Shirley Walker

American film and television composer (1945–2006)

Shirley Anne Walker (née Rogers; April 10, 1945 – November 30, 2006) was an American film and television composer and conductor. She was one of the few female film score composers working in Hollywood during her career. Walker was one of the first female composers to earn a solo score credit on a major Hollywood motion picture (preceded by Suzanne Ciani for 1981's The Incredible Shrinking Woman) and according to the Los Angeles Times, is remembered as a pioneer for women in the film industry. Walker often wrote her film scores entirely by hand, and always orchestrated and conducted her own scores by herself. She won two Emmy Awards during her career, while the ASCAP Shirley Walker Award was created in her honor in 2014.

Walker (née Rogers) was born in Napa, California, on April 10, 1945. Her father was an industrial patternmaker for the U. S. Navy, and her mother gave piano lessons while raising five children. She grew up in Napa Valley and Contra Costa County. She attended Pleasant Hill High School. Walker was a musical prodigy. She had an early start performing as a teenager at various hotels, jazz and art bands in 1964 1967. Walker was also a piano soloist with the San Francisco Symphony during high school, and later attended San Francisco State University on a piano scholarship. She studied music composition under Roger Nixon and piano studies with Harald Logan of Berkeley, California. Her work and arrangements can be heard, eerily interwoven throughout the film, notably during cues like “Do Lung” and “The Delta”. Almost immediately, she would work again with Coppola, orchestrating the score for The Black Stallion (1979) as well as writing additional cues, receiving credits such as “Additional music by” or even “Co composed by”. This gave her an official start and made her one of the rare and few female film composers of the time alongside Wendy Carlos, Rachel Elkind, Delia Derbyshire, Angela Morley, and Suzanne Ciani. However, what made Walker stand out among her peers was her ability to work with an orchestra and this talent would come to shape many beloved film scores.

Her apprenticeship in film music included working as orchestrator and conductor, working with a substantial list of established film composers such as Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, Brad Fiedel, Mark Snow and Carter Burwell. It is not unusual to be a composer, orchestrator, or a conductor, but what is unusual is to be one that does all three, and Walker was such an example. She reportedly knew exactly how music worked, how it was written, and how (or if) it could be played by musicians. Her roles would include making sure each cue was recorded how it needed to be with the speed, tone, and musical sound design in mind, based on the composer’s wishes as well as her own. Walker served as composer for numerous productions, including films such as Willard, the first three Final Destination installments, and television series such as Falcon Crest, Space: Above and Beyond, China Beach, and The Flash. The Flash was one of many collaborations Walker did with composer Danny Elfman. While managing her working relationships with Elfman and Fiedel, Walker would mentor and collaborate with up and comer Hans Zimmer (who would provide synths for Mask of the Phantasm). She would orchestrate and/or conduct his scores for Black Rain (1989), Bird on a Wire (1990), Backdraft (1991), A League of Their Own (1992), and Toys (1992), among others. She would also collaborate with Carter Burwell at the end of her orchestrating/conducting for others days, including the score for Fear (1996). a publication in print since 1986 by and about professional film/television/video game composers, songwriters and lyricists—and where Walker would speak her mind.

Walker served as composer for Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995), Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000), The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999), and Batman Beyond (1999–2001); setting a standard for the musical tone of the DC Animated Universe. Walker was a key part of bringing characters from DC Comics to life on screen. "Though Shirley had enjoyed her stint composing for [The Flash],” notes Batman Animated, an art book and history of the show, "she thought the last thing she wanted to do was to work on a cartoon version of Batman." Still, she met with producers for Batman: The Animated Series, and was so impressed with the direction of the show’s art and the intended depth of its characters that she agreed to come onboard. Her relationship with Danny Elfman facilitated the use of that film’s music in the series, though Walker also composed her own equally memorable theme. You can hear her explain the difference between the two pieces of music, the tonal sections of her Batman theme and how she would blend them together to map over the show’s various moods and scenes, in a track from the soundtrack album. She would go on to work on Superman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond, setting the musical, well, tone for the slew of DC Animated Universe shows that spun out of Batman: TAS — an interconnected cinematic universe including Static Shock, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited.

For her work on Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond, Walker won two Daytime Emmys in 1998 and 2001, respectively.

Just after completing work on the feature Black Christmas and after finishing the first three scores of the Final Destination horror series, Shirley Walker died November 30, 2006, from complications following a stroke in Reno, Nevada. She was 61 years old. Walker is survived by her two sons, Ian and Colin. Not only did Walker compose, she also conducted, orchestrated, arranged, and oftentimes did all three. Walker had an incredible impact not only on the films and television shows she worked on, but also on the musicians she worked with. When Warner Bros. hired her in 1990 to supervise the music for Batman: The Animated Series, Walker decided to see if she "could find the next generation of orchestral film composers and give them a chance to do this work," Walker told Daily Variety in 2002. It has been awarded to Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, Deborah Lurie, Germaine Franco, and Pinar Toprak to date.

