Composer
Jack Nitzsche
Born 22 April 1937 · Chicago, Illinois, USA — died 25 August 2000
Jack Nitzsche (1937–2000) was an American arranger, producer, songwriter and film composer. He rose to prominence as Phil Spector's right-hand man and later worked with the Rolling Stones and Neil Young. He then built a major film-scoring career, bridging rock and Hollywood soundtrack work.
Key films
Performance. (1970)
Early landmark film credit, showing his move from rock arranging into scoring a countercultural British film.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
His best-known score, for the Oscar-winning drama; it earned him an Academy Award nomination.
Blue Collar (1978)
Gritty score for Paul Schrader's directorial debut, typical of his 1970s work with edgy American filmmakers.
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
Source of "Up Where We Belong," his co-written hit song that won an Oscar.
Stand by Me (1986)
Scored one of the decade's most beloved coming-of-age films.
Key awards
- 1983 Academy Award for Best Original Song, "Up Where We Belong" (An Officer and a Gentleman), shared with co-writers
- 1983 Golden Globe for Best Original Song, "Up Where We Belong"
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 38
- 1965Village of the GiantsComposer
- 1970Performance.Composer
- 1972Greaser's PalaceComposer
- 1972Journey Through the Past · as SelfActor
- 1973The ExorcistComposer
- 1975One Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestComposer
- 1975Two Tons of Turquoise to Taos TonightComposer
- 1977HeroesComposer
- 1978Blue CollarComposer
- 1979HardcoreComposer
- 1980CruisingComposer
- 1980Heart BeatComposer
- 1981Cutter's WayComposer
- 1982An Officer and a GentlemanComposer
- 1982Personal BestComposer
- 1982Cannery RowComposer
- 1983BreathlessComposer
- 1983Without a TraceComposer
- 1984StarmanComposer
- 1984The Razor's EdgeComposer
- 1984Windy CityComposer
- 1985The Jewel of the NileComposer
- 1986Stand by MeComposer
- 1986Nine 1/2 WeeksComposer
- 1986The Whoopee Boys · as Motel ManagerActor
- 1986The Whoopee BoysComposer
- 1986Streets of GoldComposer
- 1988The Seventh SignComposer
- 1990MermaidsComposer
- 1990RevengeComposer
- 1990The Hot SpotComposer
- 1990The Last of the FinestComposer
- 1991The Indian RunnerComposer
- 1994Blue SkyComposer
- 1995The Crossing GuardComposer
- 2018Stringman: The Jack Nitzsche Story · as SelfActor
- 2022Neil Young: Harvest Time · as SelfActor
- 2024Heaven Stood Still: The Incarnations of Willy DeVille · as Self (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.