Alexander Courage facts for kids

Alexander Mair Courage Jr. (December 10, 1919 – May 15, 2008) was an American musician. People often called him "Sandy." He was an expert at arranging and composing music, especially for TV shows and movies. He is most famous for creating the exciting theme music for the original Star Trek TV series.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Alexander Courage was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He loved music from a young age. In 1941, he earned a music degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

During World War II, he served in the United States Army Air Forces. Even then, he found time to compose music for radio shows. Some of these shows included Adventures of Sam Spade Detective and Broadway Is My Beat.

A Career in Hollywood Music

Sandy Courage started his career at MGM studios. He worked as an orchestrator and arranger. This meant he took music written by composers and arranged it for a full orchestra. He helped create music for many famous films.

Working on Classic Movies

He worked on parts of movies like the 1951 Show Boat. He also helped with The Band Wagon and Gigi. One of his well-known contributions was the lively barn raising dance from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

Collaborating with Famous Composers

Courage often worked with other famous composers. He helped André Previn on films like My Fair Lady. He also worked with Adolph Deutsch on Funny Face and Some Like It Hot.

He was a frequent collaborator with John Williams, a very famous film composer. Together, they worked on movies like The Poseidon Adventure and Superman. He also helped with the music for Jurassic Park. Courage also worked on the music for Fiddler on the Roof and Tom Sawyer.

Another composer he often worked with was Jerry Goldsmith. They teamed up on films like Rudy, Mulan, and The Mummy.

Composing His Own Film Scores

Besides arranging, Courage also wrote his own music for films. He scored two western movies: The Left Handed Gun (1958) and Day of the Outlaw (1959). He also wrote music for the comedy Follow the Boys (1963).

He continued writing movie music into the 1980s and 1990s. This included the score for Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). For this film, he used some new musical ideas from John Williams.

Television Music Contributions

Alexander Courage also composed music for many popular TV shows. These included Daniel Boone, Lost in Space, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He also wrote the main theme music for The Brothers Brannagan and Young Dr. Kildare.

He worked with Jerry Goldsmith again on the TV show The Waltons. Goldsmith wrote the main theme, and Courage wrote the background music for the episodes. In 1988, Courage won an Emmy Award for his music direction. This award was for a special TV show called Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas.

The Iconic Star Trek Theme

Alexander Courage is most famous for creating the main theme music for the original Star Trek TV show. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry hired him for this important job.

Courage also wrote background music for early Star Trek episodes. These included "The Man Trap" and "The Naked Time." He even created the famous "whoosh" sound effect for the Enterprise spaceship flying across the screen.

Later, when Jerry Goldsmith composed the music for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Courage helped. He arranged Goldsmith's version of his original Star Trek theme. Courage's exciting opening fanfare for Star Trek became very famous. It has been used in many Star Trek movies and TV shows since then. This includes Star Trek: The Next Generation and its movies.

Personal Life and Hobbies

Alexander Courage married Mareile Beate Odlum in 1955. Mareile had two sons from a previous marriage, Christopher and Brian. Sandy became a stepfather to them. The family lived in Pacific Palisades and later Beverly Hills.

Besides music, Courage loved photography. He took many dramatic pictures of bullfights and auto racing. He was a big fan of car racing. His interest in racing led him to meet famous drivers like Phil Hill and Stirling Moss.

Later Years and Legacy

Alexander Courage's health declined in his later years. He passed away on May 15, 2008, in Pacific Palisades, California. He had suffered several strokes. He is buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.

Sandy Courage left behind a wonderful musical legacy. His work as an orchestrator and composer helped shape the sound of many classic films and TV shows. His Star Trek theme continues to inspire fans around the world.

See also

In Spanish: Alexander Courage para niños