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IMDbPro

Herbert W. Spencer(1905-1992)

  • Music Department
  • Composer
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Herbert W. Spencer was born on 7 April 1905 in Santiago, Chile. He was a composer, known for Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) and Superman (1978). He was married to Diana Reid Spencer. He died on 18 September 1992 in Culver City, Los Angeles, California, USA.
BornApril 7, 1905
DiedSeptember 18, 1992(87)
BornApril 7, 1905
DiedSeptember 18, 1992(87)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Add photos, demo reels
  • Nominated for 2 Oscars
    • 1 win & 3 nominations total

Known for

Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
Jesus Christ Superstar
7.3
  • Music Department
  • 1973
Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, and Kenny Baker in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
8.6
  • Music Department
  • 1977
Gene Hackman, Terence Stamp, Ned Beatty, Christopher Reeve, Jackie Cooper, Sarah Douglas, Jeff East, Margot Kidder, Jack O'Halloran, Valerie Perrine, and Susannah York in Superman (1978)
Superman
7.4
  • Music Department(as Herbert Spencer)
  • 1978
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, Warwick Davis, David Prowse, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Carter, and Larry Ward in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
8.3
  • Music Department
  • 1983

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Music Department



  • Tweet: Turn Da Lights Off (2005)
    Tweet: Turn Da Lights Off
    Music Video
    • as Herbert Spencer
    • 2005
  • Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, and Daniel Stern in Home Alone (1990)
    Home Alone
    7.7
    • orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer)
    • 1990
  • Harrison Ford and Greta Scacchi in Presumed Innocent (1990)
    Presumed Innocent
    6.9
    • orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer)
    • 1990
  • Robert De Niro and Jane Fonda in Stanley & Iris (1990)
    Stanley & Iris
    6.3
    • orchestrator (uncredited)
    • 1990
  • Richard Dreyfuss, John Goodman, and Holly Hunter in Always (1989)
    Always
    6.4
    • orchestrator
    • 1989
  • Sean Connery, Harrison Ford, Denholm Elliott, Michael Byrne, Alison Doody, and John Rhys-Davies in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
    Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
    8.2
    • orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer)
    • 1989
  • The Accidental Tourist (1988)
    The Accidental Tourist
    6.7
    • orchestrator (as Herb Spencer)
    • 1988
  • Empire of the Sun (1987)
    Empire of the Sun
    7.7
    • orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer)
    • 1987
  • Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon, and Cher in The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
    The Witches of Eastwick
    6.5
    • orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer)
    • 1987
  • Kelly Preston, Lea Thompson, Tate Donovan, and Larry B. Scott in SpaceCamp (1986)
    SpaceCamp
    5.7
    • orchestrator (uncredited)
    • 1986
  • Don Knotts in Return to Mayberry (1986)
    Return to Mayberry
    6.9
    TV Movie
    • composer: theme music
    • orchestrator (uncredited)
    • 1986
  • Kevin Costner, Harvey Keitel, Charlie Sheen, Christopher Lloyd, and John Lithgow in Amazing Stories (1985)
    Amazing Stories
    7.4
    TV Series
    • orchestrator (uncredited)
    • 1985
  • The Walt Disney Comedy and Magic Revue (1985)
    The Walt Disney Comedy and Magic Revue
    6.9
    Video
    • orchestrator: archive footage
    • 1985
  • Fairuza Balk, Brian Henson, John Alexander, Sean Barrett, Denise Bryer, Justin Case, Lyle Conway, Stewart Harvey-Wilson, Jean Marsh, Stephen Norrington, Tim Rose, Deep Roy, Michael Sundin, and Mak Wilson in Return to Oz (1985)
    Return to Oz
    6.7
    • orchestrator
    • 1985
  • Cocoon (1985)
    Cocoon
    6.7
    • orchestrator
    • 1985

