Nathan Scott (May 11, 1915 – February 27, 2010) was an Americanfilm score andtelevisioncomposer. He composed,conducted,arranged andorchestrated more than 850 separate credits in television, as well as the music for more than 100 films.[1][2] His credits in television includedLassie,The Twilight Zone andDragnet, while his film credits included the film score forWake of the Red Witch.[1]
Scott was born inSalinas, California.[1] He received abachelor's degree in music from theUniversity of California, Berkeley in 1939.[1][2] He began working in radio broadcasting after graduation.
Scott was named theWest Coastmusic director forBlue Network, which was owned byNBC, in 1942.[1] However, he was soon drafted into theUnited States Army duringWorld War II, where he wrote music and played thetrombone for theAir Transport Command Band, based in Long Beach, California.[2] He laterconducted shows on theArmed Forces Radio Service such asCommand Performance.[1]
Following the end of World War II, Scott was hired byRepublic Pictures as a staff composer for six years, beginning in 1946.[1][2] He composed, conducted or orchestrated "dozens" offilm scores for Republic Pictures, includingHeart of the Rockies andWake of the Red Witch, starringJohn Wayne.[1] Though much of his career would focus on scoring for television, his laterfilm credits at otherfilm studios included MGM's 1961X-15 andMontana Belle, which was released byRKO Pictures in 1953.[1]
Scott left Republic Pictures in 1952.[2] Beginning in the early 1950s, Scott spent most of his career composing for television. Starting in 1952, Scott orchestrated andarranged music forDragnet's original composer,Walter Schumann.[1][2] Scott did the arrangements for allDragnet episodes, until the show'sseries finale in 1959.[2] Scott also composed the score for approximately sixDragnet episodes.[2]
Scott wrote the theme music for the 1964 dramatic series,Slattery's People, which aired during the 1964-1965television season.[1][2] He also worked on theTwilight Zone for two episodes, scoring the music forA Stop at Willoughby in 1960.[1]
In 1963, Scott began working on the classic television series,Lassie.[1] He scored virtually all the episodes ofLassie (except for 4[2]) until the show ended its run in 1974.[1] His 1950s and 1960s television credits included episodes ofMy Three Sons,Steve Canyon,The Untouchables,Rawhide andWagon Train.[1]
Scott orchestrated for a number of other prominent television and film composers beginning in the 1970s, includingQuincy Jones onThe Color Purple, his sonTom Scott inHanky Panky andStu Phillips forThe Fall Guy andBattlestar Galactica.[1]
Nathan Scott died of natural causes at his home inSherman Oaks, California, on February 27, 2010, at the age of 94.[1] He was survived by his son,Grammy-winningsaxophonistTom Scott; his second wife, Frances McCune Scott; his daughter, Linda Colley; his brother and two grandchildren.[1] His first wife, Margery, died in 1995.[2]
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