Composer Cameos in Film

[KK 3,313]

I thought the Goldsmith cameos in the Goldsmith thread were really cool, and then it had me thinking, how many other composers got the chance to score a cameo on their film. I cant list many, but Id like to see who got so lucky. Has Williams ever had a cameo? Seriously doubt it. But how about the stars of the younger generation, like Giacchino?

Here are a few I found:

HOWARD SHORE

Shore getting Drunk:

Shore conducting Steiner's King Kong in Jackson's King Kong (although you can barely see him):

JOHN BARRY

Barry appearing as conductor in Deadfall:

Barry conducting orchestra in The Living Daylights:

JERRY GOLDSMITH

Both Goldsmith and Spielberg are together in this one for the Gremlins (already been mentioned in the Goldsmith thread):

JAMES HORNER

Horner walking down in Star Trek II:

BERNARD HERRMANN

Conducting (as usual) the orchestra in The Man Who Knew Too Much:

DANNY ELFMAN

Hard to believe, but thats actually him in The Gift:

Anything else to share guys? I know I missed a lot!

DAFT PUNK

During the club scene during Tron Legacy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CounIhWOdtM

[indy4 160]

John Williams should've been conducting the orchestra in Home Alone 2. What a missed opportunity.

[Thor 9,362]

Elfman has appeared in lots of movies if you also include his Oingo Boingo performances. And even starred in stuff like FORBIDDEN ZONE as an actor (where he played Satan). In fact, he appeared as a savage tribesman as early as 1977, in I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN:

A very young John Williams appears as pianist in the TV series STACCATO (1959). Check him out at 0:38 here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aJurlPQmys&feature=related

[Xander Harris 9,674]

John Williams played Mr. Hammond in Jurassic Park, right?

[KK 3,313]

John Williams played Mr. Hammond in Jurassic Park, right?

Hehe....

[Quintus 6,495]

Maybe if John was actually interested in movies he'd have secured a couple of cameos in them.

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

[Quintus 6,495]

Didn't John Malkovich shoot her dead a few years later?

[indy4 160]

Howard Shore was in an SNL sketch called "Howard Shore and his All Nurse Band."

[Jonesy 55]

Christopher Young appears in Spiderman 3

[tannhauser 101]

Harry Gregson Williams voiced a squirrel in Prince Caspian.

[Thor 9,362]

Basil Poledouris appeared as an extra in some old STAR TREK episodes.

And here:

And as a Nazi in an episode of PATTERNS OF FORCE:

Lalo Schifrin appears as conductor in Brett Ratner's RED DRAGON:

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

Basil Poledouris appeared as an extra in some old STAR TREK episodes.

Was that ever confirmed?

[Thor 9,362]

And here's the one of Elfman as Satan in FORBIDDEN ZONE (where he touches a woman's naked boobs, among other things):

Basil Poledouris appeared as an extra in some old STAR TREK episodes.

Was that ever confirmed?

Yes, here:

http://www.filmscore...mID=1&archive=0

Poledouris told this himself to Lukas Kendall.

Didn't John Malkovich shoot her dead a few years later?

Shoot who dead?

[Jonesy 55]

Giacchino appears in Super 8, but I've never seen him.

[Richard P 5,303]

Christopher Young appears in Spiderman 3

What scene is that? I haven't seen the movie lately, but I'm sure I'd have noticed something that prominent.

[Thor 9,362]

I noticed it immediately when I saw SPIDERMAN 3. Can't remember the scene exactly (it's been a while since I saw the film in theatres), but they were entering some sort of concert hall.

[Henry Sarton 0]

Roque Baños appears a lot in "Oxford Murders". He is the orchestra conductor.

[Once 1,082]

Henry Mancini appears in the opening titles to Son of the Pink Panther from 1993.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR5LA-8m3nE

[Incanus 5,890]

Christopher Young appears in Spiderman 3

What scene is that? I haven't seen the movie lately, but I'm sure I'd have noticed something that prominent.

I think it was in a scene involving Mary Jane's musical rehearsal at the theater. I remember spotting Young while watching the film as well although I think I knew to expect him, having heard of his cameo.

[Jonesy 55]

You're right, it's that scene.

[KK 3,313]

Giacchino appears in Super 8, but I've never seen him.

I heard he was playing Deputy Chawford in the scene with the radio not working, but frankly I don't remember it...

Maybe if John was actually interested in movies he'd have secured a couple of cameos in them.

He was interested in a lot of the films he scored, but I guess he just wasn't interested in actually appearing in them.

[Tom 6,860]

Williams has a cameo in Sabrina as the pianist at the outdoor party.

[ST-321 42]

Excellent thread!

[Wojo 2,458]

Miklos Rozsa had a cameo in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes as a ballet conductor.

http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/miklos-rozsa.html

[Omen II 1,300]

Doesn't John Williams appear in the film Blown Away, conducting an orchestra? Also, Trevor Rabin can be seen clearly near the beginning of yuletide sobfest Jack Frost playing his guitar. Patrick Doyle has had cameos in quite a few films, including Henry V, Dead Again (as a policeman) and Frankenstein (where he can be seen conducting, I think).

Bernard Herrmann's cameo deserves to be seen in full if you've never watched it before (great piece of music by Arthur Benjamin too):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaoKtN-4--0

[Thor 9,362]

Doesn't John Williams appear in the film Blown Away, conducting an orchestra? Also, Trevor Rabin can be seen clearly near the beginning of yuletide sobfest Jack Frost playing his guitar. Patrick Doyle has had cameos in quite a few films, including Henry V, Dead Again (as a policeman) and Frankenstein (where he can be seen conducting, I think).

