Joel Hirschhorn
Encyclopedia
Joel Hirschhorn, was an American songwriter
. During a successful career, he won the Academy Award for Best Song on two occasions. He also wrote songs for a number of prominent musicians, including Elvis Presley
and Roy Orbison
(the combined sales of albums to which he contributed is over 90 million).
Hirschhorn was born in the Bronx
and attended the High School of Performing Arts
in Manhattan
. After graduating, Hirschhorn became a regular performer on New York’s nightclub circuit, both as a solo singer and as a member of the rock & roll band, The Highlighters.
During the mid-1960s, Hirschhorn branched out into writing film soundtracks. The first score he wrote was for Who Killed Teddy Bear? (1965), which was directed by his friend Joseph Cates. He worked with Cates again the following year in The Fat Spy
. However, the film was received so badly that Hirschhorn struggled to find work in Hollywood for a number of years afterwards.
Hirschhorn, along with songwriting partner Al Kasha
, did not work on another film until 1970’s The Cheyenne Social Club
, which was directed by Gene Kelly
. It was the pair’s next effort, for The Poseidon Adventure (1972), that really made their name. "The Morning After
", a song they wrote in a single evening, won them their first Oscar
and also topped the Billboard chart.
The Towering Inferno
(1974) provided Hirschhorn and Kasha with their second Oscars, this time for the "We May Never Love Like This Again
". Following this success, the pair received two further Oscar nominations, both for their work on Pete's Dragon
(1977).
Hirschhorn and Kasha continued to work together until the late 1990s, their final collaboration being Rescue Me (1998). The pair also worked together on a number of Broadway
musicals, receiving Tony Award for Best Original Score
nominations for both Copperfield
and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
. Late in his career, Hirschhorn wrote The Complete Idiot's Guide to Songwriting, which was first published in 2003.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. During a successful career, he won the Academy Award for Best Song on two occasions. He also wrote songs for a number of prominent musicians, including Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
(the combined sales of albums to which he contributed is over 90 million).
Hirschhorn was born in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
and attended the High School of Performing Arts
High School of Performing Arts
The High School of Performing Arts, more formally known as The School of Performing Arts: A Division of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, informally known as "PA", was a public alternative high school in New York, New York, USA that existed from 1948 through...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. After graduating, Hirschhorn became a regular performer on New York’s nightclub circuit, both as a solo singer and as a member of the rock & roll band, The Highlighters.
During the mid-1960s, Hirschhorn branched out into writing film soundtracks. The first score he wrote was for Who Killed Teddy Bear? (1965), which was directed by his friend Joseph Cates. He worked with Cates again the following year in The Fat Spy
The Fat Spy
The Fat Spy is a 1966 Z movie that attempts to parody teenage beach party films. It was filmed at Cape Coral, Florida. It is featured in the 2004 documentary The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made. Briefly released to theaters in 1966, it was rarely seen until the 1990s, when it was released to the public...
. However, the film was received so badly that Hirschhorn struggled to find work in Hollywood for a number of years afterwards.
Hirschhorn, along with songwriting partner Al Kasha
Al Kasha
Al Kasha is a Brooklyn–born composer, songwriter and arranger, as well as businessman. He is most noted for his years of collaboration with songwriter Joel Hirschhorn...
, did not work on another film until 1970’s The Cheyenne Social Club
The Cheyenne Social Club
The Cheyenne Social Club is a 1970 Western comedy film written by James Lee Barrett and directed and produced by Gene Kelly, starring James Stewart, Henry Fonda, and Shirley Jones....
, which was directed by Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
. It was the pair’s next effort, for The Poseidon Adventure (1972), that really made their name. "The Morning After
The Morning After (Maureen McGovern song)
"The Morning After" is a song first released in May 1973. It was the first success for singer Maureen McGovern and used as the love theme for the film The Poseidon Adventure, which was released late the year before.-Beginnings:The song was written in March 1972 by 20th Century Fox songwriters Al...
", a song they wrote in a single evening, won them their first Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
and also topped the Billboard chart.
The Towering Inferno
The Towering Inferno (film)
The Towering Inferno is a 1974 American action disaster film produced by Irwin Allen featuring an all-star cast led by Steve McQueen and Paul Newman.A co-production between Twentieth Century-Fox and Warner Bros...
(1974) provided Hirschhorn and Kasha with their second Oscars, this time for the "We May Never Love Like This Again
We May Never Love Like This Again
"We May Never Love Like This Again" is a song written by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn for the 1974 film, The Towering Inferno. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1974, and was performed by Maureen McGovern both for the film score and, briefly, in the film itself with McGovern...
". Following this success, the pair received two further Oscar nominations, both for their work on Pete's Dragon
Pete's Dragon
Pete's Dragon is a 1977 live-action/animated musical film from Walt Disney Productions and the first Disney film to be recorded in the Dolby Stereo sound system...
(1977).
Hirschhorn and Kasha continued to work together until the late 1990s, their final collaboration being Rescue Me (1998). The pair also worked together on a number of Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musicals, receiving Tony Award for Best Original Score
Tony Award for Best Original Score
The Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the composers and lyricists of the best original score written for a musical in that year. The score consists of music and lyrics...
nominations for both Copperfield
Copperfield (musical)
Copperfield is a 1981 musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn, who were nominated for the 1981 Tony Award for Best Original Score. It is based on the classic 1850 novel David Copperfield by Charles Dickens....
and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (musical)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is a musical with a book by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay, music by Gene de Paul, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn...
. Late in his career, Hirschhorn wrote The Complete Idiot's Guide to Songwriting, which was first published in 2003.
External links
- Joel Hirschhorn at the Internet Broadway DatabaseInternet Broadway DatabaseThe Internet Broadway Database is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade association for the North American commercial theatre community....