Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections

Summary Information

Repository

Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections

Creator

Merrick, Mahlon

Title

Mahlon Merrick Papers

ID

Cage 361

Date [inclusive]

1953-1967

Extent

6, 7 linear feet of shelf space., 121 items.

Language

Collection materials are in English.

Abstract

Published and unpublished musical compositions and arrangements, principally for television; also an opera and a symphony. Included are copies of compositions by Merrick's arranger, Carl Brandt.

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Biography/History

Hailing from Centralia, Washington, Mahlon Merrick graduated from Washington State University in 1923 with bachelors’ degrees in both education and music. After a brief teaching experience in schools in the Redmond, Washington, Merrick devoted himself to a career in music.

Beginning as a saxophonist at the Old Italian Gardens in Spokane’s Davenport Hotel, Merrick’s career led him to Hollywood where he was associated with a number of popular television series including The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show and  The Bob Cummings Show. For thirty years he remained the musical director for comedian Jack Benny. A versatile composer, a number of his works appear under the pseudonym, "Gene LaGrande."

In 1965, Mr. Merrick retired to Palm Springs, California. In September of the following year, however, he made a guest appearance at Washington State University for the first performance of the Cougar Marching Song which he had composed for his alma mater. On August 7, 1969, at the age of 69 years, Mr. Merrick succumbed to cancer.

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Scope and Content

The Mahlon Merrick collection of musical compositions includes marches, television background music and themes, listening music, an opera, and a symphony. The Gillette Look Sharp March is Merrick's best known composition.

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Arrangement

Series 1, Compositions and Arrangements, consists of sheet music, orchestrations, and original manuscripts. Although most of these compositions are unrelated, two comprehensive works are included: the opera, Sun Stone and the symphony  Song of Youth.

Series 2, Miscellaneous Papers, consists of Mr. Merrick’s arrangements of the background music for the National Football League television programs, mementos of his career, and compositions by his arranger, Carl Brandt.

The compositions are arranged in alphabetical order in each series; however, the indicated oversize material has been placed at the end of the collection in alphabetical sequence.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2012

http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open for research use.

Acquisition Information

The Mahlon Merrick collection was deposited in the Washington State University Libraries by Mrs. Mahlon Merrick in June of 1977 (1977-33).

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Names and Subjects

Occupation(s)

• Composers--Washington (State)--Manuscripts

Personal Name(s)

Creator(s) :

• Merrick, Mahlon, ca. 1900-1969 --Archives

Subject(s) :

• Brandt, Carl

Subject(s)

• Music -- Manuscripts
• Performing Arts
• Washington (State)

