---
name: "Ken Thorne"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/ken-thorne"
fi1m_id: "ken-thorne"
imdb_id: "nm0006322"
tmdb_id: 57892
wikidata_id: "Q332046"
roles: ["Composer"]
born: "26 January 1924"
died: "9 July 2014"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 62
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-04T18:16:01.205826+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."
---

# Ken Thorne

## Identity

Ken Thorne

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/ken-thorne
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** ken-thorne
- **IMDb ID:** nm0006322
- **TMDB ID:** 57892
- **Wikidata ID:** Q332046
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Thorne, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q332046, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006322/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/57892

Composer. Born 26 January 1924 in East Dereham, Norfolk, England, UK. Died 9 July 2014.

## Details

- **Work:** Composer
- **Born:** 26 January 1924, East Dereham, Norfolk, England, UK
- **Died:** 9 July 2014
- **Active:** 1980–1983
- **Also known as:** Ken Thorn, Ken Thorne Orchestra
- **Frequently works with:** [Christopher Reeve](https://film.one/person/christopher-reeve.md), [David Newman](https://film.one/person/david-newman-6728.md), [Leslie Newman](https://film.one/person/leslie-newman.md), [Pierre Spengler](https://film.one/person/pierre-spengler.md), [Richard Lester](https://film.one/person/richard-lester.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Thorne, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q332046, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006322/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/57892

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Superman II*](https://film.one/film/superman-ii.md) (74), [*Superman III*](https://film.one/film/superman-iii.md) (49)

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

## Biography

Ken Thorne was a British film and television composer and conductor. Born in East Dereham, Norfolk, he began his career as a big band pianist in the 1940s before studying composition. He received an Academy Award for music direction on *A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum* (1966) and worked frequently with director Richard Lester on films including *Help!* (1965) and *Head* (1968).

Thorne adapted and conducted John Williams’s themes for *Superman II* (1980) and *Superman III* (1983). His other film credits include *Juggernaut* (1974), *Hannie Caulder* (1971) and *The Evil That Men Do* (1984). From the 1980s he composed extensively for television, including scores for Kevin Connor projects and the miniseries *Return to Lonesome Dove* (1993). He died in West Hills, California, in 2014.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Superman III* (1983), Fi1m 49, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/superman-iii.md)
- *Superman II* (1980), Fi1m 74, Original Music Composer, Music, Conductor — [page](https://film.one/film/superman-ii.md)

## Complete filmography (65)

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

- *Marco Polo* (2007), Original Music Composer
- *Marco Polo* (2007), series, Original Music Composer
- *Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut* (2006), Additional Music
- *Love Comes Softly* (2003), Original Music Composer
- *Santa, Jr.* (2002), Original Music Composer
- *In the Beginning* (2000), series, Original Music Composer
- *Mary, Mother of Jesus* (1999), Original Music Composer
- *The Apocalypse Watch* (1997), series, Original Music Composer
- *The Apocalypse Watch* (1997), Original Music Composer
- *Escape Clause* (1996), Original Music Composer
- *Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story* (1995), series, Original Music Composer
- *A Season of Hope* (1995), Original Music Composer
- *Return to Lonesome Dove* (1993), series, Original Music Composer
- *Sunset Grill* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *Age of Treason* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *Diana: Her True Story* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *Lethal Exposure* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *Spies* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *Bejewelled* (1991), Original Music Composer
- *Personals* (1990), Original Music Composer
- *Great Expectations* (1989), series, Music
- *The Trouble with Spies* (1987), Original Music Composer
- *The Return of Sherlock Holmes* (1987), Original Music Composer
- *Lost In London* (1985), Original Music Composer
- *The Protector* (1985), Original Music Composer
- *My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn* (1985), Original Music Composer
- *Finders Keepers* (1984), Original Music Composer
- *The Evil That Men Do* (1984), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *Lassiter* (1984), Original Music Composer
- *Superman III* (1983), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 49, [page](https://film.one/film/superman-iii.md)
- *White Water Rebels* (1983), Original Music Composer
- *The House Where Evil Dwells* (1982), Original Music Composer
- *The Hunchback of Notre Dame* (1982), Music
- *Superman II* (1980), Original Music Composer, Conductor — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/superman-ii.md)
- *Wolf Lake* (1980), Original Music Composer
- *The Outsider* (1979), Original Music Composer
- *Arabian Adventure* (1979), Music
- *Death Becomes Me* (1979), Original Music Composer
- *Power Play* (1978), Original Music Composer
- *The Ritz* (1976), Music Arranger, Conductor, Original Music Composer
- *Assault on Agathon* (1975), Original Music Composer
- *London Conspiracy* (1974), Original Music Composer
- *Juggernaut* (1974), Conductor, Original Music Composer
- *The Zoo Gang* (1974), series, Original Music Composer
- *The Persuaders!* (1973), Original Music Composer
- *Hannie Caulder* (1971), Original Music Composer
- *Welcome to the Club* (1971), Original Music Composer
- *Murphy's War* (1971), Conductor
- *The Magic Christian* (1969), Original Music Composer
- *The Bed Sitting Room* (1969), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *Sinful Davey* (1969), Original Music Composer
- *A Talent for Loving* (1969), Original Music Composer
- *The Touchables* (1968), Original Music Composer
- *Head* (1968), Original Music Composer
- *Inspector Clouseau* (1968), Original Music Composer
- *How I Won the War* (1967), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum* (1966), Music Director, Music
- *Help!* (1965), Music Director, Additional Music, Music Arranger
- *Master Spy* (1964), Original Music Composer
- *Out of the Fog* (1962), Original Music Composer
- *Dead Man's Evidence* (1962), Original Music Composer
- *She Knows Y'Know* (1962), Original Music Composer
- *It's Trad, Dad!* (1962), Original Music Composer
- *Three on a Spree* (1961), Original Music Composer
- *Vengeance Is Mine* (1949), Original Music Composer

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won

- 1967: Best Score, Adaptation or Treatment (won), for *A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum*

*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/ken-thorne