Walter Anthony Murphy Jr. (born December 19, 1952) is an American composer, keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for the instrumental "

A Fifth of Beethoven "A Fifth of Beethoven" is a disco instrumental recorded by Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band, adapted from the first movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. The record was produced by production music and sound effects recording p ...

", a disco adaptation of

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...

's Fifth Symphony which topped the charts in 1976 and was featured on the ''Saturday Night Fever'' soundtrack in 1977. Further classical–disco fusions followed, such as " Flight '76", "

Rhapsody in Blue ''Rhapsody in Blue'' is a 1924 musical composition written by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects. Commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman, the work premiered i ...

", " Toccata and Funk in 'D' Minor", "

Bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...

", and "

Mostly Mozart The Mostly Mozart Festival is an American classical music festival based in New York City. Venues The festival presents concerts with its resident ensemble, the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, principally at David Geffen Hall of the Lincoln C ...

", but were not as successful. In a career spanning over five decades, Murphy has written music for numerous films and TV shows, including ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...

'', ''The Savage Bees'', '' Stingray'', '' Wiseguy'', ''

The Commish ''The Commish'' is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on ABC in the United States from September 28, 1991, to January 11, 1996. The series focuses on the work and home life of a suburban police commissioner in Eastbridge, New ...

'', '' Profit'', ''

Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...

'', ''

Looney Tunes ''Looney Tunes'' is an American Animated cartoon, animated comedy short film series produced by Warner Bros. starting from 1930 to 1969, concurrently with its partner series ''Merrie Melodies'', during the golden age of American animation.

'', and ''

How Murray Saved Christmas ''How Murray Saved Christmas'' is a 2014 animated musical television special, directed by Peter Avanzino and written by Mike Reiss. The voice actors include Jerry Stiller, Sean Hayes, Kevin Michael Richardson, Jason Alexander, John Ratzenberger ...

''. He has had a long-running partnership with

Seth MacFarlane Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (; born October 26, 1973) is an American actor, animator, filmmaker, comedian, and singer. He is the creator and star of the television series ''Family Guy'' (since 1999) and ''The Orville'' (since 2017), and co-creator ...

, composing music for his films and TV shows such as ''

Family Guy ''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom originally conceived and created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show centers around the Griffin family, Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter Griff ...

'', ''

The Cleveland Show ''The Cleveland Show'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, Richard Appel, and Mike Henry for the Fox Broadcasting Company. A spin-off of ''Family Guy'', the series centers on Cleveland Brown, his new wife Donna Tubbs, and ...

'', '' American Dad!'', ''

Ted TED may refer to: Economics and finance * TED spread between U.S. Treasuries and Eurodollar Education * ''Türk Eğitim Derneği'', the Turkish Education Association ** TED Ankara College Foundation Schools, Turkey ** Transvaal Education Depa ...

'', and ''

Ted 2 ''Ted 2'' (stylized as ted2) is a 2015 American comedy film directed by Seth MacFarlane and written by MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin, and Wellesley Wild. The second installment in the ''Ted'' franchise, it serves as a sequel to the 2012 film of the ...

''.

Early life

Murphy was born on December 19, 1952, in New York City, and grew up in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

. At age four, he attended music lessons hosted by

Rosa Rio Rosa Rio (June 2, 1902 – May 13, 2010) was the stage name of American concert pianist Elizabeth Raub, who also provided scores and arrangement for theater, radio, television and film productions later becoming a teacher of music and voice. She ...

, studying an array of instruments, including the organ and piano. Rio frequently opted for him to star in television advertisements for the

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

. In high school, Murphy composed for his band class and orchestra. Against the wishes of his father, who was a

real estate agent A real estate agent or real estate broker is a person who represents sellers or buyers of real estate or real property. While a broker may work independently, an agent usually works under a licensed broker to represent clients. Brokers and age ...

and wished to pass the business down to his son, Murphy enrolled in the

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory in New York City. The school offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition, as well as a bachelor's in mu ...

under a composition major in 1970. recalling his experiences with his father, Murphy stated "He wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer—or something you can depend on." There, Murphy studied jazz and

classical piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

with Nicolas Flagello and

Ludmila Ulehla Ludmila Ulehla (1923–2009) was an American composer and music educator. Biography Ludmila Ulehla was born in Flushing, Queens, New York. She began the study of piano and violin very early and wrote short compositions at the age of five. ...

