Reginald Hazeltine Bassett

Reginald Hazeltine Bassett (September 3, 1878 – April 24, 1951) was an American composer and orchestrator who led a prolific career in film. He contributed music to over one hundred major movies from the 1920s to the 1940s. He is virtually unknown because he worked under a film studio system that not only controlled the copyrights to his music but also allowed others to take screen credit for his work.

Reginald Hazeltine Bassett
Born
Bernard Hazeltine Bassett

(1878-09-03)September 3, 1878
DiedApril 24, 1951(1951-04-24) (aged 73)
NationalityAmerican, 10th generation
Other namesRex Bassett, R.H. Bassett, R. Bassett
Occupation(s)Film composer, arranger, orchestrator
Years active1908–1943
SpouseAlyse Lourdes Hunt
1905–1906 (divorce)
Rosina E. McIntosh
1912–1916 (divorce)
Estelle Carlton Day
1927–1951 (death)

Bassett worked collaboratively on film score compositions with other Hollywood composers from Ira Gershwin to Hugo Friedhofer:

In any event, Friedhofer talks at length about Bassett in his oral history, mentioning the scores on which he worked with him (including Intermezzo and Gone With the Wind) and Bassett's association with Forbstein's predecessor at Warner Bros., Lou Silvers.[1]

Extant filmography

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Selected filmography
Year Film Director Role Production Company Notes
1926 The Volga Boatman Cecil B. DeMille Composer Producers Distributing Corporation Uncredited
1926 Bardelys the Magnificent King Vidor Composer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Uncredited
1926 What Price Glory? Raoul Walsh Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1927 7th Heaven Frank Borzage Composer William Fox Studio Uncredited
1927 The Loves of Carmen Raoul Walsh Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1927 The Devil Dancer Fred Niblo Composer Samuel Goldwyn Productions Uncredited
1927 Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans F. W. Murnau Composer William Fox Studio Uncredited
1928 Fazil Howard Hawks Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 Men Without Women John Ford Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 High Society Blues David Butler Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 The Second Floor Mystery Roy Del Ruth Composer mt Warner Bros. Uncredited
1930 The Arizona Kid Alfred Santell Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 On the Level George Melford Composer ac Paramount Pictures Uncredited
1930 Rough Romance A.F. Erickson Composer w/ P. Brunelli & A. Kay Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 Good Intentions William K. Howard Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 One Mad Kiss Marcel Silver, James Tinling Composer w/ P. Brunelli Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 Man Trouble Berthold Viertel Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 The Sea Wolf Alfred Santell Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 Liliom Frank Borzage Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 The Big Trail Raoul Walsh Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 Scotland Yard William K. Howard Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 Renegades Victor Fleming Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 Just Imagine David Butler Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1930 Part Time Wife Leo McCarey Composer w/ P. Brunelli Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 The Man Who Came Back Raoul Walsh Composer mt&ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 Men on Call John G. Blystone Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 East Lynne Frank Lloyd Composer mt, w/P. Brunelli Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 Three Girls Lost Sidney Lanfield Composer mt Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 Women of All Nations Raoul Walsh Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 Goldie Benjamin Stoloff Composer mt w/H. Friedhofer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 Hush Money Sidney Lanfield Composer mt Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 Transatlantic William K. Howard Composer mt w/H. Friedhofer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 The Spider William Cameron Menzies Composer mt w/G. Knight Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 Wicked Allan Dwan Composer mt Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 Riders of the Purple Sage Hamilton MacFadden Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 The Yellow Ticket Raoul Walsh Composer mt Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 Surrender William K. Howard Composer mt Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1931 Good Sport Kenneth MacKenna Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 The Rainbow Trail David Howard Composer mt Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 Stepping Sisters Seymour Felix Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 The Gay Caballero Alfred L. Werker Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 The Trial of Vivienne Ware William K. Howard Composer mt Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 While Paris Sleeps Allan Dwan Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 Week Ends Only Alan Crosland Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 Bachelor's Affairs Alfred L. Werker Composer w/P. Brunelli Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 Almost Married William Cameron Menzies Composer mt Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 A Passport to Hell Frank Lloyd Composer w/H. Friedhofer & A. Lange Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 Chandu the Magician