John Debney

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John Debney
Debney at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con
Debney at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con
Background information
Birth nameJohn Cardon Debney
Born (1956-08-18) August 18, 1956 (age 67)
Glendale, California, U.S.
GenresFilm scores, soundtracks
Occupation(s)Composer, conductor
Instrument(s)Piano, guitar
Years active1977–present
Websitewww.johndebney.com

John Cardon Debney (born August 18, 1956) is an American

action-adventure. He is a long-time collaborator of The Walt Disney Company, having written music for their films, television series, and theme parks. He has also collaborated with film directors such as Jon Favreau, Garry Marshall, Tom Shadyac, Peter Hyams, John A. Davis, Brad Anderson, Howard Deutch, Mark Dindal, Robert Rodriguez and Paul Tibbitt
.

Debney has been the recipient of three

(2004).

Early life and education

The son of

California Institute of Arts
in 1979.

Career

After ending his career with Disney, Debney worked for

Police Academy: The Animated Series, Fame, Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future, Dragon's Lair, Freshman Dorm, Pop Quiz and Dink, the Little Dinosaur, for which he won an Emmy for Best Main Title. In the early 1990s, Debney began to score indie films and Disneyland attractions. In 1991, Debney composed the music for Phantom Manor and It's a Small World (also used at Disneyland from 1993 to 2002) in Disneyland Paris and SpectroMagic at Magic Kingdom. In 1993, he scored his first studio feature, the Disney comedy Hocus Pocus starring Bette Midler
.

In 1994, Debney wrote Friends Forever with Greg Scelsa from Greg & Steve's album We All Live Together, Vol. 5

Debney has since gone on to have a career composing scores for many films including: Cats & Dogs, The Passion of the Christ, Bruce Almighty, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Elf, Sin City, Chicken Little, Liar Liar, Spy Kids, The Scorpion King, The Princess Diaries[2] and Predators.[3]

Debney has also composed scores for the video games Lair and The Sims Medieval. In 2010, he composed the theme music for the Nickelodeon television series Supah Ninjas.

He composed some of Disney Parks's Nighttime Spectaculars, including: World Of Color Celebrate! in

Disney's California Adventure, The Magic, The Memories And You! and Celebrate the Magic in Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom and Celebrate! Tokyo Disneyland in Tokyo Disneyland, as well as an arrangement of "When You Wish Upon a Star" as a fanfare for the Walt Disney Pictures logo
from 1985 to 2006.

Filmography

Film

1980s

Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
1987 The Wild Pair Beau Bridges Trans World Entertainment Composed with Michel Colombier
1988 The Further Adventures of Tennessee Buck
David Keith
Seven Hours to Judgment Beau Bridges
Not Since Casanova Brett Thompson The Brett Thompson Company
West Productions
1989 Trenchcoat in Paradise Martha Coolidge Finnegan/Pinchuk Productions
MGM Television

1990s

Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
1990 Jetsons: The Movie William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions
John Debney's first score for an animated film.
1993 Hocus Pocus Kenny Ortega Walt Disney Pictures
1994 Gunmen Deran Sarafian
LIVE Entertainment
Davis Entertainment

Gray Gunmen Productions
White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf Ken Olin Walt Disney Pictures
Little Giants Duwayne Dunham Warner Bros.
Amblin Entertainment
1995 Chameleon Michael Pavone Rysher Entertainment Direct-to-video
Houseguest Randall Miller Hollywood Pictures
Caravan Pictures
Runaway Brain Chris Bailey Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Short film
Cutthroat Island Renny Harlin MGM/UA Distribution Co.
Carolco Pictures
Cutthroat Productions
Sudden Death Peter Hyams Universal Pictures
Shattered Productions
1996 Getting Away with Murder Harvey Miller Savoy Pictures
Carpool Arthur Hiller Warner Bros.
Regency Enterprises
1997 The Relic Peter Hyams
Pacific Western
Liar Liar Tom Shadyac Universal Pictures
Imagine Entertainment
Themes by James Newton Howard
I Know What You Did Last Summer Jim Gillespie Columbia Pictures
Mandalay Entertainment
1998 Paulie John Roberts DreamWorks Pictures
Mutual Film Company
Nominated- IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for a Comedy Film
I'll Be Home for Christmas Arlene Sanford Walt Disney Pictures
Mandeville Films
1999 My Favorite Martian Donald Petrie Walt Disney Pictures
Lost & Found Jeff Pollack Warner Bros. Pictures
Alcon Entertainment
Inspector Gadget David Kellogg Walt Disney Pictures
Caravan Pictures
DIC Entertainment
Avnet/Kerner Productions
Roger Birnbaum Productions
Dick Andrew Fleming Columbia Pictures
Phoenix Pictures
Komodo Michael Lantieri Scanbox Entertainment
The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland Gary Halvorson
Children's Television Workshop
End of Days Peter Hyams
Buena Vista International (International)
Beacon Pictures

