Ray Ellis
Encyclopedia
Ray Ellis was an American record producer
, arranger
and conductor
. The orchestration for Billie Holiday
's Lady in Satin
(1958) is probably his best known work in the jazz vein.
, Pennsylvania
. He arranged many hit records in the 1950s and 1960s. Included are classics such as "A Certain Smile" by Johnny Mathis
, "Broken Hearted Melody
" by Sarah Vaughan
, and "Standing on the Corner
" by the Four Lads
. In 1970, he produced Emmylou Harris
' debut LP Gliding Bird
.
Ellis' work encompassed all areas of music, from records to film, commercials, and television. His television theme music
credits include NBC News At Sunrise with Connie Chung
and the original cartoon series Spider-Man
. In the early 1960s, Ellis had a contract to produce his own easy listening record albums with RCA Victor, MGM, and Columbia
, the most popular probably being Ellis in Wonderland.
Ellis also composed two extended themes for The Today Show, the first in 1971. It was used as the Friday closing theme (and eventually the show's full-time theme) until the end of the decade. However, in Herald Square Music v. Living Music, the District Court of the Southern District of New York
"found the instrumental arrangement and harmonization of defendant's melody to be substantially similar to that of 'Day by Day,'" a Stephen Schwartz
song from the musical Godspell
. As a result, Ellis composed a second Today Show theme based on the trademark NBC chimes
. That theme was the NBC show's signature from 1978 to 1985 and has appeared irregularly on the morning program ever since.
Using the name of his wife Yvette Blais as a pseudonym
, Ellis (along with Norm Prescott
, who used the pseudonym Jeff Michael, in reference to his sons Jeff and Michael) composed nearly all of the background music for cartoon
studio Filmation
from 1968 to 1982, according to the booklets for many of the DVDs for the studio's shows, such as Ark II
, Space Academy
and Jason of Star Command
. Before adopting the Yvette Blais pseudonym, Ellis used the pseudonym Spencer Raymond on 1968's Fantastic Voyage, George Blais on some of Filmation's early '70s output and its feature films, and even the name of his then-teenaged son Marc Ellis on 1969's The Hardy Boys. (Marc would later become a composer in his own right, assisting his father without credit on later Filmation scores, and even receiving onscreen credit for co-composing the theme music to the 1979 Flash Gordon
cartoon.) On 1978's Fabulous Funnies, Ellis was credited as Mark Jeffrey (opposite Lou Scheimer under the pseudonym David Jeffrey, which he occasionally used in the 70s). Ray Ellis was directly credited, however, for The Archie Show
and Sabrina the Teenage Witch background music.
Ellis, who resided in Los Angeles
, also composed the music for the 1980s US edition of Sale of the Century
theme, along with Hot Streak
, Scrabble
, Scattergories
and Time Machine
with his son Marc that includes the Jack Grimsley
's score from 1980 and the famed Reg Grundy Productions
fanfare at the end of each broadcast.
Ellis died of complications from melanoma
on October 27, 2008 at an assisted-living facility in Encino, California
. He was survived by sons Marc and Jeffrey.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
and conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. The orchestration for Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
's Lady in Satin
Lady in Satin
Lady in Satin is an album by jazz singer Billie Holiday released in 1958 on Columbia Records, catalogue CL 1157 in mono and CS 8048 in stereo. It is the next to final album completed by the singer and released in her lifetime...
(1958) is probably his best known work in the jazz vein.
Biography
Ellis was born in PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He arranged many hit records in the 1950s and 1960s. Included are classics such as "A Certain Smile" by Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
, "Broken Hearted Melody
Broken Hearted Melody
"Broken Hearted Melody" is a popular song first published in 1958. The words were written by Hal David and the music by Sherman Edwards.The song became a major hit for Sarah Vaughan in 1959, peaking at #7 in the Billboard Charts. This version was released by Mercury Records under catalog number...
" by Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
, and "Standing on the Corner
Standing on the Corner (show tune)
"Standing on the Corner" is a popular song written by Frank Loesser and published in 1956. It was introduced by Shorty Long, Alan Gilbert, John Henson, and Roy Lazarus in the Broadway musical, The Most Happy Fella....
" by the Four Lads
The Four Lads
The Four Lads is a popular Canadian male singing quartet. In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the group earned many gold singles and albums. Its million-selling signature tunes include "Moments to Remember," "Standin' on the Corner," "No, Not Much," "Who Needs You," and "Istanbul."The Four Lads makes...
. In 1970, he produced Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
' debut LP Gliding Bird
Gliding Bird
Gliding Bird is an album by Emmylou Harris, released in 1970.Before she met mentor Gram Parsons and became a famous country singer, Harris began singing folk music; yet Gliding Bird, her obscure début album, displays an eclecticism that is found in her later work...
.
Ellis' work encompassed all areas of music, from records to film, commercials, and television. His television theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
credits include NBC News At Sunrise with Connie Chung
Connie Chung
Connie Chung, full name: Constance Yu-Hwa Chung Povich is an American journalist who has been an anchor and reporter for the U.S. television news networks NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, and MSNBC. Some of her more famous interview subjects include Claus von Bülow and U.S...
and the original cartoon series Spider-Man
Spider-Man (1967 TV series)
Spider-Man is an animated television series that ran from September 9, 1967 to June 14, 1970. It was jointly produced in Canada and the United States and was the first animated adaptation of the Spider-Man comic book series, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko...
