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IMDbPro

Carl W. Stalling(1891-1972)

  • Composer
  • Music Department
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Carl W. Stalling in Silly Symphonies Rediscovered (2006)
Carl Stalling is the most famous unknown composer of the 20th century, almost solely based on his work composing musical scores for animated cartoons. Stalling's first work in music was as house organist in Newman Theatre in Kansas City, where he would accompany the latest silent film with his organ playing. He soon came to the attention of fellow Kansan Walt Disney, who recruited Stalling as musical director for his fledgling animation company. At Disney, Stalling invented the "tick" method, a timing device that allows animators to set the tempo of the cartoons, so that the musicians can play along before the cartoon is even drawn! Stalling created the music for Disney's early "Silly Symphonies", including The Skeleton Dance (1929). Stalling left Disney in 1930 to join the new animation group at Warner Brothers. The advantage for Stalling was that he now had access to Warner's enormous library of popular songs, which he began to employ as a sort of musical pun. For example, any scene showing someone freezing would be accompanied by a bit of "Am I Blue?", or any shot of a country bumpkin would be followed by a few bars of "Arkansas Traveller." Stalling's main source of musical inspiration, however, were the works of Raymond Scott; Scott's "Powerhouse" theme is forever linked with Stalling's work for Warners. Stalling was a quiet man, granting only one interview about his work (for "Funnyworld" magazine). For a better appreciation of his work, fans should get the two "Stalling Projects" CDs.
BornNovember 10, 1891
DiedNovember 29, 1972(81)
BornNovember 10, 1891
DiedNovember 29, 1972(81)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Awards
    • 1 win

Known for

Super 8 (2011)
Super 8
7.0
  • Soundtrack(as Carl Stalling, "High Diving Hare")
  • 2011
Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes in Ghost Rider (2007)
Ghost Rider
5.3
  • Soundtrack("Skeleton Dance (Score)")
  • 2007
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Austin O'Brien in Last Action Hero (1993)
Last Action Hero
6.4
  • Soundtrack("Speedy", "Bird Seed")
  • 1993
Rosie Perez, Jurnee Smollett, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Margot Robbie, and Ella Jay Basco in Birds of Prey (2020)
Birds of Prey
6.0
  • Soundtrack(as Carl Stalling, "Poor Little Birdie")
  • 2020

Credits

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IMDbPro

Composer

  • Behind the Tunes: Crash! Bang! Boom! - The Wild Sounds of Treg Brown (2004)
    Behind the Tunes: Crash! Bang! Boom! - The Wild Sounds of Treg Brown
    • Composer
    • Video
    • 2004
  • The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show (1986)
    The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show
    • Composer (segments Duck Amuck, Bewitched Bunny)
    • TV Series
    • 1992
  • Bugs Bunny's Creature Features (1992)
    Bugs Bunny's Creature Features
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling)
    • TV Short
    • 1992
  • Bugs Bunny's Lunar Tunes (1991)
    Bugs Bunny's Lunar Tunes
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling)
    • TV Short
    • 1991
  • Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster (1991)
    Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling)
    • TV Movie
    • 1991
  • What's Up Doc? A Salute to Bugs Bunny (1990)
    What's Up Doc? A Salute to Bugs Bunny
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling)
    • TV Movie
    • 1990
  • Bugs Bunny's Wild World of Sports (1989)
    Bugs Bunny's Wild World of Sports
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling, classic music)
    • TV Short
    • 1989
  • Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988)
    Daffy Duck's Quackbusters
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling)
    • 1988
  • The Duxorcist (1987)
    The Duxorcist
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling)
    • Short
    • 1987
  • The Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes Comedy Hour (1985)
    The Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes Comedy Hour
    • Composer
    • TV Series
    • 1985
  • Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island (1983)
    Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling)
    • 1983
  • Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales (1982)
    Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling)
    • 1982
  • Bugs Bunny's Mad World of Television (1982)
    Bugs Bunny's Mad World of Television
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling, classic cartoons)
    • TV Movie
    • 1982
  • Mel Blanc, Robert J. Walsh, June Foray, Jim Champin, David Detiege, John W. Dunn, Stan Freberg, Friz Freleng, Ralph James, Don McGinnis, Frank Nelson, and Frank Welker in The Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie (1981)
    The Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling)
    • 1981
  • Daffy Duck's Very Merry Special (1980)
    Daffy Duck's Very Merry Special
    • Composer (as Carl Stalling, classic cartoons)
    • TV Movie
    • 1980

