Dave Grusin
About
Biography
Filmography
Notes
GRP Records has been voted the Number 1 contemporary jazz label by BILLBOARD magazine two years in a row
Biography
Prolific Hollywood film music composer who began as Andy Williams' accompanist and soon thereafter served as music director for his hit variety show in the 1960s. Grusin got to know the show's producers, Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin, who gave him his first chance to score for features with "Divorce, American Style" (1967). Grusin has subsequently contributed lively, smooth orchestrated music to films by many of Hollywood's leading mainstream directors, including Mike Nichols ("The Graduate" 1967), Robert Mulligan ("The Pursuit of Happiness" 1971, "Clara's Heart" 1988), Mark Rydell ("On Golden Pond" 1981, "For the Boys" 1991), Herbert Ross ("The Goodbye Girl" 1977) and Martin Ritt ("The Front" 1976). He also worked with actor-directors Warren Beatty ("Heaven Can Wait" 1978, "Reds" 1981) and Robert Redford, winning an Oscar for the spirited, Latino-flavored score of Redford's "The Milagro Beanfield War" (1988).
Grusin's most notable collaboration with a director, however, has been with Sydney Pollack; he has provided music for most of Pollack's films since the mid-70s, winning Oscar nomination for "Tootsie" (1982), "Havana" (1990) and "The Firm" (1993). Grusin's fusion jazz-tinged scores have also highlighted a number of TV shows ("Good Times," "St. Elsewhere") and he has arranged albums by artists including Quincy Jones and Paul Simon. Grusin founded his own record label, GRP Records, with partner Larry Rosen in 1983; it has since become a major producer of contemporary jazz recordings and joined the extensive holdings of MCA in 1990.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Music (Special)
Misc. Crew (Special)
Life Events
1959
Was music director for Andy Williams' TV show
1967
First feature film as composer, "Divorce, American Style"
1975
First collaboration with producer Sydney Pollack, "The Yakuza"
1976
Formed music production company with Larry Rosen
1983
Formed record label, GRP Records Inc., with Rosen
1990
GRP Records acquired by MCA in March
Videos
Movie Clip
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i519/yakuza74_getridofthinking_fc_470x264_012220200158.jpg?w=400)
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i519/yakuza74_openalosingnumber_fc_470x264_012220200159.jpg?w=400)
Trailer
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i339/champ1979_tr_223x104_07292014123619.jpg?w=400)
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i269/tellthemwillieboyishere_tr_tcmtr_flash_dl_tmb0160_tr_223x104_11042013085719.jpg?w=400)
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i245/reds1981_tr_223x104_10232013063955.jpg?w=400)
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i306/ongoldenpond_tr_223x104_11212013101048.jpg?w=400)
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i245/winningteam1952_tr_223x104_10232013063914.jpg?w=400)
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i34/Tootsie_TR_188x141_091420051449.jpg?w=400)
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i245/heavencanwait1978_tcmtr_flash_dl_tmb0170_tr_223x104_10232013063849.jpg?w=400)
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i305/goodbyedgirl_tr_vd_223x104_111520130404.jpg?w=400)
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i351/murderbydeath_tr_223x104_01072015063646.jpg?w=400)
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i244/milagrobeanfieldwar1988_tr_223x104_10232013062327.jpg?w=400)
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i154/threedaysofthecondor_tr_223x104_120220111120.jpg?w=400)
Family
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com//img/global/logo-AFI.png)
Bibliography
Notes
GRP Records has been voted the Number 1 contemporary jazz label by BILLBOARD magazine two years in a row