. In the early 1960s, Ellis had a contract to produce his own easy listening record albums with RCA Victor, MGM, and Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, the most popular probably being Ellis in Wonderland.
Ellis also composed two extended themes for The Today Show, the first in 1971. It was used as the Friday closing theme (and eventually the show's full-time theme) until the end of the decade. However, in Herald Square Music v. Living Music, the District Court of the Southern District of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
"found the instrumental arrangement and harmonization of defendant's melody to be substantially similar to that of 'Day by Day,'" a Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz may refer to:*Stephen Schwartz , American musical theater and film lyricist and composer*Stephen Suleyman Schwartz , journalist, political author, and historian...
song from the musical Godspell
Godspell
Godspell is a musical by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. It opened off Broadway on May 17, 1971, and has played in various touring companies and revivals many times since, including a 2011 revival now playing on Broadway...
. As a result, Ellis composed a second Today Show theme based on the trademark NBC chimes
NBC chimes
The NBC chimes, named for the radio and television network on which they have been used, consists of a succession of three distinct pitches: G3, E4, and C4 , sounded in that order, creating an arpeggiated C-major chord in the second inversion, within about two seconds time, and reverberating for...
. That theme was the NBC show's signature from 1978 to 1985 and has appeared irregularly on the morning program ever since.
Using the name of his wife Yvette Blais as a pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
, Ellis (along with Norm Prescott
Norm Prescott
Norman "Norm" Prescott was co-founder and executive producer at Filmation Studios. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he began his radio career in the Hub, becoming program director at station WORL in the late 1940s. He went to work for Joseph E. Levine's Embassy Pictures Corp. in 1959, serving as...
, who used the pseudonym Jeff Michael, in reference to his sons Jeff and Michael) composed nearly all of the background music for cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
studio Filmation
Filmation
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live action programming for television during the latter half of the 20th century. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1963...
from 1968 to 1982, according to the booklets for many of the DVDs for the studio's shows, such as Ark II
Ark II
Ark II is an American live-action science fiction series aimed at children that aired on CBS beginning in 1976 as part of its Saturday morning line-up...
, Space Academy
Space Academy
Space Academy was a live-action sci-fi children's television program produced by Filmation that originally aired Saturday mornings on the CBS television network, from September 10, 1977, to December 17, 1977. A total of fifteen half-hour episodes were made.-Cast:The program starred veteran actor...
and Jason of Star Command
Jason of Star Command
Jason of Star Command was a live action television series by Filmation which ran between 1978 and 1979. The show revolved around the exploits of space adventurer Jason and his colleagues, including Professor E.J. Parsafoot and the pocket robot "Wiki"...
. Before adopting the Yvette Blais pseudonym, Ellis used the pseudonym Spencer Raymond on 1968's Fantastic Voyage, George Blais on some of Filmation's early '70s output and its feature films, and even the name of his then-teenaged son Marc Ellis on 1969's The Hardy Boys. (Marc would later become a composer in his own right, assisting his father without credit on later Filmation scores, and even receiving onscreen credit for co-composing the theme music to the 1979 Flash Gordon
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon, also known as The Adventures of Flash Gordon, is an animated television series. The series is actually called Flash Gordon, but the expanded title is used in official records to distinguish it from previous versions.Filmation produced the series in 1979, partly...
cartoon.) On 1978's Fabulous Funnies, Ellis was credited as Mark Jeffrey (opposite Lou Scheimer under the pseudonym David Jeffrey, which he occasionally used in the 70s). Ray Ellis was directly credited, however, for The Archie Show
The Archie Show
The Archie Show is a Saturday morning cartoon animated series produced by Filmation. Based on the Archie comic books, created by Bob Montana in 1941, The Archie Show debuted on CBS in September 1968 and lasted for one season. A total of 17 half-hour shows, each containing two 11 minute segments,...
and Sabrina the Teenage Witch background music.
Ellis, who resided in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, also composed the music for the 1980s US edition of Sale of the Century
Sale of the Century (US game show)
Sale of the Century is an American television game show which debuted in the United States on September 29, 1969, on NBC daytime. It was one of three NBC game shows to premiere on that date, the other two being the short-lived Letters to Laugh-In and Name Droppers. The series aired until July 13,...
theme, along with Hot Streak
Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak
Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak is an American television game show that aired on ABC from January 6 to April 4, 1986. British television personality Bruce Forsyth hosted the series, the only time he hosted a series outside of his native United Kingdom...
, Scrabble
Scrabble (game show)
Scrabble is an American television game show that was based on the Scrabble board game. The show was co-produced by Exposure Unlimited and Reg Grundy Productions. It ran from July 2, 1984 to March 23, 1990, and again from January 18 to June 11, 1993, both runs on NBC. A total of 1,335 episodes were...