2000s

Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
2000 Michael Jordan to the Max James D. Stern
Don Kempf
Giant Screen Films Documentary film
Relative Values Eric Styles Alliance Atlantis Communications
Starz Encore Entertainment
The Replacements Howard Deutch
Bel Air Entertainment
The Emperor's New Groove Mark Dindal Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Nominated-
Annie Award for Music in a Feature Production
2001 See Spot Run John Whitesell Warner Bros. Pictures
Village Roadshow Pictures
NPV Entertainment
Robert Simonds Productions
Heartbreakers David Mirkin Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Davis Entertainment
Winchester Films
Themes by Danny Elfman
Spy Kids Robert Rodriguez Dimension Films
Troublemaker Studios
Composed with Danny Elfman, Heitor Pereira, Robert Rodriguez, Los Lobos, Gavin Greenaway and Harry Gregson-Williams
Cats & Dogs Lawrence Guterman Warner Bros. Pictures
Cat Fight Pictures
Village Roadshow Pictures
NPV Entertainment
Mad Chance
Zide/Perry Productions
The Princess Diaries Garry Marshall Walt Disney Pictures
BrownHouse Productions
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius John A. Davis Paramount Pictures
Nickelodeon Movies
O Entertainment
DNA Productions
2002 Snow Dogs Brian Levant Walt Disney Pictures
The Kerner Entertainment Company
Dragonfly Tom Shadyac Universal Pictures (North America)
Spyglass Entertainment (International; through Buena Vista International)
The Scorpion King Chuck Russell Universal Pictures
WWE Entertainment
Alphaville Films
Misher Films
Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams Robert Rodriguez Dimension Films
Troublemaker Studios
Composed with Robert Rodriguez
Swimfan John Polson
20th Century Fox
GreeneStreet Films
Cobalt Media Group
Furthur Films
Composed with Louis Febre
The Tuxedo Kevin Donovan DreamWorks Pictures
Blue Train Productions
Parkes/MacDonald Productions
Composed with Christophe Beck
The Hot Chick Tom Brady
Happy Madison
2003 Most Bobby Garabedian Short film
Malibu's Most Wanted John Whitesell Warner Bros. Pictures
Karz Entertainment
Composed with John Van Tongeren
Bruce Almighty Tom Shadyac
Spyglass Entertainment
Shady Acres

Pit Bull Productions
Elf Jon Favreau New Line Cinema
Guy Walks Into a Bar
Looney Tunes: Back in Action Joe Dante
Warner Bros. Feature Animation

Baltimore Spring Creek Productions
Goldmann Pictures
Additional music only.
Score composed by Jerry Goldsmith.
2004 Welcome to Mooseport Donald Petrie
Intermedia Films
The Passion of the Christ Mel Gibson Icon Productions
Newmarket Films
Nominated- Academy Award for Best Original Score
Nominated- IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for a Drama Film
The Whole Ten Yards Howard Deutch Warner Bros. Pictures
Franchise Pictures
Cheyenne Enterprises
MHF Zweite Academy Film
Raising Helen Garry Marshall
Hyde Park Entertainment
Mandeville Films
Spider-Man 2 Sam Raimi
Marvel Enterprises

