Danny Gould

Gould, Danny
April 28, 1921 - November 4, 2010
Danny Gould was born with a song in his heart, and from his earliest days never stopped singing or playing it. As a teen in Brooklyn, he played his arguably un-cool accordion at Bar Mitzvah parties. Only he could turn the experience into the ultimate of coolness. In World War II, he took to entertaining his buddies, bringing joy to nights filled with boredom, exhaustion, and fear. At social events wherever he went, Danny became the life of the party. Wherever a crowd would gather, he would be there, singing songs, telling stories, bringing others into the fun, so it became about them, not him.

With his prodigious talent for music, his knowledge of compositions, his ability to analyze any musical subject, he did what few are able to do: he made a living following his passion. Danny attended Boys' High School in Brooklyn, New York (where he was later honored as Man of the Year) and New York University. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the army and served three years in the Pacific. Following WWII, Danny came to Los Angeles to pursue his career. He began in the recording industry as a composer, arranger, lyricist, pianist and conductor, and transitioned into the television and motion picture industry. After five years at Paramount Studios, he accepted what was to be a two-week temporary gig at Warner Bros., and ended up spending 39 there, where he rose to the position of Vice President of Music. He reveled in the intellectual challenges, creative opportunities and dedicated camaraderie with his Warner Bros. family, particularly his associate of over 20 years, Joseph Bille. The word "retirement" was never in his vocabulary and he worked tirelessly until age 88.

Danny Gould lived a life of kindness. He found joy in helping others and loved to help fellow musicians get work. You could call him up and say you were the friend of a friend... of a friend... of a friend, and he would invite you over to the studio for the grand tour. Visiting Danny began with the tour around the office, then down to the golf cart where he would tour you through the back-lots, then over to lunch at the commissary where he ruled through his smile and his warmth. Your tour would conclude witnessing the filming of, or scoring of, one of the studio's newest creations.

Danny's kindness was extended through his legendary thank you notes. You could catch a glimpse of Danny's kindness, on Shabbat morning after attending shul. He would go over to the Veteran's Hospital or the Motion Picture Hospital, just to visit whomever was there. Often he would go over to the piano, to play for them.

Funny and warm-hearted, Danny would shine his light on a 1 year old as he taught this mere child to play piano. Or on the janitor at Warner Bros. who he treated with the same warmth and kindness he showed to the studio heads. Or to mere strangers on the street for whom he brought a smile. Back before cell phones, Danny kept an old telephone handset between the seats of his car. Rolling up at a red light, he would pick up the phone, mimic talking into it, and then, catching the eye of the person in the car next to him, he would roll down the window, extend the receiver and yell "It's for you!" Gregarious and kind, Danny loved life and lived it to the fullest.

This was a man who always said that there is "never any reason to be bored." He was up on the latest performers, knowing the newest musicians of his grandchildren's generation. He was a fanatical book collector, often driving Donna, his wife of 59 years, crazy with his continual purchases. Once Donna ran over to Duttons, a local East Valley bookstore, and made them promise that next time they saw Danny coming, they would turn the sign in the window to "Closed."

Calling them a "great team," Danny credits Donna and her "woman's intuition" with their success. While Danny concentrated on work, he turned the household and their social life over to Donna.

His children - Sherey and Les - call him the perfect father. He was always supportive, non-judgmental, willing to help you through a jam. Back in the day, children used to watch TV shows and fantasize that their fathers would be more like the idealized fathers on the television. Not Sherey and Les, because to them, he was the perfect dad.

Danny loved his daughter-in-law, Susan, who included him in every Sunday dinner. He adored his four grandkids - Danny and Shane, Adam and Joanna. He was eternally grateful for the guidance and devotion of his cousin Joel Kettler.

The memory of Danny Gould will live on, through the many stories still to be told. Danny made a graceful exit, going out on the top.

Two of Danny's favorite charitable organizations were Congregation Or Ami's Outreach to Children in Foster Care www.orami.org/donate and New Community Jewish High School's Tuition Assistance Fund www.ncjhs.org/donate.