, Scattergories
Scattergories (game show)
Scattergories is an American game show on NBC daytime hosted by Dick Clark, with Charlie Tuna as announcer, that aired from January 18 to June 11, 1993...
and Time Machine
Time Machine (game show)
Time Machine is an American game show where contestants competed to answer trivia questions about popular culture and recent history to win prizes. The show aired on NBC from January 7 through April 26, 1985 and was hosted by John Davidson. Charlie Tuna was the announcer, with Rich Jeffries as his...
with his son Marc that includes the Jack Grimsley
Jack Grimsley
Jack Grimsley is an Australian musical director and composer who worked as the Musical Director at Network Ten between 1966 and 1988. He has also worked on many compilation albums involving various styles of music, including jazz and swing music....
's score from 1980 and the famed Reg Grundy Productions
Reg Grundy Productions
Reg Grundy Productions was the American wing of the worldwide television production company Grundy Worldwide, which was founded by Australian television producer Reg Grundy. Reg Grundy Productions was responsible for the production of two highly-successful daytime game shows on NBC during the...
fanfare at the end of each broadcast.
Ellis died of complications from melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
on October 27, 2008 at an assisted-living facility in Encino, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He was survived by sons Marc and Jeffrey.
Selected discography
- Barbra StreisandBarbra StreisandBarbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
- The Third Album 1963, A Christmas AlbumA Christmas Album (Barbra Streisand album)- Side two :- Personnel :* Barbra Streisand – singer* Marty Paich – arranger, conductor* Ray Ellis – arranger, conductor * Jack Gold – producer* Rafael O. Valentin – recording engineer* Jack Lattig – recording engineer...
& Simply StreisandSimply StreisandSimply Streisand is the ninth studio album released by Barbra Streisand.The album was released simultaneously with A Christmas Album and was Streisand's first that failed to chart in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 when it peaked at #12....
both 1967 - (arranger and conductor) - Billie HolidayBillie HolidayBillie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
- Lady in SatinLady in SatinLady in Satin is an album by jazz singer Billie Holiday released in 1958 on Columbia Records, catalogue CL 1157 in mono and CS 8048 in stereo. It is the next to final album completed by the singer and released in her lifetime...
1958 - Ray Ellis - "Ellis In Wonderland" 1957
- Lena HorneLena HorneLena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer.Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the...
- Merry from LenaMerry from LenaMerry from Lena is a 1966 album by Lena Horne. Released in 1966 this Christmas album marked Lena Horne's departure from United Artists and the recording industry until her return at Skye Records in 1970....
(1966), SoulSoul (Lena Horne album)Soul is a 1966 studio album by Lena Horne, arranged by Ray Ellis. Soul was the third of four albums Lena Horne recorded for United Artists Records. Recorded between September 9th 1965 and March 11th 1966, and released in June 1966...
(1966) - Sarah VaughanSarah VaughanSarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
- "Broken Hearted MelodyBroken Hearted Melody"Broken Hearted Melody" is a popular song first published in 1958. The words were written by Hal David and the music by Sherman Edwards.The song became a major hit for Sarah Vaughan in 1959, peaking at #7 in the Billboard Charts. This version was released by Mercury Records under catalog number...
" 1959 - The DriftersThe DriftersThe Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
- "Drip Drop" - Johnny MathisJohnny MathisJohn Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
- "A Certain SmileA Certain Smile (song)"A Certain Smile" is a popular song. It was written for the 1958 film of the same name based on the novel A Certain Smile by Françoise Sagan. The song was nominated for the 1958 Academy Award for Best Original Song....
" 1958 - The Four LadsThe Four LadsThe Four Lads is a popular Canadian male singing quartet. In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the group earned many gold singles and albums. Its million-selling signature tunes include "Moments to Remember," "Standin' on the Corner," "No, Not Much," "Who Needs You," and "Istanbul."The Four Lads makes...
- "Standing On The CornerStanding on the Corner (show tune)"Standing on the Corner" is a popular song written by Frank Loesser and published in 1956. It was introduced by Shorty Long, Alan Gilbert, John Henson, and Roy Lazarus in the Broadway musical, The Most Happy Fella....
" 1956 - Emmylou HarrisEmmylou HarrisEmmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
- Gliding BirdGliding BirdGliding Bird is an album by Emmylou Harris, released in 1970.Before she met mentor Gram Parsons and became a famous country singer, Harris began singing folk music; yet Gliding Bird, her obscure début album, displays an eclecticism that is found in her later work...
1970 - Harold LandHarold LandHarold de Vance Land was an American hard bop and post-bop tenor saxophonist. Land developed his hard bop playing with the Max Roach/Clifford Brown band into a personal, modern style. His tone was strong and emotional, yet displayed a certain fragility that made him easy to...
- "A Lazy Afternoon" 1995 - Connie FrancisConnie FrancisConnie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
-"Lipstick on Your CollarLipstick on Your CollarLipstick on Your Collar is a 1993 British television serial written by Dennis Potter, originally broadcast on Channel 4 expanded from Potter's earlier play Lay Down Your Arms...
" 1959
External links
- Ray Ellis at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...