Long John Silver

Disques Cinémusique presents the digital premiere of the pirate movie soundtrack to Long John Silver (1954), composed by David Buttolph (1902 – 1983) conducting the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Robert Newton is starring in this successful family adventure which paved the way to the popular TV series the next year, The Adventures of Long John Silver.

Of the few Buttolph soundtracks released on record at the time, Long John Silver remains one of the most colourful and dynamic. The 28 minutes album was restored from the original 10’’ vinyl which has become a collector’s treasure.

David Buttolph scored over 300 movies in his career mostly as stock music. Born in New York City, he showed musical talent at an early age, and eventually studied music formally. After earning a music degree, Buttolph moved to Europe in 1923 and studied in Austria and Germany supporting himself as a nightclub pianist. He returned to the U.S. in 1927 and, a few years later, began working for NBC radio network as an arranger and conductor. In 1933, Buttolph moved to Los Angeles and began working in films. Buttolph's best work, according to many, was his work as an arranger on the Alfred Newman score The Mark of Zorro (1940).

In the mid-1950s, Buttolph started to compose scores for television, the most memorable being the theme for the TV western Maverick starring James Garner with the same music appearing in his score of The Lone Ranger (1956). He continued to compose music for television, many of which were westerns, until his retirement in 1963.

More info at: Disques Cinémusique