Costa Communications - press release

FORMER CHILD STAR DON GRADY’S THIRTY YEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH DISNEY CONTINUES WITH RELEASE OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST DVD

HOLLYWOOD, CA – Don Grady’s thirty year relationship with Disney continues with the limited edition release of The Beauty And The Beast DVD-set [streetdate: Oct. 8, 2002], for which the actor-turned-award winning composer wrote 56 minutes of original music. His compositions are featured in the animated games and featurettes included on the latest 2-disk edition of the Disney classic. Other Disney DVDs for which Grady has written music for game animation include Lilo and Stitch, Return to Neverland, The Santa Clause, Emperor’s New Groove, Pocahontas, Recess and Aristocats. In addition, Grady and lyricist Marty Panzer have written the new Winnie the Pooh theme song “Pooh Finds Love Everywhere” for the Walt Disney Video/DVD series “The Magical World of Pooh,” scheduled for worldwide release this coming Spring 2003. Grady’s long-standing relationship with Walt Disney Productions began with his stint as one of the regular mouseketeers on the original Mickey Mouse Club, along with Cubby and Annette Funicello.

Grady was Emmy-nominated for his work on the Cartoon Network’s Jonny Quest, in the category of Best Music. The composer’s first major television score was for the Cable Ace Award-winning Best Documentary “The Revolutionary War,” a six-hour film by Carol Fleisher, for which he co-wrote the music with his mentor Don Nemitz. For Ms. Fleisher, Grady has also scored the Emmy-winning documentary “Why Dogs Smile and Chimpanzees Cry.” The talented musician served as the Principal Composer/Music Director/Conductor for “EFX Starring Michael Crawford” (CD available on Atlantic Records) as well as “George Lucas’ Live Adventure.” Don Grady also composed the opening suite and logos for the '96 Democratic Convention, the opening music for The Kennedy Center 25th Anniversary and the theme for The Phil Donahue Show. He has composed the music for seven Universal Studios live shows, including the highest rated theme park attraction, The Wild, Wild, Wild West (stunt show), and his compositions have been performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphonia and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Don Grady is perhaps best known to the public at large for his acting work, specifically his portrayal of Robbie Douglas in My Three Sons, one of the longest running series in the history of American television (1960-1972). The series starred Fred MacMurray and ran a total of twelve years. Prior to and during the run, he played a variety of roles in many television dramas and comedies. One of these, The Eleventh Hour, starring Angela Lansbury and Marty Balsam, was nominated for an Emmy award.

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