Scott Bradley

Scott Bradleywas anAmericancomposer,pianistandconductor. He is best remembered for scoring theMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer(MGM) theatrical cartoons, including those starringTom and Jerry(Hanna-Barberayears 1940-1958, 113 of 114 episodes),Droopy Dog(all 24 episodes),Barney Bear(all 26 episodes), and the many one-shot cartoons.Bradley was a conservatory-trained composer and pianist. In 1934, he began composing forHugh Harman and Rudy Ising, who were producing cartoon shorts for MGM. After MGM established its own cartoon studio in 1937, Bradley was hired permanently, and he remained with MGM until his retirement in 1957.His early style incorporated fragments of popular and traditional melodies, as was common practice in scores foranimation. However, by the late 1940s, Bradley's compositions and orchestrations had become more original and complex, occasionally utilizing thetwelve-tone techniquedevised by Arnold Schoenberg who, along with Bela Bartok, Igor Stravinsky, and Paul Hindemith, influenced Bradley's approach. "Scott writes the mostblank-blank-blankdifficult fiddle music in Hollywood," concertmaster Lou Raderman was quoted (complaining good-naturedly) inSight & Soundmagazine. "He is going to break my fingers." Bradley expressed considerable pride in his "funny music" and believed scoring for animation offered far more possibilities to the serious composer than live-action films.Bradley retired in 1957 when MGM closed its cartoon department. He died on April 27, 1977 inChatsworth, California.