Composer



  • Off to See the Wizard (1967)
    Off to See the Wizard
    6.5
    TV Series
    • Composer (as Herbert Spencer)
    • 1968
  • Tammy (1965)
    Tammy
    6.9
    TV Series
    • Composer
    • 1965
  • McHale's Navy (1962)
    McHale's Navy
    7.4
    TV Series
    • Composer (as Herbert Spencer, music score)
    • 1965
  • The Joey Bishop Show (1961)
    The Joey Bishop Show
    6.5
    TV Series
    • Composer
    • 1961–1965
  • Angela Cartwright, Rusty Hamer, Sherry Jackson, Marjorie Lord, and Danny Thomas in The Danny Thomas Show (1953)
    The Danny Thomas Show
    7.1
    TV Series
    • Composer
    • 1953–1964
  • Ted Bessell, Randy Boone, Michael Burns, Glenn Corbett, Harry Harvey, and Peter Tewksbury in It's a Man's World (1962)
    It's a Man's World
    7.5
    TV Series
    • Composer
    • 1962–1963
  • The Marquis Chimps in The Hathaways (1961)
    The Hathaways
    7.1
    TV Series
    • Composer
    • 1961–1962
  • My Sister Eileen (1960)
    My Sister Eileen
    6.9
    TV Series
    • Composer
    • 1960–1961
  • Jeanne Bal and William Demarest in Love and Marriage (1959)
    Love and Marriage
    4.8
    TV Series
    • Composer
    • 1959–1960
  • Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan in The Real McCoys (1957)
    The Real McCoys
    7.6
    TV Series
    • Composer (as Spencer-Hagen)
    • 1957
  • Dana Andrews and Betty Hutton in Spring Reunion (1956)
    Spring Reunion
    5.8
    • Composer (as Herbert Spencer)
    • 1956
  • Gloria DeHaven and Rosalind Russell in The Girl Rush (1955)
    The Girl Rush
    5.1
    • Composer (as M.S. I. Spencer-Hagen)
    • 1955
  • It's Always Jan (1955)
    It's Always Jan
    7.2
    TV Series
    • Composer
    • 1955–1956
  • Marilyn Monroe, Dan Dailey, Mitzi Gaynor, Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor, and Johnnie Ray in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
    There's No Business Like Show Business
    6.4
    • Composer (uncredited)
    • 1954
  • Where's Raymond?
    6.8
    TV Series
    • Composer
    • 1953–1954

Soundtrack



  • CBS News Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley (1979)
    CBS News Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley
    7.6
    TV Series
    • writer: "The Fishin' Hole"
    • 2021
  • Stephen Colbert in The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015)
    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
    7.0
    TV Series
    • writer: "The Fishin' Hole"
    • 2021
  • Carolyn Taylor, Jennifer Whalen, Aurora Browne, and Meredith MacNeill in Baroness Von Sketch Show (2016)
    Baroness Von Sketch Show
    7.5
    TV Series
    • writer: "The Andy Griffith Theme (Fishin' Hole Theme)" (as Herbert Spencer)
    • 2019
  • The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014)
    The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
    7.0
    TV Series
    • writer: "The Fishin' Hole" (uncredited)
    • 2018
  • Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)
    The Simpsons
    8.6
    TV Series
    • music: "The Fishin' Hole"
    • writer: "The Fishin' Hole" (uncredited)
    • 1997–2017
  • Patton Oswalt, Felicia Day, Baron Vaughn, Jonah Ray, and Hampton Yount in Mystery Science Theater 3000 (2017)
    Mystery Science Theater 3000
    8.0
    TV Series
    • writer: "The Fishin' Hole" (uncredited)
    • 2017
  • Huell Howser in California's Gold (1991)
    California's Gold
    9.3
    TV Series
    • music: "Fishin' Hole Theme" (uncredited)
    • 2012
  • Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series (2006)
    Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series
    8.6
    TV Series
    • writer: "The Fishin' Hole" (uncredited)
    • 2010
  • Karen Gillan in BBC Proms (2010)
    BBC Proms
    6.1
    TV Series
    • arranger: "You Are Beautiful" (as Herbert Spencer)
    • 2010
  • Jeopardy! (1984)
    Jeopardy!
    8.3
    TV Series
    • writer: "Fishin' Hole Theme" (uncredited)
    • 2010
  • Huell Howser in Visiting... with Huell Howser (1993)
    Visiting... with Huell Howser
    8.7
    TV Series
    • music: "Fishin' Hole Theme" (uncredited)
    • 2010
  • AMV Hell 3: The Motion Picture (2005)
    AMV Hell 3: The Motion Picture
    7.5
    • writer: "Fishin' Hole Theme" (uncredited)
    • 2005
  • John C. McGinley, Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, Neil Flynn, Ken Jenkins, and Judy Reyes in Scrubs (2001)
    Scrubs
    8.4
    TV Series
    • music: "The Fishin' Hole" (uncredited)
    • 2004
  • AMV Hell 2: Son of AMV Hell
    7.2
    Short
    • writer: "Fishin' Hole Theme"
    • 2004
  • History Detectives (2003)
    History Detectives
    8.7
    TV Series
    • music: "The Fishin' Hole" (uncredited)
    • 2003

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • Herbert Spencer
  • Born
    • April 7, 1905
    • Santiago, Chile
  • Died
    • September 18, 1992
    • Culver City, Los Angeles, California, USA(undisclosed)
  • Spouse
    • Diana Reid SpencerSeptember 29, 1939 - September 18, 1992 (his death, 4 children)
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Interview

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Worked on more than thirty films with composer-arranger-conductor Alfred Newman.

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