University of Wyoming
Walter Scharf was a composer best known for his musical theater and motion picture scores. He was born in New York in 1910. His credits included more than 200 major motion pictures, among them "Funny Girl," "Holiday Inn," "Hans Christian Anderson," "The Nutty Professor," "The Cheyenne Social Club," "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," "Walking Tall," and other films, as well as many "Jacques Cousteau" and "National Geographic" documentaries. On television, he was the music director, arranger, and composer for series and specials by Shirley Temple, Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, Victor Borge and Donald O'Connor. Scharf received eleven Oscar nominations, including 9 for composing motion picture scores, and one for composing (with lyricist Don Black) the song "Ben."
This collection contains scripts, scores, cue sheets, and drafts for many of the motion pictures on which Scharf worked. Also included are books, programs, notebooks, and a traveling guide, as well as the music for the only opera Scharf wrote, "The Plot to Overthrow Christmas."
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
There are no known other archival collections created by Walter Scharf at the date of processing.
Finding aid available in repository.
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
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