JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
And finally, today, we wanted to remember a prolific television and film composer.
ROB SCHMITZ, HOST:
Guy Moon, who helped compose scores and soundtracks for numerous animated and live-action films, has died. In a statement posted on social media, his family says he died in a traffic collision.
SUMMERS: Moon is best known for his work on a number of animated kids' shows on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, including "The Fairly OddParents" and "Danny Phantom."
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "DANNY PHANTOM OPENING THEME SONG")
DERIC BATTISTE: (Singing) He's here to fight for me and you. He's gonna catch 'em all 'cause he's Danny Phantom. Gonna catch 'em all 'cause he's Danny Phantom. Gonna catch 'em all 'cause he's Danny Phantom.
SCHMITZ: He composed these beloved songs for "The Fairly OddParents", like the standout, "My Shiny Teeth And Me."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MY SHINY TEETH AND ME")
THREE OH GO: (Singing) My shiny teeth that glisten just like a Christmas tree. You know they'd walk a mile just to see me smile - woo. My shiny teeth and me.
SUMMERS: Moon regularly collaborated with Butch Hartman, the executive producer and creator of both shows. In 2019, Moon appeared on Hartman's podcast, "Speech Bubble" and talked about his process.
(SOUNDBITE OF PODCAST, "SPEECH BUBBLE" )
GUY MOON: Well, with "Fairly OddParents," since it was our first show...
BUTCH HARTMAN: Yeah.
MOON: ...I just went with my instinct. And I would say, if there's any style of music that is "Fairly OddParents," it's kind of a big band jazzy...
HARTMAN: Yeah.
MOON: ...Kind of thing.
SCHMITZ: Moon said he drew inspiration for his scoring style from Carl Stalling, who composed music for the Warner Bros. cartoon classic "The Looney Tunes." Here's Moon again on Hartman's podcast.
(SOUNDBITE OF PODCAST, "SPEECH BUBBLE" )
MOON: I think that's one thing that you liked about my work is I kind of followed his - if there was something happening on camera that was sequential, the music would go right along...
HARTMAN: Yeah.
MOON: ...With it, just as if Bug's Bunny was prancing across the screen. You can hear the boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
SUMMERS: In addition to his work on these beloved animated shows, Moon also contributed to scores and soundtracks for a number of live-action films and TV shows over the years.
SCHMITZ: But it's his long, creative partnership with Butch Hartman that cemented his place in the hearts of so many. In a long tribute on social media, Hartman remembers Moon as his friend and brother, someone whose, quote, "amazing attitude, kindness, warmth" and overall sense of fun were evident from the moment they met.
SUMMERS: Hartman says Moon scored every episode of "The Fairly OddParents" and "Danny Phantom," even when both shows were airing at the same time. This is how gifted people do things, Hartman writes. They make it look easy to us mere mortals.
SCHMITZ: Guy Moon died last week. He was 63 years old.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MY SHINY TEETH AND ME")
THREE OH GO: (Singing) When I'm feeling lonely, sad as I can be, all by myself, an uncharted island in an endless sea. What makes me happy, fills me up with glee, those bones in my jaw. Don't have a flaw, my shiny teeth and me. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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