. His postgraduate studies at the Manhattan School yielded the composition "Chorale and Allegro for Orchestra", which has been performed by orchestras throughout the United States.

Career

1970–1976: Early years

From 1970 to 1980, Murphy worked as a Manhattan Avenue jingle writer, writing for such clients as Lady Arrow shirts, Revlon, Woolworth's, Viasa Airlines, and Korvette's, as well as arrangements for the popular children's television series ''

Big Blue Marble ''Big Blue Marble'' is a half-hour children's television program that was aired from 1974 to 1983 in syndication including on PBS television stations. Overview Distinctive content included stories about children around the world and a pen-pal ...

''. In the early 1970s, Murphy was the leader of the soul/R&B

cover Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of co ...

band WAM. They gigged in the New York tri-state area, often at the

New Rochelle New Rochelle (; older french: La Nouvelle-Rochelle) is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state. In 2020, the city had a population of 79,726, making it the seventh-largest in the state o ...

club Pearly's. During an appointment with

Bobby Rosengarden Robert Marshall Rosengarden (April 23, 1924 – February 27, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. A native of Elgin, Illinois, United States, he played on many recordings and in television orchestras and talk show bands. Rosenga ...

, bandleader of the ''

Dick Cavett Show ''The Dick Cavett Show'' was the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks, including: * ABC daytime, (March 4, 1968–January 24, 1969) originally titled ''This Morning'' * ABC prime time, Tuesdays, ...

'' orchestra, Murphy convinced the group to play some of his arrangements when he found Rosengarden to be absent. Looking back on the situation, he stated "I still can't believe I did it. I'm not a very forward person." Since the band "wasn't very busy," they performed his arrangements live and enjoyed them, convincing Murphy to write more. In April 1972, a fellow student from the Manhattan School of Music introduced Murphy to Doc Severinsen, musical director of ''

''. Murphy presented his arrangements to Severinsen, who liked them enough to have ''

The Tonight Show Band The Tonight Show Band is the house band that plays on the American television variety show '' The Tonight Show''. From 1962 until 1992, when the show was known as '' The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'', the band was a 17-piece big band, and ...

'' play them live. However, ''The Tonight Show'' moved production to

Burbank, California Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank has a population of 107,337. The city was named after David Burbank, w ...

a month later, and a final year of college prevented Murphy from joining them. In 1974, Murphy joined

Thomas J. Valentino Thomas J. Valentino (April 27, 1907 - August 4, 1986) was an American businessman of Italian descent being amongst the first to develop libraries of sound effects and taped music. Valentino was born in the outskirts of Palermo, Sicily; his family i ...

's company Valentino, Inc., composing much of their

library music Production music (also known as stock music or library music) is recorded music that can be licensed to customers for use in film, television, radio and other media. Often, the music is produced and owned by production music libraries. Backgroun ...

for film and television over the years. In 1976, Murphy played piano on Peter Lemongello's second album ''Do I Love You''.

1976–1979: Private Stock years, breakthrough

In college, Murphy's interests had included

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...

, particularly that which was adapted from

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

, such as "Joy" by Apollo 100 and "A Lover's Concerto" by

The Toys The Toys were an American pop girl group from Jamaica, New York, which was formed in 1961 and disbanded in 1968. Their most successful recording was "A Lover's Concerto" (1965), which sold more than two million copies and reached the number-two ...

. Later, in 1976, he was writing a disco song for a commercial, when a producer gave him the idea of "updating classical music," which "nobody had done lately." He then recorded a demo tape of four songs—three were ordinary pop songs, while the fourth was a disco rendition of

's Fifth Symphony titled "

"—and mailed it to various record labels in New York City. Response was generally unimpressive, but "Fifth" caught the interest of

Private Stock Records Private Stock Records was a record label that operated from 1974 to 1978. The label was founded by Larry Uttal after he was ousted from Bell Records. The label primarily focused on pop music and had numerous hit records, many of them one-hit wo ...

owner Larry Uttal. Murphy signed on to Private Stock and recorded the album ''A Fifth of Beethoven''. The first single and title track, "A Fifth of Beethoven", was released on May 29, 1976. It was a hit, starting out at number 80 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and eventually reaching number 1 within 19 weeks, where it stayed for one week. The single sold two million copies, while the album sold about 750,000 copies. The second single, a rendition of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's " Flight of the Bumblebee" titled "Flight '76", was less successful, reaching only number 44 on the Hot 100. The single was initially credited to "Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band" upon encouragement from Private Stock, who believed it would become a hit if credited to a group rather than an individual. However, two days following the record's release, Private Stock discovered the existence of another Big Apple Band (which promptly changed its name to

Chic Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Pronounced Chick. Etymology '' Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English diction ...

