Fred Karlin
Frederick James Karlin was an American composer of more than 130 scores for feature films and television movies. He also was an accomplished trumpeter adept at playing jazz, blues, classical, rock, and medieval music.
Early life and education
Karlin was born in Chicago, Illinois. He had a brother, Kenneth.Karlin began playing jazz trumpet in 1950. He studied jazz composition with William Russo and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College, graduating with honors. His String Quartet No. 2 was his honors thesis.
Career
Following graduation from college, Karlin moved to New York City in 1958. He composed and arranged for various bands, including those of Benny Goodman, Harry James, and Chubby Jackson. During this period he also composed and arranged for documentary films, the Radio City Music Hall orchestra, and television commercials.In 1962, Karlin scored a record album for Columbia of extracts from the comic strip Peanuts, performed by actress Kaye Ballard as Lucy and songwriter Arthur Siegel as Charlie Brown. The innovative score was performed by Karlin entirely on children's musical instruments and toys.
Film and television
Karlin began his film career with Up the Down Staircase in 1967. Following in quick succession were Yours, Mine and Ours, The Stalking Moon, The Sterile Cuckoo, The Baby Maker, Cover Me Babe and Lovers and Other Strangers. For the latter he wrote the music for the song "For All We Know", which won the 1971 Academy Award for Best Original Song and was a Top 10 hit for The Carpenters. The Sandpipers charted with another of his compositions, "Come Saturday Morning". Other Karlin scores were nominated for three Academy Awards, including one for the movie The Little Ark in 1972, his wife, Marsha, was also nominated for the same film. His other film scores included The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker, Believe in Me, Every Little Crook and Nanny, Westworld, The Spikes Gang, Chosen Survivors, The Gravy Train, Mixed Company, Mastermind, Baby Blue Marine, Futureworld, Greased Lightning, Mean Dog Blues, California Dreaming, Ravagers, Cloud Dancer, Loving Couples and Strawberry Road.However the bulk of Karlin's work was in television. His compositions were nominated for the Emmy Award eleven times, and he won for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman in 1974. Other TV films included The Man Who Could Talk to Kids, Born Innocent, Bad Ronald, The Dream Makers, Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway, The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald, Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn, The Death of Richie, Minstrel Man, The Hostage Heart, Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A., Lucan, The Awakening Land, Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter, Vampire, Sophia Loren: Her Own Story, Miracle on Ice, Bitter Harvest, Inside the Third Reich, Baby Sister, Dadah Is Death, Murder C.O.D., Her Wicked Ways and The Secret.