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Craig Huxley (also known as Craig Hundley; born 1954 [1] ) is a Grammy nominated and Emmy Award winner producer, inventor, actor and musician. [2]
As a tween he began acting during the 1960s, portraying Peter James Kirk, Captain Kirk's nephew in the Star Trek S1 Finale episode "Operation Annihilate!" (1967). [1] [3] Featured for half hour in the "Roddenberry Vault" (2016). The following year, he played a different role in the episode "And the Children Shall Lead" (1968). [3] [4] Craig guest-starred in Bewitched (1965), The Brady Bunch (1969), The Streets of San Francisco (1972), and Kung Fu (1975). [1] [5]
Beginning his career as a child prodigy pianist, Huxley at age 14 gained early fame leading the Craig Hundley Trio, which released albums on World Pacific Records and won the NBC Showcase 68 competition alongside Sly and the Family Stone. [5] His first album, Arrival of a Young Giant, was a trio album by Hundley (piano), Jay Jay Wiggins (bass), and Gary Chase (drums) that was released in 1968. [6] Craig Hundley Plays with the Big Boys, from the following year, had Craig leading a Don Sebesky big band, with the trio now augmented by Larry Carlton on Guitar. The 1970 release, Rhapsody in Blue, featured a full orchestra backing Craig, doing the worlds first modern adaptation. And Craig's updated version was blessed in a photo session at the Gershwin home by Ira Gershwin. [1] [6] [7]
Huxley has performed on over 6,000 recording sessions, contributed to more than 150 film and television soundtracks—including Thriller by Michael Jackson (1982), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), and Dead Poets Society (1989)—and composed original scores for movies, including David Carradine's Americana (1981) also starring Barbara Hershey which won the People Choice Award at the Cannes Film Festival. [5] An Emmy Award-winning producer and Grammy Award nominee, he founded Enterprise Studios in Los Angeles, one of the city's largest recording complexes, and founded Sling Shot Entertainment; he has also produced the first DVD released in the United States and collaborated with artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince and David Bowie. [5] [8] [9]
Huxley invented a musical instrument – an 18ft. aluminum refinement he named blaster beam – in the 1970s. [1] [10] His design was patented in 1984. [11] The instrument was featured in the soundtrack to Star Trek: The Motion Picture, [10] James Cameron's "Aliens", [5] David Fincher's "Alien 3" [5] and Huxley played it on every cue for Bear McCreary's soundtrack to 10 Cloverfield Lane. [12]
In 1985, Huxley established The Enterprise Studios, a music recording studio complex in Burbank, California. [9] [1]
Craig Huxley was born Craig Hundley on November 22, 1954, in Sherman Oaks, California. [5] He grew up in Los Angeles, providing early exposure to music and acting opportunities. [13] Huxley demonstrated early aptitude for both acting and music, emerging in Hollywood during the 1960s. He debuted in a prominent role as Peter James Kirk, Captain James T. Kirk's nephew and namesake, in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode "Operation—Annihilate!" aired in 1967 (at age 12). [5] He reappeared in Star Trek TOS S3 as the leader of the kids in "And The Children Shall Lead", were he sat in the Captain's chair upon taking over command of the Starship Enterprise. He had several guest appearances on popular television shows, including "The Virginian" (1965), "Gunsmoke" (1966), "The Flying Nun" (1968), and "Lassie [5] " (1968), as well as "Bewitched" (1965) at age 10, where he portrayed the warlock Merle Brocken (nephew of the star, Samantha). [5] These roles showcased his precocious screen presence and contributed to his growing visibility as a child performer, with additional appearances in a multi-month stint on "Days of Our Lives" (1960s), "Run for Your Life" (1966) as son of Ernest Borgnine (Academy Award winner), and "The Brady Bunch" (1971). [5]
By age 10 in 1964, Huxley exchanged letters with President Lyndon B. Johnson, leading to an invitation to Washington, D.C., where he met the President accompanied by California Governor Pat Brown and chaperoned by Senator Pierre Salinger; he offered a youthful perspective on the presidential inauguration during a primetime ABC News broadcast. [7] As he entered his early teens, Huxley increasingly shifted focus toward music, training as a concert pianist and blending classical repertoire—such as concertos by Bartók, Tchaikovsky, and Beethoven—with jazz influences. This period solidified his reputation as a piano prodigy, during which he also made numerous television appearances as a musician, including on "The Tonight Show," "The Today Show," "The Jerry Lewis Telethon," and "The Jonathan Winters Show." [14]
A pivotal breakthrough came at age 14 in 1968, when Craig formed and led the youthful Craig Hundley Trio—featuring him on piano, J.J. Wiggins on bass, and Gary Chase on drums, later joined by guitarist Larry Carlton and Brazilian percussionist Mayuto. [6] [14] [7] The trio secured victory at the Hollywood Bowl and won the NBC Primetime "Showcase '68" competition, tying with Sly & the Family Stone in a finale that propelled Huxley's jazz career. This success led to their debut album, Arrival of a Young Giant, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart, and further performances on high-profile programs like "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson". Plus the national "The Mike Douglas Show," where he co-hosted for many weeks, and the The Joey Bishop Show, where he was interviewed by Regis Philbin. [7] [14]