Laura Ziskin Productions
Additional music
Score composed by Danny Elfman
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement Garry Marshall
Christmas with the Kranks Joe Roth Columbia Pictures
Revolution Studios
1492 Pictures
2005 The Pacifier Adam Shankman
Spyglass Entertainment
Sin City Robert Rodriguez Composed with Robert Rodriguez & Graeme Revell
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D Miramax
Dimension Films
Columbia Pictures
Troublemaker Studios
Duma Carroll Ballard
John Wells Productions
Composed with George Acogny
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo Mike Bigelow Columbia Pictures
Happy Madison Productions
Out of the Blue... Entertainment
Theme music only
Score composed by James L. Venable
Dreamer John Gatins
Hyde Park Entertainment
The Seed Joe Hahn Short film
Composed with Unkle & Mike Shinoda
Venom Jim Gillespie Miramax Films
Dimension Films
Outerbanks Entertainment
Collision Entertainment
Theme music only
Score composed by James L. Venable
Chicken Little Mark Dindal
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Zathura: A Space Adventure Jon Favreau Columbia Pictures
Radar Pictures
Teitler Film
Michael De Luca Productions
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 Adam Shankman
20th Century Fox
21 Laps Entertainment
2006 Keeping Up with the Steins Scott Marshall
Miramax Films
The Ant Bully John A. Davis Warner Bros. Pictures
Legendary Pictures
Playtone
DNA Productions
Nominated-
Annie Award for Music in a Feature Production
Nominated- IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for an Animated Film
Barnyard Steve Oedekerk
O Entertainment
Idlewild Bryan Barber
Mosaic Media Group
Everyone's Hero
Dan St. Pierre
Christopher Reeve
IDT Entertainment
2007 Spider-Man 3 Sam Raimi Columbia Pictures
Marvel Entertainment
Laura Ziskin Productions
Additional music
Score composed by Christopher Young
Georgia Rule Garry Marshall Universal Pictures
Morgan Creek Productions
Evan Almighty Tom Shadyac Nominated- IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for a Comedy Film
Big Stan Rob Schneider Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Crystal Sky Pictures
Silver Nitrate
From Out of Nowhere Productions
Theme music only
Score composed by John Hunter
2008 Meet Dave Brian Robbins
Dune Entertainment
Regency Enterprises
Guy Walks Into a Bar Productions
Friendly Films
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Rob Cohen Universal Pictures
Relativity Media
The Sommers Company
Alphaville Films
Additional music
Score composed by Randy Edelman
Swing Vote Joshua Michael Stern
Radar Pictures
The Stoning of Soraya M. Cyrus Nowrasteh Roadside Attractions
Mpower Pictures
My Best Friend's Girl Howard Deutch
Management 360
Superfinger Entertainment
2009 Hotel for Dogs Thor Freudenthal Paramount Pictures
DreamWorks Pictures
Nickelodeon Movies
Cold Spring Pictures
The Donners' Company
The Montecito Picture Company
Hannah Montana: The Movie Peter Chelsom Walt Disney Pictures
It's a Laugh Productions
Millar/Gough Ink
Aliens in the Attic John Schultz
Dune Entertainment
Old Dogs Walt Becker Walt Disney Pictures
Tapestry Films

2010s

Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
2010 Valentine's Day Garry Marshall Warner Bros. Pictures
New Line Cinema
Wayne Rice Films
Karz Entertainment
Snowmen Robert Kirbyson Arc Entertainment
Heritage Films
Mpower Pictures
Iron Man 2 Jon Favreau Paramount Pictures
Marvel Studios
Predators Nimród Antal
Dune Entertainment
Ingenious Media
Themes by Alan Silvestri
Yogi Bear Eric Brevig
De Line Pictures

Sunswept Entertainment
Replaced Andrew Lockington
2011
No Strings Attached
Ivan Reitman
Handsomecharlie Films
The Change-Up David Dobkin Universal Pictures
Original Film
Relativity Media
Big Kid Pictures
Composed with Theodore Shapiro
Dream House Jim Sheridan
Morgan Creek Productions
The Double Michael Brandt
Imagenation Abu Dhabi
New Year's Eve Garry Marshall Warner Bros. Pictures
New Line Cinema
Wayne Rice Films
Karz Entertainment
2012 A Thousand Words Brian Robbins
Saturn Films
Varsity Pictures

