--- name: "David Shire" canonical: "https://film.one/person/david-shire" fi1m_id: "david-shire" imdb_id: "nm0006288" tmdb_id: 8422 wikidata_id: "Q719035" roles: ["Composer"] born: "3 July 1937" reviewed_on_fi1m: 5 average_fi1m_score: 87 average_over: 5 updated: "2026-09-20T06:06:59.112886+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." --- # David Shire ## Identity David Shire - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/david-shire - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** david-shire - **IMDb ID:** nm0006288 - **TMDB ID:** 8422 - **Wikidata ID:** Q719035 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Shire, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q719035, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006288/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8422 Composer. Born 3 July 1937 in Buffalo, New York, USA. ## Details - **Work:** Composer - **Born:** 3 July 1937, Buffalo, New York, USA - **Active:** 1974–2007 - **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won) - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 86 (4), 2000s 91 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 88 to 78 across 4 titles - **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Genres:** Drama 4, Mystery 3, Crime 2, Thriller 2 - **Screen time:** 11 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $420m across 5 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Shire, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q719035, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006288/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8422 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Conversation*](https://film.one/film/the-conversation.md) (92), [*Saturday Night Fever*](https://film.one/film/saturday-night-fever.md) (78) - **Paramount+:** [*Zodiac*](https://film.one/film/zodiac.md) (91) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Biography David Shire is an American composer of film and television scores and stage musicals. Born in 1937 in Buffalo, New York, he studied at Yale University, where he began a long collaboration with lyricist Richard Maltby Jr. Shire is known for his scores for films including *The Conversation* (1974), *The Taking of Pelham One Two Three* (1974), *All the President's Men* (1976), parts of *Saturday Night Fever* (1977), *Return to Oz* (1985) and *Zodiac* (2007). He has also composed for Broadway musicals such as *Baby* (1983) and *Big* (1996). He won an Academy Award for the song "It Goes Like It Goes" from *Norma Rae* (1979). *Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.* ## On Fi1m (5) - *Zodiac* (2007), Fi1m 91, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/zodiac.md) - *Norma Rae* (1979), Fi1m 82, Songs, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/norma-rae.md) - *Saturday Night Fever* (1977), Fi1m 78, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/saturday-night-fever.md) - *All the President's Men* (1976), Fi1m 90, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/all-the-presidents-men.md) - *The Conversation* (1974), Fi1m 92, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-conversation.md) ## Complete filmography (130) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Maltby and Shire's Closer Than Ever* (2021), as Songs - *Starting Here, Starting Now* (2021), as Songs - *Love After Love* (2018), Original Music Composer - *The American Side* (2016), Original Music Composer - *Quitters* (2015), Original Music Composer - *Hacked Circuit* (2014), Original Music Composer - *Loving the Silent Tears: The Musical* (2013), Music - *The Real Love* (2012), Music - *Beyond a Reasonable Doubt* (2009), Original Music Composer - *Zodiac Deciphered* (2008), Music - *Zodiac* (2007), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/zodiac.md) - *Ash Wednesday* (2002), Original Music Composer - *Two Against Time* (2002), Original Music Composer - *These Old Broads* (2001), as Songs - *Thin Air* (2000), Original Music Composer - *Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter's End* (1999), Original Music Composer - *Small Vices* (1999), Music - *Moment of Impact: Stories of the Pulitzer Prize Photographs* (1999), Original Music Composer - *Double Platinum* (1999), Original Music Composer - *Rear Window* (1998), Original Music Composer - *I Married a Monster* (1998), Original Music Composer - *Alone* (1997), Original Music Composer - *Ms. Scrooge* (1997), Original Music Composer - *To Dance with Olivia* (1997), Original Music Composer - *Last Stand at Saber River* (1997), Original Music Composer - *Jake's Women* (1996), Original Music Composer - *Streets of Laredo* (1995), series, Original Music Composer - *One Night Stand* (1995), Music - *Murderous Intent* (1995), Music - *The Heidi Chronicles* (1995), Original Music Composer - *Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story* (1995), Original Music Composer - *Tecumseh: The Last Warrior* (1995), Original Music Composer - *Talking With* (1995), Original Music Composer - *My Antonia* (1995), Original Music Composer - *My Brother's Keeper* (1995), Music - *A Father for Charlie* (1995), Original Music Composer - *Reunion* (1994), Original Music Composer - *Lily in Winter* (1994), Original Music Composer - *The Companion* (1994), Music - *Once in a Lifetime* (1994), Original Music Composer - *Texan* (1994), Music - *The Man Who Wouldn't Die* (1994), Original Music Composer - *Jane's House* (1994), Music - *Remember* (1993), Music - *Bloodlines: Murder in the Family* (1993), Music - *Heartbeat* (1993), Original Music Composer - *Skylark* (1993), Original Music Composer - *Four Eyes and Six-Guns* (1992), Original Music Composer - *Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story* (1992), Original Music Composer - *Broadway Bound* (1992), Original Music Composer - *Bed of Lies* (1992), Music - *Last Wish* (1992), Music - *Bed & Breakfast* (1991), Original Music Composer - *Paris Trout* (1991), Original Music Composer - *The Boys* (1991), Original Music Composer - *Sarah, Plain and Tall* (1991), Original Music Composer - *Always Remember I