Acclaimed Hollywood composer and lyricist Marc Shaiman is releasing a memoir about his decades-long profession, and one of many chapters options his reflections on his shut friendship with the late Rob Reiner.
ipromiseyoumedia has an unique first take a look at the e book, titled By no means Thoughts the Glad, which was written earlier than the tragic deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner on Dec. 14. The memoir shall be revealed by Regalo Press on Jan. 27.
Shaiman first met Reiner when he was employed to attain the director’s now-iconic 1989 rom-com, When Harry Met Sally. They went on to work collectively on over 20 tasks, together with Distress, A Few Good Males, North and The American President. Shaiman was included within the joint tribute assertion launched by a lot of Rob and Michelle’s shut mates following their dying.
Shaiman’s memoir — which is a component showbiz tell-all, half love letter to the inventive course of — seems to be again on 5 many years of triumphs, heartbreaks {and professional} collaborations.
Learn on for an unique excerpt from By no means Thoughts the Glad.
When Billy Crystal started filming When Harry Met Sally, directed by his finest good friend Rob Reiner, he requested what Rob was planning for the music. Rob replied that he wanted somebody who knew all of the requirements from the Nice American Songbook. Billy, mensch that he’s, advised him, “Have I received the man for you!
Billy likes to name me “Rain Jew,” evaluating me to Dustin Hoffman’s character in Rain Man for my capacity to someway keep in mind and play nearly each tune that has ever been written. Some individuals have a photographic reminiscence, however I suppose mine is phonographic. I’m not even positive how I do it; I simply someway retain each tune I hear. What can I say? I’m a human Spotify.
So, Billy set me up for a gathering with Rob. I introduced with me a Rodgers and Hart songbook I’ve had since I used to be a youngster (which, I’m afraid to say, I believe I borrowed from a good friend’s piano in New Jersey and by no means returned) as a result of I knew the ultimate lyrics to the tune “I Might Write a Ebook” (“Then the world discovers/as my e book ends/methods to make two lovers of mates”) completely match the film.
Rob employed me, and whereas the job didn’t make the most of my composing expertise, engaged on When Harry Met Sally taught me how music is timed, recorded and positioned right into a film. I labored alongside a fantastic music editor named Scott Stambler, and he, Rob and I selected the songs and/or the recordings that have been used within the movie, a lot of them re-recorded with Harry Connick Jr.
In 1989, shortly after When Harry Met Sally, Billy Crystal made an HBO particular known as Midnight Prepare to Moscow. I loved scoring its dramatic storyline in a cinematic style. Rob got here to a screening and known as me the following morning.
“Hey, buddy, you wanna rating my subsequent film? It’s a psychological thriller known as Distress.”
I didn’t attempt to speak him out of this concept, however I used to be bewildered he would suppose I had the chops to do such a factor — a sentiment that occurred to be echoed by my brand-new agent, Richard Kraft.
Whereas I used to be engaged on When Harry Met Sally and Seashores, the music contractor (who hires the musicians and takes care of payroll) was Sandy DeCrescent, a strong determine within the Hollywood orchestra scene. She acknowledged I used to be immediately getting all this work and requested, “How come you don’t have an agent? I’m gonna hook you up with Richard Kraft. He’s good for you.”
Once I stepped into Richard’s workplace, he requested, “What do you need to do?”
I blurted out, “I wanna rating films. I wanna be well-known like Paul Williams! I wanna be on speak exhibits and Hollywood Squares. I wanna be the homosexual Marvin Hamlisch!”
Based mostly solely on the truth that I used to be getting work, Richard signed me, by no means having heard a be aware of my music. After which Richard needed to negotiate with Rob Reiner for Distress. Although he was representing me, Richard mentioned to Rob, “You’ve solely heard his preparations, what makes you suppose Marc can compose an authentic movie rating?”
And Rob replied, “Richard, expertise is expertise!” In order that grew to become Richard’s mantra when negotiating on my behalf.
Billy Crystal had simply completed Metropolis Slickers, which he starred in and co-wrote, and had steered me to its director, Ron Underwood. All the highest composers have been up for the job, however Ron preferred my spirit. Richard gave him Rob’s “expertise is expertise” spiel and he employed me.
In fast succession, I used to be employed to attain the flicks Distress, The Addams Household and Metropolis Slickers, with out having written a single be aware of authentic film music aside from about 5 minutes in Billy’s HBO particular. The place did I get the chutzpah to suppose I might do that?
