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| Frank Sanucci | |
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| Topic Started: Feb 8 2009, 04:32 PM (269 Views) | |
| mort bakaprevski | Feb 8 2009, 04:32 PM Post #1 |
Soony Roony!
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When we got our first TV, the only studio that was still making films who had released their old (& some weren't that old) films to TV was Monogram. Of course, this included quite a number of westerns (Range Busters, Jack Randall, Tex Ritter, etc.). And, what each of these films had which immediately made them recognizable was their scores. I'm not sure how big the orchestra was (haven't heard any of this in years), but it wouldn't surprise me if there were less than 20 musicians in this "orchestra." Not surprisingly, the music cues were exactly the same in all of the Monogram films. On the other hand, they weren't strictly limited to Monogram. I heard the same cues in some PRC, Astor & (maybe) Lippert westerns. It wasn't great music, but it was somewhat reassuring. It definitely meant that what you were watching was a western (the cues might have been used in some non-westerns, but I don't personally remember any)!! At any rate, I've often wondered about the source. So, today I went out to IMDB & found a name which seemed to correlate with these scores: Frank Sanucci. Who the hell was he? Where did he get this music? How did he get around the union sanctions about re-using stock themes? Etc., etc., etc. At any rate, I don't supposed I'll get much more info on this than exists for Abe Meyer (practically nothing), but quien sabe???? |
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| cquigley | Feb 9 2009, 06:39 AM Post #2 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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Mort, I echo your sentiments. I have been trying to find out Sanucci for years. There is damn little out there. I would doubt that Sanucci's orchestrations had more than a dozen musicians -20 seems high. |
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| mort bakaprevski | Feb 9 2009, 08:28 AM Post #3 |
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Soony Roony!
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Yeah, I was giving him the benefit of the doubt with 20. And that probably explains why his music was used so extensively. Even if you had to pay musicians for not playing (using pre-recorded music), paying for only 12 would definitely bring down the production costs!! How many violins do you estimate he used??? |
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| cquigley | Feb 9 2009, 10:42 AM Post #4 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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I dunno, Mort; I'd guess a couple. I could be me, but I swear I hear a Kazoo or two in some of his stuff. |
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| mort bakaprevski | Feb 9 2009, 12:13 PM Post #5 |
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Soony Roony!
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Don't know 'bout the kazoo (wouldn't surprise me), but I seem to remember a saxophone (or two)!! Whatever the instrumentation it was definitely unique... and immediately identifiable!! The only thing comparable (in terms of its totally unique sound) was Leroy Shields' music for Hal Roach. |
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| Barcroft | Mar 9 2009, 04:48 PM Post #6 |
Charter Member
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For what it's worth I think one of Sanucci's best scores was for one of the later Trail Blazer films Sonora Stagecoach and it sounded almost like a complete orchestra. A great mood piece. Barcroft |
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| mort bakaprevski | Aug 11 2009, 04:58 PM Post #7 |
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Soony Roony!
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MUCH later, I did remember some non-westerns in which the fine Italian hand of Mr. Sanucci was heard (huh???). Mainly, the four Tailspin Tommy features Monogram produced in 1939: MYSTERY PLANE STUNT PILOT SKY PATROL DANGER FLIGHT Saw these "classics" at The Lido Theatre Saturday matinees when I was a tad (re-releases, of course)!! |
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| Barcroft | Aug 19 2009, 02:36 PM Post #8 |
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Charter Member
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Mort: Just finished watching one of the Bob Baker westerns "Prairie Justice" that he did at Universal and I'm watching the opening credits and who is the Musical Director: Why none other than Frank Sanucci Barcroft Edited by Barcroft, Aug 19 2009, 02:36 PM.
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| mort bakaprevski | Aug 19 2009, 03:09 PM Post #9 |
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Soony Roony!
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Yeah, I guess he did a number of Paul Malvern/Trem Carr films for Universal in 1938. The question is whether the music utilized was the same limited instrumentation stuff he was using at Monogram or....???? Since you just watched it... what did you hear???? |
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| Barcroft | Aug 19 2009, 04:58 PM Post #10 |
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Charter Member
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Mort: Sanucci definitely had a full orchestra to work with unlike some of the Kazoo sounding music you heard when he was working at PRC or Monogram. Barcroft |
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| mort bakaprevski | Aug 20 2009, 03:22 PM Post #11 |
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Soony Roony!
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Hmmmmm, now I wonder if this was Sanucci's music... or just the usual Universal re-cycled Waxman/Roemheld/Hajos stuff. A number of the Grand National Tex Ritter westerns list Sanucci as musical director. The problem is that, other than the opening/closing credits & the musical acts within the film, I don't remember any background music in these films whatsoever!! Wonder if there's any Sanucci's living in the greater L.A. area?????? |
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