Hoyt Curtin may have been the first composer for Hanna-Barbera's cartoons, but he wasn't the last. After Curtin left the studio in 1965 due to frustrations over residuals, another musician by the name of Ted Nichols took his place. From '65 to '72, Nichols composed the music for shows like Scooby-Doo, Josie and the Pussycats, Space Ghost, and many more. Though the quality of the shows is debatable, Nichols' arrangements proved to be every bit as catchy as his predecessor. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't know the Scooby-Doo theme song.
It is with deep sadness that I inform you that Ted Nichols has passed away. He died on the ninth of January at age 97, though news of his death wasn't reported until this month.
Born in Montana on October 2nd, 1928, Nichols' life took him many places, including time in both the Navy and Air Force. Above everything else, his passion for music was a constant in his career. He was a band director at numerous schools and also sang for Disneyland. Around 1963, he met an animator who worked for Hanna-Barbera, and after a phone call with Joe Barbera, he was writing cues for Jonny Quest. That kicked off an almost decade-long partnership between Hanna-Barbera and Nichols, seeing him compose music for virtually all Hanna-Barbera productions made in that time.
In 1972, Nichols decided to leave Hanna-Barbera, and he moved towards working on religious projects and operas. Hoyt Curtin would return to take his place. Ted continued his musical career until around 2014, well into his eighties. The last project I found his name attached to was a Christmas choir performance in December of that year. The final opera he composed music for, titled Rendezvous with Destiny, premiered in 2012. To say he enjoyed composing and directing would be an understatement.
Though Ted Nichols is no longer with us, his legacy will endure through the many compositions he brought to life, both for Hanna-Barbera and elsewhere. My thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.