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Buddy Baker

Composer · Died July 26, 2002, aged 84 · Springfield, Missouri, USA

Norman Dale "Buddy" Baker (January 4, 1918 - July 26, 2002) was an American composer mainly known for scoring Disney films, television programs, and theme parks.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 4, 1918
Died
July 26, 2002 (aged 84)
From
Springfield, Missouri, USA
Works as
Composer
Titles
30 on MovieCove · 71 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 24% in 30 days

What are Buddy Baker's films like?

Across their 30 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Animation5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
39%
Self
20%
Ideas
11%
Morality
9%
Society
9%
Power
7%
Survival
4%
Family bonds16 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship6 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed3 titles, browse their movies with this themeNature3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 30 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 25 · Serious 5 · Dark 0

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 20 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 0

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 23 · Charged 6 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 24 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 16 · Funny 11

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 21 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 27 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 29 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
20
Warm
18
Hopeful
7
Contemplative
10
Absurd
5
Other
17

How their films linger

Feel-good25 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy21
  • Bittersweet7
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Buddy Baker's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Buddy Baker's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

71 credits, 30 with a MovieCove page.

  • Haunted Mansion | Disneyland Resort (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Composer

  • Forgotten Heroes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer

  • The Puppetoon Movie(1987)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Impressions De France (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • The Fox and the Hound(1981)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Dream Called EPCOT (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Composer

  • The Devil and Max Devlin(1981)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Kids Who Knew Too Much(1980)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again(1979)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Hot Lead and Cold Feet(1978)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Trail of Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Composer

  • Race for Survival (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Composer

  • The Bluegrass Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Composer

  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh(1977)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • A Tale of Two Critters(1977)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Shaggy D.A.(1976)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Treasure of Matecumbe(1976)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • No Deposit, No Return(1976)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Seems There Was This Moose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Composer

  • The Apple Dumpling Gang(1975)

    Composer · Music Director

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Footloose Goose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Composer

  • The Best of Walt Disney's True-Life Adventures(1975)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Composer

  • Two Against the Arctic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Composer

  • Return of the Big Cat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Composer

  • Carlo the Sierra Coyote (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Composer

  • The Bears and I(1974)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Fire on Kelly Mountain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Composer

  • Charley and the Angel(1973)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Superdad(1973)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Magic of Walt Disney World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Composer

  • Napoleon and Samantha(1972)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Mountain Born (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Composer

  • The Million Dollar Duck(1971)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Disneyland Showtime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Composer

  • Menace on the Mountain(1970)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • King of the Grizzlies(1970)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Boy Who Stole the Elephant(1970)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • My Dog, the Thief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Composer

  • Wild Geese Calling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Composer

  • Guns in the Heather (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Composer

  • Rascal(1969)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Composer

  • The Not So Lonely Lighthouse Keeper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Composer

  • The Gnome-Mobile(1967)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Boy Who Flew with Condors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Composer

  • EPCOT (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Composer

  • Concho, the Coyote Who Wasn't (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Composer

  • Run, Light Buck, Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Composer

  • Winnie the Pooh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 3 episodes · Compositor

  • Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Composer

  • Johnny Shiloh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Composer

  • The Monkey's Uncle(1965)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Kilroy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Composer

  • Disneyland 10th Anniversary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Composer

  • One Day at Teton Marsh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • A Tiger Walks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • The Misadventures of Merlin Jones(1964)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Summer Magic(1963)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Escapade in Florence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Composer

  • Fantasy on Skis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Composer

  • Aquamania(1961)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Donald and the Wheel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Composer

  • The Litterbug (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Composer

  • Daniel Boone: The Warrior's Path (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Composer

  • Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus(1960)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Donald in Mathmagic Land(1959)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Disneyland '59 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • The Rainbow Road to Oz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Songs

  • 3D Jamboree (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Composer

  • Wicked Woman(1953)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 65 titles from 1953 to 2025.

Biggest box office

The Fox and the Hound (1981)

$63M worldwide

Highest rated

Donald in Mathmagic Land (1959)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

The Fox and the Hound (1981)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Music63 of 65: 62 only music, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score51stOther crew3 of 65: 2 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1950s5 · crew1960s27 · crew1970s25 · crew1980s6 · crew1990s1 · crew2020s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Buddy Baker's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 50th percentile, the median of all 30; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Reach · how many have seen their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 30 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · composer

The Boy Who Stole the Elephant (1970)

81st percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

Donald in Mathmagic Land (1959)

Midcredits 95th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 59/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles; fans 66, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Buddy Baker's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 15 · mildMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Buddy Baker work with?

People who share at least 2 of Buddy Baker's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ron Miller shares the most, 12.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers