Don Walker, 81, an Orchestrator Of Broadway Musical Comedies
By RICHARD F. SHEPARD
Published: Wednesday, September 13, 1989
Don Walker, a musician who did the orchestration for dozens of Broadway shows, died yesterday at Mercer Medical Center in Trenton after a long illness. He was 81 years old and lived in New Hope, Pa.
Among the more than 90 shows that made the transition from the composer's melodies to full-blown orchestral instrumentation under Mr. Walker's ministrations were ''Fiddler on the Roof,'' ''Call Me Madam,'' ''Damn Yankees,'' ''Shenandoah,'' ''Silk Stockings,'' ''What Makes Sammy Run,'' ''By Jupiter,'' ''Finian's Rainbow,'' ''Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,'' ''Most Happy Fella,'' and ''The Music Man.''
Mr. Walker was regarded as a versatile arranger who studied Greek instruments to attain the proper atmosphere for ''Zorba'' and who could also find exactly the right Viennese ambience for ''She Loves Me.'' In a review of ''Greenwillow,'' a 1960 musical with a score by Frank Loesser, Brooks Atkinson of The New York Times wrote, ''Note that the overture, orchestrated by Don Walker, does not blast you out of your seat with a crash of sound; it invites you to enjoy a humorous fairy story. In every respect, including the singing, the music is characterized by taste.'' Earned Nonstop Royalties
According to his agent, Brett Adams, Mr. Walker was one of the first arrangers who earned a continuous royalty from the shows he worked on. In addition to his theater work, Mr. Walker was a leading arranger for the popular band Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians, and at one time served as conductor for the television show "Your Hit Parade."
He was also a composer and lyricist in his own right. In 1945 he adapted Gilbert and Sullivan's ''H.M.S. Pinafore'' into a musical called "Memphis Bound," which starred Bill Robinson and an all-black cast.
Mr. Walker was born in Lambertville, N.J. He attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and began his professional musical career by orchestrating operettas.
He is survived by his wife, Audrey; a daughter, Anne Liebgold, and a son, David, all of New Hope.
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On the Town /[Off-Broadway, 2008]/Orchestrator
70, Girls, 70 /[Off-Broadway, 2006]/Orchestrator (Original Orchestrations)
Fiddler on the Roof /[Broadway, 2004]/Orchestrator
The Pajama Game /[Off-Broadway, 2002]/Orchestrator (Original Orchestrations)
A Connecticut Yankee /[Off-Broadway, 2001]/Orchestrator(Original Orchestrations)
Wonderful Town /[Off-Broadway, 2000]/Orchestrator(Original Orchestrations)
Ziegfeld Follies of 1936 /[Off-Broadway, 1999]/Orchestrator(Original Orchestrations)
Call Me Madam /[Off-Broadway, 1995]/ Orchestrator (Original Orchestrations)
She Loves Me /[West End, 1994]/Orchestrator
She Loves Me /[Broadway, 1993]/Orchestrator
Carousel /[West End, 1992]/Orchestrator (Original Orchestrations)
Fiddler on the Roof /[Broadway, 1990]/Orchestrator
Cabaret /[Broadway, 1987]/Orchestrator
Zorba /[Broadway, 1983]/Orchestrator
Fiddler on the Roof /[Broadway, 1981]/Orchestrator
The Music Man /[Broadway, 1980]/Orchestrator
The Most Happy Fella /[Broadway, 1979]/Orchestrator
Angel /[Broadway, 1978]/Orchestrator
Fiddler on the Roof /[Broadway, 1976]/Orchestrator
The Baker's Wife /[Broadway, 1976]/ Orchestrator
Shenandoah /[Broadway, 1975]/Orchestrator
Lorelei /[Broadway, 1974]/Orchestrator
The Pajama Game /[Broadway, 1973]/Orchestrator
70, Girls, 70 /[Broadway, 1971]/Orchestrator
The Rothschilds /[Broadway, 1970]/Orchestrator
Zorba /[Broadway, 1968]/Orchestrator
Her First Roman /[Broadway, 1968]/Orchestrations/Vocal Arrangements
Cabaret /[West End, 1968]/Orchestrator
The Happy Time /[Broadway, 1968]/Orchestrator
Fiddler on the Roof /[West End, 1967]/Orchestrator
Cabaret /[US Tour, 1967]/Orchestrator
Cabaret /[Broadway, 1966]/Orchestrator
A Time for Singing /[Broadway, 1966]/Orchestrator
Anya /[Broadway, 1965]/Orchestrator
Carousel /[Broadway, 1965]/Orchestrator
Flora, the Red Menace /[Broadway, 1965]/Orchestrator
Baker Street /[Broadway, 1965]/Orchestrator
Fiddler on the Roof /[Broadway, 1964]/Orchestrator
She Loves Me /[West End, 1964]/Orchestrator
Anyone Can Whistle /[Broadway, 1964]/Orchestrator
What Makes Sammy Run? /[Broadway, 1964]/Orchestrator
Here's Love /[Broadway, 1963]/Orchestrator
She Loves Me /[Broadway, 1963]/Orchestrator