By the mid-1960s, these combined acting musical work had amassed a number of television credits. [15]
In the mid-1980s, Craig Huxley established The Enterprise Studios in Burbank, California, naming it with a wink toward his early Star Trek acting roles — a nod noted in industry profiles of the facility’s history. Originally conceived as a multi-room recording and production complex, The Enterprise was built around Huxley’s vision of a studio that could handle everything from traditional music work to cutting-edge surround and multimedia production, and incorporated his existing Audio Affects equipment rental business into its operations. [16]
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Enterprise Studios expanded into a large-scale commercial facility, incorporating multiple tracking rooms, editing suites, and surround-sound post-production spaces. A detailed Mix Magazine facility profile described Enterprise as a technically advanced studio complex that supported a wide range of projects, including major label music sessions, film scoring, and audio post-production. The article noted the studio’s use of high-end consoles and its ability to accommodate orchestral, rock, pop, and multimedia recording workflows within a single campus. [16]
The studio’s expansion into high-resolution audio and 5.1 surround sound work in the 1990s positioned it as an early adopter of what would become standard formats in music and home video production. [16]
Enterprise Studios hosted a wide range of artists and projects across multiple genres involving Aerosmith, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Plácido Domingo, Michael Jackson, Dr. Dre and Paul McCartney, [17] as well as mixing engineers Dave Pensado, Mick Guzauski, David Foster, George Massenburg, Manny Marroquin were based at the facilities. [18] [16] The studios also hosted scoring sessions for a long list of film and TV projects, including Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Back to the Future and When Harry Met Sally. [17]
Elliot Goldenthal (Alien 3, Heat and Drugstore Cowboy) worked at the Studio in a variety of visual and media, as well as David Shire (2010, Short Circuit, Saturday Night Fever, Return to Oz), Stewart Copeland, Maurice Jarre (Firefox, Dreamscape, Passage to India, Shōgun), Jerrold Immel (Knots Landing), Paul Chihara (China Beach,Death Race 2000, Brave New World, Frederick Forsyth Presents, Shōgun: The Musical), and Huxley himself (cues in Star Trek 1, 2, 3, 4, portion of Baraka, theme and episodes for Walker: Texas Ranger). [19] [5]
The Christian hip-hop group Gospel Gangstaz recorded portions of their album I Can See Clearly Now at Enterprise, illustrating the studio’s role in niche and genre-specific projects. [19]
Jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour recorded live sessions at Enterprise Studios for his album OverTime, highlighting the facility’s appeal to instrumental and live ensemble recordings. [20]
The studio also supported orchestral and multimedia productions, including recordings for IMAX films that Huxley produced the DVD Special Editions of. Such as Africa: The Serengeti, Kingdom of the Tiger, Search for the Great Sharks, Grand Canyon: Hidden Secrets, Ring of Fire, Antarctica, First Emperor of China, Mystery of the Maya, Lost Worlds with Harrison Ford, and Jane Goodall’s Wild Chimpanzees, which leveraged Enterprise’s THX-certified scoring and surround-sound facilities. [9] Huxley also supervised the authoring, encoding and creation of behind the scenes shorts. And was also involved in audio post-production and remastering for film and television projects, including Star Trek franchise releases in immersive audio formats. [21]
In the 2020s, the physical infrastructure and legacy of Enterprise Studios, (both Enterprise I and Enterprise II) were incorporated into the Evergreen–Enterprise Experience, a revived production environment combining historic studio spaces with modern hybrid-analog technology. As part of this redevelopment, new flagship rooms were installed featuring Solid State Logic Duality Fuse consoles, blending analog signal paths with digital control and automation. The upgrade was documented by Solid State Logic and audio-industry publications, which framed the project as a continuation of Enterprise’s long-standing role in professional music and audio production. Huxley introduced SSL's first 8000 series consoles and first three 101 channel SSL 9000s. [21]
Craig Huxley developed the Blaster Beam in the mid 1970s a long-string device constructed from aluminum. [4] The fisrt prototype was hand-crafted in his personal workshop in 1975. The instrument's core design centers on an 18-foot aluminum beam that serves as the primary resonator, strung with numerous tensed wires to enable a wide range of tonal possibilities. Electromagnetic pickups, including magnetic and piezoelectric types, capture the vibrations, while adjustable sound exciters amplify and modify the output for varied sonic textures. Played through techniques such as striking, rubbing, or plucking with hands, sticks, or metal objects, the Blaster Beam produces deep, resonant drones and ethereal overtones. [11]