Music Department

  • Looney Tunes Cartoons (2019)
    Looney Tunes Cartoons
    • composer: "What's Up Doc?" (as Carl Starling)
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Night of The Robber!
    • uncredited
    • Short
    • 2019
  • The City Dopes
    • uncredited
    • Short
    • 2019
  • The Drew Bromley Show
    • composer: stock music
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)
    Looney Tunes: Back in Action
    • composer: Looney Tunes theme music
    • 2003
  • Irreverent Imagination: The Golden Age of the Looney Tunes (2003)
    Irreverent Imagination: The Golden Age of the Looney Tunes
    • composer: stock music
    • Video
    • 2003
  • Space Jam (1996)
    Space Jam
    • composer: Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies theme music (uncredited)
    • 1996
  • The Magical World of Chuck Jones
    • composer
    • 1992
  • Howie Mandel in Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
    Gremlins 2: The New Batch
    • composer: Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies themes
    • 1990
  • Bugs vs. Daffy: Battle of the Music Video Stars (1988)
    Bugs vs. Daffy: Battle of the Music Video Stars
    • composer: classical music (as Carl Stalling)
    • TV Special
    • 1988
  • The Night of the Living Duck (1988)
    The Night of the Living Duck
    • composer: classical cartoon music (as Carl Stalling)
    • Short
    • 1988
  • Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Cher in Looney Tunes 50th Anniversary (1986)
    Looney Tunes 50th Anniversary
    • composer: stock music (uncredited)
    • TV Special
    • 1986
  • Warner Bros. Cartoons Golden Jubilee 24 Karat Collection - Elmer Fudd's Comedy Capers (1985)
    Warner Bros. Cartoons Golden Jubilee 24 Karat Collection - Elmer Fudd's Comedy Capers
    • music
    • Video
    • 1985
  • Warner Bros. Cartoons Golden Jubilee 24 Karat Collection - Bugs Bunny's Wacky Adventures (1985)
    Warner Bros. Cartoons Golden Jubilee 24 Karat Collection - Bugs Bunny's Wacky Adventures
    • Music Direction
    • Video
    • 1985
  • Warner Bros. Cartoons Golden Jubilee 24 Karat Collection - Daffy Duck: The Nuttiness Continues... (1985)
    Warner Bros. Cartoons Golden Jubilee 24 Karat Collection - Daffy Duck: The Nuttiness Continues...
    • Musical direction
    • Video
    • 1985

Writer

  • DTV Monster Hits (1987)
    DTV Monster Hits
    • stories
    • TV Movie
    • 1987
  • Disney's Halloween Treat (1982)
    Disney's Halloween Treat
    • stories
    • Video
    • 1982
  • The Skeleton Dance (1929)
    The Skeleton Dance
    • idea (uncredited)
    • Short
    • 1929
  • Mickey's Follies (1929)
    Mickey's Follies
    • story (uncredited)
    • Short
    • 1929

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • Arch B. Fritz
  • Born
    • November 10, 1891
    • Lexington, Missouri, USA
  • Died
    • November 29, 1972
    • Los Angeles, California, USA(undisclosed)
  • Spouse
    • Gladys I. BaldwinJune 16, 1917 - November 29, 1972 (his death)

Did you know

Edit
  • Trademark
      He used the same musical pieces to underscore a particular scene such as Raymond Scott's "Powerhouse" whenever the main action of a scene was something mechanical or "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" whenever a pretty female character appeared.

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