Randy Edelman

Randy Edelman (born June 10, 1947) is an American musician, producer, and composer and conductor for film and television. He began his career as a member of Broadway's pit orchestras; he later produced solo albums for songs that were picked up by leading music performers including The Carpenters, Barry Manilow, and Dionne Warwick. He is known for his work in comedy films. He has been awarded many prestigious awards along with two nominations for a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and twelve BMI Awards. Edelman was given an honorary doctorate in fine arts by the University of Cincinnati in 2004.

Some of Edelman's best known films scores include Twins, Ghostbusters II, Kindergarten Cop, My Cousin Vinny, Beethoven, The Distinguished Gentleman, Gettysburg, Angels in the Outfield, The Mask, Pontiac Moon, The Indian in the Cupboard, The Quest, Dragonheart, Daylight, and XXX. He also wrote the theme of the popular television series MacGyver. Many of his musical pieces have been reused in television advertising, trailers, Disney movies, and award shows.

Life and career Edelman was born on 10 June 1947 in Paterson, New Jersey, to a Jewish family. He was raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, the son of a first-grade teacher and an accountant, and graduated from Teaneck High School in 1965. He attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music before heading to New York where he played piano in Broadway pit orchestras. He produced several solo albums of songs, some of which were later recorded by The Carpenters ("I Can't Make Music", "Piano Picker" and "You"), Barry Manilow ("Weekend in New England"), "If Love Is Real" from Olivia Newton-John's Making a Good Thing Better, Dionne Warwick ("The Laughter and the Tears"), Blood, Sweat & Tears ("Blue Street") and many others before moving to Los Angeles. Edelman started to work there in television and film scoring, while producing his solo albums which found a cult following in the United Kingdom, Europe, and Japan.

Musical scores One of his first film scores was for the 1973 film Executive Action, which put forward a conspiracy theory concerning the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1963. In 1977 Edelman contributed the orchestral piece 'Grey' to the multi-composer suite Colours, put together and conducted by Vic Lewis. In the mid-1980s, Edelman wrote the theme to and scored many episodes of MacGyver, a popular television series starring Richard Dean Anderson.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, he also collaborated with Ivan Reitman, producing scores for several of his comedies, including Drop Dead Fred, Ghostbusters II, Pontiac Moon, Twins, and Kindergarten Cop. He also contributed to Beethoven; The Last of the Mohicans; The Distinguished Gentleman; The Mask; The Quest; Daylight; Anaconda; XXX; Gettysburg; My Cousin Vinny; While You Were Sleeping; Dragonheart; Shanghai Noon; Six Days, Seven Nights; The Indian in the Cupboard; Billy Madison; Angels in the Outfield; and EDtv to name a few.

Edelman was honored with the Richard Kirk Award at the 2003 BMI Film and TV Awards. The award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music. In 2004, he received an honorary doctorate in fine arts from the University of Cincinnati. He and three other honorees distinguished in other fields, including Coretta Scott King were given the degree.

He produced the scores for the 2008 film The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. This score was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, where in 2010 Edelman also recorded and composed the Irish flavored music score for Amy Adams's film Leap Year. He was awarded the Goldspirit Award (named in honor of Jerry Goldsmith) for best comedy score of 2011 for the Leap Year soundtrack CD on Varèse Sarabande.

Scores reused elsewhere While some of the films scored by Edelman were not commercial successes, the music was often reused elsewhere. Themes he wrote for Kindergarten Cop (in particular Rain Ride), Dragonheart, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (including the film's love theme Bruce and Linda), Gettysburg, and other films have been widely used in television advertising, film trailers, Disney movies including Mulan, and during the Academy Awards. Themes from his score for Come See the Paradise have been used in film trailers more than cues from any other film soundtrack.

NBC Sports His music from The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. is featured during NBC's Olympic Games coverage when upcoming events are being announced. In addition it was used during NBC's coverage of the 1997 World Series. At the end of the 1996 Summer Olympics, NBC used the closing music of Gettysburg. In the 1990s, Edelman composed the popular theme music for NBC's NFL telecasts which was used for the 1995–97 seasons through Super Bowl XXXII.

