Cartoon Composer Shirley Walker Dies

Friday, December 01, 2006
By: Ryan Ball

Film and television composer Shirley Walker died Wednesday from complications associated with a stroke at the age of 61. She was perhaps best known for scoring episodes of the popular 1990s Warner Bros. Animation shows Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures and Batman Beyond, as well as Todd McFarlane’s animated Spawn series. Other credits include the much-loved 1993 animated feature film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and 1998’s The Batman/Superman Movie, as well as the live-action Final Destination movies. Walker’s next project was to be Bruce Timm’s DC: The New Frontier, a direct-to-video comic book-based feature which is currently in pre-production.

Walker worked with leading film composer Danny Elfman on a number of projects, serving as orchestrator and conductor on Scrooged (1988), Tim Burton’s Batman (1989), Clive Barker’s Nightbreed (1990), Dick Tracy (1990), Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Article 99 (1992). She also collaborated with Hans Zimmer on several films including Backdraft (1991), Toys (1992), True Lies (1994) and Johnny Mnemonic (1995).

Born in Napa, Calif., Walker began her career in industrial films and jingles work in the late 1960s and later worked as a musician on Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now. In the 1980s, she found work as a composer on such television series as Falcon Crest and China Beach, and lent her talents to such B-movie classics as 1985’s The Dungeonmaster and Ghoulies. Walker would find a comfortable niche in the superhero genre. In addition to working on the Warner Bros. cartoon series and live-action Batman films, she scored episodes of Warner Bros.’ 1990 television series The Flash, based on the DC Comics property.

Walker had been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 1994 and also served the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers and a number of other professional organizations. She is survived by two sons.

Reader Comments

• Ryan Clark : College Student :

  Saturday, December 02, 2006

  Oh man, she was one of my favorite composers, the score to Mask of the Phantasm and Williard are two of my all time favorites. I was just talkoing about how brilliant she was the other day. Truly a sad, sad day.

• Phil Howe : Independent : ABC Yachts

  Sunday, December 10, 2006

  I was so sadened to learn of Shirley's death. Although not active in the film/video world for a number of years the first complete film score Shirley did was for a small project of mine (hot air ballooning in Idaho) back in 1972. I would love to get a hold of her husband Don, but some of the obits say she is survived by him and their two sons and others say he died last March. Anybody know for sure? philhowe@montana.com

• phil Howe :

  Monday, December 11, 2006

  Shirley Rogers and Shirley Walker were one and the same person.

• Kathi Hill : Retired :

  Monday, December 11, 2006

  I graduated from high school with a very talented girl by the name of Shirley Rogers (1963 Pleasant Hill HIgh Pleasant Hill Calif.) I am wondering if this the same person...

• Rosslyn Thorp-Clauson : Teacher, Musician :

  Sunday, December 17, 2006

  Shirley was one of the mainstays of our incredible music dept. at Pleasant Hill High School. She accompanied me on many occasions. What a loss. Shirley was a musical genius and a wonderful person. I am very sad. My Mom did tell me that her husband passed away last year, I believe.

• Rae HoegsbergEdwards : Stress Management Educator :

  Friday, September 21, 2007

  I remember Shirley very well with her cello. She was small, blond and extremely talented. This is the first time I have visited this site...........my brother, Don told me about it. So goodbye Shirley. I do treasure the memories and respect all that you have done with your life!
  blessings,
  rae

• Bill Patterson : Web Developer/drummer : wwmws.com

  Sunday, June 28, 2009

  I played in many groups with Shirley and went to HS with her. She was a wonderful person and later became a neighbor. We took care of her sons for a short time at our daycare. So sad to hear about her death. I wonder if her husband passing away a few months before had anything to do with that. That kind of stress is horrible. We will all miss her but always brings back wonderful memories of things I had not thought of in some time. Those days of only thinking about music where wonderful!! I hope her soul comes back around again...the world will certainly be a better place again.