Jack Elliott

Jack Elliott was born August 6, 1927, in Hartford, Connecticut. He attended Hartt College  of Music and later studied composition with Isadore Freed, Arnold Franchetti, Bohuslav Martinu, and Lukas Foss. He taught at Hartt College before moving to New York City in 1951, where he played piano with his own trio at the Embers, and worked as an organist and choirmaster.

In 1958 he moved to France, where he was music director, accompanist, and arranger for Jacqueline Francois, and worked as a music director of Philips Records. During the early 1960s in New York he was a dance arranger for the Broadway musicals Fiorello, Tenderloin, She Loves Me, and Mr. President. He moved to Los Angeles to work as an arranger on the Judy Garland television show, and later was music director of the Andy Williams television show.

His motion picture scores include The Comic, Where’s Poppa?, Oh God!, Just You and Me, Kid, and The Jerk. He produced the Blade Runner soundtrack with the New American Orchestra. He has scored such television series as Charlie’s Angels and Barney Miller, as well as numerous movies for television. He produced the NBC television special which featured the New American Orchestra, Live From Studio 8H…100 Years of America’s Popular Music. Elliott served as music director for the Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, and the 1984 Summer Olympics. In addition, he holds the distinction of serving as music director of the Grammy Awards for 30 consecutive years.

Elliott founded the Henry Mancini Institute in 1997 and served as its music director until his death in 2001.