Donald Clark Kirshner (April 17, 1934 – January 17, 2011) known as The Man With the Golden Ear, was an American music publisher, rock music producer, talent manager, and songwriter. He was best known for managing songwriting talent as well as successful pop groups, such as The Monkees, Kansas, and The Archies.
I can hear a kid hit a note and know if he has it or not.
#
Fact
1
Founder, with Al Nevins, of music publisher Aldon Music, New York City.
2
Founder, with Al Nevins, of Dimension Records (1962-), New York City.
3
Married 50 years at time of death.
4
At his first recording session with The Monkees, they didn't know who he was; Micky Dolenz actually mistook him for a studio "gofer"--production assistant--since he'd carried in refreshments for everyone. When Kirshner began to give instructions to the band, Dolenz's reaction was to pour the ice from the Coke he'd been drinking over Kirshner's head, only finding out afterwards that he'd just tried to "cool off" the man in charge of the whole musical side of the project. Dolenz said later, "I must have apologized to him a thousand times over the next few months." Kirshner luckily didn't hold the incident against him.
5
Was described by contemporaries as playing only one instrument: the telephone, which he used throughout the day for business.
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Night They Took Miss Beautiful
1977
TV Movie music supervisor
A Year at the Top
1977
TV Series music supervisor
The Savage Bees
1976
TV Movie music supervisor
The Kids from C.A.P.E.R.
1976
TV Series music supervisor - 1 episode
The Great NBC Smilin' Saturday Mornin' Parade
1976
TV Movie music supervisor
The Adventurer
1972-1973
TV Series music supervisor - 26 episodes
The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan
1972
TV Series music supervisor - 9 episodes
The Persuaders!
1971-1972
TV Series music supervisor - 24 episodes
Archie's Funhouse
1970
TV Series music supervisor
Harlem Globe Trotters
1970
TV Series music supervisor
Archie and His New Pals
1969
TV Movie music supervisor
The Archie Show
1968
TV Series music supervisor
Occasional Wife
1966-1967
TV Series music consultant - 30 episodes
I Dream of Jeannie
1966-1967
TV Series music consultant - 35 episodes
Bewitched
1966-1967
TV Series music consultant - 44 episodes
Love on a Rooftop
1966-1967
TV Series music consultant - 30 episodes
Iron Horse
1966-1967
TV Series music consultant - 26 episodes
The Monkees
1966-1967
TV Series music supervisor - 28 episodes
Hawk
1966
TV Series music consultant - 17 episodes
Gidget
1966
TV Series music consultant - 1 episode
Hazel
1966
TV Series music consultant - 4 episodes
Scalplock
1966
TV Movie music consultant
The Wackiest Ship in the Army
1966
TV Series music consultant - 2 episodes
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Rock Concert
1979
TV Series executive producer - 2 episodes
The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal
1979
TV Movie executive producer
The Night They Took Miss Beautiful
1977
TV Movie executive producer
Roxy Page
1976
TV Movie executive producer
The Savage Bees
1976
TV Movie executive producer: Don Kirshner Productions
The Kids from C.A.P.E.R.
1976
TV Series executive producer - 1 episode
The Second Annual Rock Music Awards
1976
TV Special executive producer
The Great NBC Smilin' Saturday Mornin' Parade
1976
TV Movie executive producer
Musical Chairs
1975
TV Series producer - 18 episodes
The Rock 'n' Fun Magic Show
1975
TV Movie producer
In Concert
1973
TV Series producer - 4 episodes
Toomorrow
1970
producer
The Kowboys
1970
TV Movie producer
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Ron Dante: The Voice of the Archies
2008
Video documentary short
Come on Let's Go with the Archie Show!
2007
Video documentary short
Fred Flintstone and Friends
1977
TV Series
The Kowboys
1970
TV Movie
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Rock Concert
1974
TV Series
Host
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Kowboys
1970
TV Movie creator
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hollywood a Go Go
1965
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Legends
2010
TV Series documentary
Himself - Co-founder, Aldon Music
Making the Monkees
2007
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Neil Sedaka: The Show Must Go On
2001
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Walk on By: The Story of Popular Song
2001
TV Series documentary
Himself
E! True Hollywood Story
1999
TV Series documentary
Himself
Behind the Music
1998
TV Series documentary
Himself
Hey, Hey We're the Monkees
1997
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Girl Groups: The Story of a Sound
1983
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Rock Concert
1974-1979
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Host
All You Need Is Love
1977
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Mike Douglas Show
1976
TV Series
Himself - Rock Promoter
This Is Your Life
1959
TV Series
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Miracles Out of Nowhere
2015
Documentary
Himself
Das Phänomen Boygroups
2014
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2012
TV Special
Himself - Honoree
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards
2011
TV Special
Himself - In Memoriam
Known for movies
Bewitched (1966-1967) as Music Department
I Dream of Jeannie (1966-1967) as Music Department
$17 Million
