Composer Cameos

It is not a new tradition to have a director have a cameo in their films.  You can find cameos of directors like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone, Peter Jackson, and perhaps the cameo expert Alfred Hitchcock.

Composers themselves have made cameos in many films.  They typically range from conductor to musician.  There are a few instances of the composer appearing as themselves or in a speaking role.   
Here is my compiled list of some nice composer cameos.

JOHN BARRY

Barry conducts in Deadfall (1968)
John Barry in The Living Daylights (1987)
DAFT PUNK
Daft Punk in Tron: Legacy (2010)
DANNY ELFMAN
Danny Elfman as the Devil in Forbidden Zone (1982)
Danny Elfman in The Gift (2000)
MICHAEL GIACCHINO
Michael Giacchino in an episode of Undercovers (2010)
JERRY GOLDSMITH
Jerry Goldsmith at the piano in In Harm's Way (1965)

Goldsmith (man in hat) and Steven Spielberg in front in Gremlins (1984)
Jerry Goldsmith speaks in Gremlins 2 (1990)
BERNARD HERRMANN
Bernard Herrmann conducts in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
JAMES HORNER
James Horner passes by the camera (right) in Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982)
QUINCY JONES
Quincy Jones referenced by Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
HENRY MANCINI
Henry Mancini hands the baton to the Pink Panther in Son of the Pink Panther (1993)

ALFRED NEWMAN
Alfred Newman conducts Jascha Heifetz in They Shall Have Music (1939)
Alfred Newman conducts in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)
DAVID NEWMAN
David Newman (center) in The Runestone (1991)
MIKLÓS RÓZSA
Rozsa conducts in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970)

LALO SCHIFRIN
Lalo Shifrin conducts in Red Dragon (2002)
MARC SHAIMAN
Marc Shaiman (R) with composer Glen Roven in Broadcast News (1987)

Marc Shaiman (sorta) in South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)
HOWARD SHORE
Howard Shore (left) in The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Extended Edition)
Howard Shore conducts in King Kong (2005)
JOHN WILLIAMS
John Williams (left) plays piano in an episode of Johnny Staccato (1959)
CHRISTOPHER YOUNG
Christopher Young (left) in Spider-man 3 (2007)

Any other composer cameos you know about that didn't make the list?

Post a Comment

18 Comments

  1. Patrick Doyle appears in "Henry V" (his film debut in every sense, as it was the first film he scored) and "Dead Again."

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  2. True, Patrick Doyle is a true exception. He started as an actor with Kenneth Branagh and appeared in tons of his films in bit parts.

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  3. Harry Gregson-Williams voices a squirrel in Prince Caspian. Does that count?

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  4. Wow! I am blown away by how amazing this blog is! I just stumbled on this. I shared it on my film score composer facebook page! Definitely going to link to your blog often!:) If you are curious to check out my page it's at: http://www.facebook.com/filmscorecrazy

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  5. Philip Glass has a cameo in The Truman Show during the Truman Sleeps segment.
    Again he has a cameo in No Reservations where he's sitting at a cafe at the end of the movie.

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  6. Angelo Badalamenti in Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, Clint Mansell in Pi

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  7. Albert Glasser has a cameo in the opening sequence of Lippert's GRAND CANYON (1949).

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  8. Hi! What a wonderful post! I've found Christopher Young eating a muffin at the very beginning of the movie "Drag Me To Hell", and Marc Shaiman disguised as a red-haired orchestra conductor in "The Addams Family".

    Will you update this post? I'll be tuned :D

    Thanks for all the pics!

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  9. Elmer Bernstein plays the piano in 'From Noon Til Three' and I believe (although I cannot confirm) John Williams makes a brief appearance at the end of 'Sleepers'.

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  10. Michael Giacchino has a nice cameo in the recent "Tomorrowland". Even a few lines! :D

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    Replies
    1. And in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" as a Stormtrooper!

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  11. Alexandre Desplat in an actual supporting role in "The Monuments Men."

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  12. I guess Henry Mancini was an amazing composer and he had cameos from the movies.

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  13. The late film composer Robert O. Ragland had a cameo in "Grizzly" as a ranger which he did the score for that film with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of London; he also had a cameo in "The Day of the Locust".

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  14. After scoring all nine of the Star Wars films, John Williams had a cameo in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

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    1. That was a fantastic cameo! I'll include that in my next installment of Composer Cameos!

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  15. I think Howard Shore had a cameo in the movie "King Kong" and the music of the film "King Kong" was composed by James Newton Howard.

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