Conceived specifically to generate otherworldly drones and tones suited for science fiction sound design, the Blaster Beam addressed Huxley's need for unconventional audio elements beyond standard synthesizers. The first prototype was hand-crafted in his personal workshop in 1979, initially for experimental recording sessions that explored its potential in atmospheric music production. Huxley's background as a session musician, where he honed skills in sound manipulation, directly informed this inventive process. [22]
The Blaster Beam made it particularly effective in science-fiction and suspense film scoring. The instrument gained widespread recognition through its prominent use in Jerry Goldsmith’s score for Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), where it was employed to represent the vast and non-human presence of the alien entity V’Ger. The Blaster Beam’s unique timbre contributed significantly to the film’s sonic identity and demonstrated how unconventional instruments could be integrated into large-scale orchestral scores. [23]
Prior to its cinematic breakthrough, the instrument had already appeared on television, composer Stu Phillips stated that during the production of The Amazing Spider‑Man (1978) television series, he sought to use inventive sounds in his score, including “weird percussion instruments — things like the Blaster Beam” to enhance the show’s musical palette. [24] As well as during the third season of Wonder Woman (1979), marking one of its earliest broadcast uses. Craig playing his Blaster Beam has been featured on dozens of movies, TV episodes, streaming series and video games, within the Star Trek franchise, including James Horner’s score for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) [25] , and Craig's composition of "Genesis Project" reinforcing its association with large-scale, dramatic science-fiction narrative. [4] [26]
In more recent years, the instrument has continued to attract interest from contemporary composers; Bear McCreary incorporated the Blaster Beam into his score for 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) [22] , Stephen King horror movie "Doctor Sleep" (2019) sequel to "The Shining", also heard on all John Debney episodes of Seth MacFarlane's tribute to "Star Trek" - The Orville, Stephen Barton and Terry Matalas worked with Craig and his Blaster Beam in the Star Trek: Picard Season 3 (2023) [27] , using its low-frequency resonance to enhance the film’s atmosphere of tension and uncertainty whenever the Shrike appears [28] . These appearances illustrate the Blaster Beam’s enduring role as a specialized instrument in film music, valued for its ability to evoke scale, menace, and otherworldly presence. [4]
In addition to film and television work, the Blaster Beam has been recorded for use in video game scoring contexts. Composer Kevin Manthei posted that Star Trek Online: Ascension (2022) features recordings of Craig Huxley performing the Blaster Beam for the V’Ger-related musical material, bringing the instrument’s distinctive low-frequency tones from its cinematic roots into interactive media. [29] Video footage on the composer’s YouTube channel further documents Huxley and the Blaster Beam being recorded during Star Trek Online music sessions, supporting the instrument’s contribution to the game’s soundtrack. [30] [31]
Craig Huxley's creation of the Blaster Beam, an electro-acoustic musical instrument, was formally recognized through U.S. Patent No. 4,462,295, granted on July 31, 1984, under the title "Beam and Cylinder Sound Instrument." The patent, filed by Huxley (under his birth name, Craig R. Hundley) [32] , describes a device comprising an elongated aluminum beam serving as a sounding board. [12]
Manufacturing of the Blaster Beam has been limited, with Huxley producing only a small number of units. [4]
SlingShot Entertainment was a home video distributor based in Burbank, California, most active in the late 1990s through the early 2000s. Craig launched this company in March 19th, 1997 producing and reealsing the first DVD in history [33] and led the company in various distribution milestones such as early IMAX and 3D DVD releases. [5] It specialized in releasing films originally shown in large-format theaters (such as IMAX) on DVD and VHS, effectively making specialized documentary and nature films available for home audiences. For example, catalog records list DVD editions of large-format titles like Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets and Yellowstone issued by SlingShot Entertainment, often remastered from their original IMAX presentations and published in the early 2000s. [34]
Archival records from library and collector catalogs show SlingShot Entertainment credited as the publisher or contributor on multiple DVDs of large-format films, with several titles documenting natural wonders or environments released through its label, reflecting a focus on educational and high-quality documentary content. [34]