). As result, the record was later re-released and credited to "The Walter Murphy Band", then just "Walter Murphy". Following the success of "A Fifth of Beethoven", Murphy toured with his band and made guest appearances on shows such as ''

Don Kirshner's Rock Concert ''Don Kirshner's Rock Concert'' is an American television music variety show that ran during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Don Kirshner and syndicated to television stations, initially through Viacom Enterprises, and later ...

'', '' The Midnight Special'', ''

Dinah! ''Dinah!'' is a daytime variety talk show that was hosted by singer and actress Dinah Shore. The series was distributed by 20th Century Fox Television and premiered on October 21, 1974, in syndication. In 1979, the show became known as ''Di ...

'', and '' American Bandstand''. On the success of the single, he said: "It's really sad that the kids today can only relate to Beethoven via a rock version of his music." He hoped "that maybe if they've heard this much of his symphony, they'll go out and buy the original." In 1977, "A Fifth of Beethoven" was licensed to

RSO Records RSO Records was a record label formed by rock and roll and musical theatre impresario Robert Stigwood and record executive Al Coury in 1973. The letters "RSO" stood for the Robert Stigwood Organisation. RSO managed the careers of several ma ...

for inclusion on the

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...

to the film '' Saturday Night Fever'', giving the song a new lease on life. Also that year, Murphy recorded the album ''Rhapsody in Blue'', which contained a similar mix of classical-disco fusion and self-penned pop songs. Two singles were released: a disco treatment of

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

's "

", and the self-penned instrumental "Uptown Serenade." The former narrowly missed the top 100, but received significant play on easy-listening stations, according to '' Billboard''. In 1978, Murphy recorded the album ''Phantom of the Opera'', a concept album telling the story of ''

The Phantom of the Opera ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pier ...

'', featuring Gene Pistilli as Erik/The Phantom, B.G. Gibson as Raoul, and

Renée Geyer Renée Rebecca Geyer (born 11 September 1953) is an Australian singer who has long been regarded as one of the finest exponents of jazz, soul and R&B idioms. She had commercial success as a solo artist in Australia, with "It's a Man's Man's Worl ...

Christine Christine may refer to: People * Christine (name), a female given name Film * ''Christine'' (1958 film), based on Schnitzler's play ''Liebelei'' * ''Christine'' (1983 film), based on King's novel of the same name * ''Christine'' (1987 fil ...

. The album spawned three singles: "Dance Your Face Off"/"Gentle Explosion" (a double A-side), "Toccata and Funk in 'D' Minor", and "The Music Will Not End". The latter was a Top 40 hit, but the former failed to make the club or radio charts.

1979–1982: RCA and MCA years, Uncle Louie

Murphy signed on to

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

in 1979, and released the album ''Walter Murphy's Discosymphony''. The album spawned the singles "Bolero" and "Mostly Mozart"; the latter failed to chart, indicating that Murphy had taken the "classical disco" concept as far as it could go. Also in 1979, Murphy and Gene Pistilli joined with brothers Eddie and Frank Dillard, forming the band Uncle Louie. They signed on to

TK Records TK Records was an American independent record label founded by record distributor Henry Stone and Steve Alaimo in 1972. and based in Hialeah, Florida. The record label went bankrupt in 1981. "TK" was inspired by the initials of sound engineer ...

and released one album, ''Uncle Louie's Here'', which explored a more aggressive, funk-based angle than Murphy's solo albums. The album spawned three singles: "Full-Tilt Boogie", which reached number 19 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart, "I Like Funky Music", and "Sky High". Around this time, Murphy and Pistilli wrote and/or produced songs for other artists, including " Something to Hold Onto" (1981) by

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an interna ...

and "What's Wrong With This Picture?" (1980) by Lora Lee Cliff. Murphy also contributed arrangements to Jack Jones's ''Nobody Does It Better'' (1979) and

Pia Zadora Pia Zadora (born Pia Alfreda Schipani, May 4, 1954) is an American actress and singer. After working as a child actress on Broadway, in regional theater, and in the film ''Santa Claus Conquers the Martians'' (1964), she came to national attention ...

