Biography
John Morris (also credited as John Leonard Morris) was an American composer of film, television and theatrical scores. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, he trained at the Juilliard School and the New School. He worked extensively on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s, contributing incidental music and dance arrangements to productions including Wildcat (1960), Baker Street (1965) and Mack & Mabel (1974).
Morris collaborated frequently with director Mel Brooks, scoring The Producers (1967), Blazing Saddles (1974), Young Frankenstein (1974), The Elephant Man (1980) and several other films. He received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Score for The Elephant Man and Best Original Song for the title song of Blazing Saddles. His other notable film scores include Clue (1985) and Spaceballs (1987). He died in Red Hook, New York, in 2018.