Industry press sources from the early 2000s also indicate that SlingShot Entertainment entered distribution deals with other producers to release 3D large-format films on DVD, including several 3-D titles by nWave Pictures, showing that it had ongoing relationships within the large-format film ecosystem. [35]
| Year | Film | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Sedona | SlingShot IMAX Dvd | [36] |
| 2001 | The Legend of Loch Lomond | IMAX; Producer - DVD | [37] |
| 2002 | Kilimanjaro: To the Roof of Africa | IMAX; Producer - DVD | [37] |
| 2002 | Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpazees | IMAX; Producer - DVD | [37] |
| 2003 | Whales of Atlantis: In Search of Moby Dick | Documentary | [37] |
| 2006 | James Cameron Explorers: From Titanic to the Moon | Documentary | [37] |
| 2007 | Amazon Trek: In Search of Vanishing Secrets | Documentary | [37] |
| 2008 | Red and White: Gone wiht the West | Documentary | [37] |
| 2010 | Heroes of Jules Verne | Documentary | [37] |
| Year | Film and TV | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Roadie | (as Craig Hundley) | [37] |
| 1980 | Schizoid | (as Craig Hundley) | [38] |
| 1980 | Alligator | (as Craig Hundley) | [38] |
| 1981 | Americana | (as Craig Hundley) | [37] |
| 1982 | Cat People | (Blaster Beam, Synth, Piano, composer additional music) | [5] |
| 1986 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | TV Series | [37] |
| 1986 - 1991 | Knots Landing | TV Series; 21 Episodes | [37] |
| 1992 | Baraka | Documentary (Soundtrack producer) | [5] |
| 1993 - 2001 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Composer: Theme Music; 143 Episodes | [5] |
| Year | Title | Note | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Futureworld | (Enterprise Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam, Piano) | [5] |
| Rocky | (Synthesizer) | [5] | |
| 1978 | Battlestar Galactica | (Blaster Beam, synth, keyboard) | [5] |
| The Wiz | (Blaster Beam) | [5] | |
| 1979 | When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? | (electronic musician - as Craig Hundley) | [5] |
| Apocalypse Now | (musician: Synthesizer, Additional Music) | [5] | |
| Bloodline | (composer: additional music - with Ennio Morricone) | [5] | |
| Star Trek: The Motion Picture | (composer additional music, Blaster Beam, microtonal clavichord, Tubulons, Serge Modular System, synth, piano) | [5] | |
| The Black Hole | (Producer Enterprise Sound Package, Blaster Beam, synthesizers) | [5] | |
| 1982 | Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan | (Blaster Beam, conductor, composer additional music, Enterprise Studio producer) | [5] |
| Poltergeist | (Enterprise Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam, Piano) | [5] | |
| Firefox | (musician: blaster beam, synth, piano - uncredited) | ||
| Night Shift | (Blaster Beam: electronics, synthesizer) | [5] | |
| 1983 | Psycho II | (Producer Enterprise Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam) | [5] |
| The Making of 'Thriller' | Video Documentary (Producer Enterprise Sound Package, synthesizer, Blaster Beam) | [5] | |
| 1984 | Purple Rain | (Blaster Beam, Synclavier, Synthesizer) | [5] |
| Dreamscape | (music performer - as Craig Hundley) / (music programmer: synthesizer - as Craig Hundley) / (soundtrack producer) | [5] | |
| 2010 | Co-Producer / (electronic music engineer) / (electronic music performer) / (electronic music producer) / (orchestral music remixer) / (synthesizer programmer) | [5] | |
| Starring... the Actors | Documentary (Score Producer) | [5] | |
| 1985 | White Nights | (musician: Blaster Beam, Synth, Piano - uncredited) | [5] |
| 1986 | Aliens | (Enterprise Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam, Piano) | [5] |
| Captain EO | Short (Blaster Beam, Synth, Piano, Conductor) | [5] | |
| The Morning After | (Blaster Beam, Synth, Piano) | [5] | |
| 1988 | Michael Jackson: Man in the Mirror | Video Short (Producer Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam) | [5] |
| Who Framed Roger Rabbit | (Blaster Beam, synth, piano, sound design) | [5] | |
| 1989 | Dead Poets Society | (Enterprise Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam, Piano) | [5] |
| Star Trek V: The Final Frontier | (Blaster Beam, Synth) | [5] | |
| Back to the Future Part II | (Blaster Beam, synth, keyboards, sound design) | [5] | |
| 1990 | Back to the Future Part III | (Blaster Beam, synth, keyboards, sound design) | [5] |
| Edward Scissorhands | (Enterprise Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam, Piano) | [5] | |
| 1992 | Alien³ | (Enterprise Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam, Piano) / (musician: Enterprise synclavier sound package, blaster beam, piano) | [5] |
| The Last of the Mohicans | (Producer Enterprise Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam) | [5] | |
| 1993 | The Nightmare Before Christmas | (Enterprise Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam, Piano) | [5] |
| Dangerous: The Short Films | Video (Producer Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam) | [5] | |
| 1995 | Se7en | (Producer Enterprise Synclavier Sound Package, Blaster Beam) | [5] |
| 1996 | Mission Impossible | (Synclavier, Keyboards) | [5] |
| Star Trek: First Contact | (Blaster Beam, Synth, Piano) | [5] |