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Perry Botkin Jr. (April 16, 1933 – January 18, 2021) was an Oscar nominated, Grammy award winning American composer, producer, arranger, and musician, who composed the Theme tune and underscore for Mork & Mindy.

Biography[]

Botkin Crosby

Perry Sr. with Bing Crosby

Botkin was born Perry Lafayette Botkin Jr.[1] in New York on April 16, 1933, the son of Perry Botkin Sr., who was also a successful musician and composer. Perry moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1936. Where his father, played guitar and banjo in Bing Crosby’s band, later appearing in several movies with him, and later composed the underscore for ’60s sitcom “The Beverly Hillbillies”.[2]

He began his musical career as a trombone player in a high school jazz quartet that included future legendary film composer John Williams on piano. He played in the Black Band at West Point and attended Indiana University and the film scoring program at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music.

On the 8th of October 1960 he married Sondra J Keyes, together having one child, son David. They divorced after six years on June 1966. Perry remarried 26 years later, to Liza Kevin Hennessey (4 November 1992) the marriage lasting almost 30 years until death.

He is survived by his wife Liza, son David and grandson Daniel Tyler Botkin.

Career[]

In 1955, with the nickname 'Bunny Botkin'[1] , he joined a vocal group called “The Cheers” the members of whom included Bert Convy. Botkin, Gil Garfield and Sue Allen. The group scoring a major hit with their song “Black Denim Trousers (and Motor Cycle Boots).”

Botkins & Nelsons

Perry Jr. & Sr. with Ozzie, Harriet, Ricky and David Nelson.

In 1956, Perry guest-starred with his father Perry Sr. in a now classic episode of “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” (“The Banjo Player”) in which Botkin, Jr. had a speaking role as a high school friend and bandmate of Ricky Nelson.[2]

He also had success with “The Fraternity Brothers” alongside 'The Cheers' Gil Garfield and fellow early co-writer Barry De Vorzon. In addition, in the 60s, he was part of The Hollyridge Strings, alongside fellow composer Stu Phillips, who like Botkin would go on to create some of the most memorable TV tunes of the 70s and 80s such Battlestar Galactica and Knight Rider.

In 1971, Botkin and his composing partner Barry De Vorzon wrote the score for the Stanley Kramer film “Bless the Beasts and the Children,” earning them a best-song Oscar nomination for the title tune, which was sung by The Carpenters.

In 1972, Botkin and De Vorzon co-composed the theme song for CBS's new Soap Opera, The Young and the Restless, which during the Olympics was adopted by one of the Networks as a theme for gymnastic sensation Nadia Comaneci. The tune became known as "Nadia's Theme", and peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976.

He was also a major contributor to Incredible Bongo Band, one of the most influential groups of all-time for its Bongo Rock album. A break beat from which has become the most sampled piece of music in history and is credited with the birth of Hip-Hop.[3]

Botkin, was also an arranger on Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman” and The Cascades’ hit “Rhythm of the Rain.” He also worked on albums by artists such as Barbra Streisand, Peggy Lee, Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis Jr., Jack Jones, Paul Williams and more. Most recently, his music was featured on the soundtrack of Sony Pictures’ 2017 blockbuster “Baby Driver” and a 2016 Super Bowl Prius commercial.


References[]

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