William Cameron Menzies Composer w/P. Brunelli & L. DeFrancisco Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 Wild Girl Raoul Walsh Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 Six Hours to Live William Dieterle Composer w/P. Brunelli Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 Sherlock Holmes William K. Howard Composer w/H. Friedhofer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 El Caballero de la Noche James Tinling Composer w/ P. Brunelli & H. Friedhofer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 Tess of the Storm Country Alfred Santell Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1932 Handle with Care David Butler Composer w/ P. Brunelli Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 Robber's Roost David Howard & Louis King Composer mt Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 Face in the Sky Harry Lachman Composer w/ P. Brunelli Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 Dangerously Yours Frank Tuttle Composer w/L. DeFrancisco Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 Trick for Trick Hamilton MacFadden Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 Zoo in Budapest Rowland V. Lee Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 The Warrior's Husband Walter Lang Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 Hold Me Tight David Butler Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 Best of Enemies Rian James Composer w/ A. Lange Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 It's Great to Be Alive Alfred L. Werker Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 Shanghai Madness John G. Blystone Composer w/ J. Zamecnik & L. DeFrancesco Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 Pilgrimage John Ford Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1933 Deluge Felix E. Feist Composer K.B.S. Productions Uncredited
1933 Paddy the Next Best Thing Harry Lachman Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1934 La Ciudad de Carton Louis King Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1934 No Greater Glory Frank Borzage Composer Columbia Pictures Uncredited
1934 Whom the Gods Destroy Walter Lang Composer Columbia Pictures Uncredited
1934 The World Moves On John Ford Composer w/L. DeFrancisco Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1934 Have a Heart David Butler Composer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Uncredited
1934 One Night of Love Victor Schertzinger pan shot Columbia Pictures Uncredited
1934 Student Tour Charles Reisner Composer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Uncredited
1934 Un Capitan de Cosacos John Reinhardt Composer ac Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1934 Evelyn Prentice William K. Howard Composer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Uncredited
1934 The Gay Bride Jack Conway Composer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Uncredited
1934 The Band Plays On Russell Mack Composer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Uncredited
1935 Charlie Chan in Paris Lewis Seiler & Hamilton MacFadden Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1935 Society Doctor George B. Seitz Composer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Uncredited
1935 Shadow of Doubt George B. Seitz Composer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Uncredited
1935 One Frightened Night Christy Cabanne Composer Mascot Pictures Uncredited
1935 Our Little Girl John S. Robertson Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1935 David Copperfield George Cukor Composer ac Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Uncredited
1935 Charlie Chan in Egypt Louis King Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1935 Love Me Forever Victor Schertzinger Composer Columbia Pictures Uncredited
1935 Mad Love Karl Freund Composer mt Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Uncredited
1935 The Black Room Roy William Neill Composer Columbia Pictures Uncredited
1935 Curly Top Irving Cummings Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1935 The Farmer Takes a Wife Victor Fleming Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1935 Dante's Inferno Harry Lachman Composer Fox Film Corporation Uncredited
1935 Crime and Punishment Josef von Sternberg Composer Columbia Pictures Uncredited
1935 Professional Soldier Tay Garnett Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1936 Tough Guy Chester Franklin Composer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Uncredited
1936 The Prisoner of Shark Island John Ford Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1936 The Country Doctor Henry King Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1936 The Country Beyond Eugene Forde Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1936 Dimples William A. Seiter Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1936 Craig's Wife Dorothy Arzner Composer Columbia Pictures Uncredited
1936 The Man Who Lived Twice Harry Lachman Composer Columbia Pictures Uncredited
1936 Sins of Man Otto Brower Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1936 The Road to Glory Howard Hawks Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1936 Lloyd's of London Henry King Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1937 Think Fast, Mr. Moto Norman Foster Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1938 International Settlement Eugene Forde Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1939 Stanley and Livingstone Henry King Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1939 Susannah of the Mounties Walter Lang Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited
1941 Western Union Fritz Lang Composer 20th Century Fox Uncredited