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Detailed Description of Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series 1: Compositions and Arrangements
				box-folder
Anyone for Venice				1 / 1
April Prelude				1 / 1
Baby You're the Sweetest One				1 / 1
Benny Medley				1 / 1
The Bee, original				1 / 1
The Be Sharp March				1 / 1
Bridge of Sighs				1 / 1
Come and See				1 / 1
Concerto for Lefthanded Glockenspiel				1 / 1
Crinoline Curtain				1 / 1
Curfew				1 / 1
The Curious Cat				1 / 1
Dancing Slipper				1 / 2
December Song				1 / 2
Drifting Sands				1 / 2
Ebony Rhapsody				1 / 2
The Gillette Look Sharp March				1 / 3
Hearse Race				1 / 4
Highway to Oblivion				1 / 4
I Ain't Down Yet				1 / 4
I'm Wearing the Latest Shade of Blue				1 / 4
Impact Theme				1 / 4
Infinite Melody				1 / 4
Just Another April				1 / 4
Katy Did				1 / 4
Kickoff March				1 / 4
Lady of the Evening				1 / 4
Last Dance				1 / 4
Lasting Love				1 / 4
Little Walk				1 / 4
Main Event (part in oversize, folder C)				1 / 4
Main Title				1 / 4
Mike's Dream				1 / 4
Mister Moon				1 / 4
Montage				1 / 4
Morning is Crying				1 / 4
Music for Playboys to Play by				1 / 4
Musical Show				1 / 4
Nellie				1 / 5
Nevertheless				1 / 5
Night Mare				1 / 5
October Prelude				1 / 5
Paradise				1 / 5
Park Avenue Promenade				1 / 5
Practical Dreamer				1 / 5
Private Secretary				1 / 5
The Red and Gold				1 / 6
Richard Couer de Lion				1 / 6
Rochester Opening				1 / 6
Romantic Dance				1 / 6
Romantic Reunion				1 / 6
Six Flags over Texas (part in oversize, folder C)				1 / 6
Stringers Assorted				1 / 6
Strange Enchantment				1 / 6
Stranger in the Manger				1 / 6
Summer Idyl				1 / 6
Sweet and Lovely				1 / 6
Swinging Q				1 / 6
Symphony #1 in B flat- Song of Youth (part in oversize, folder G)				2 / 7-8
To a Wild Rose				2 / 9
Tommy the Timid Little Turkey				2 / 9
Two Gentlemen from Siam				2 / 9
Two to Go				2 / 9
When You Belong to Me				2 / 9
Whispering Pines (part in oversize, folder H)				2 / 9
Picnic for Percussion				2 / 9
The Wistful Corpse				2 / 10
With the Rain and Wind				2 / 10
The Woman on the Gentleman's Mind				2 / 10
When You Say				2 / 10
Wind Bells				2 / 10
You're my Particular One				2 / 10
Zigeunerweisen				2 / 10
Zulu Wu Wu				2 / 10
Cherry Coke				Oversize / A
Cougar Marching Song				Oversize / A
Criminal Humnal				Oversize / A
Crisis				Oversize / A
Crooks Tour				Oversize / A
Death at Dawn				Oversize / A
Dialogue				Oversize / A
Dialogue for Piano and Orchestra				Oversize / A
The Dixie Drag				Oversize / A
Encore Espanola				Oversize / B
The Fickle Finger of Fate				Oversize / C
Homicide Sweet Homicide				Oversize / C
How are You Fixed for Blades				Oversize / C
The Impatient Corpse				Oversize / C
Lethal Leer				Oversize / C
The Little Noose				Oversize / C
March #1				Oversize / C
Mayhem in the AM				Oversize / C
Main Event (part in Box 1, folder #4)				Oversize / C
Max Factor Signature				Oversize / C
Optional Signature				Oversize / C
Seven Winds				Oversize / C
Six Flags over Texas (part in Box 1, folder #6)				Oversize / C
Songs of the Islands				Oversize / D
The Sun Stone				Oversize / E-F
Symphony #1 in B~ - Song of Youth (part in Box 2, folder #7)				Oversize / G
Whispering Pines (part in Box 2, folder 9)				Oversize / H
Zigeunerweisen				Oversize / H
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Series 2: Miscellaneous Papers
				box-folder
Mementos 1957-1967  8 items.				2 / 11
Carl Brandt compositions				2 / 12
Morning After				2 / 12
Prairie Duster				2 / 12
Snow Flurries				2 / 12
Song of the Wind				2 / 12
Wind of the Southern Sea				2 / 12
Wind in the Reeds				2 / 12
Voo-Doo Woo Woo				Oversize / K
N.F.L. Program				Oversize / I-J
Assault and Battery				Oversize / I-J
The Atlantans				Oversize / I-J
Bone Breaker				Oversize / I-J
March				Oversize / I-J
Bonus Boy				Oversize / I-J
Broker Field				Oversize / I-J
Chicago Bears				Oversize / I-J
Down the Field				Oversize / I-J
First Quarter				Oversize / I-J
He Flies Thru the Air				Oversize / I-J
Kick Off				Oversize / I-J
The N.F.L. March				Oversize / I-J
The N.F.L. Signature				Oversize / I-J
Point After				Oversize / I-J
Run Back				Oversize / I-J
Tight End				Oversize / I-J
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