's ''Rock It Out'' (1984). In 1982, Murphy signed on to

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...

and recorded ''Themes from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and More''. The album contained disco- and pop-tinged arrangements of themes to popular movies of the time, such as '' E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'', '' Indiana Jones'', and '' Poltergeist''. The album spawned one single, a medley of "Themes from ET (The Extra-Terrestrial)", which climbed to number 47 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

1982–1999: Move to behind-the-scenes roles

Following ''Themes from E.T.'', Murphy largely ceased touring and recording studio albums of original material. He instead began focusing more exclusively on composing for film and television, and producing for other artists, in a more behind-the-scenes role. Artists that Murphy has recorded and/or produced for include

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

, Sylvester Stallone,

Jennifer Warnes Jennifer Jean Warnes (born March 3, 1947) is an American singer and songwriter. She has performed as a vocalist on a number of film soundtracks. She has won two Grammy Awards, in 1983 for the Joe Cocker duet "Up Where We Belong" and in 1987 for ...

Siedah Garrett Deborah Christine "Siedah" Garrett (born June 24, 1960) is an American singer and songwriter who has written songs and performed backing vocals for many recording artists in the music industry, such as Michael Jackson, the Pointer Sisters, Brand N ...

, Tim Schmitt,

Richie Havens Richard Pierce Havens (January 21, 1941 – April 22, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music encompassed elements of folk, soul (both of which he frequently covered), and rhythm and blues. He had a rhythmic guitar style ...

, Isaac Hayes,

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...

, Paul Williams, and

Kenny Rankin Kenneth Joseph Rankin (February 10, 1940 – June 7, 2009) was an American singer and songwriter in the folk rock and singer-songwriter genres; he was influenced by jazz. Rankin would often sing notes in a high range to express emotion. Biogr ...

. He was also a guest conductor for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, during their successful Summer Pops series. In 1984, Murphy and television composer

Mike Post Mike Post (born Leland Michael Postil, September 29, 1944) is an American composer, best known for his TV theme music for various shows, including ''Law & Order''; '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''; ''The A-Team''; ''NYPD Blue''; ''Renegad ...

co-produced

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

's "Rock on the Bayou", the B-side to the band's hit single " (There's A) Fire in the Night". "Rock on the Bayou" was featured in the independent film ''

The River Rat ''The River Rat'' is a 1984 independent family film directed by Thomas Rickman and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Martha Plimpton. It was filmed on location in Hickman, Kentucky, on the banks of the Mississippi River. Plot Jonsy is a teenager wh ...

'', which Post also composed the music for. In 1985, Murphy collaborated with Post,

Rick James James Ambrose Johnson Jr. (February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004), better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, James began his musical career in ...

, and Issac Hayes on scoring music for ''

The A-Team ''The A-Team'' is an American action-adventure television series that ran on NBC from January 1983 to March 1987 about former members of a fictitious United States Army Special Forces unit. The four members of the team were tried by court ma ...

'' episode "The Heart of Rock 'N Roll".

1999–present: Collaborations with Seth MacFarlane

Since 1999, Murphy has served as one of the two main composers for the animated series ''

'', the other being Ron Jones until the 12th season in 2014. He has described his scores for ''Family Guy'' as "a combination of ig-band swing and action-orchestral" The song "You've Got a Lot to See", composed for the episode "

Brian Wallows and Peter's Swallows "Brian Wallows and Peter's Swallows" is the seventeenth episode of '' Family Guy''s third season. It originally aired on Fox on January 17, 2002. In the episode, Brian is sentenced to community service and must look after a cranky, elderly woman. ...

", won the award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics at the 2002

Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

. In 2005, Murphy scored music for the offshoot album '' Family Guy: Live in Vegas''. Since 2005, Murphy is one of the composers for MacFarlane's '' American Dad!'', the other two being

Joel McNeely Joel McNeely (born March 28, 1959) is an American composer, arranger, musician, lyricist, and record producer. A protégé of composer Jerry Goldsmith, he is best known for his film and television scores. He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Ou ...

and Ron Jones, as well as composing the series' theme song "Good Morning USA". From 2009 to 2013, Murphy composed music for MacFarlane's series ''

'', including the main title theme. In 2012, Murphy scored MacFarlane's film ''

