Biography
Arthur Morton, born Arthur Goldberg, was an American composer and orchestrator for film and television. Born on 8 August 1908 in Duluth, Minnesota, he graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1929. He moved to Los Angeles after further study and began his career in the music departments of Hal Roach Studios and Columbia Pictures, initially composing and orchestrating uncredited stock music.
Morton received an early credited film score for Night Life of the Gods (1935) and composed title music for The Big Heat (1953). He composed for television series including Peyton Place (1964–1969), The Waltons (1972–1974) and Medical Center (1969–1975). He is principally known as an orchestrator on more than 500 productions, serving as the principal orchestrator for Jerry Goldsmith on scores including Chinatown (1974), Superman (1978), Gremlins (1984), Total Recall (1990) and L.A. Confidential (1997).
In 1935 he married Emmy Lou Hellman. Morton died on 15 April 2000 in Santa Monica, California.
