THORNE, Ken 1924–

PERSONAL

Born January 26, 1924, in East Dereham, Norfolk, England. Education: Studied music with Dr. Sidney Campbell at Ely Cathedral, with Dr. Harold Darke at Cornhill College, and with tutors at Cambridge University.

Addresses: Agent—The Kaufman Agency, 12007 Laurel Terrace Dr., Studio City, CA 91604.

Career: Composer. Leader of the Ken Thorne Orchestra. Pianist and jazz arranger for bands in England, beginning 1940s.

Awards, Honors: Grammy Award nomination (with others), best original score written for a motion picture or television show, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, 1966, for Help!; Academy Award, best music, 1967, for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Saturn Award nomination, best music, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films, 1980, for Arabian Adventure; Fennecus Award, best adapted score, c. 1981, Apex Award nomination, best original song score, adaptation, or compilation for a fantasy, science fiction, or horror film, 1981, and Saturn Award nomination, best music, 1982, all for Superman II; Movie Music U.K. Music awards special mention, best score—fantasy, science fiction, or horror, 1983, for Superman III; Saturn Award nomination, best music, 1983, for The House Where Evil Dwells; Emmy Award nomination (with Dennis Spiegel), outstanding individual achievement in music and lyrics, 1995, for "For a Love Like You," from A Season of Hope.

CREDITS

Film Music Director:

Help, United Artists, 1965.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (musical), United Artists, 1966.

The Magic Christian, Republic Pictures, 1969.

Sinful Davey, United Artists, 1969.

Film Orchestrator:

Act of Piracy, Blossom Pictures, 1988.

3 Ninjas, Buena Vista, 1992.

U-571, Universal, 2000.

Film Conductor:

How I Won the War, United Artists, 1967.

Head, Columbia, 1968.

Inspector Clouseau, United Artists, 1968.

Hannie Caulder, Paramount, 1971.

Fratello sole, sorella luna (also known as Brother Sun, Sister Moon), Paramount, 1972.

Juggernaut (also known as Terror on the Britannic), United Artists, 1974.

Arabian Adventure, Universal, 1979.

Superman II, Warner Bros., 1980.

Green Ice, Universal, 1981.

The Evil That Men Do, TriStar, 1984.

Film Work:

Music arranger, A Date with a Dream, Grand National Pictures, 1948.

Music supervisor, Fratello sole, sorella luna (also known as Brother Sun, Sister Moon), Paramount, 1972.

Television Director; Movies:

Flight of Black Angel, Showtime, 1996.

Television Music Arranger; Movies:

The Mystery of Natalie Wood, ABC, 2004.

Television Appearances; Series:

(With the Ken Thorne Orchestra) The Val Doonican Show, BBC, c. 1965–66.

WRITINGS

Film Music:

The Clouded Crystal, Butcher's Film Service, 1948.

Song "Whose Turn Now," A Date with a Dream, Grand National Pictures, 1948.

Dead Man's Evidence, British Lion Films, 1962.

It's Trad, Dad! (also known as Ring-a-Ding Rhythm), Columbia, 1962.

Master Spy, Allied Artists, 1964.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (musical; songs by Stephen Sondheim), United Artists, 1966.

How I Won the War, United Artists, 1967.

Head, Columbia, 1968.

Inspector Clouseau, United Artists, 1968.

The Touchables, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1968.

The Bed-Sitting Room, United Artists, 1969.

The Magic Christian, Republic Pictures, 1969.

Sinful Davey, United Artists, 1969.

Hannie Caulder, Paramount, 1971.

Murphy's War, Paramount, 1971.

Welcome to the Club, Columbia, 1971.

Fratello sole, sorella luna (also known as Brother Sun, Sister Moon), Paramount, 1972.

Juggernaut (also known as Terror on the Britannic), United Artists, 1974.

Royal Flash, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1975.

Song "Sooner Than We Know," Assault on Agathon, 1975, CFM, 1977.

The Ritz, Warner Bros., 1976.

Power Play (also known as Operation Overthrow, State of Shock, and Le jeu de la puissance), Danton Films/Rank, 1978.

Wolf Lake (also known as The Honor Guard), VPS Film-Entertainment, 1978.

Arabian Adventure, Universal, 1979.

The Outsider, Paramount, 1979.

Superman II, Warner Bros., 1980.

(Uncredited) Additional music, Green Ice, Universal, 1981.

The House Where Evil Dwells, United Artists, 1982.

Superman III (also known as Superman vs. Superman), Warner Bros., 1980.

The Evil That Men Do, TriStar, 1984.

Finders Keepers, Warner Bros., 1984.

Lassiter, Warner Bros., 1984.

The Protector (also known as Wei long meng tan), Warner Bros., 1985.

The Trouble with Spies (also known as 2 Female Spies with Flowered Panties), De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, 1987.

Sunset Grill, New Line Cinema, 1993.

Television Music; Series:

R3, BBC, 1964–65.

The Persuaders!, Associated Television, Incorporated Television Company, and ABC, 1971–72.

Television Music; Miniseries:

The Zoo Gang, Associated Television, Incorporated Television Company, and NBC, 1975.

Great Expectations, Harlech Television and The Disney Channel, 1989.

Diana: Her True Story, NBC, 1993.

Return to Lonesome Dove, CBS, 1993.

Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story, NBC, 1995.

The Apocalypse Watch (also known as Robert Ludlum's "The Apocalypse"), ABC, 1997.

In the Beginning, NBC, 2000.

Television Music; Movies:

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (also known as Hunchback), CBS, 1982.

White Water Rebels, CBS, 1983.

Lost in London, CBS, 1985.

My Wicked, Wicked Ways … The Legend of Errol Flynn, CBS, 1985.

If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be Belgium, NBC, 1987.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes, CBS, 1987.

Personals, USA Network, 1990.

Bejewelled, The Disney Channel, 1991.

Spies, The Disney Channel, 1992.

Lethal Exposure (also known as Declic fatal), NBC, 1993.

A Season of Hope (also known as The Lemon Grove; includes the song "For a Love Like You"), CBS, 1995.

Escape Clause, Showtime, 1996.

Mary, Mother of Jesus, NBC, 1999.

Santa, Jr., The Hallmark Channel, 2002.

Love Comes Softly, The Hallmark Channel, 2003.

Television Music; Pilots:

Powers Play, CBS, 1986.

Age of Treason, CBS, 1993.

Albums:

(With the Beatles) Help!, Capitol, 1965.

(With Stephen Sondheim) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, United Artists, 1966.

Head, Arista Records, 1968.

Inspector Clouseau, United Artists, 1968.

The Touchables, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1968.

The Bed-Sitting Room, 1969.

Sinful Davey, 1969.

The Magic Christian, Commonwealth United Records, 1970.

Hannie Caulder, 1971.

Murphy's War, 1971.

(With others) The Persuaders!, 1971.

(With John Williams) Superman II, 1980.

(With others) Superman III, Warner Bros. Records, 1983.

Lassiter, Varese Sarabande, 1984.

The Protector (also known as Wei long meng tan), 1985.

(With others) Action & Suspense Screen Themes, Seven Seas, 1986.

Thorne's music appeared in other recordings, including The Film Music of Ken Thorne.