Year Title Info Limited? Label OOP / SOLD OUT 1979 The Black Stallion Co composed with Carmine Coppola; some additional scoring by: Nyle Steiner, Bill Douglass, Kenneth Nash, & George Marsh. Replaced two other composers. 1,500 Intrada Records SOLD OUT 1982 The End of August NO CD 1983 Touched NO CD 1984 The Dungeonmaster Co composed with Richard Band Intrada Records Violated Unused score NO CD 1985 Ghoulies Co composed with Richard Band Intrada Records 1989 Nightbreed Additional music only. Score by Danny Elfman. MCA Records SOLD OUT 1990 Chicago Joe and the Showgirl As Walker stated in an interview, for legal reasons Hans Zimmer had to take credit, but she was the one who composed the score. NO CD Pacific Heights Additional music only. Score by Hans Zimmer. Varèse Sarabande SOLD OUT Strike It Rich NO CD 1991 Born to Ride NO CD White Fang One cue only. Score by Hans Zimmer & Basil Poledouris. Intrada Records SOLD OUT 1992 Memoirs of an Invisible Man Replaced Jack Nitzsche No Varèse Sarabande OOP 1993 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Expanded score released in 2009 3,000 Reprise Records (1993) La La Land Records (2009) OOP 1994 True Lies Co composed with Brad Fiedel Epic Soundtrax OOP 1996 Escape from L. A. Co composed with John Carpenter, and Alan Howarth No Milan Records OOP (expanded score released in 2014 by La La Land Records) 1997 Turbulence Full CD released in 2013 2,000 La La Land Records 1999 Mystery Men Additional music only. Majority of score by Stephen Warbeck NO CD 2000 Final Destination Complete score isolated on a DVD release, with commentary over parts. A shorter promotional CD R was also issued. NO CD 2002 Ritual NO CD 2003 Final Destination 2 Promotional CD released. NO CD Willard Full album released in 2013 3,000 La La Land Records 2006 Final Destination 3 NO CD Black Christmas Final score before her death. Replaced Vince Lauria. NO CD

Year Title Info Limited? Label OOP / SOLD OUT 1980 Lou Grant Episodes:"Guns" (season 3)"Hazard" (season 3) NO CD 1981 Cagney & Lacey All Episodes:"The Rapist: Part 1""The Rapist: Part 2""The Gimp" NO CD 1982 Tucker's Witch All Episodes:"Abra Cadaver" (episode six) NO CD 1985 Berrenger's One episode (unknown title) NO CD 1986 Fluppy Dogs Walt Disney Television Animation; pilot episode NO CD 1984 to 1988 Falcon Crest All Episodes:"Pain and Pleasure" (season 4)"The Showdown" (season 4)"The Decline" (season 4)"Echoes" (season 5)"Changing Partners" (season 5)"Inconceivable Affairs" (season 5)"Checkmate" (season 5)"Shattered Dreams" (season 5)"Finders and Losers" (season 5)"Dangerous Ground" (season 5)"Tuscany Venus" (season 8)"Suspicion" (season 8) NO CD 1988 Knots Landing Incomplete episodes:"The Blushing Bride" NO CD 1990 Tiny Toons Rejected score for one segment in an episode. NO CD 1990 The Flash NO CD 1992 Batman: The Animated Series Over 34 episodes plus second opening theme. In July, 2012, Volume 2, a 4 CD set, was issued. A third volume, also a 4 CD set, was released in 2014. 3,000 La La Land Records SOLD OUT (re issued July, 2012) 1994 M. A. N. T. I. S. Rejected score, unknown episode. No other scores for the series. NO CD 1994 Viper All Episodes (season 1 only):"Safe as Houses""Firehawk""The Face""Wheels of Fire""Past Tense""Scoop""Thief of Hearts""Crown of Thorns" NO CD 1995 Space: Above and Beyond Theme and all episodes. 3,000 La La Land Records 1995 The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space NO CD 1996 Superman: The Animated Series Select episodes, main title theme and thematic elements. 3,000 La La Land Records 1997 Spawn: The Animated Series Theme and multiple episodes (possibly all of season 1) NO CD 1997 The Love Bug NO CD 1998 Baby Monitor: Sound of Fear NO CD 2000 The Others NO CD 2002 Disappearance NO CD

Year Film Conductor Orchestrator Original composer Notes1979The Black StallionCarmine CoppolaAlso co composer1980Murder in Coweta Country (TV)Brad FiedelAmber Waves (TV)John Rubinstein1983Right of Way (TV)Brad FiedelMetalstorm: The Destruction of Jared SynRichard BandSwordkillCujoCharles Bernstein1984RagewarRichard BandAnatomy of an Illness (TV)Brad Fiedel1986Children of a Lesser GodMichael Convertino1987MaloneDavid Newman1988The AccusedBrad FiedelScroogedDanny ElfmanErnest Saves ChristmasMark SnowLittle Miss 4th of July (TV)1989National Lampoon's Christmas VacationAngelo BadalamentiUncreditedBatmanDanny ElfmanAlso co composerFletch LivesHarold FaltermeyerImmediate FamilyBrad FiedelRed Earth, White Earth (TV)Ralph GriersonPaint It BlackJürgen KnieperKill Me AgainWilliam OlvisBlack RainHans Zimmer1990Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesJohn Du PrezNightbreedDanny ElfmanAlso co composerDick TracyDarkmanEdward ScissorhandsDefending Your LifeMichael GoreArachnophobiaTrevor JonesEl Diablo (TV)William OlvisChild's Play 2Graeme RevellBird on a WireHans ZimmerDays of ThunderPacific HeightsAlso co composer1991The Butcher's WifeMichael GoreTrue IdentityMarc MarderWhite FangBasil Poledouris & Hans ZimmerBackdraftHans Zimmer1992Article 99Danny ElfmanGladiatorBrad FiedelStraight TalkRadio FlyerHans ZimmerA League of Their OwnToys1993The Real McCoyBrad FiedelStriking Distance1994Renaissance ManHans ZimmerTrue LiesBrad Fiedel1995Bad CompanyCarter BurwellA Goofy MovieCarter BurwellBurwell's score only. Don Davis orchestrated and conducted his own cues. Johnny MnemonicBrad FiedelUncreditedBatman ForeverElliot GoldenthalUncreditedFree Willy 2: The Adventure HomeBasil Poledouris1996FearCarter BurwellLast orchestration work for another composer. EdenBrad FiedelRasputin (TV)Last conducting work for another composer.