Work After Midnight Films
The Three Stooges Farrelly brothers
Dune Entertainment
Conundrum Entertainment
Alex Cross Rob Cohen
Emmett/Furla Films
Envision Entertainment Corporation
IAC Productions
James Patterson Entertainment
Summit Entertainment
2013 The Call Brad Anderson TriStar Pictures
Stage 6 Films
Troika Pictures
WWE Studios
Amasia Entertainment
Apotheosis Media Group
Jobs Joshua Michael Stern Open Road Films
Five Star Feature Films
IF Entertainment
Venture Forth
Silver Reel
Endgame Entertainment
2014 Draft Day[4] Ivan Reitman Lionsgate
Summit Entertainment
OddLot Entertainment
Montecito Picture Company
Walk of Shame
Steven Brill
Focus World
Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
Brownstone Productions
Lakeshore Entertainment
The Road Within Gren Wells Well Go USA Entertainment Theme music only
Score composed by The Newton Brothers & Josh Debney
The Cobbler Tom McCarthy
Image Entertainment
Golden Spike
Next Wednesday
Voltage Pictures
Stonehearst Asylum Brad Anderson
Sobini Films
2015 The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water[4] Paul Tibbitt
United Plankton Pictures
Careful What You Wish For Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum Starz Digital
Troika Pictures
Hyde Park Entertainment
Amasia Entertainment
Roberi Media
Image Nation
Merced Media Partners
Myriad Pictures
Ashok Amritraj Productions
Theme music only
Score composed by The Newton Brothers & Josh Debney
Broken Horses Vidhu Vinod Chopra Reliance Entertainment
Vinod Chopra Films
2016
The Young Messiah
Cyrus Nowrasteh
Hyde Park International

Ocean Blue Entertainment
The Jungle Book Jon Favreau Walt Disney Pictures
Fairview Entertainment
Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Original Score in a Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Film
Nominated- Satellite Award for Best Original Score
Nominated- IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for Action/Adventure Film
Mother's Day Garry Marshall Open Road Films
Capacity Pictures
Gulfstream Pictures
PalmStar Media
Ice Age: Collision Course
Mike Thurmeier
20th Century Fox Animation
Blue Sky Studios
Replaced John Powell
League of Gods Koan Hui
Vernie Yeung
China Star Entertainment Group
Bona Film Group
2017 Home Again Hallie Meyers-Shyer Open Road Films
Black Bicycle Entertainment
Waverly Films
The Greatest Showman Michael Gracey Composed with Joseph Trapanese
Nominated- Saturn Award for Best Music
2018 Beirut Brad Anderson
Radar Pictures

ShivHans Pictures
Brian Banks Tom Shadyac Bleecker Street
ShivHans Pictures
Gidden Media
2019 Isn't It Romantic Todd Strauss-Schulson Warner Bros. Pictures (United States, Canada and Argentina)
Netflix (International)
New Line Cinema
Bron Creative
Camp Sugar
Little Engine
Broken Road Productions
The Beach Bum Harmony Korine
Riverstone Pictures

Rocket Science
Dora and the Lost City of Gold James Bobin Paramount Pictures
Paramount Players
Nickelodeon Movies
Walden Media
MRC
Burr! Productions
Composed with Germaine Franco
Sextuplets Michael Tiddes Netflix
Ugly Baby Productions
Wayans Alvarez Productions
Lake of Death Nini Bull Robsahm Gussi Films (Mexico)
SF Studios (Norway)
Canopy Film

2020s

Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
2020 Come Away Brenda Chapman Signature Entertainment (United Kingdom)
Relativity Media (United States)
Endurance Media
Fred Films
Yoruba Saxon Productions
I Still Believe
Erwin Brothers
Lionsgate
Kingdom Story Company
Kevin Downes Productions
Erwin Brothers Entertainment
Asteroid Hunters W.D. Hogan Imax Filmed Entertainment (Worldwide)
Shaw Organisation (Singapore)
Day's End Pictures
Documentary film
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey David E. Talbert Netflix
Golden Girl
Brillstein Entertainment Partners
Burr Productions
Get Lifted Film Company
260 Degrees Entertainment
Nominated- Black Reel Award for Outstanding Original Score
2021 Clifford the Big Red Dog Walt Becker
Scholastic Entertainment
Home Sweet Home Alone Dan Mazer Disney+
20th Century Studios
Hutch Parker Entertainment
Original Home Alone themes by John Williams
American Underdog
Erwin Brothers
Lionsgate
Kingdom Story Company
Erwin Brothers Entertainment
City on a Hill Productions
2022 Marry Me Kat Coiro Universal Pictures
Nuyorican Productions
Perfect World Pictures
Kung Fu Monkey Productions
Luck Peggy Holmes Apple TV+
Apple Studios
Skydance Animation
Nominated- Best Original Score in an Animated Film
Hocus Pocus 2 Anne Fletcher Disney+
Walt Disney Pictures
David Kirschner Productions
Weimaraner Republic Pictures
2023 80 for Brady Kyle Marvin
199 Productions
Fifth Season