Personal life Edelman has been married to singer Jackie DeShannon since June 3, 1976. DeShannon is known for 1960s hits including "When You Walk in the Room", "Put a Little Love in Your Heart," and "What the World Needs Now Is Love". DeShannon had a brief first marriage that was annulled after a few months. She and Edelman have a son, Noah.

Musical discography (as artist and songwriter) Solo albums Randy Edelman – MGM Records, 1972 (LP) The Laughter and the Tears – MGM Records, 1972 (LP) Outside In - MGM Records, 1972 (LP) Prime Cuts – 20th Century Records, 1974 (LP and CD) (No. 95 AUS UK No. 11 (cover of the Unit 4 + 2 hit song) "Uptown Uptempo Woman" (September 1976) – UK No. 25 "You" (January 1977) – UK No. 49 "Can't It All Be Love" (November 1977) – CAN (RPM) No. 99 "Nobody Made Me" (July 1982) – UK No. 60

Artists who have covered Edelman's songs (both music and lyrics) (this is a partial list) Barry Manilow – "Weekend in New England" (No. 10, US) The Carpenters – "I Can't Make Music", "You", "Piano Picker" Labelle – "Isn't it a Shame" Olivia Newton-John – "If Love Is Real" Nelly – "My Place" Dionne Warwick – "You Are the Sunlight, I Am the Moon", "The Laughter and the Tears", "Give a Little Laughter" Blood Sweat and Tears – "Blue Street" Jackie DeShannon – "Sunny Days", "Let the Sailors Dance" Agnetha Fältskog – "Turn the World Around" The Fifth Dimension – "Everybody Wants to Call You Sweetheart" Kool and the Gang – "Amore Amore" Bing Crosby – "The Woman on Your Arm" Shirley Bassey – "Isn't It a Shame" Nancy Wilson – "The Laughter and the Tears" Rosemary Clooney – "You" Petula Clark – "Make a Time for Lovin'"

