---
name: "Carl Davis"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/carl-davis"
fi1m_id: "carl-davis"
imdb_id: "nm0002301"
tmdb_id: 24717
wikidata_id: "Q584221"
roles: ["Composer"]
born: "28 October 1936"
died: "3 August 2023"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-10-07T11:05:28.700698+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Carl Davis

## Identity

Carl Davis

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/carl-davis
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** carl-davis
- **IMDb ID:** nm0002301
- **TMDB ID:** 24717
- **Wikidata ID:** Q584221
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Davis, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q584221, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002301/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/24717

Composer. Born 28 October 1936 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. Died 3 August 2023.

## Details

- **Work:** Composer
- **Born:** 28 October 1936, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
- **Died:** 3 August 2023
- **Active:** 1973–2016
- **Also known as:** Carl Davis CBE
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 7: 1 acting, 6 crew
- **Frequently works with:** [Sue Birtwistle](https://film.one/person/sue-birtwistle.md), [Giles Foster](https://film.one/person/giles-foster.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 90 (1), 1980s 71 (2), 1990s 88 (2), 2000s 84 (1), 2010s 64 (1)
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 5, History 2, Comedy 1, Documentary 1, Music 1, Romance 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $17m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Davis, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q584221, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002301/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/24717

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Topsy-Turvy*](https://film.one/film/topsy-turvy.md) (88)
- **BritBox:** [*Pride and Prejudice*](https://film.one/tv/pride-and-prejudice.md) (88)
- **Apple TV:** [*Cranford*](https://film.one/tv/cranford.md) (84)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Silas Marner*](https://film.one/film/silas-marner.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Carl Davis (1936–2023) was an American-born British composer and conductor. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he studied composition with Paul Nordoff and Hugo Kauder, and later with Per Nørgård in Copenhagen. He moved to London in 1961.

Davis composed scores for many British television series and films. His credits include the theme music for *The World at War* (1973) and the score for the BBC series *Pride and Prejudice* (1995). Film work includes *The French Lieutenant's Woman* (1981), for which he received a BAFTA award, and *Scandal* (1989). He created new scores for more than fifty silent films, including Abel Gance's *Napoleon*, helping to revive interest in live orchestral accompaniment for the medium.

Davis collaborated with Paul McCartney on the Liverpool Oratorio (1991). He was appointed CBE in 2005.

*Sources: wikiwand.com, bfi.org.uk, carldaviscollection.com, hellorayo.co.uk.*

## On Fi1m (7)

### Performed in (1)

- *Florence Foster Jenkins* (2016), Fi1m 64, as Orlando Adams — [page](https://film.one/film/florence-foster-jenkins.md)

### Crew (6) — the average rests on these

- *Cranford* (2007), Fi1m 84, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/tv/cranford.md)
- *Topsy-Turvy* (1999), Fi1m 88, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/topsy-turvy.md)
- *Pride and Prejudice* (1995), Fi1m 88, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/tv/pride-and-prejudice.md)
- *Scandal* (1989), Fi1m 66, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/scandal.md)
- *Silas Marner* (1985), Fi1m 76, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/silas-marner.md)
- *The World at War* (1973), Fi1m 90, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-world-at-war.md)

