Paul Smith (composer)

{{Short description|American film composer, violinist, conductor (1906–1985)}}

{{infobox person

|name= Paul Smith

|image=

|caption=

|birth_name= Paul J. Smith

|birth_date= {{birth date|1906|10|30}}

|birth_place= Calumet, Michigan, US

|death_date= {{death date and age|1985|01|25|1906|10|30}}

|death_place= Glendale, California, US

|spouse=

|height=

|children=

|occupation= American film composer

|years_active= 1936–1985

}}

Paul J. Smith (October 30, 1906 – January 25, 1985) was an American music composer and violinist best known for his work at Disney.[http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/disneys-complete-silly-symphony-soundtrack-collection/ Disney's Complete "Silly Symphony" Soundtrack Collection-Cartoon Research]

Life and career

Smith was born in Calumet, Michigan 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, however, it is unclear if he ever pursued this invitation.{{cite book|last1=The College of Idaho Department of Music|title=A Tribute to Professors: Beale, Smith, Skyrm, Davidson, Cerveny, and Gabbard|publisher=The College of Idaho|pages=5–7}}

Smith joined Disney in 1934 and spent much of his life working as composer for many of its films' scores, animated and live-action alike, movie and television alike.{{cite magazine |magazine=Variety |title=Obituaries|page=134 |date=February 6, 1985}}

He received an Oscar nomination for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). He won an Academy Award for Best Original Score with Leigh Harline and Ned Washington for Pinocchio, which was his first and only Oscar win. He received six more nominations for Saludos Amigos (1942), Victory Through Air Power (1943), The Three Caballeros (1945), Song of the South (1946), Cinderella (1950) and Perri (1957).

In Fantasia, he is one of the studio employees in the orchestra. He also composed the scores for most of the True-Life Adventures episodes and over 70 animated shorts.{{cite journal|last1=Macdonald|first1=Scott|title=Up Close and Political : The Short Ruminations on Ideology in the Nature Film|journal=Film Quarterly|date=Spring 2006|volume=3|issue=59}}

He left Disney in 1962 and from 1962 to 1963 he composed music for Leave It to Beaver.

Smith's main collaborator and partner was Hazel "Gil" George, who wrote the song title for The Light in the Forest with him{{Cite web|title=2 Women That Had a Profound Influence on Walt Disney's Life|url=https://www.disneyfanatic.com/2-women-profound-influence-walt-disneys-life/|access-date=December 7, 2021|website=disneyfanatic.com|date=22 August 2014 }} and Lawrence Edward Watkin. 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 for the Blondie series of the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Death

Smith died on January 25, 1985, in Glendale, California, 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[http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/when-cinderella-played-snow-white-on-records/ When Cinderella Played "Snow White" on Records-Cartoon Research]
Donald's Nephews, 1938
The Practical Pig, 1939
Pinocchio, 1940[https://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/30/arts/paul-joseph-smith-composer-of-scores-for-disney-movies.html Paul Joseph Smith, Composer Of Scores for Disney Movies-NY Times]
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, 1941
Donald Gets Drafted, 1942
Bambi, 1942 (orchestration)
Saludos Amigos, 1942
Fall Out Fall In, 1943
Victory Through Air Power, 1943
The Old Army Game, 1943
Donald's Off Day, 1944
Tiger Trouble, 1945
The Three Caballeros, 1945
The Eyes Have It, 1945
Californy'er Bust, 1945
Hockey Homicide, 1945
The Lady Said No, 1946
Song of the South, 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[https://books.google.com/books?id=5rfRdOMfTqsC&q=paul+smith The Cartoon Music Book-Google Books (pg.33)]
Toy Tinkers, 1949
Cinderella, 1950
Trailer Horn, 1950
Puss Cafe, 1950
Motor Mania, 1950
Pests of the West, 1950
Food For Feudin, 1950
Hook, Lion and Sinker, 1950
Camp Dog, 1950
Hold That Pose, 1950
Lion Down, 1951
Dude Duck, 1951
Test Pilot Donald, 1951
Lucky Number, 1951
R'Coon Dawg, 1951
Get Rich Quick, 1951
Cold Turkey, 1951
Fathers Are People, 1951
Out of Scale, 1951
No Smoking, 1951
Two-Gun Goofy, 1952
Susie the Little Blue Coupe, 1952
The Little House, 1952
Father's Day Off, 1953
The Simple Things, 1953[https://books.google.com/books?id=5rfRdOMfTqsC&q=paul+smith The Cartoon Music-Google Books (pg. 35)]
The Jounery Mistery Of Boob, 1963