Danny Gould, in memorium

 

 

     Warners Bros. VP of music and resident musicologist Danny Gould died Nov. 4, 2910,  in Los Angeles due to complications from a stroke. He was 89.  Gould spoke to ASMAC members in August of 2005 and was highly thought of throughout the industry.
Gould worked as a composer, arranger, lyricist, pianist and conductor. His music can be heard in films such as "The Pelican Brief," "River of No Return," "The Lost Boys" and "National Lampoon's European Vacation."

     After serving in the Army in the Pacific during WWII, the NYU grad moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music.  In the 1960s, he worked in Paramount's music department on films such as "Paint Your Wagon," "Darling Lili" and "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever."

     In 1970, he accepted what was supposed to be a two-week position at Warner Bros., but turned it into a 39-year career there. Gould served as VP of music at the studio; he left in 2009.  Danny  was a musical watchdog.  He appeared in court as expert witness in many music copyright suits.  And, as part of his responsibilities as VP, Forensic Musicology, he presided over a worldwide network of Warner Bros. listening posts that daily sent him recordings of TV, motion picture, and live performances of music from Warner's publishing firms.  He compared those performances to the original scores and cue sheets, and if he found revisions, alterations from the original, or interpolatinos of new materials, the Warner Bros. Legal department was immediately on the case.

     With his talent for music, encyclopedic knowledge of compositions and ability to analyze any musical subject, he was a widely respected and utilized resource both at Warner Bros. and across the music industry. Throughout the years, his expertise was called upon by composers, conductors and music supervisors for countless film and television projects.

     Gould is survived by his wife, Donna, a son and a daughter, plus four grandchildren.  Donations maybe be made to Congregation Or Ami's Outreach to Children in Foster Care at orami.org/donate.