- Born
- Died
- Birth nameAlexander Mair Courage Jr.
- Nickname
- Sandy
- Alexander Courage was born on December 10, 1919 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for Star Trek (1966), The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and Star Trek (2009). He was married to Shirley Pumpelly. He died on May 15, 2008 in Pacific Palisades, California, USA.
- SpouseShirley Pumpelly(? - 2005) (her death)
- The eight-note brass fanfare that Courage wrote to herald the starship Enterprise became one of the most familiar musical signatures in television history.
- When Courage finished the signature theme to Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, the series' creator, penned lyrics to it, allegedly in order to collect half the royalties. In revenge, when Courage was asked to sign autographs, he would occasionally sign Roddenberry's name.
- Said he made the "whoosh" sound which is heard as the Enterprise zooms through the opening credits of "Star Trek".
- Frequently worked as an orchestrator on scores composed by Jerry Goldsmith.
- He was among the founders of the Composers and Lyricists Guild of America, the union that represented composers and songwriters in Hollywood during the 1950s, '60s and '70s.
- Little did I know, when I wrote that first A-flat for the flute, that it was going to go down in history, somehow. It's a very strange feeling. (on composing the theme for "Star Trek")
- I have to confess to the world that I am not a science fiction fan. Never have been. I think it's just marvelous malarkey.....So you write some, you hope, marvelous malarkey music that goes with it. (from a 2000 interview for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' "Archive of American Television")
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