Music department

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  1. Delicious (1931) (orchestrator) (uncredited)
  2. Igloo (1932) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  3. Bird of Paradise (1932) (orchestrator) (uncredited)
  4. My Lips Betray (1933) (orchestrator) (uncredited)
  5. Flying Down to Rio (1933) (music arranger) (uncredited)
  6. Midnight (1934) (composer: stock music) (uncredited); aka Call It Murder (USA: reissue title)
  7. Chained (1934) (orchestrator) (uncredited)
  8. Sequoia (1934) (orchestrator) (uncredited)... aka Malibu
  9. The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, & Observation of David Copperfield the Younger (1935) (composer: additional music) (uncredited) (orchestrator) (uncredited); aka David Copperfield (USA: short title)
  10. The Night Is Young (1935) (orchestrator) (uncredited)
  11. Charlie Chan in Paris (1935) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  12. The Casino Murder Case (1935) (orchestrator) (uncredited)
  13. Baby Face Harrington (1935) (orchestrator) (uncredited)
  14. Uncivil Warriors (1935) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  15. One Frightened Night (1935) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  16. Charlie Chan in Egypt (1935) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  17. Mad Love (1935) (composer: title music) (uncredited); aka The Hands of Orlac (UK)
  18. Undersea Kingdom (1936) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  19. Adventure in Manhattan (1936) (composer: stock music) (uncredited); aka Manhattan Madness (UK)
  20. The Garden of Allah (1936) (orchestrator) (uncredited)
  21. The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) (orchestrator) (uncredited)
  22. Legion of Terror (1936) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  23. Theodora Goes Wild (1936) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  24. Stampede (1936) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  25. Two-Fisted Sheriff (1937) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  26. S.O.S. Coast Guard (1937) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  27. The Secret of Treasure Island (1938) (composer: stock music) (uncredited); aka The Secret of a Treasure Island (USA: poster title)
  28. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) (orchestrator) (uncredited); aka Robin Hood (Australia: TV title)
  29. City Streets (1938) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  30. The Man They Could Not Hang (1939) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  31. Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939) (orchestrator) (uncredited); aka Escape to Happiness (UK); aka Intermezzo (USA: short title)
  32. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) (composer: stock music) (uncredited); aka Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (USA: complete title)
  33. Gone with the Wind (1939) (orchestrator) (uncredited)
  34. The Yearling (1946) (orchestrator) (uncredited)
  35. Batman and Robin (1949) (composer: stock music) (uncredited); aka The Adventures of Batman and Robin; aka The New Adventures of Batman and Robin
  36. Beyond the Purple Hills (it) (1950) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  37. The Big Gusher (1951) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  38. The Rough, Tough West (1952) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)
  39. Saginaw Trail (1953) (composer: stock music) (uncredited)

Family

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Reginald Hazeltine Bassett was born September 3, 1878, in Oakland, California, to the marriage of James Madison Bassett (1830–1903) and Carrie Hazeltine (maiden; 1958–1943). He was married three times.

  1. Bassett first married on January 22, 1905, in Monterey, California, to Alyse Lourdes Hunt (maiden; 1880–1969), her first of four marriages. They divorced July 25, 1906, in San Francisco.
  2. Bassett married again on April 19, 1912, in Oakland, California, to Rosina E. McIntosh (maiden; 1891—1973), her first of two marriages. They divorced in 1916 in San Francisco.
  3. Bassett then married on July 25, 1927, in Santa Ana, California, to Estelle Carlton Day (maiden; 1885–1951), her third marriage. Estelle predeceased Reginald by eighty-two days.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Winters, Brian (2006). "Korngold's merry men: Music and authorship in the Hollywood studio system". Oxford University Research Archive. Oxford University. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  2. ^ McCarty, Clifford (2000). Film Composers in America (A filmography, 1911- 1970--2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 534. ISBN 0-19-511473-6.