'', and received an

Academy Award for Best Original Song The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is presented to the ''songwriters'' who have composed th ...

nomination for co-writing " Everybody Needs a Best Friend" with MacFarlane. Murphy is also a longtime collaborator with jazz guitarist Thom Rotella, who had played on Murphy's albums ''A Fifth of Beethoven'' and ''Phantom of the Opera'' and currently performs with his ''Family Guy'' orchestra. In 1989, Murphy arranged the song "The Gift" on Rotella's album ''Home Again''. In 2014, Murphy and Rotella wrote and recorded a four-track big band project, inspired by the

Wes Montgomery John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for an unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a dist ...

and

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

-era

Oliver Nelson Oliver Edward Nelson (June 4, 1932 – October 28, 1975) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. His 1961 Impulse! album ''The Blues and the Abstract Truth'' (1961) is regarded as one of the most signifi ...

records of the 1960s that the two of them had grown up on. The project was recorded in Capitol Studio A with engineer

Al Schmitt Albert Harry Schmitt (April 17, 1930 – April 26, 2021) was an American recording engineer and record producer. He won twenty Grammy Awards for his work with Henry Mancini, Steely Dan, George Benson, Toto, Natalie Cole, Quincy Jones, and other ...

, and performed by renown Los Angeles session musicians.

Personal life

In 1972, Murphy married Laurie Robertson, who worked in the plastics industry; the two initially resided in a two-room apartment in

Yonkers Yonkers () is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. Developed along the Hudson River, it is the third most populous city in the state of New York (state), New York, after New York City and Buffalo, New York, Buffalo. The popul ...

. As a result of royalties from "A Fifth of Beethoven"'s success in 1976, the two were able to move out of their apartment into a rented ranch house in the same Westchester neighborhood. Murphy and his current wife Claudia reside in

Studio City Studio City is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 1927, ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

Filmography

Guest appearances

* ''

'' (1976) * '' The Midnight Special'' (1976–77) * '' American Bandstand'' (1976) * ''

The Mike Douglas Show ''The Mike Douglas Show'' was an American daytime television talk show that was hosted by Mike Douglas. It began as a local program in Cleveland before being carried on other stations owned by Westinghouse Broadcasting. The show went into natio ...

'' (1976–77; 1979) * ''

The Merv Griffin Show ''The Merv Griffin Show'' is an American television talk show starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, May 10, 1965 to July 4, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 ...

'' (1976–77) * ''

Dick Clark's Live Wednesday ''Dick Clark's Live Wednesday'' is a 1978 NBC variety television series, sometimes called simply ''Live Wednesday''. Hosted by Dick Clark, it was a musical show much like Clark's '' American Bandstand''. Announcers on the series included Jerry Bi ...

'' (1978) * '' 21st Annual Grammy Awards'' (1979) * ''Score! The Music of 'Family Guy (2005) * ''Family Guy: Creating the Chaos'' (2009) * ''Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show'' (2009) * ''

85th Academy Awards The 85th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2012 and took place on February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p. ...

'' (2013)

Composer/arranger

* ''

The Dick Cavett Show ''The Dick Cavett Show'' was the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks, including: * ABC daytime, (March 4, 1968–January 24, 1969) originally titled ''This Morning'' * ABC prime time, Tuesdays, We ...

'' (1972) * ''

'' (1974–83) * ''The Savage Bees'' (1976) * ''

The Night They Took Miss Beautiful ''The Night They Took Miss Beautiful'' is a 1977 American made-for-television drama film appearing on the NBC network that was produced by Don Kirshner. The film features a large number of stars in a story about "skyjacking beauty queens" on a Cons ...

'' (1976) * ''

Raw Force ''Raw Force'' (also known as ''Kung Fu Cannibals'') is a 1982 Filipino-American martial arts action-horror film written and directed by Edward D. Murphy and starring Cameron Mitchell. Plot The Burbank Karate club travel to a forbidden isl ...

'' (1982) * '' The New Leave It to Beaver'' (1983–89) * ''

Rhinestone A rhinestone, paste or diamante is a diamond simulant originally made from rock crystal but since the 19th century from crystal glass or polymers such as acrylic. Original Originally, rhinestones were rock crystals gathered from the river ...

'' (1984) * ''

'' (1985) * ''Pulsebeat'' (1985) * ''

ABC Weekend Special ''ABC Weekend Special'' is a weekly 30-minute American television anthology series for children that aired Saturday mornings on ABC from 1977 to 1997, which featured a wide variety of stories that were both live-action and animated. Similar to b ...

