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Shuki Levy

{{short description|American composer}}

{{Use American English|date=November 2023}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Shuki Levy

| native_name = שוקי לוי

| native_name_lang = he

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|6|3}}

| birth_place = Jaffa, British Mandate of Palestine

| nationality = Israeli, American

| spouse = {{marriage|Deborah Shelton|1977|end=divorce}}
Tori Avey

| children = 2

}}

Shuki Levy ({{langx|he|שוקי לוי}}; born June 3, 1947) is an Israeli-American music composer and television producer. Levy created soundtrack compositions for children's television programs of the 1980s, such as The Real Ghostbusters, Inspector Gadget, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, M.A.S.K., Dinosaucers, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra: Princess of Power, and Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors. In the 1990s, he worked on the Power Rangers franchise, Digimon: Digital Monsters, Masked Rider, VR Troopers, and Big Bad Beetleborgs. He has also written and directed episodes for some these television shows, and directed a few films, such as Perfect Victims (1988) and Blind Vision (1991). He was also part of the musical duo Shuky & Aviva (alternatively Shuki & Aviva), with his partner Aviva Paz.

Life and career

=Beginnings=

Levy was born in Jaffa, British Mandate of Palestine. His father was an Ashkenazi Jew originally from Russia, and his mother of Sephardi Jewish origin.{{cite news |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/living/article39121674.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002101054/http://www.sanluisobispo.com/living/article39121674.html |title=Kosher cooking for the masses |last=Linn |first=Sarah |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |date=March 28, 2010 |archive-date=October 2, 2016 |access-date=February 7, 2023}}

His career began as a singer and music performer, playing in various clubs around Tel Aviv. He also appeared in the musical Hair.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

=Shuky & Aviva=

During the 1970s, Levy performed in France and Germany with Aviva Paz as the duo "Shuki & Aviva" or "Shuky and Aviva". His duo partner was also born in Israel, and four years older than him. Together they scored a hit single throughout Europe called "Signorina - Concertina" which sold two million copies.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}} He also appeared with her on several other releases and music videos. In 1975, Shuki & Aviva sung "You and Me and Two Dreams", which competed as one of the possible German entries during the preliminary rounds of the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest.{{cite web | url=https://eurovisionworld.com/national/germany/ein-lied-fur-stockholm-1975/shuki-aviva-du-und-ich-und-zwei-traume | title=Ein Lied für Stockholm: Shuki & Aviva - "Du und ich und zwei Träume" }} Levy later composed "Halayla", the Israeli entry to the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}

=Saban Entertainment=

While living in Paris, he met businessman and musician Haim Saban, with the two becoming friends and collaborators. In an interview, Levy recalled "Haim said, 'We'll be co-composer. You do the composing, I'll do the deals.' I figured, 'Great. Brothers.' That was the last business conversation we had for many years. We were partners. We never had a written agreement. It was all verbal."{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/05/10/the-influencer|title=The Influencer|last=Bruck|first=Connie|date=May 10, 2010|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=January 21, 2017}} They eventually moved to Los Angeles and founded Saban Entertainment, a production company responsible for animated shows and Japanese adaptions, such as Digimon, X-Men, Spider-Man and Power Rangers. The company was sold to The Walt Disney Company by the end of 2001.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}

During the 1980s and 1990s, he composed television music; according to BMI's music publishing database, he has written a combined total of 4,210 themes, background scores and songs.[https://repertoire.bmi.com/Search/Catalog?num=JduEUG7UGUMlRtB1G6z0Kw%253d%253d&cae=CJTPHNbicc7mVsLUZWJ8IQ%253d%253d&partType=WriterList&search=%7B%22Main_Search_Text%22%3A%22he-man%22%2C%22Sub_Search_Text%22%3Anull%2C%22Main_Search%22%3A%22Title%22%2C%22Sub_Search%22%3Anull%2C%22Search_Type%22%3A%22all%22%2C%22View_Count%22%3A100%2C%22Page_Number%22%3A0%2C%22Part_Type%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Id%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Id_Sub%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Name%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Cae%22%3Anull%2C%22Original_Search%22%3Anull%2C%22DisclaimerViewed%22%3Anull%7D&resetPageNumber=True&partIdSub=oQ5QPfxeuXXa%252bYwl37rzbA%253d%253d Shuki Levy profile at BMI] In a 1998 investigation by The Hollywood Reporter, it was alleged that many of these compositions were ghostwritten by other composers, in order for Levy and Haim Saban to gain control of all publishing rights and music royalty revenue.[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.music.movies/CJQAF1yCTXg Composers say they're paupers in royalty game - The Hollywood Reporter] - via groups.google.com

=Post-Saban Entertainment projects=

The first project Levy worked on following the dissolution of Saban Entertainment was Itty Bitty HeartBeats, a 2003 animated children's DVD. In 2009, he also directed and composed music for the live action film Aussie and Ted's Great Adventure. The film was co-written with his wife Tori Avey, and featured his daughter Jordan in one of the roles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/aussie-teds-great-adventure-am42828|title=Aussie & Ted's Great Adventure (2009) - Shuki Levy | Synopsis, Movie Info, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie|via=www.allmovie.com}}