Filmography Film Year Title Director Studio(s) Notes 1972 Outside In Allen BaronG. D. Spradin 1973 Snatched Sutton Roley ABC Circle Films Television film Executive Action David Miller National General Pictures Blood Sport Jerrold Freedman Danny Thomas Productions Television movie 1983 When Your Lover Leaves Jeff Bleckner Fair Dinkum, Inc.Major H ProductionsNBC Productions Television film 1984 A Doctor's Story Peter Levin Embassy Television 1985 Scandal Sheet David Lowell Rich ABC Molly and the Skywalkerz: Happily Ever After Bill Melendez 1987 The Chipmunk Adventure Janice Karman Bagdasarian ProductionsThe Samuel Goldwyn Company Dennis the Menace: Dinosaur Hunter Doug Rogers Television film 1988 Feds Daniel Goldberg Warner Bros. Twins Ivan Reitman Universal Pictures with Georges Delerue 1989 Troop Beverly Hills Jeff Kanew Weintraub Entertainment GroupColumbia Pictures Ghostbusters II Ivan Reitman Columbia Pictures 1990 Quick Change Howard FranklinBill Murray Warner Bros. Come See the Paradise Alan Parker 20th Century Fox Kindergarten Cop Ivan Reitman Imagine EntertainmentUniversal Pictures 1991 Drop Dead Fred Ate de Jong Working Title FilmsNew Line Cinema (US)PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (International; original release)Universal Pictures (International; current rights) V.I. Warshawski Jeff Kanew Hollywood Pictures Eyes of an Angel Robert Harmon LIVE Entertainment Shout Jeffrey Hornaday Universal Pictures 1992 My Cousin Vinny Jonathan Lynn 20th Century Fox Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story Harry Winer Television film Beethoven Brian Levant Universal Pictures The Last of the Mohicans Michael Mann Morgan Creek Productions20th Century Fox (US & Canada)Warner Bros. (International) with Trevor Jones The Distinguished Gentleman Jonathan Lynn Hollywood Pictures 1993 Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Rob Cohen Universal Pictures Gettysburg Ronald F. Maxwell Turner PicturesNew Line Cinema Beethoven's 2nd Rod Daniel Northern Lights EntertainmentUniversal Pictures 1994 Greedy Jonathan Lynn Imagine EntertainmentUniversal Pictures Angels in the Outfield William Dear Caravan PicturesWalt Disney Pictures The Mask Chuck Russell Dark Horse EntertainmentNew Line Cinema Pontiac Moon Peter Medak Paramount Pictures 1995 Billy Madison Tamra Davis Universal Pictures Citizen X Chris Gerolmo HBO Television film Tall Tale Jeremiah S. Chechik Caravan PicturesWalt Disney Pictures While You Were Sleeping Jon Turteltaub Caravan PicturesHollywood Pictures The Indian in the Cupboard Frank Oz The Kennedy/Marshall CompanyScholasticParamount Pictures (US theatrical; International video release)Columbia Pictures (US video release; International theatrical) The Big Green Holly Goldberg Sloan Caravan PicturesWalt Disney Pictures 1996 Down Periscope David S. Ward 20th Century Fox Diabolique Jeremiah S. Chechik Morgan Creek ProductionsWarner Bros. The Quest Jean-Claude Van Damme Universal Pictures Dragonheart Rob Cohen Daylight Davis EntertainmentUniversal Pictures 1997 Anaconda Luis Llosa Columbia Pictures Gone Fishin' Christopher Cain Caravan PicturesHollywood Pictures Leave It to Beaver Andy Cadiff Universal Pictures For Richer or Poorer Bryan Spicer The Bubble FactoryUniversal Pictures 1998 Six Days, Seven Nights Ivan Reitman Northern Lights EntertainmentCaravan PicturesTouchstone Pictures 1999 EDtv Ron Howard Imagine EntertainmentUniversal Pictures The Hunley John Gray Turner Television Network Television film 2000 Passion of Mind Alan Berliner Paramount Classics The Whole Nine Yards Jonathan Lynn Morgan Creek ProductionsFranchise PicturesWarner Bros. The Skulls Rob Cohen Original FilmUniversal Pictures Shanghai Noon Tom Dey Spyglass EntertainmentTouchstone Pictures 2001 Head over Heels Mark Waters Universal Pictures China: The Panda Adventure Robert M. YoungTrane Pictures Osmosis Jones Farrelly brothers Warner Bros. Feature AnimationWarner Bros. Who Is Cletis Tout? Chris Ver Wiel Fireworks EntertainmentSeven Arts ProductionsParamount Classics Corky Romano Rob Pritts Touchstone Pictures Black Knight Gil Junger The Firm, Inc.Regency Enterprises20th Century Fox 2002 A Season on the Brink Robert Mandel ESPN Films Frank McKlusky, C.I. Arlene Sanford Touchstone Pictures XXX Rob Cohen Revolution StudiosOriginal FilmColumbia Pictures 2003 National Security Dennis Dugan Columbia Pictures Shanghai Knights David Dobkin Spyglass EntertainmentTouchstone Pictures Gods and Generals Ronald F. Maxwell Ted Turner PicturesWarner Bros. with John Frizzell 2004 Connie and Carla Michael Lembeck Spyglass EntertainmentUniversal Pictures Surviving Christmas Mike Mitchell DreamWorks Pictures 2005 Son of the Mask Lawrence Guterman Dark Horse EntertainmentNew Line Cinema 2006 The Last Time Michael Caleo No distributor 2007 Underdog Frederik Du Chau Spyglass EntertainmentWalt Disney Pictures Balls of Fury Robert Ben Garant Spyglass EntertainmentRogue Pictures 2008 27 Dresses Anne Fletcher Dune EntertainmentSpyglass Entertainment20th Century Fox The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Rob Cohen Relativity MediaUniversal Pictures 2010 Leap Year Anand Tucker Spyglass EntertainmentUniversal Pictures 2011 The Greening of Whitney Brown Peter Skillman Odiorne ARC Entertainment 2015 The Boy Next Door Rob Cohen Blumhouse ProductionsNuyorican ProductionsUniversal PicturesWith Nathan Barr Additional Music By Lisbeth Scott Leaves of the Tree Ante Novakovic 2016 Back in the Day Paul Borghese Tappan Films 2017 Max 2: White House Hero Brian Levant Warner Bros. 2019 Backdraft 2 Gonzalo López-Gallego Universal 1440 Entertainment Video Love in KilneryDaniel KeithArchway Pictures 2021 Skelly Matt Greene-Delanghe Walk Like a Duck Entertainment2023A Look in the Rear ViewGregg HarrisThat Don't Fly2024HeartstringsAte de JongMulholland FilmsThe Beast InsideJim TownsUncorked Ent.2025Love Me DeadJosh WebberGVN DistributionDog PatrolJosh WebberWebber FilmsNaya...Legend of the Golden Dolphin 3DJonathon KayMagic Factory Prod.Too Hot to Handle - Ghostbusters 2 DocAnthony BuenoCineverse Distribution

