Biography
Hoyt Curtin was born in Downey, California, but grew up in San Bernadino. He began playing the piano when he was 5, and by ninth grade, he had his own orchestra. He graduated from the San Bernadino High School in 1940 and the University of Southern California in 1943. While at USC, he enrolled in the Navy V-7 program, and after graduation, was assigned to Northwestern University for advanced training. He received his commission as an ensign in 1944 and was assigned to the destroyer base in San Diego. He saw duty in the Pacific during World War II and was slightly injured with a shrapnel wound in his leg. After the war, he completed his Master's Degree in music from USC. While there, he took a course in composition for motion pictures, taught by Miklos Rozsa. His intention was to be a film composer. However, his big break came in the late 1950s when he scored a Schlitz beer commercial that was being produced at MGM. The producers of the commercial were William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, who asked Curtin if he would write the music for a cartoon series they were going to produce, called "Ruff and Ready." The producers called him on the phone with the lyrics, and five minutes later Curtin called them back with a song. When Hanna and Barbera left MGM to form their own company in 1957, they took Curtin along. Curtin would write the songs for "The Flintstones" and "The Jetsons," the same way he wrote his earlier songs; back and forth on the telephone. He eventually became the musical director for the company. Curtin died on December 3, 2000, at a hospital in Thousand Oaks, California.
Sound 57
2000s
- 2002
The Flintstones: On the Rocks
Original Music Composer
1990s
- 1992
Queen Esther
Theme Song Performance
- 1990
The Easter Story
Music
1980s
- 1988
The Flintstone Kids' "Just Say No" Special
Music
The Creation - Greatest Adventure Stories from the Bible
Music
Garbage Pail Kids
Music Director
The Good, the Bad and Huckleberry Hound
Original Music Composer
- 1987
The Smurfs: 'Tis the Season to Be Smurfy
Original Music Composer
Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose
Songs
Rock Odyssey
Original Music Composer
Sky Commanders
Music Director
- 1986
Samson and Delilah
Music
Pound Puppies
Original Music Composer
GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords
Original Music Composer
- 1985
Star Fairies
Music
- 1983
The Smurfs Halloween Special
Sound
- 1982
Yogi Bear's All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper
Music
Christmas Comes to Pac-land
Original Music Composer
The Smurfs Christmas Special
Original Music Composer
Heidi's Song
Original Music Composer
- 1981
The Flintstones: Jogging Fever
Music
- 1980
Yogi's First Christmas
Music, Songs, Music Director
1970s
- 1979
Scooby Goes Hollywood
Original Music Composer
Casper's First Christmas
Songs, Music
The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone
Music, Original Music Composer
The Popeye Valentine Special: Sweethearts at Sea
Music Director
- 1978
KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park
Music
Dinky Dog
Music
The Flintstones: Little Big League
Music
- 1977
A Flintstone Christmas
Songs, Original Music Composer
- 1975
Timber Tramps
Music, Conductor
- 1974
Shootout in a One-Dog Town
Original Music Composer
- 1973
The Count of Monte Cristo
Music
Lost in Space
Music
- 1972
A Christmas Story
Music
The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn't
Music, Songs
The Adventures of Robin Hoodnik
Music Director
Oliver and the Artful Dodger
Music
The Last of the Curlews
Music
Yogi's Ark Lark
Original Music Composer
1960s
- 1966
Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?
Music Arranger
- 1964
Breezly and Sneezly
Music
- 1962
Yogi's Birthday Party
Music
- 1961
- 1960
Snoopy Loopy
Music
1950s
- 1959
Wolf Hounded
Music Director
Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
Music
- 1958
Yogi Bear's Big Break
Music
- 1956
Magoo's Canine Mutiny
Music
- 1954
Jail Bait
Music
When Magoo Flew
Music
- 1953
- 1951
Bungled Bungalow
Music
- 1950
Trouble Indemnity
Music
Other crew 1
2000s
- 2002
The Flintstones: On the Rocks
In Memory Of