Angela Morley

Who was Angela Morley?

Angela Morley was an English composer and conductor. Morley was born in Leeds, Yorkshire in 1924, and played saxophone in a number of dance bands, and in 1944 became a member of Geraldo's band.

She attributed her entry into composing and arranging largely to the influence and encouragement of the Canadian light music composer Robert Farnon. In 1972, Morley underwent Sex reassignment surgery. Later in life, she lived in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Morley won two Emmy Awards for her work in music arrangement. These were in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction, in 1988 and 1990, both for television specials starring Julie Andrews. Morley received Emmy nominations for composing music for television series such as Dynasty and Dallas. She was twice nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Music, Original Song Score/Adaptation: for The Little Prince, a nomination shared with Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe, and Douglas Gamley; and for The Slipper and the Rose, which Morley shared with Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.