Composer Michael Small dies at 64

November 25, 2003

By Variety Staff

Film composer Michael Small died of prostate cancer Nov. 25 in New York City. He was 64.

Small scored films including "Klute," "The Parallax View" and "Marathon Man."

Small was born in New York City. His father, Jack, was a theater actor and general manager who introduced him to the world of musical theater. Small wrote original musical comedy shows at Williams College in Massachusetts and then studied orchestration and did background scoring for several theater productions. When film producer Ed Pressman heard his music in a showcase, he asked him to score the 1969 Jon Voight pic "Out of It."

Small went on to score more than 50 movies and TV movies, including "The Stepford Wives," "The China Syndrome," "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "Pumping Iron."

Small also scored four films for helmer Bob Rafelson: "The Postman Always Rings Twice," "Black Widow," "Mountains of the Moon" and "Poodle Springs." He recently worked on the "A Nero Wolfe Mystery" TV series.

He is survived by his wife Lynn and two sons.