However again to Rob’s thriller, which all the time jogs my memory of the joke, “Why don’t Jews drink? As a result of it interferes with their distress!”
Since Huge Enterprise, I had began buying all of the gear mandatory at the moment to attain films: synthesizers, computer systems and wiring that allowed me to compose on an actual piano. I can’t work on an digital or digital keyboard; I crave an precise piano underneath my fingers. So, with a TV arrange on prime of the piano and VHS tapes of the present edit of Distress, I began writing music.
Take ipromiseyoumedia with you! Subscribe to ipromiseyoumedia journal to get the newest particulars on movie star information, unique royal updates, how-it-happened true crime tales and extra — proper to your mailbox.
I used to be confronted with the “temp rating” (short-term music that they place in a film whereas they’re enhancing it), which was made up largely of soundtracks by the film-score big, Jerry Goldsmith. Though Lord is aware of I wasn’t able to copying him, it was like having an excellent trainer coaxing me alongside. I started to see how orchestral music might have many groupings, every doing their very own factor on the similar time. Cellos and basses could also be rumbling alongside on a frighteningly low melody, because the woodwinds are pecking like a riot in a rooster coop, whereas the excessive strings are sustaining a cluster of strange, disconcerting notes. I used to be studying as I used to be listening.
Rob began coming over to listen to what I used to be as much as and, amazingly, preferred what he heard.
Up so far in my profession, I used to be an inveterate pothead. I smoked on a regular basis and for the whole lot. I smoked earlier than a meal, I smoked earlier than a film, I smoked earlier than intercourse, I believe I even smoked earlier than I smoked. However most of all, I smoked earlier than arranging or writing music and lyrics. I really couldn’t conceive being inventive with out getting a bit excessive first.
However immediately I used to be scoring this film, which concerned attending to work proper after breakfast and dealing all through the day and into the evening. Movie scoring requires discovering the appropriate tone, rhythm, notes and harmonies to play the feelings and plot of the film, whereas determining the advanced arithmetic all of it includes. To not point out it was the beginning of utilizing synthesizers and sequencers to jot down music straight into the pc, all of which I used to be studying on the similar time.
By Wednesday of the primary week, I spotted there was no means I might rating a film after smoking a joint earlier than 10 within the morning, which might make me need to give up for the day by midday. So, I made a decision to attempt to write music, and do all that math and press all these buttons, with out smoking first. And I received by way of the primary day! Then I figured I’d attempt one other day, which led to the following day, after which immediately it was the weekend. And I believed, Nicely, let me carry on this path. Subsequently, it’s due to Rob Reiner that I give up pot chilly turkey and freed myself from the misperception that I needed to get excessive earlier than creating.
On Seashores, worry of Garry Marshall’s large display screen close-up of my palms on the piano cured me of nail-biting, and now Rob stopped my pot-smoking — all my dangerous habits have been eradicated by America’s main comedy movie administrators.
On the time, I used to be dwelling in a rental home on the finish of a spooky grime street in Laurel Canyon, and whereas watching the scenes of Kathy Bates freaking out on James Caan, screaming and shaking his mattress — again and again at excessive quantity — I typically puzzled whether or not individuals strolling their canine previous my window have been pondering, What the fuck is happening in that home?
As soon as I had this music written with the rudimentary orchestral sounds the synthesizers of that point might render, a talented, affected person conductor and orchestrator named Dennis Dreith entered the image. He was capable of take the music I used to be writing in very irregular time signatures and make it conductible and sight-readable by an orchestra.
It wasn’t straightforward work. For instance, through the last battle-to-the-death between Kathy and James, I adopted the onscreen motion and feelings by actually banging on my piano like a baby having a tantrum. After which I discovered, second by second, how that banging might be became notes. I wrote each be aware of music within the film, however with out Dennis’ capacity to switch these notes from the pc and make them actuality, my profession might need self-destructed on the first recording session. Thanks, Dennis, for making Distress a delight!
My inventive relationship with Rob would in the end result in scoring over 15 of his movies, together with the plum task A Few Good Males. What luck that my mother and father came over me in LA on the day Jack Nicholson shot the scene with the enduring line, “You’ll be able to’t deal with the reality!” We watched as he gave a full efficiency on each take, even when the digicam turned away to movie reactions by Tom Cruise and others. Moments like that actually present why sure individuals grow to be — and stay — stars.
