Garfield's Thanksgiving
| Main-role; TV special |
| rowspan=2 |1990
| Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue | Cameo; Television special |
| Garfield's Feline Fantasies
| Garfield, Lance Sterling | Television special |
| 1990–1991
| TaleSpin | Sgt. Dunder | 6 episodes |
| rowspan=3 |1991
| Garfield | Television special |
| Darkwing Duck
| Spider, Mole | 2 episodes |
=Video games=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! class="unsortable"| Role |
|---|
| 2000
| Garfield |
=Radio=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"| Notes |
|---|
| 1998
| Mr. Smith | Episode: "A Stranger Among Us" |
Production credits
=Writer=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! class="unsortable"| Notes |
|---|
| 1967–1969
| The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour | 54 episodes |
| 1969
| 10 episodes |
| 1969–1970
| 3 episodes |
| 1970–1971
| 8 episodes |
| 1972–1978
| Created by (142 episodes) |
| 1974–1978
| Rhoda | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="2"| 1976
| The Lorenzo and Henrietta Music Show | Main writer |
| The New Lorenzo Music Show
| Teleplay |
| 1980
| |
| 1983
| TV special |
| 1991
| Rugrats | Episode: "Momma Trauma" |
| 1994
| De Sylvia Millecam Show | 6 episodes |
=Producer=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! class="unsortable"| Notes |
|---|
| 1972–1975
| Executive producer (51 episodes) |
| 1974–1975
| Rhoda | 33 episodes |
| rowspan="2"| 1976
| The Lorenzo and Henrietta Music Show | rowspan="2"| Executive producer |
| The New Lorenzo Music Show |
| 1980
| |
=Consultant=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! class="unsortable"| Notes |
|---|
| 1970–1972
| Story consultant (24 episodes) |
| 1975
| Rhoda | Executive consultant (5 episodes) |
| 1983
| Consultant |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0615718}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before = Lou Rawls (singing voice in Here Comes Garfield) | title = Voice of Garfield the Cat | years = 1982–2001 | after = Bill Murray}}
{{succession box | before = Bill Murray | title = Voice of Dr. Peter Venkman | years = 1986–1988| after = Dave Coulier}}
{{s-end}}
{{Garfield}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Music, Lorenzo}}
Category:American comedy writers
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male pop singers
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:American people of Croatian descent
Category:American Subud members
Category:American television writers
Category:Deaths from bone cancer in California
Category:Deaths from lung cancer in California
Category:Male actors from Duluth, Minnesota
Category:Male actors from Brooklyn
Category:American male television writers
Category:Musicians from Brooklyn
Category:Musicians from Duluth, Minnesota
Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners
Category:Screenwriters from Minnesota
Category:Screenwriters from New York (state)
Category:Television producers from New York City
Category:University of Minnesota Duluth alumni
Category:20th-century American screenwriters
Category:20th-century American male writers
Category:20th-century American male singers
Category:20th-century American singers
Category:Television producers from Minnesota