Alexander Courage Passes

Alexander Courage, composer of the original Star Trek theme, passed away May 15.

As reported by filmmusicsociety.org, Courage died at the Sunrise assisted-living facility in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Courage was born Dec. 10, 1919 in Philadelphia, moving to New Jersey as a boy. He received a degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was a bandleader at bases in California and Arizona.

After the war, Courage worked for CBS Radio and then for MGM. Working as an orchestrator and arranger at MGM, he worked on classical musicals such as Show Boat, The Band Wagon, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Guys and Dolls, It's Always Fair Weather, Funny Face and Gigi.

In the 1960s, in addition to his work on Star Trek, Courage wrote music for Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Daniel Boone, Lost in Space, Land of the Giants and other series. Star Trek became his most famous work.

Courage was an award-winning photographer whose photos appeared in Life and Colliers magazines.

He leaves behind four stepchildren and six grandchildren.

To read more, head to the article located here.

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