Gerald Fried Wiki – Bio
Gerald Fried, the acclaimed composer popularly known for his composition for ‘Star Trek’ and the ‘Roots’ miniseries, passed away on Friday, February 18. The eminent figure who has also worked on dozens of television projects was 95 years old.
In the 1950s, Fried was one of the most active composers in Hollywood, working on blockbusters and television series. He earned one of five Emmy nominations in 1977 for his work on “Root,” which earned him the “Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series” award.
Age
Gerald Fried was 95 years old.
Gerald Fried dies at 95
Gerald Fried died of pneumonia at the age of 95. He was in Connecticut at the time of his death, the New York Post reported. Born on February 13, 1928, in the Bronx, the composer attended the High School of Music and the Juilliard School of Music in New York. Before playing one season with the California Los Angeles Philharmonic, he was oboist with the New York Small Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
Career
Fried landed his job with “Roots” after the producer feared the production could finish its work on time following repeated missed deadlines by Quincy Jones, the original songwriter. For the animal sexuality documentary, “Birds Do It. Bees Do It” in 1974, he also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score.
With a career that spanned six decades, Fried became famous for dozens of his television projects, including ‘Gunsmoke,’ ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E,’ ‘Gilligan’s Island,’ and ‘Star Trek.’ Notable works by him include compositions for films such as ‘The Killing’ (1956) and ‘Paths of Glory (1957) directed by Stanley Kubrick, his childhood friend.
“On TV, you see it once, you go home, and the next Friday you’re conducting the music. It was scary and exciting. The schedules were so tight that I had to continue with my first ideas. There was an orchestra waiting and you had to have the music is ready. With that kind of pressure, you learn very quickly what works and what doesn’t,” Fried said during an interview with the Television Academy in 2003 while recounting his long career as a songwriter and his pressures.
Aside from Fried’s famous life as a composer, he was also an activist who showed his support for efforts to end the AIDS crisis. After his own son Zack received HIV-positive blood during a transfusion, the 5-year-old died of AIDS in 1987. The 95-year-old composer is survived by three great-grandchildren, six grandchildren, four children, and his wife, Anita.
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