Ted Nichols

Theodore "Ted" Nichols (born October 2, 1928) is a composer, arranger, director and music producer. As a musician Nichols primarily played saxophone, violin and clarinet. He served as a Professor of Music at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary (Portland Oregon; 1980-84).

Nichols was in-house musical director at Hanna-Barbera Productions, where he arranged theme songs and composed incidental background music used in Hanna-Barbera productions such as Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, The Flintstones (during the final seasons), Josie and the Pussycats, Shazzan, Birdman and the Galaxy Trio, The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Wacky Races and The Man Called Flintstone.

Early years

He was born as Theodore Nicholas Sflotsos in Missoula, Montana in 1928 to Nicholas Theodore (first generation Greek immigrant) and Josephine Ellen Sflotsos. He was raised in the Greek Orthodox Church and Catholic churches, later becoming Baptist as an adult. The family moved to Spokane, Washington where he graduated from John R. Rogers High School. He then joined the Navy, where he was trained as an aviation electrician. During specialist training in Jacksonville, Florida, he played saxophone in the Navy swing band. He was later transferred to Corpus Christi, Texas, where he founded, directed and played in the base swing band. In 1948, he legally changed his name to Theodore Nichols.

After leaving the Navy, Nichols worked to finish his B.Mus from Baylor University, later re-enlisting in the Air Force at the commencement of the Korean War. The Air Force gave him his commission, allowed him to finish his university studies and then eventually sending him to Sampson Air Force Base in New York where he founded and then became Commanding Officer of the Air Force's band training school, teaming up with musicians from Eastman Conservatory.

Marriage

He met Doris Jane Carson (died 2009) in Texas. They married in 1950, during his final year of studies at Baylor University, and had three children.

Career

1950s: After the military service, Ted returned to Corpus Christi, and founded and directed the Corpus Christi Youth Symphony. Wanting to work on a doctorate, make contacts to begin orchestrating for films and teach. Initially he taught HS band, then took over the conducting of the band at Santa Ana Junior College. Later he was hired to direct the jazz band and also form/direct the marching band at CalState Los Angeles.

1960s: While working with the bands he also maintained a busy schedule of directing music/worship at local churches in the L.A. area. One of the more famous churches at which he directed music was the 4,000 member Church of the Open Door in downtown Los Angeles, during the tenure of famous radio preacher and Bible teacher, J. Vernon McGee. It was while serving in this capacity that he became acquainted with the L.A. artistic community. The large musical productions at the church encouraged a member of his choir, an animator at Hanna-Barbera to introduce Nichols to Bill Hanna, which led to a contract in 1962 as theme music composer for the adventure cartoon Jonny Quest, and later musical cues and arrangements for The Flintstones. Hanna-Barbera eventually offered Nichols the full-time position of Musical Director (1963–72).

In addition to his big band compositions/arrangements, Nichols wrote several operas, including:

• Pilgrim's Progress, which premiered in Finnish and English in Helsinki, Finland, 1977
• Esther, written in the 1980s for Southern Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky
• Word of Honor, written for the 50th Anniversary of the National Opera Association in New York, 2007
• Rendezvous with Destiny, 2010