'' (1985) * '' Stingray'' (1985–87) * ''Tricks of the Trade'' (1988) * '' Wiseguy'' (1988–90) * ''The Lady Forgets'' (1989) * '' Hunter'' (1990–91) * ''

'' (1991–96) * ''Crow's Nest'' (1992) * ''Jumpin' Joe'' (1992) * '' Profit'' (1996–97) * ''

'' (1997) * ''

Channel Umptee-3 ''Channel Umptee-3'' (also known simply as ''Umptee-3'') is a Saturday morning animated television series created by Jim George and produced by Norman Lear. It aired on The WB as part of the Kids' WB programming block from 1997 to 1998. The one ...

'' (1997) * ''

'' (1999–2003; 2005–present) * ''

Por un beso ''Por un beso'' (''For One Kiss'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Angelli Nesma Medina for Televisa in 2000. Based on ''La gata'' by Inés Rodena. It premiered on November 13, 2000 and ended on March 30, 2001. Natalia Esperón and Víctor N ...

'' (2000) * ''Changing Hearts'' (2002) * ''

Fillmore! ''Fillmore!'' is an American animated television series created by Scott M. Gimple Looney Tunes ''Looney Tunes'' is an American Animated cartoon, animated comedy short film series produced by Warner Bros. starting from 1930 to 1969, concurrently with its partner series ''Merrie Melodies'', during the golden age of American animation.

'' (2003–04) * ''

The Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in a gala celebrating five hono ...

'' ("That's Pure Mike Nichols" song, 2003) * '' American Dad!'' (2005–present) * '' The Winner'' (2007) * ''

Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy ''Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy'' is an adult animated web series created by Seth MacFarlane. Background This series is a compilation of animated sketches released on YouTube. The series, which aired several episodes a month, was ...

'' (2008–09) * ''

Foodfight! ''Foodfight!'' is a 2012 American computer-animated adventure comedy film produced by Threshold Entertainment and directed by Lawrence Kasanoff. The film features the voices of Charlie Sheen, Wayne Brady, Hilary Duff, Eva Longoria, Larry M ...

'' (2012) * ''

'' (2009–13) * ''

Bubble Guppies ''Bubble Guppies'' is a CGI-animated children's television series produced for Nickelodeon and created by Jonny Belt and Robert Scull. The series is a combination of the sketch comedy, edutainment, and musical genres, and revolves around the ...

'' (2011–13; featuring

Bleeding Fingers Music Bleeding Fingers Music is a collective of composers that create film and television scores for The Simpsons. A joint venture between composer Hans Zimmer, his business partner Steve Kofsky, and Extreme Music, the production arm of Sony Music Publ ...

2013-16) * ''

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'' (2015) * ''

The Late Bloomer ''The Late Bloomer'' is a 2016 American comedy-drama film directed by Kevin Pollak and written by Gary Rosen, Joe Nussbaum, Paul A. Kaplan & Mark Torgove, and Kyle Cooper & Austyn Jeffs. The film stars Johnny Simmons, Maria Bello, Brittany Sno ...

'' (2016) * ''

Mrs. America Mrs. America may refer to; * ''Mrs. America'' (miniseries), a 2020 US television mini-series * Mrs. America (contest), a US national beauty pageant See also * '' Mr. and Mrs. America'', a 1945 film * Mr. America (disambiguation) * Miss America ...

'' (theme song; 2021) * ''Never Too Soon'' (TBA)

Orchestrator

* ''

Teacher's Pet Teacher's pet is a person that has an advantageous position compared to other students, where the teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or v ...

'' (2004) * ''

Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas ''Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas'' is a 2004 American Christmas package film directed by Matthew O'Callaghan. Segments of the anthology film were directed by Peggy Holmes, O'Callaghan, Theresa Cullen, and Carole Holliday. It was produced by ...

'' (2004)

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Official website
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Murphy, Walter 1952 births 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American pianists 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American pianists American classical pianists American disco musicians American film score composers American jazz pianists American male classical pianists American male film score composers American male jazz pianists American television composers Animation composers Buffy the Vampire Slayer Grammy Award winners Living people Male television composers Manhattan School of Music alumni Musicians from New York (state) Primetime Emmy Award winners Private Stock Records artists