Television Year Title Notes 1983 Ryan's Four 6 episodes 1984 CBS Schoolbreak Special episode: All the Kids Do It 1985–87 MacGyver seasons 1–2 1986 Mr. Sunshine episode: Pilot 1988 ABC Afterschool Special episode: A Family Again 1993 The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. episode: Pilot 2006 The Ten Commandments miniseries

Awards, milestones and announcements Platinum and gold Records

Barry Manilow Greatest Hits, Live,

This One's for You

The Carpenters: "A Song for You", Now And Then, and A Kind of Hush Olivia Newton-John: Making A Good Thing Better Nelly: Suit Now 17: "My Place" Last of the Mohicans (soundtrack)

Saturn Awards "Dragonheart" nominated by Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (Saturn Award for Best Music)

International Film Music Critics Association Nomination "Ten Commandments": Nominated by the IFMCA (International Film Music Critics Association) for Best Original Score for Television for ABC's mini-series

Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts University of Cincinnati: Recipient of Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) Recipient of BMI's highest honor, the Richard Kirk Lifetime Achievement Award Top Grossing Film Award: 27 Dresses Top Grossing Film Award: The Mask Top Grossing Film Award: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Top Grossing Film Award: The Last of the Mohicans Top Grossing Film Award: XXX Top Grossing Film Award: Kindergarten Cop Top Grossing Film Award: Six Days Seven Nights Top Grossing Film Award: Ghostbusters II Top Grossing Film Award: Anaconda Top Grossing Film Award: Twins Top Grossing Film Award: While You Were Sleeping Top TV Series Award: MacGyver Spotlight Award: Awarded for two decades of NBC's Randy Edelman Olympic Theme

Emmy Awards Winner: "Atlanta Olympics NBC Broadcast" Emmy Award

Golden Globes Award Nominated: Last of the Mohicans ( Best Original Score - Motion Picture)

British Academy of Film and Television Awards Nomination Last of the Mohicans: Nominated (Best Original Film Score) BAFTA Award for Best Film Music

Kautz Alumni Masters Awards University of Cincinnati: Kautz Alumni Masters Award for Outstanding Alumnus

Goldspirit Awards Leap Year (film): Named in honor of Jerry Goldsmith as Best Comedy Score

Long Island International Film Expo Lifetime Achievement Award: In Film Scoring and Composition 2018 Composer and Lyricist Guild Lifetime Achievement Award L.A.

LA Film Awards

Love in Kilnery: Best Score, 2019

New England Music Hall of Fame

Lifetime Achievement Award, 2023

New York Get Out Magazine

Lifetime Achievement Award, 2023

NYR Metropolitan Club

Career Bridge Lifetime Achievement Award, 2024

Grand Ole Opry, Nashville

Josie Songwriter Legend Award, 2024

Broadway World Magazine

Best Producer for album Waltzing on a High Wire, 2025