Gerald Fried, a composer for some of the most memorable moments in television in the 1960s, passed away on Friday at age 95 from pneumonia at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
When Quincy Jones missed many deadlines for the miniseries Roots, Fried saved the project and won an Emmy.
Throughout his career, he composed the music for five early Stanley Kubrick films, including “Paths of Glory” and “The Killing,” and in 1975, he was nominated for the first-ever Oscar for “Birds Do It, Bees Do It,” a documentary film. During his extensive career, Fried received five additional Emmy nominations.
In his era, Fried was a trusted composer. He has composed the music for episodes of Star Trek, Gilligan’s Island, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Ben Casey, Mission: Impossible, Lost in Space, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, Mannix, Police Woman, and “Dynasty,” among other television shows.
He also wrote the themes for the 1950s television shows It’s About Time, Flamingo Road, and the western Shotgun Slade.
His wife Anita, four daughters, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren are among his survivors.