The Beauty Part /[Broadway, 1962]/Composer (Incidental Music) Orchestrator
The Unsinkable Molly Brown /[US Tour, 1962]/Orchestrator
The Gay Life /[Broadway, 1961]/Orchestrator
The Music Man /[West End, 1961]/Orchestrator
The Unsinkable Molly Brown /[Broadway, 1960]/Orchestrator
Finian's Rainbow /[Broadway, 1960]/Orchestrator
The Most Happy Fella /[West End, 1960]/Orchestrator
Greenwillow /[Broadway, 1960]/Orchestrator
First Impressions /[Broadway, 1959]/Orchestrator
The Music Man /[Broadway, 1957]/Orchestrator
Happy Hunting /[Broadway, 1956]/Orchestrator (Additional Orchestrations)
The Most Happy Fella /[Broadway, 1956]/Orchestrator
Silk Stockings /[US Tour, 1956]/Orchestrator
The Pajama Game /[West End, 1955]/Orchestrator
Finian's Rainbow /[Broadway, 1955]/Orchestrator
Damn Yankees /[Broadway, 1955]/Orchestrator
Ankles Aweigh /[Broadway, 1955]/Orchestrator
Silk Stockings /[Broadway, 1955]/Orchestrator
Silk Stockings /[Broadway, 1955]/Orchestrator
The Pajama Game /[US Tour, 1955]/Musical Director/Orchestrator
Hit the Trail /[Broadway, 1954]/Orchestrator
On Your Toes /[Broadway, 1954]/Orchestrator
Wonderful Town /[US Tour, 1954]/Orchestrator
The Pajama Game /[Broadway, 1954]/Orchestrator
Pal Joey /[West End, 1954]/Orchestrator (Additional Orchestrations)
The Girl in Pink Tights /[Broadway, 1954]/Orchestrator
Wish You Were Here /[West End, 1953]/Orchestrator
Carnival in Flanders /[Broadway, 1953]/Orchestrator
Me And Juliet /[Broadway, 1953]/Orchestrator/Vocal Music Arranger
Wonderful Town /[Broadway, 1953]/Orchestrator
Maggie /[Broadway, 1953]/Orchestrator
Hazel Flagg /[Broadway, 1953]/Orchestrator
Two's Company /[Broadway, 1952]/Orchestrator
("Opening - Theatre is a Lady", "A Man's Home", "Roundabout", "Clear
Blue Sky", "Esther" and "Haunted)
Buttrio Square /[Broadway, 1952]/Orchestrator
Wish You Were Here /[Broadway, 1952]/Orchestrator
Of Thee I Sing /[Broadway, 1952]/Orchestrator
Call Me Madam /[West End, 1952]/Orchestrator
Pal Joey /[Broadway, 1952]/Orchestrator (Additional Orchestrations)
Top Banana /[Broadway, 1951]/Orchestrator
Courtin' Time /[Broadway, 1951]/Vocal/Incidental Arrangements
Call Me Madam /[US Tour, 1951]/Orchestrator
Bless You All /[Broadway, 1950]/Dance Arrangements(ballet)Orchestrator
Call Me Madam /[Broadway, 1950]/Orchestrator
Carousel /[West End, 1950]/Orchestrator
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes /[Broadway, 1949]/Music Arrangements
Touch and Go /[Broadway, 1949]/Orchestrator
Miss Liberty /[Broadway, 1949]/Orchestrator
My Romance /[Broadway, 1948]/Orchestrator
Heaven on Earth /[Broadway, 1948]/Music Arrangements
Look Ma, I'm Dancin'! /[Broadway, 1948]/Orchestrator
Up in Central Park /[Broadway, 1947]/Orchestrator
Finian's Rainbow /[Broadway, 1947]/Orchestrator
Are You With It? /[Broadway, 1945]/Orchestrator
Polonaise /[Broadway, 1945]/Orchestrator
Memphis Bound! /[Broadway, 1945]/Orchestrator
Carousel /[Broadway, 1945]/Orchestrator
Up in Central Park /[Broadway, 1945]/Orchestrator
On the Town /[Broadway, 1944]/Orchestrator
Allah Be Praised! /[Broadway, 1944]/Vocal Music Arranger
A Connecticut Yankee /[Broadway, 1943]/Orchestrator
Early to Bed /[Broadway, 1943]/Orchestrator
Ziegfeld Follies of 1943/[Broadway, 1943]/Orchestrator
Something for the Boys /[Broadway, 1943]/Orchestrator
Beat the Band /[Broadway, 1942]/Orchestrator
By Jupiter /[Broadway, 1942]/Music Arranger
Best Foot Forward /[Broadway, 1941]/Orchestrator
Panama Hattie /[Broadway, 1940]/Orchestrator
Boys and Girls Together /[Broadway, 1940]/Music Arrangements (additional)
Keep Off the Grass /[Broadway, 1940]/Orchestrator
Two for the Show /[Broadway, 1940]/Orchestrator
George White's Scandals [1939] /[Broadway, 1939]/Orchestrator
You Never Know /[Broadway, 1938]/Orchestrator(Additional Orchestrations)
Hooray For What! /[Broadway, 1937]/Orchestrator
Ziegfeld Follies of 1936/[Broadway,1936]/Orchestrator(Additional Orchestrations)
May Wine /[Broadway, 1935]/Orchestrator
At Home Abroad /[Broadway, 1935]/Orchestrator
Life Begins at 8:40 /[Broadway, 1934]/Orchestrator (Additional Orchestrations)
Caviar /[Broadway, 1934]/ Orchestrator
The Little Prince and the Aviator /[Broadway, 1981]/Orchestrator/ Production
The Red Mill /[Television Film, 1958]/Musical Director
The Beauty Part Composer
Allah Be Praised! / Composer
Bless You All /Composer (additional)
Courtin' Time /Composer/Lyricist
Memphis Bound! /Composer / Lyricist