Neil Argo

Neil Argo
Born
Neil Douglas Argo Jr.

(1947-05-28)May 28, 1947
San Diego, California, U.S.
DiedAugust 2, 2018(2018-08-02) (aged 71)
Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of North Texas
Years active1981-2018
Websiteneilargo.com

Neil Argo (May 28, 1947 – August 2, 2018)[1] was an American composer for film and television working in Hollywood. He is most known for his work on the nature television series Wild America.[2]

Early life

Argo was born in San Diego, California, on May 28, 1947. He studied piano and percussion in high school, and enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1966. After his military duty with the North American Air Defense Band, he attended the University of North Texas, and received a Bachelors of Music degree in music composition. Subsequently, he received a Masters of Music degree in theory and composition from the University of Northern Colorado.[3]

Career

While in Colorado, Argo was introduced to Marty Stouffer in Aspen in 1981. Stouffer had a new television series in the making, Wild America for PBS. Argo composed the series theme and scored early episodes. He was awarded the first composer-in-residence grant in 1984 from the Colorado Council on the Arts, funded by The National Endowment for the Arts. His theme for Wild America was later orchestrated into a six-minute concert band overture, and was published in 2002 by Ludwig Music Publishers of Ohio. In 1983, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts contracted Argo to write and produce the Denver Center for Performing Arts signature theme.[4]

In 1985, he relocated to Los Angeles, California,[5] where initially he worked as an orchestrator on Dynasty, The Colbys[6] and later, MacGyver[7] through Paramount television and later composed for the return television series Mission: Impossible. He wrote additional music for Beverly Hills 90210. In 1988, Argo also scored Andy Tennant's short film, The Cat Story.[8]

He composed the score for the National Geographic's Special, Survivors of the Skeleton Coast (1993), which gave him the opportunity to score the London-based, five-part mini-series Skeleton Coast Safari (1997).[3][9] In 1998, Argo received the Contribution to the Arts Award by the Alumni Association of the University of Northern Colorado. That same year he donated many of his music manuscripts to the James Michener Library, Greeley, Colorado.[10]

Argo's film scores included Chavez Cage of Glory with Steven Bauer (2013), The Legends of Nethiah with Robert Picardo (2012), Chasing the Green with William Devane (2009), Bring Him Home with Ed Asner (2000), "P.J." with John Heard (2008), among others.[11]

From 2010 to 2012, Argo collaborated with Jimmy Greenspoon, band member of Three Dog Night, on various film projects. Kronos Records released Argo's soundtrack from the motion picture P.J. in November 2014.[12] The Wild America soundtrack was released in October 2015, also on the Kronos Label.[13]

Other

In addition to his work in film and television, Argo taught orchestration and film scoring at California State University at Northridge, and had been a guest lecturer at several colleges and universities in the United States. He was a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Media Task Force at Biola University,[3] the Society of Composers and Lyricists, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, BMI, the American Federation of Musicians and The Recording Academy's Producers and Engineers Wing.

Death

Neil Argo died in Scottsdale, Arizona, on August 2, 2018, from heart failure. He was 71 years old.[1]

Partial filmography

Year Work
1981 Dynasty
1984 Zebulon Pike and the Blue Mountain
1985 MacGyver
1986 Hush Little Baby Don't You Cry
1987 The Colby's
1987 Hotel
1988 The Cat Story
1988-1990 Mission: Impossible
1992 Hearts are Wild
1993 Storytellers of Lincoln County
1993 National Geographic Specials
1982-1994 Wild America
1995 Un Incontro (An Encounter)
1995 National Geographic Explorer
1995 CBS Schoolbreak Special
1997 Skeleton Coast Safari
1997 Santa Monica: A Community of Caring
2000 Bring Him Home
2003 The Last Leaf
2003 Her Knight
2005 Mavet
2006 Girl with Gun
2007 Perfect Red
2008 P.J.
2008 Warriors... In Their Own Words
2009 Chasing the Green
2009 Little Boba
2010 Cult 11
2011 Machete
2011 A Sister's Call
2012 The Legends of Nethiah
2013 Eduardo and Ted
2013 Chavez Cage of Glory
2014 Restoration of Paradise

Awards

Year Work
2006 Park City Film Music Festival - Silver Medal for Excellence Girl with Gun
2007 Park City Film Music Festival - Silver Medal for Excellence Mavet
2008 Park City Film Music Festival - Bronze Medal for Excellence P.J.
2008 Park City Film Music Festival - Silver Medal for Excellence Perfect Red
2009 Park City Film Music Festival - Gold Medal for Excellence Chasing the Green
2010 Park City Film Music Festival - Silver Medal for Excellence Cult 11
2010 Park City Film Music Festival - Bronze Medal for Excellence Cult 11

References

  1. ^ a b Neil Argo, distinguished alumnus of University of Northern Colorado, dies at 71. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Neil Argo". Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "Skelton Coast Safari". Vol. 24. Soundtrack Magazine. 2002. p. 15.
  4. ^ "10100426 - Wild America (arr. Bettger)". Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Neil Argo". Denver Post. 2 January 1985. p. Section C.
  6. ^ "The Colbys". Library of Congress. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  7. ^ "MacGYVER". Library of Congress.
  8. ^ "Dynasty". Library of Congress.
  9. ^ "Review: 'National Geographic Specials Survivors of the Skeleton Coast'". Variety. 14 April 1993. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  10. ^ "Record Group SC61 Neil Argo Collection". Archived from the original on 7 December 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  11. ^ "Neil Argo" (PDF). Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  12. ^ "Neil Argo". Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  13. ^ "Wild America". Retrieved 3 January 2015.