Artie Kane, Studio Pianist and Film-TV Composer, Dies at 93
variety.comJon Burlingame editorArtie Kane, Grammy-nominated pianist and composer of film scores including “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” and “Eyes of Laura Mars,” died Tuesday at his home on Whidbey Island, north of Seattle, Wash.
He was 93.Kane was widely considered one of the finest keyboard players in the history of Hollywood. He played for every major composer during the 1960s and ’70s, including John Williams (“The Poseidon Adventure”), Jerry Goldsmith (“Chinatown”), Lalo Schifrin (“The Cincinnati Kid”), Henry Mancini (“Wait Until Dark”), Michel Legrand (“The Thomas Crown Affair”), John Barry (“The Deep”), Johnny Mandel (“The Americanization of Emily”), Elmer Bernstein (“McQ”) and many others.“Artie was a brilliant musician, a dear friend and colleague, and a mentor to me,” said fellow pianist Ralph Grierson. “Prior to him, studios would hire a specialist for each style of music – cocktail piano, jazz, classical.
He changed all of that. Artie established a tradition that as a studio musician you could play anything.” He began composing in the late 1960s, first for television (“Wonder Woman,” “Barnaby Jones”) and then for films including two for director Richard Brooks (“Looking for Mr.
Goodbar,” “Wrong Is Right”) and one for Irvin Kershner (“Eyes of Laura Mars”). Between features he wrote dozens of series-TV scores (including “The Love Boat,” “Dynasty,” “Hotel,” “Matlock”) and three of the “Gunsmoke” TV-movies starring James Arness.Kane launched another career in the 1990s: conducting for top composers.
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