Watch This Ready
Spy Kids: Armageddon Robert Rodriguez
Double R Productions
Composed with Rebel Rodriguez and Robert Rodriguez
Under the Boardwalk David Soren Paramount Pictures
Paramount Animation
Big Kid Pictures
Composed with Jonathan Sadoff
2024 The Garfield Movie[5] Mark Dindal Columbia Pictures
Alcon Entertainment
Prime Focus
Post-production
Horizon: An American Saga[6] Kevin Costner Warner Bros. Pictures
New Line Cinema
Territory Pictures
Post-production

Television

Years Title Notes
1982
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
2 episodes
1984 Dragon's Lair 13 episodes
1984–1985 Disney Family Album 5 episodes
1985–1987 Fame 30 episodes
1986 The Twilight Zone Episode: "The Storyteller/Nightsong"
Cagney & Lacey Episode: "The Marathon"
1987 Sport Goofy in Soccermania Special
CBS Summer Playhouse Episode: "Changing Patterns"
ABC Afterschool Special Episode: "The Day My Kid Went Punk"
1988–1991 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 27 episodes
1988 Police Academy 14 episodes
1989 The Further Adventures of SuperTed 13 episodes
Trenchcoat in Paradise Television film
Nightmare Classics Episode: "The Eyes of the Panther"
1989–1990 Dink, the Little Dinosaur 5 episodes
1989–1992 The Young Riders 6 episodes

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series
Nominated- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

1990 The Yum Yums: The Day Things Went Sour Television film
The Face of Fear
Tiny Toon Adventures 2 episodes: "Gang Busters" and "Hollywood Plucky"
Piggsburg Pigs! Episode: "Mummies From Outer Space"
1991 A Seduction in Travis County Television film
Vidiots
Into the Badlands
1992 Do Not Bring That Python in the House
Still Not Quite Human
Sunstroke
The Plucky Duck Show Episode: "Hollywood Plucky"
1993 I Yabba-Dabba Do! Television film
Jonny's Golden Quest
Class of '61
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 2 episodes: The Nagus, Progress
Jack's Place 3 episodes
Praying Mantis Television film
For Love and Glory
The Halloween Tree
The Town Santa Forgot
Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby
1993–1994 SeaQuest DSV 19 episodes

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

1994 Star Trek: The Next Generation Episode: "The Pegasus"
1995 In Pursuit of Honor Television film
Kansas
1996 Doctor Who
The Cape Episode: "Pilot"

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series
Nominated- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

1997 Justice League of America Television film
2000 Running Mates
G-Saviour
2012 Hatfields & McCoys Miniseries
Composed with Tony Morales

Nominated-

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series or Special

2013
Bonnie & Clyde
Miniseries
2014 The After Television film
Houdini Miniseries
2014–2015 Forever 22 episodes
2015 Point of Honor Television film
American Odyssey 13 episodes
Texas Rising Miniseries
Composed with Bruce Broughton

Nominated- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
Nominated- Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Main Title Music in a TV Series
Nominated- IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for Television

2016
Game of Silence
4 episodes
2017 Flint Television film
2017–2019 Santa Clarita Diet 10 episodes
2017–present The Orville 19 episodes

IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for Television

Young Sheldon 3 episodes
Composed with Jeff Cardoni
2021–2022 The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers 20 episodes

Video games

Year Title Notes
2007 Lair
2011 The Sims Medieval
2018 Madden NFL 19

Awards and nominations

Year Award Result
2023 (2023) Nominated
2015 ) (2015) Nominated
2012 : Part 1 (with Tony Morales) (2012) Nominated
2008 Interactive Achievement Award - Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition: Lair (with Kevin Kaska) (2007) [7] Nominated
2005 (2004) Nominated
1997 (1996) Nominated
1997 ) (1996) Won
1994 (1993) Won
1991 : Kansas (1989) Won
1990 (1989) Nominated

References

  1. ^ "John Debney - Award-winning Composer". John Debney. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  2. ^ "John Debney to Score 'Predators' Prequel". Bloody-disgusting.com. February 27, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  3. ^ "A Peek Behind the Scenes of a Predators Scoring Session". Dreadcentral.com. June 7, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  4. ^ a b "John Debney to Score Ivan Reitman's 'Draft Day' | Film Music Reporter". November 25, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
  5. ^ "John Debney Scoring Mark Dindal's 'The Garfield Movie'". Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  6. ^ "John Debney Scoring Kevin Costner's 'Horizon: An American Saga'". Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details Lair". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved November 9, 2023.

External links