Love You* (1990), Original Music Composer - *A Promise to Keep* (1990), Original Music Composer - *Common Ground* (1990), Music - *I Know My First Name Is Steven* (1989), series, Original Music Composer - *The Women of Brewster Place* (1989), Original Music Composer - *The Women of Brewster Place* (1989), series, Original Music Composer - *Jesse* (1988), Music - *Monkey Shines* (1988), Original Music Composer - *Backfire* (1988), Original Music Composer - *Vice Versa* (1988), Original Music Composer - *Mayflower Madam* (1987), Original Music Composer - *Echoes in the Darkness* (1987), Music - *Echoes in the Darkness* (1987), series, Music - *Promise* (1986), Original Music Composer - *'night, Mother* (1986), Music - *Short Circuit* (1986), Original Music Composer - *The Blue Yonder* (1985), Original Music Composer - *Amazing Stories* (1985), series, Music - *Return to Oz* (1985), Original Music Composer - *Do You Remember Love* (1985), Music - *2010* (1984), Original Music Composer - *Oh, God! You Devil* (1984), Original Music Composer - *Max Dugan Returns* (1983), Original Music Composer - *The World According to Garp* (1982), Music Arranger - *Darkroom* (1981), series, Music - *Paternity* (1981), Original Music Composer - *Only When I Laugh* (1981), Original Music Composer - *The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia* (1981), Original Music Composer - *Old Boyfriends* (1979), Original Music Composer - *The Promise* (1979), Original Music Composer - *Norma Rae* (1979), Original Music Composer, Songs — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/norma-rae.md) - *Fast Break* (1979), Original Music Composer - *Daddy, I Don't Like It Like This* (1978), Music - *Straight Time* (1978), Original Music Composer - *The Defection of Simas Kudirka* (1978), Original Music Composer - *Saturday Night Fever* (1977), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/saturday-night-fever.md) - *The Storyteller* (1977), Original Music Composer - *Something for Joey* (1977), Original Music Composer - *Raid on Entebbe* (1976), Original Music Composer - *Amelia Earhart* (1976), Original Music Composer - *The Big Bus* (1976), Original Music Composer - *Harry and Walter Go to New York* (1976), as Piano Player · Music - *All the President's Men* (1976), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/all-the-presidents-men.md) - *McNaughton's Daughter* (1976), series, Music - *The Hindenburg* (1975), Original Music Composer - *Farewell, My Lovely* (1975), Original Music Composer - *The Fortune* (1975), Original Music Composer - *Winner Take All* (1975), Original Music Composer - *The Tribe* (1974), Original Music Composer - *The Godchild* (1974), Original Music Composer - *Virginia Hill* (1974), Original Music Composer - *The Taking of Pelham One Two Three* (1974), Original Music Composer - *The Healers* (1974), Original Music Composer - *Lucas Tanner* (1974), Original Music Composer - *The Conversation* (1974), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/the-conversation.md) - *Sidekicks* (1974), Original Music Composer - *Tell Me Where It Hurts* (1974), Original Music Composer - *Killer Bees* (1974), Original Music Composer - *A Sunday Dinner* (1974), Original Music Composer - *Isn't It Shocking?* (1973), Original Music Composer - *Showdown* (1973), Original Music Composer - *See the Man Run* (1973), Original Music Composer - *Class of '44* (1973), Original Music Composer - *Two People* (1973), Original Music Composer - *To Find a Man* (1972), Original Music Composer - *Skin Game* (1971), Original Music Composer - *The Priest Killer* (1971), Music - *Drive, He Said* (1971), Original Music Composer - *Summertree* (1971), Original Music Composer - *Harpy* (1971), Music - *One More Train to Rob* (1971), Original Music Composer - *Shadow Game* (1969), Original Music Composer - *The Belle of 14th Street* (1967), Music Director - *CBS Playhouse* (1966), series, Original Music Composer ## Gallery - ![Gerle with David Shire, Sal Viviano (2013)](https://film.one/media/person/99548/gallery-96a8622f2333.jpg) Gerle with David Shire, Sal Viviano (2013) — Wes Washington, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Andrew_Gerle04.JPG/1280px-Andrew_Gerle04.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![David Shire in New York, Friday evening, Sept. 20, 2013.](https://film.one/media/person/99548/gallery-a14e5b214106.jpg) David Shire in New York, Friday evening, Sept. 20, 2013. — Wes Washington, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/David_Shire01.JPG/1280px-David_Shire01.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![David Shire in New York, Friday evening, Sept. 20, 2013.](https://film.one/media/person/99548/gallery-e76ac1881c17.jpg) David Shire in New York, Friday evening, Sept. 20, 2013. — Wes Washington, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/David_Shire03.JPG/1280px-David_Shire03.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![David Shire](https://film.one/media/person/99548/gallery-6c62eda53d52.jpg) David Shire — Wes Washington, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/David_Shire05.JPG/1280px-David_Shire05.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![David Shire in New York, Friday evening, Sept. 20, 2013.](https://film.one/media/person/99548/gallery-cd3863655177.jpg) David Shire in New York, Friday evening, Sept. 20, 2013. — Wes Washington, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/David_Shire05_%28cropped%29.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 1 won - 1980: Best Original Song (won), for *It Goes Like It Goes* ### Other awards — 1 won, 2 nominated - Tony Award for Best Original Score 1996: Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominated), for *Big (musical)* - Tony Award for Best Original Score 1984: Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominated), for *Baby* - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song 1982: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song (won), for *Baby Talk* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © 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/david-shire