Sad news from Los Angeles as we learn of the death of one of film and television music’s biggest characters: Vic Mizzy.  Mizzy was perhaps best known – and loved – for creating the music for The Addams Family, though he found himself in demand at the big Hollywood studios, composing scores for Universal, MGM and Paramount during the 1960s.  It was his score for The Night Walker which attracted the attention of Universal studio heads, who demaned Mizzy be used as much as possible.  So scores such as The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, The Shakiest Gun in the West and The Reluctant Astronaut followed, each displayed Mizzy’s colourful, cheeky nature, while at the same time being full of melody and fine form.

 The small screen of course is where Mizzy found a welcome home throughout his career, writing for classic series such as Green Acres, Mr. Ed, Klondike and Quincy to name but a very few.

 Growing up in Brooklyn, the young Mizzy found himself learning Piano and Accordian, going on to play the former for the high school orchestra and then – following a stint in College at NYU – for a local radio station.  After serving his country in the US Navy – and writing a handful of popular songs along the way – Mizzy found himself back at NYU teaching.

Hollywood clearly beckoned though and he found himself charged with creating the theme tune for a new television series about a family of creepy, and indeed, cooky characters…  The Addams Family is Vic Mizzy’s calling card and he famously recorded the vocals himself three times over because the studio didn’t want to pay for singers!

He was an artist ever in charge of his own destiny and his own music, managing himself and his affairs, even setting up his own label – The Vicster Records.

It was through Percepto Records though that we’ve been treated to his classic film and television music, with their delightful ‘Suites and Theme’ album showcasing just how brilliantly talented and colourful a composer he is.  The album is sadly out of print now, but the music – as ever – lives on.  Vic Mizzy died at the age of 93* in Los Angeles.