17 Facts About Winston Sharples

Winston Singleton Sharples was an American composer known for his work with animated short subjects, especially those created by the animation department at Paramount Pictures.

Winston Sharples was born in Fall River, Massachusetts to William, a machinist, and Mary Winston Sharples, and began singing in vaudeville shows at the Loew's Poli Theatre in Springfield, Massachusetts at the age of eight.

Winston Sharples taught himself to play the piano, forming a band that played at Ivy League college dances throughout New England.

Winston Sharples graduated from Classical High School in Springfield in 1925.

Winston Sharples appeared on radio for two years, from 1930 to 1932, playing the piano on a 15-minute morning program at various stations in Connecticut.

Winston Sharples relocated to New York City in 1932, where he played piano and occasionally bass with Vincent Lopez's orchestra.

Winston Sharples assisted Gene Rodemich in scoring cartoons for the Van Beuren Studios in 1932 after Walter Winchell praised his work with Lopez in a column, which was read by studio owner Amadee Van Beuren.

Winston Sharples stayed at Van Beuren until 1936, during which time he composed music for two Frank Buck films, Wild Cargo and Fang and Claw.

In 1938, Winston Sharples composed "It's A Hap-Hap-Happy Day" for Fleischer's full-length animated musical production of Gulliver's Travels.

Winston Sharples worked at Fleischer Studios in Miami, Florida, where he became the leader of a band that played in nightclubs in Miami Beach.

In 1946, Winston Sharples replaced Sammy Timberg as the Eastern musical director for Paramount Studios, writing music for their cartoons, newsreels, and short subjects.

In 1958, Winston Sharples teamed with Joe Oriolo for musical production on the Felix the Cat television series.

Later, Winston Sharples cues were recycled into episodes of Seeger's Batfink.

Winston Sharples composed the theme song for Seeger's Milton the Monster television series in 1965, in addition to using the stock music package for part of the underscore.

Winston Sharples continued at the Paramount cartoon studio, successfully adapting his style to smaller groups and even incorporating jazz and rock and roll styles for the edgier works of Ralph Bakshi, until it closed in 1967.

In 1931, Winston Sharples married Daisy Shackley, a singing hostess at the Hotel Kimball studio of WBZ Radio in Springfield.

Winston Sharples died at age 69 in Hilton Head, South Carolina.