Ralph Burns Biography (1922-)

Born June 29, 1922, in Newton, MA. Career: Musical conductor and composer, known for his work on films and Broadway musicals. Performed with Charlie Barnet's band, then with Woody Herman, 1944-45. Awards, Honors: Academy Award, best music (scoring original song score and/or adaptation), 1973,for Cabaret; Academy Award, best music (original song score and its adaptation or best adaptation score), 1980, for All That Jazz; Emmy Award (with Ian Fraser and Billy Byers), outstanding achievement in music direction, 1980, for IBM Presents Baryshnikov on Broadway; Academy Award nomination, best music (original song score and its adaptation or best adaptationscore), 1983, for Annie; Grammy Award nomination (with Frank Foster),best arrangement accompanying vocals, National Academy of Recording Arts andSciences, 1985, for Beyond the Sea (La Mer); Emmy Award nomination (with others), best music direction, 1987, for Liberty Weekend-Opening Ceremonies. Addresses: Agent: Gorfaine-Schwartz Agency, Inc., 3301 Barham Blvd., Suite 201, Los Angeles, CA 90068.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Composer, conductor
Birth Details: June 29, 1922; Newton, Massachusetts, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Work
Orchestrator, Bananas, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1971
Music supervisor, Cabaret, Allied Artists, 1972
Music director, Mame, Warner Bros., 1974
Music director, Lucky Lady, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1975
Orchestrator, High Anxiety, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1977
Orchestrator, The World's Greatest Lover, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1977
Music supervisor and conductor, New York, New York, United Artists, 1977
Music director, Movie, Movie, Warner Bros., 1978
Music director, All That Jazz, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979
Music adapter and conductor, First Family, Warner Bros., 1980
Music adapter, Urban Cowboy, Paramount, 1980
Orchestrator, History of the World, Part I, Twentieth Century-Fox,1981
Music adapter, Annie, Columbia, 1982
Reunion scene arranger and orchestrator, Jinxed, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1982
Orchestrator, To Be or Not To Be, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983
Music director, A Chorus Line, Columbia, 1985
Music director, In the Mood (also known as The Woo Woo Kid), Lorimar, 1987
Orchestrator, The Addams Family, Paramount, 1991
Dance orchestrator, Life Stinks, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1991
Stage Work
Orchestrator, Unless Otherwise Noted
No Strings, 54th Street Theatre, New York City, 1962
Little Me, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1962
(With Luther Henderson) Hot Spot, Majestic Theatre, New York City,1963
Golden Boy, Majestic Theatre, 1964
Something More!, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, 1964
Funny Girl, Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1964
(With Ray Ellis) Fade Out-Fade In, Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1965
Do I Hear a Waltz?, Forty-sixth Street Theatre, New York City, 1965
Sweet Charity, Palace Theatre, New York City, 1966
Holly Golightly (also known as Breakfast at Tiffany's), Forrest Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1966then Majestic Theatre, 1966
Illya Darling, Mark Hellinger Theatre, 1967
Darling of the Day, George Abbott Theater, New York City, 1968
Golden Boy, Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, 1968
Minnie's Boys, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1970
No, No, Nanette, Forty-sixth Street Theatre, 1971
Pippin, Imperial Theatre, 1972
Irene, Minskoff Theatre, New York City, 1973
Chicago, Forty-sixth Street Theatre, 1975
Hellzapoppin, Mechanic Theatre, Baltimore, MD, 1976
The Act, Majestic Theatre, 1977
Dancin', Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1978
(With Richard Hazard and Gene Page) They're Playing Our Song, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, 1978then Imperial Theatre, 1979

Arranger (with Michael Abene and Billy Byers), Liza Minnelli in Concert, Carnegie Hall, New York City, 1979
Peter Pan, Municipal Opera House, Boston, MA, 1981
Big Deal, Broadway Theatre, New York City, 1986
(With others) Liza Minnelli: Stepping Out at Radio City, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1991
Television Work
Principal arranger (with Billy Byers), IBM Presents Baryshnikov on Broadway, ABC, 1980
Music arranger, Pippin (movie), 1981
Principal arranger (with others), Liberty Weekend-Opening Ceremonies, ABC, 1987
Orchestrator and song arranger, The Josephine Baker Story (movie),HBO, 1991
Orchestrator, Liza Minnelli Live! from Radio City Music Hall, PBS,1992
RECORDINGS
Albums
Places Please, Clef, 1951
Someday, Somewhere/Spring Is, Clef, 1951
Very Warm for Jazz, Decca, 1958
Instrumental arranger (with Frank Foster), Beyond the Sea (La Mer), Warner Bros., 1985
Singles
"Hop on the Skyliner," Decca, 1942
"The Moose," 1943
"Apple Honey," Columbia, 1945
"Bijou," Columbia, 1945
"Lady McGowan's Dream," Columbia, 1946
"Summer Sequence," Columbia, 1946-47
WRITINGS
Film Music
Cabaret, United Artists, 1972
Lenny, United Artists, 1974
Piaf, AMLF, 1974
Lucky Lady, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1975
New York, New York, United Artists, 1977
Movie, Movie, Warner Bros., 1978
All That Jazz, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979
Urban Cowboy, Paramount, 1980
(With Marvin Hamlisch) Pennies from Heaven, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1981
Kiss Me Goodbye, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1982
My Favorite Year, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1982
Annie, Columbia, 1982
Star 80, Ladd Company/Warner Bros., 1983
National Lampoon's Vacation, Warner Bros., 1983
The Muppets Take Manhattan, TriStar, 1984
Perfect, Columbia, 1985
Moving Violations, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1985
In the Mood (also known as The Woo Woo Kid), Lorimar, 1987
Bert Rigby, You're a Fool, Warner Bros., 1989
All Dogs Go to Heaven (animated feature), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1989
"Early Autumn," Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Warner Bros., 1997
Television Music
Make Me an Offer, ABC, 1980
Golden Gate, 1981
Side Show, 1981
Phantom of the Opera, 1983
Ernie Kovacs-Between the Laughter, ABC, 1984
Penalty Phase, New World Television, 1986
The Christmas Star, Walt Disney, 1986
After the Promise, CBS, 1987
"Sawdust," CBS Summer Playhouse, CBS, 1987
Sweet Bird of Youth, NBC, 1989
The Josephine Baker Story (movie), HBO, 1991
Song Lyrics
"Hop on the Skyliner," Decca, 1942
"The Moose," 1943
"Apple Honey," Columbia, 1945
"Bijou," Columbia, 1945
"Lady McGowan's Dream," Columbia, 1946
"Summer Sequence," Columbia, 1946-47
Places Please, Clef, 1951
Someday, Somewhere/Spring Is, Clef, 1951

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Down Beat, July 1994, .
Entertainment Weekly, January 31, 1997, p. 59.*

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