I can't remember having seen Williams in BLOWN AWAY, but Doyle also happens to be educated as an actor, so he has appeared in several things, and not only as an extra. He has a pronounced role in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, for example.

Williams has a cameo in Sabrina as the pianist at the outdoor party.

Really? I missed that.

Something a la the STACCATO clip above, then, I guess.

[Xander Harris 9,674]

Quincy Jones is in the opening of Austin Powers in Goldmember.

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

I can't remember having seen Williams in BLOWN AWAY, but Doyle also happens to be educated as an actor, so he has appeared in several things, and not only as an extra. He has a pronounced role in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, for example.

Yes. In Henry he "only" sings and stands in some background shots, but I don't know if his "character" is in the original play. In Much Ado he actually does play a role credited by Shakespeare, though again it's just singing and quite a bit of background interaction.

He does have a genuine acting role in Chariots of Fire as far as I know, but I've never seen it.

[Miguel Andrade 1,725]

If memory serves, "Blown Away" used some archival footage of a Hatch Shell concert, hence John Williams being in picture. From what I recall of the movie, there were some close ups, but for that, there was some actor performing as conductor.

[Score_Fan 37]

Christopher Young appears in Spiderman 3

You suck, i was gonna use this one. He was also the conductor at the beginning of the movie.

[Maglorfin 219]

John Williams should've been conducting the orchestra in Home Alone 2. What a missed opportunity.

True! If I remember correctly, IMDb for some time actually incorrectly listed Williams actually cameoing as a conductor in Carnegie Hall.

[movied 24]

I complied a list of cameos on my blog:

http://musicbehindthescreen.blogspot.com/2012/02/composer-cameos.html

I'd love to add any screenshots you can come up with!

[Thor 9,362]

I complied a list of cameos on my blog:

http://musicbehindth...ser-cameos.html

I'd love to add any screenshots you can come up with!

Well, you could add the Elfman one above, from I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN (1977). There are also a gazillion appearances as Oingo Boingo, as I mentioned, but they may be beside the point.

And the Poledouris ones.

There are also some other mentioned here that you don't have on your list, although some of them have youtube videos instead of a screen grab.

[chuck 155]

Randy Newman had a voice cameo appearance as "Cousin Randy" in The Princess and the Frog.

[Miguel Andrade 1,725]

Williams has a cameo in Sabrina as the pianist at the outdoor party.

That's no Williams. Unless Williams had grayish hair and a pony tail back in 1995...

[chuck 155]

Williams has a cameo in Sabrina as the pianist at the outdoor party.

That's no Williams. Unless Williams had grayish hair and a pony tail back in 1995...

Reminded me of a certain composer...

[Miguel Andrade 1,725]

It sure did... though by that time his hair was totally white.

[Jay 46,243]

A very young John Williams appears as pianist in the TV series STACCATO (1959). Check him out at 0:38 here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aJurlPQmys&feature=related

Woah! Never seen that before, that was awesome! Thanks!!

[Thor 9,362]

It's pretty cool. I just wish you could see more of the band (and Williams) before Cassavettes leaves the bar.

[Neimoidian 15]

Doesn't John Williams appear in the film Blown Away, conducting an orchestra? Also, Trevor Rabin can be seen clearly near the beginning of yuletide sobfest Jack Frost playing his guitar. Patrick Doyle has had cameos in quite a few films, including Henry V, Dead Again (as a policeman) and Frankenstein (where he can be seen conducting, I think).

Also in As You Like It (he sings the song).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1tGE2_moIk

[Marian Schedenig 11,694]

Randy Newman had a voice cameo appearance as "Cousin Randy" in The Princess and the Frog.

Not just voice, Cousin Randy also bears an uncanny visual resemblance to Newman:

According to IMDb, he was supposed to voice a major character originally?

[mrbellamy 8,243]

Alexandre Desplat was spotted in costume on the set of George Clooney's The Monuments Men:

http://www.popsugar.com/Matt-Damon-George-Clooney-Set-Monuments-Men-30659165?slide=1&image_nid=30659183

I wonder how big his role is.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

That's awesome.

[Marc 1,071]

Marc Shaiman in..

The Adams Family


The Wedding Planner


Down with Love


Broadcast News




Christopher Young in Spiderman 3



Our very own JW in an episode of Johnny Staccato (1959)



Miklos Rozsa in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970)



David Newman in The Runestone (1991)



Henry Mancini in Son of the Pink Panther (1993)

Danny Elfman in Forbidden Zone (1982)

[Incanus 5,890]

Alexandre Desplat was spotted in costume on the set of George Clooney's The Monuments Men:

http://www.popsugar.com/Matt-Damon-George-Clooney-Set-Monuments-Men-30659165?slide=1&image_nid=30659183

I wonder how big his role is.

And doesn't he just look the part, right down to the beret and that red scarf. Isn't that how all French men look like? I bet he has an accordion and fake moustache and a baguette hidden somewhere in that wagon they are sitting in.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

Yep quintessentially French!

[Ollie 1,375]

Danny Elfman in Back To School

Jerry Goldsmith as the piano player In Harms Way.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

Jerry makes one gesture and women fall on their knees for him!

What a man!

[Thor 9,362]

That IN HARM'S WAY clip was cool. Hadn't seen that before.