Maury Laws (December 6, 1923 – March 28, 2019) was an American television and film composer from Burlington, North Carolina.

Maury Laws
Born(1923-12-06)December 6, 1923
DiedMarch 28, 2019(2019-03-28) (aged 95)
Occupationcomposer
Years active1934–1985
SpouseKaren (/Krumm) Rutledge

Biography

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In his teens, Laws performed in local country, jazz and dance bands as a singer and guitarist in his home state of North Carolina. His career was put on hold during World War II, in which he served in the Army.

In 1964, he was hired as music director for the television production company Videocraft International (now known as Rankin/Bass), a post which he held for roughly 20 years. In this capacity, he conducted and scored music for a number of animated features, including The Hobbit, Jack Frost, The Flight of Dragons, The Daydreamer, The Wacky World of Mother Goose, Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town, and Frosty the Snowman. His most widely known work may be an adaptation of Johnny Marks' score for the well-known Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, first aired in 1964. Laws also did composing work on a 1967 Rankin/Bass theatrical feature, the Halloween-themed Mad Monster Party?.

Maury Laws died in Appleton, Wisconsin on March 28, 2019.[1]

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ Burlingame, Jon (April 1, 2019). "Maury Laws, Rankin-Bass Composer-Arranger, Dies at 95". Variety. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
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