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Dave Grusin Biography

Birth Name:Robert David Grusin

Birth Place:Littleton, Colorado, United States

Profession Composer, Music department

Fast Facts

Won a BMI Film & TV Award for Film Music for "The Firm" in 1994
Won a CableACE Award for Original Score for "In the Gloaming" in 1997
Won a Hollywood Film Festival Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music in Film in 1998
Graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Music in 1956
After graduation he began touring with Andy Williams, where he first met drummer Larry Rosen
Was inspired by composer Henry Mancini, whom he first met in the mid-1960s just before he composed the scores for "Divorce American Style" and "The Graduate․"
Quote: "It's been an interesting double life, doing both film scoring and jazz recordings․․․in film you have parameters based on how the music will function with the images․ With my own albums, it's like a blank canvass, absolute freedom to create․"
Best known as a pianist and composer for film and television, including "The Firm," "Havana," and "The Goonies․"
Composed the theme songs for several sitcoms in the 1970s, including "St․ Elsewhere," "Good Times," and "Maude․"
Formed the music production company GRP Records with Larry Rosen in the late 1970s

Awards

1969Grammy-Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special: winner
1977Grammy-Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special: nominated
1979Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
1979Saturn Award-Best Music: nominated
1980Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
1982Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
1983Oscar-Best Music, Original Song: nominated
1983Grammy-Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special: nominated
1983Razzie Award-Worst Original Song: nominated
1984BAFTA Film Award-Best Original Song: nominated
1984Grammy-Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special: nominated
1989Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: winner
1989Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
1990Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
1990Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
1990Grammy-Best Album of Original Instrumental Background Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television: winner
1991Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
1991BAFTA Film Award-Best Original Film Score: nominated
1991Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
1992Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
1992Grammy-Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television: nominated
1994Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
1994BMI Film Music Award-: winner
1994Grammy-Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television: nominated
1996Grammy-Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television: nominated
1997CableACE-Original Score: winner
1998Grammy-Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television: nominated
2002Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Dramatic Underscore): nominated
2010Felix-Best Original Score: nominated
2011IFMCA Award-Best Archival Release of an Existing Score: nominated
2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics: nominated