## Complete filmography (121)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Ethel & Ernest* (2016), Original Music Composer
- *Florence Foster Jenkins* (2016), as Orlando Adams — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/florence-foster-jenkins.md)
- *The Understudy* (2012), as Mr. Davidovitz · Executive Producer, Original Music Composer
- *Upstairs Downstairs* (2010), series, Original Music Composer
- *Cranford* (2007), series, Original Music Composer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/cranford.md)
- *Garbo* (2005), Orchestrator, Original Music Composer
- *Promoted to Glory* (2003), Original Music Composer
- *The Book of Eve* (2002), Original Music Composer
- *Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces* (2000), Music
- *The Great Gatsby* (2000), Original Music Composer
- *The Greatest Store in the World* (1999), Original Music Composer
- *Topsy-Turvy* (1999), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/topsy-turvy.md)
- *Goodnight, Mister Tom* (1998), Original Music Composer
- *Universal Horror* (1998), Additional Music
- *Le radeau de la Méduse* (1998), Original Music Composer
- *A Dance to the Music of Time* (1997), series, Original Music Composer
- *An Audience with Charles Dickens* (1996), Music
- *The Queen's Nose* (1995), series, as Choral Plant
- *Pride and Prejudice* (1995), series, Original Music Composer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/pride-and-prejudice.md)
- *Oliver's Travels* (1995), series, Original Music Composer
- *Anne Frank Remembered* (1995), Music
- *The Return of the Native* (1994), Music
- *Lie Down with Lions* (1994), Original Music Composer
- *George Stevens: D-Day to Berlin* (1994), Music
- *Widows' Peak* (1994), Original Music Composer
- *Liberation* (1994), Original Music Composer
- *Genghis Cohn* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *The Trial* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *Voyage* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *D.W. Griffith: Father of Film* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *A Year in Provence* (1993), series, Original Music Composer
- *Northern Ballet's A Christmas Carol* (1992), Original Music Composer
- *A Sense of History* (1992), Original Music Composer
- *The Crucifer of Blood* (1991), Original Music Composer
- *The Black Velvet Gown* (1991), Music
- *Echoes That Remain* (1991), Original Music Composer
- *Separate but Equal* (1991), Original Music Composer
- *The Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story* (1990), Music
- *Frankenstein Unbound* (1990), Original Music Composer
- *Crossing to Freedom* (1990), Original Music Composer
- *The Secret Life of Ian Fleming* (1990), Original Music Composer
- *The Yellow Wallpaper* (1989), Original Music Composer
- *Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius* (1989), Music
- *Somewhere to Run* (1989), Original Music Composer
- *The Rainbow* (1989), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *Scandal* (1989), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/scandal.md)
- *The Girl in a Swing* (1988), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *The Play on One* (1988), series, Original Music Composer
- *Journey's End* (1988), Original Music Composer
- *Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow* (1987), series, Original Music Composer
- *The First Eden* (1987), series, Music Editor
- *Hotel du Lac* (1986), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *Silas Marner* (1985), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/silas-marner.md)
- *A Song for Europe* (1985), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *King David* (1985), Original Music Composer
- *The Day the Universe Changed* (1985), series, Main Title Theme Composer
- *George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey* (1985), Original Music Composer
- *Screen Two* (1985), series, Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *Fragments of Isabella* (1985), Music
- *Sakharov* (1984), Original Music Composer
- *The Far Pavilions* (1984), series, Original Music Composer
- *Champions* (1984), Music
- *Down in the Valley* (1984), Original Music Composer
- *The Aerodrome* (1983), Original Music Composer
- *The Weather in the Streets* (1983), Original Music Composer
- *Macbeth* (1983), Original Music Composer
- *Landscape* (1983), Music
- *Arms and the Man* (1983), Original Music Composer
- *Unknown Chaplin* (1983), series, Original Music Composer
- *Schoolgirl Chums* (1982), Original Music Composer
- *The Hound of the Baskervilles* (1982), series, Original Music Composer
- *Mike Leigh: Making Plays* (1982), Music
- *Home Sweet Home* (1982), Original Music Composer
- *L’Elegance* (1982), Music
- *Praying Mantis* (1982), Original Music Composer
- *The French Lieutenant's Woman* (1981), Original Music Composer
- *Private Schulz* (1981), series, as Pianist at Salon Kitty (uncredited)
- *Staying On* (1980), Original Music Composer
- *The Mystery of the Disappearing Schoolgirls* (1980), Original Music Composer
- *The Merchant of Venice* (1980), Original Music Composer
- *Oppenheimer* (1980), series, Original Music Composer
- *Fair Stood the Wind for France* (1980), series, Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *Hollywood* (1980), series, Music
- *Speed King* (1979), Original Music Composer
- *The Old Curiosity Shop* (1979), series, Music
- *Birth of the Beatles* (1979), Original Music Composer
- *Prince Regent* (1979), series, Original Music Composer
- *Brecht and Co* (1979), Original Music Composer
- *The Light Princess* (1978), Original Music Composer
- *Thank You, Comrades* (1978), Music
- *Wuthering Heights* (1978), series, Original Music Composer
- *Langrishe, Go Down* (1978), Original Music Composer
- *The Sea* (1978), Music
- *The Mayor of Casterbridge* (1978), series, Original Music Composer
- *Marie Curie* (1977), series, Original Music Composer
- *The Kiss of Death* (1977), Original Music Composer
- *The Lady of the Camellias* (1976), Original Music Composer
- *Your Man from Six Counties* (1976), Original Music Composer
- *Shuttlecock* (1976), as Theme Song Performance
- *Fast Hands* (1976), as Theme Song Performance
- *Where Adam Stood* (1976), Music
- *The Paradise Run* (1976), Original Music Composer
- *Our Mutual Friend* (1976), series, Original Music Composer
- *The Naked Civil Servant* (1975), Original Music Composer
- *NBC Special Treat* (1975), series, Original Music Composer
- *Man Friday* (1975), Original Music Composer
- *The Cay* (1974), Original Music Composer
- *The Catholics* (1973), Original Music Composer
- *The World at War* (1973), series, Original Music Composer — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-world-at-war.md)
- *The Merchant of Venice* (1973), Original Music Composer
- *Away from It All* (1973), series, Original Music Composer
- *The National Health* (1973), Original Music Composer
- *Rentadick* (1972), Original Music Composer
- *War & Peace* (1972), series, Music
- *Stocker's Copper* (1972), Original Music Composer
- *Up the Chastity Belt* (1972), Original Music Composer
- *I, Monster* (1971), Original Music Composer
- *Up Pompeii* (1971), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *Edward II* (1970), Original Music Composer
- *Praise Marx and Pass the Ammunition* (1970), as Composer
- *The Bofors Gun* (1968), Original Music Composer

## Gallery

- ![Carl Davis](https://film.one/media/person/60791/gallery-96ceba2a1d66.jpg) Carl Davis — Ramdzan Masiam, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Carl_Davis.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in the On the Waterfront Event with conductor Carl Davis (2011)](https://film.one/media/person/60791/gallery-55389cb2ed8c.jpg) Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in the On the Waterfront Event with conductor Carl Davis (2011) — Sweetie candykim, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Royal_Liverpool_Philharmonic_Orchestra_in_the_On_the_Waterfront_Event_-_Conductor_Carl_Davis.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/carl-davis