The ipromiseyoumedia Puzzler crossword is right here! How shortly are you able to remedy it? Play now!
When Rob made The Story of Us with Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer, he advised me that Eric Clapton had agreed to jot down some songs for the film that may function the underscore. “Buddy,” Rob requested, “would you be prepared to assist him type what he’s writing into underscore?”
“Work with Eric Clapton? Uh, sure.”
(What was I gonna say, “No, I’m holding out for Dylan”?)
Two moments with Clapton stand out in my thoughts. One was the day he and Rob came visiting to my dwelling studio to speak by way of the music. After we completed, I actually needed to get again to the opposite job I used to be on, the South Park film. However Eric wished to maintain taking part in his guitar, trying to jam. I used to be actually underneath the gun to ship a cue to an orchestrator, and am not an excellent jammer, so, imagine it or not, I politely advised them to get misplaced!
The opposite Clapton second occurred through the recording periods for the movie once I was rehearsing a string chart for Eric’s finish title tune. In a single spot, I had the excessive strings forming a C-minor main seventh chord, which could be very film-noir-ish and I believed matched the lyric nicely. Nevertheless it needed to be finessed, so a chord that would sound dissonant would blossom into one thing splendidly evocative.
Rob, fabulous man that he’s, can generally be a tad impatient. And when he heard the primary read-down from the orchestra, he exclaimed, “What’s that?” I defined I simply wanted a couple of minutes to search out the appropriate steadiness with the strings, however Rob stored pacing and rubbing his head, exclaiming, “What’s that?”
I didn’t need to quit on my fancy chords, and issues have been getting moderately awkward. Ultimately, Eric got here out from the sales space, strolled over to me on the conductor’s stand, and mentioned, “You recognize, Marc, I believe these chords at bar 53 are only a bit too … enticing.”
What a sublime approach to say, “Cease exhibiting off, simplify it, and transfer on!”
Just a few years later, it was my luck to as soon as once more write music to accompany Jack Nicholson (and Morgan Freeman) in a Rob Reiner film. This one was The Bucket Listing, a phrase coined by screenwriter Justin Zackham which grew to become a part of the lexicon. And I say luck as a result of my agent, Richard Kraft, negotiated for me to take a small upfront payment after which get bonuses based mostly on the field workplace outcomes — not the studio accountant’s model of grosses, however what’s reported within the trades every Monday morning. Though the film was clobbered by critics, audiences liked it, and it became my largest payday. Hooray Richard!
However the Rob Reiner movie I maintain closest to my coronary heart is 1995’s The American President, an ideal romantic comedy. Its most important title sequence is a montage of American presidents for which I attempted to summon music that may evoke the suitable respect. I used to be honored the Academy deemed the end result worthy of an Oscar nomination, in a yr that had me sharing the class with, amongst others, that big of movie music, John Williams.
Often once you go up towards John Williams, you’re fairly positive you’re going to lose to John Williams. However not this time! This time, I misplaced with John Williams (to Pocahontas). So, see? John Williams and me? We’re simply the identical!
In 2020, when Rob and I have been each honored on the Sedona Movie Competition, they confirmed a pristine print of The American President. It’s among the many few of my scores I don’t beat myself up over, and I’ll watch if I come throughout it on tv. Nevertheless it had been over 20 years since I had seen and heard it on the massive display screen. Since I had already gotten my honor the evening earlier than, it was my job after the film completed to introduce Rob. I had deliberate to crack a number of jokes, however the film overwhelmed me. As I attempted to specific my gratitude for the chance to attain such a shocking movie, I misplaced it (sure, I’m an unsightly crier) and barely uttered a phrase between the gasps and foot stomping which can be all I can handle when emotion will get the higher of me. Regardless of, the tears spoke volumes; I used to be glad to let Rob, and the viewers, know the way a lot he meant to me.
I’d add that if I’m ever requested to attain a film in regards to the American president who received non-consecutive phrases and isn’t named Grover Cleveland, I’ll merely write some circus music and go away it at that.
Excerpted from NEVER MIND THE HAPPY copyright © 2026 by Regalo Press. Utilized by permission of Regalo Press. All rights reserved. No a part of this excerpt could also be reproduced or reprinted with out permission in writing from the writer.
By no means Thoughts the Glad shall be revealed on Jan. 27, and is now accessible for preorder, wherever books are bought.