=Personal life=

In 1977, Levy was married to Miss USA 1970 and actress Deborah Shelton (Dallas), with whom he has a daughter.{{Cite news|url=http://people.com/archive/from-miss-u-s-a-to-dallas-to-body-double-deborah-shelton-is-a-sex-object-who-objects-vol-22-no-19/|title=From Miss U.S.A. to Dallas to Body Double, Deborah Shelton Is a Sex Object Who Objects|last=Stark|first=John|date=November 5, 1984|newspaper=PEOPLE.com|volume=22|language=en-US|access-date=January 21, 2017}} Shelton went on to appear in the 1982 horror film Blood Tide, which was one of the first film and television projects Levy composed for.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/175829%7C0/Deborah-Shelton|title=Deborah Shelton|website=Turner Classic Movies}} He was also in a relationship with television actress Sarah Brown (General Hospital), with whom he has a second daughter.{{Cite web|url=http://www.crushable.com/2009/04/20/entertainment/sarah-brown-puts-education-first/|title=Sarah Brown Puts Education First|website=Crushable|access-date=January 21, 2017}} When they started dating in 1994, Brown was only 19 years old and 27 years younger than Levy. At that point, he was also secretly engaged to another actress named Shell Danielson, and still married to Shelton. Levy remained in a secret relationship with Danielson even after Brown moved in with him, and also remained married to Shelton until early 2000, nearly two years after Brown's daughter was born. Brown and Levy split in 2000, with Brown accusing him of spying on her over the next few years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sarahbrown.net/transcript|title=TRANSCRIPT|website=Sarah Brown}} Levy is currently married to food blogger Tori Avey, who he met in the early 2000s. Levy has owned properties in both California and Miami.

Musical compositions

Shuki Levy is credited{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0506619/|title=Shuki Levy | Composer, Music Department, Producer|website=IMDb}} as a composer on the following works:

=Musicals=

=TV series=

=TV=

=Videos=

  • 1980. Goldwing
  • 1985. Punky Brewster: More For Your Punky
  • 1986. My Favorite Fairy Tales
  • 1989. Little Golden Book Land
  • 1991. Sugar & Spice: Snow White
  • 1991. Sugar & Spice: Heidi
  • 1991. Sugar & Spice: Cinderella
  • 1991. Sugar & Spice: Alice in Wonderland
  • 1991. Sugar & Spice: The Wizard of Oz
  • 2003. Itty Bitty Heartbeats

=Films=

Screenwriting credits

=Television=

=Film=

Director

=Television=

=Film=

Discography

(As part of duo Shuky & Aviva)

=Albums=

  • Love Is Like (1974)
  • Shuky & Aviva (1976)
  • Shuky & Aviva Album N°2 (1977)

;Compilation albums

  • The Very Best Of Shuki & Aviva (1974)
  • The Hits Collection (1990)
  • Best of Shuky & Aviva (2002)
  • Shuky & Aviva (4xCD) (2013)

=Singles=

  • "L' amour c' est la musique de la vie" (1972)
  • "Signorina Concertina" / "I'll Never Let You Go" (1972)
  • "Here Comes Summertime" (1972)
  • "When I'm Dreaming" (1973)
  • "Sixteen Brothers" / "On My Own" (1973)
  • "Listen to the Children" / "Ecoutez les enfants" (1973)
  • "Ca ne suffit pas" / "C'est trop tard" (1973)
  • "Did I ever say goodbye" / "Roller Coaster" (1974)
  • "Did I Hear You Say Good-Bye" (1974)
  • "Bye, Bye, a bientôt" / Des dimanches d'amour" (1975)
  • "Bye Bye Ciao My Love" (1975)
  • "Je t'aime un peu trop" (1975)
  • "Prends ma chemise" (1976)
  • "Viens que je t'embrasse" / "La separation" (1976)
  • "Fête d'amour" / Ils ne mont parlé que de toi" (1976)
  • "Comme Si" (The Air That I Breath) (1976)
  • "Hotel California" / "S'aimer comme on s'aime" (1977)
  • "Mais bien sur je t'aime" / "J'aime quelqu'un d'hereux" (1977)
  • "Je ne fais que passer" / "C'est beaucoup mieux comme ça" (1977)
  • "Fallait fallait pas" (1978)

;In German

  • "Lern' Mit Den Augen Der Kinder Zu Sehen" (1973)
  • "Ein Platz Für Die Liebe" (1974)
  • "Wir Glauben An Das Leben" (1974)
  • "Du Und Ich Und Zwei Träume" (1975)
  • "Zum Glück Gibt Es Musik" (1975)
  • "Ich Liebe Dich Ja Viel Zu Sehr" (1976)

=Albums with Haim Saban=

  • Ulysse 31 (Bande Originale De La Série Télévisée) (1981)
  • Inspector Gadget (Original Soundtrack of the TV Series) (1983)
  • Inspector Gadget - The Music (1986)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Original USA Television Soundtrack (1997)
  • He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Selections from the Original TV Series Soundtrack (2012)
  • He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Music from the Television Series (2015)

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [https://shukilevy.com/ Shuki Levy Online]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20110723134434/http://forums.ghostbusters.net/showthread.php?t=9272&highlight=music&page=7 Levy discusses his work on The Real Ghostbusters]
  • {{IMDb name|0506619}}
  • [https://www.discogs.com/artist/514795-Shuky-amp-Aviva Discogs: Shuky & Aviva]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Levy, Shuki}}

Category:1947 births

Category:20th-century American composers

Category:20th-century American Sephardic Jews

Category:21st-century American composers

Category:21st-century American Sephardic Jews

Category:American film producers

Category:American film score composers

Category:American male film score composers

Category:American male television composers

Category:American male television writers

Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent

Category:American television composers

Category:American television producers

Category:American television writers

Category:Animated film score composers

Category:Animation composers

Category:Anime composers

Category:Israeli emigrants to the United States

Category:Israeli film score composers

Category:Israeli Ashkenazi Jews

Category:Israeli Sephardi Jews

Category:Israeli people of Russian-Jewish descent

Category:Israeli television producers

Category:Jewish American film score composers

Category:Jewish American television composers

Category:Living people

Category:Saban Entertainment