Hang ‘em high composer Dominic Frontiere dies aged 86

It was with great sadness that I learnt today of composer Dominic Frontiere’s passing. He died on Thursday aged 86. Born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1931, Frontiere became musical director at 20th Century Fox. He scored several films under the tutelage of Alfred and Lionel Newman, while also recording jazz music. An association with director and producer Leslie Stevens led to several projects, such as his innovative blend of music and sound effects for TV’s The Outer Limits. He scored several iconic themes of the '60's such as The Rat Patrol, Branded, The Flying Nun, and for producer Quinn Martin The Invaders, The Fugitive, and Twelve O’clock High.

After scoring for TV shows, he went on to compose the music for Clint Eastwood’s first American film Hang ‘em high. The film’s title theme became a top-10 hit for the group Booker T. & the M.G.'s and was successfully covered by Hugo Montenegro. Frontiere also composed the soundtrack to the 1971 motorcycle documentary On Any Sunday, which featured Steve McQueen and was directed by Bruce Brown.

Frontiere became head of the music department at Paramount Pictures in the early 1970s, where he again worked on television and film scores, while concurrently orchestrating popular music albums for, among others, Chicago. Throughout the 1970s he continued to score films including Hammersmith is out, The Train Robbers, Freebie and the Bean, Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold, Brannigan and The Gumball Rally. In 1980 he won a Golden Globe for his score to The Stunt Man.

Our sincere condolences go out to his wife Robin, and his five children. Rip Sir