Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia David L. Snell (10 September 1897, Milwaukee, Wisconsin – 27 March 1967, Glendale, California) was a pianist, conductor, composer and music director. He composed the music for over 170 shorts, series or feature films. Snell studied at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Wisconsin College and the Meyer Conservatory of Music. He formed his own orchestra, and was the musical director for several stage productions. He joined Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's music department in 1937, turning out music for a range of films from low-cost "B" movies to expensive features. He would spend his entire film career with MGM. He was conductor, composer, and music director for MGM for twenty-one years. The work could be high pressure. In November 1938 Franz Waxman had just five days to put together the fifty-minute score for A Christmas Carol so it could be released in time for the holiday season. Snell helped out, writing the opening and closing credit cues and half a dozen other cues based on themes provided by Waxman. Snell wrote music for many full-length films, shorts and B-movie series such as Dr. Kildare, Maisie and The Thin Man. His songs include Under The Stars, Downstream Drifter, Come Back Little Girl Of Mine and Once Over Lightly. His scores often showed first-rate craftsmanship, but his work has generally been ignored, perhaps because in most cases he chose to simply underscore the dialog as opposed to contributing complementary musical ideas. However, for the 1947 Lady in the Lake, based on the Raymond Chandler novel and set around Christmas time, Snell chose to use a choir singing a cappella, providing an austere and effective "black and white" score to accompany the stark black and white cinematography. The moody music echoed Christmas carols. David L. Snell died in 1967.
Sound 114
1990s
- 1992
1960s
- 1967
Accident
Musician
1940s
- 1948
My Old Town
Music, Music Director
Alias a Gentleman
Music
- 1947
Killer McCoy
Original Music Composer
Dark Delusion
Music
Undercover Maisie
Original Music Composer
- 1946
Love Laughs at Andy Hardy
Music
Up Goes Maisie
Original Music Composer
- 1945
The Hidden Eye
Music
Dangerous Partners
Original Music Composer
Twice Blessed
Music Director
Between Two Women
Original Music Composer
- 1944
Gentle Annie
Music
Maisie Goes to Reno
Original Music Composer
Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble
Music
Rationing
Music
See Here, Private Hargrove
Music
Twenty Years After
Music
- 1943
The Man from Down Under
Original Music Composer
- 1942
The War Against Mrs. Hadley
Music
Jackass Mail
Music
Sunday Punch
Original Music Composer
Grand Central Murder
Original Music Composer
Kid Glove Killer
Original Music Composer
Acro-Batty
Music
The Courtship of Andy Hardy
Music
Nazi Agent
Music
The Vanishing Virginian
Music Score Producer
Flag of Mercy
Music
We Must Have Music
Music
- 1941
Ringside Maisie
Original Music Composer
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
Music
Washington Melodrama
Music
Third Dimensional Murder
Original Music Composer
The Wild Man of Borneo
Original Music Composer
Maisie Was a Lady
Original Music Composer
- 1940
Dr. Kildare's Crisis
Original Music Composer
Gallant Sons
Music
Third Finger, Left Hand
Music
Sky Murder
Original Music Composer
Wyoming
Music
Dr. Kildare Goes Home
Music
The Golden Fleecing
Music
Gold Rush Maisie
Original Music Composer
A Way in the Wilderness
Music
Phantom Raiders
Music
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Music
20 Mule Team
Music
The Ghost Comes Home
Original Music Composer
1930s
- 1939
Judge Hardy and Son
Original Music Composer
Henry Goes Arizona
Music
Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President
Original Music Composer
The Secret of Dr. Kildare
Music
Thunder Afloat
Music
Blackmail
Music
Captain Spanky's Show Boat
Music Arranger
These Glamour Girls
Original Music Composer
Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever
Music
Stronger Than Desire
Music
The Giant of Norway
Music
Yankee Doodle Goes to Town
Music
Angel of Mercy
Original Music Composer
Prophet Without Honor
Music
Radio Hams
Music
Calling Dr. Kildare
Music
The Hardys Ride High
Music
The Story of Dr. Jenner
Original Music Composer
The Story of Alfred Nobel
Music
Heroes at Leisure
Music
- 1938
Another Romance of Celluloid: Electrical Power
Music
The Great Heart
Music
Once Over Lightly
Music
Out West with the Hardys
Music
Young Dr. Kildare
Music
Nostradamus
Music
The Man on the Rock
Music
It's in the Stars
Music
Bravest of the Brave
Original Music Composer
Anaesthesia
Music
Hollywood Goes to Town
Sound Director
What Do You Think? Tupapaoo
Music
Joaquin Murrieta
Music
The Forgotten Step
Music
Snow Gets in Your Eyes
Original Music Composer
Billy Rose's Casa Mañana Revue
Music
Judge Hardy's Children
Original Music Composer
The Canary Comes Across
Music
What Do You Think? (Number Three)
Music
- 1937
You're Only Young Once
Original Music Composer
Madame X
Original Music Composer
My Dear Miss Aldrich
Music
Married Before Breakfast
Music
Song of Revolt
Music
A Family Affair
Original Music Composer
- 1935
Mad Love
Original Music Composer
- 1934
- 1932
Acted in 2
1980s
- 1982
Other crew 1
1930s
- 1933
Hold Your Man
Additional Music