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John Cardon Debney (born August 18, 1956) is an American film, television and video game composer born in Glendale, California. A protege of both Disney composer Buddy Baker and television composer Mike Post, Debney began his career doing music for rides at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. After leaving Disney, Debney went into television (scoring for shows ranging from ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''[[note]]and ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''[[/note]] to much of the Creator/HannaBarbera output). While serving as a composer for Creator/HannaBarbera, he did his first major film ''WesternAnimation/JetsonsTheMovie'' (having previously done the likes of ''Seven Hours To Judgment'' and ''The Further Adventures Of Tennessee Buck''). He went into film full-time after Music/JamesHorner recommended him to score ''Film/HocusPocus'' three years later and got his big break when he replaced Music/DavidArnold on 1995's ''Film/CutthroatIsland'' (Debney is just about the only person involved with this film whose career ''didn't'' take a body blow as a result).

Steadily working since then, he has tackled multiple genres and is known to adapt to any style given to him. He also mentored director Creator/RobertRodriguez on scoring and has collaborated with him on a few scores. Debney has received an Oscar nomination for ''Film/ThePassionOfTheChrist'' and won three Emmys, for ''The Cape'' (not [[TheCape this one]]), ''Series/SeaQuestDSV'' and ''Series/TheYoungRiders''. He is currently one of the composers working on ''Series/TheOrville''.

Debney also has the distinction of having written music for ''Star Trek'', ''Doctor Who'', DC (he scored the ill-fated ''[[Film/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League Of America]]'' pilot) '''and''' Marvel (''Film/IronMan2'')!

And he scored the pilot of ''Series/YoungSheldon'' (thanks to being the director Creator/JonFavreau's AssociatedComposer).
!! Among the films scored by Debney:
* ''WesternAnimation/JetsonsTheMovie'' (1990)
* ''WesternAnimation/JonnysGoldenQuest'' (MadeForTVMovie) (1993)
* ''Film/HocusPocus'' (1993) - with Music/JamesHorner supplying "Sarah's Theme" - and ''Film/HocusPocus2'' (2022)
* ''[[Literature/WhiteFang White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf]]'' (1994)
* ''Film/LittleGiants'' (1994)
* ''Film/CutthroatIsland'' (1995)
* ''Film/SuddenDeath'' (1995)
* ''Series/DoctorWho'' (MadeForTVMovie) (1996)
* ''Film/TheRelic'' (1997)
* ''Film/LiarLiar'' (1997) - theme by Music/JamesNewtonHoward
* ''Film/IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer'' (1997)
* ''Film/{{Inspector Gadget|1999}}'' (1999)
* ''Film/MyFavoriteMartian'' (1999) - with Music/DannyElfman providing "Uncle Martin Theme".
* ''Film/{{Dick}}'' (1999)
* ''Film/TheAdventuresOfElmoInGrouchland'' (1999)
* ''Film/EndOfDays'' (1999)
* ''Film/{{The Replacements|2000}}'' (2000)
* ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove'' (2000)
* ''Film/GSaviour'' (2000)
* ''Film/SpyKids'' and its first sequel (2001, 2002) - with Robert Rodriguez (both films), Music/DannyElfman (first film) and Harry Gregson-Williams (first film)
* ''Film/CatsAndDogs'' (2001)
* ''Film/ThePrincessDiaries'' and its sequel (2001, 2004)
* ''Film/{{Heartbreakers}}'' (2001) - main theme by Music/DannyElfman
* ''WesternAnimation/JimmyNeutronBoyGenius'' (2001)
* ''Film/SnowDogs'' (2002)
* ''Film/TheScorpionKing'' (2002)
* ''Film/TheTuxedo'' (2002) - with Music/ChristopheBeck
* ''Film/TheHotChick'' (2002)
* ''Film/BruceAlmighty'' and ''Film/EvanAlmighty'' (2003, 2007)
* ''Film/{{Elf}}'' (2003)
* ''Film/LooneyTunesBackInAction'' (2003) - last quarter only (rest of the film scored by Music/JerryGoldsmith)
* ''Film/ThePassionOfTheChrist'' (2004) - nominated for UsefulNotes/AcademyAward
* ''Film/SpiderMan2'' and ''Film/SpiderMan3'' (2004, 2007) - with Danny Elfman (2 only) and Christopher Young (2 and 3)
* ''Film/SinCity'' (2005) - with Robert Rodriguez and Graeme Revell (Debney only scored the segment "The Big Fat Kill").
* ''WesternAnimation/ChickenLittle'' (2005)
* ''Film/{{Zathura}}'' (2005)
* ''Film/{{Duma}}'' (2005) - with George Acogny
* ''Film/TheMummyTombOfTheDragonEmperor'' (2008) - Additional music only (film scored by Music/RandyEdelman)
* ''Film/HotelForDogs'' (2009)
* ''[[Series/HannahMontana Hannah Montana: The Movie]]'' (2009)
* ''Film/ValentinesDay'' (2010)
* ''Film/IronMan2'' (2010)
* ''Film/{{Predators}}'' (2010) - also adapted Music/AlanSilvestri's theme
* ''Film/{{Machete}}'' (2010) - with Robert Rodriguez and his band, Chingon
* ''WesternAnimation/YogiBear'' (2010)
* ''Film/{{No Strings Attached|2011}}'' (2011)
* ''The Change-Up'' (2011) - with Theodore Shapiro
* ''Film/DreamHouse'' (2011)
* ''Film/NewYearsEve'' (2011)
* ''Film/AThousandWords'' (2012)
* ''Film/TheThreeStooges'' (2012)
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongebobMovieSpongeOutOfWater'' (2015)
* ''Film/{{The Jungle Book|2016}}'' (2016)
* ''Mother's Day'' (2016)
* ''WesternAnimation/IceAgeCollisionCourse'' (2016)
* ''Film/TheGreatestShowman'' (2017)
* ''The Beach Bum'' (2019)
* ''Film/DoraAndTheLostCityOfGold'' (2019) - with Germaine Franco
* ''Film/HomeSweetHomeAlone'' (2021)
* ''WesternAnimation/Luck2022''
* ''Film/EightyForBrady'' (2023)

Debney has also written the themes for the following TV shows:
* ''The Cape'' - we repeat - not [[TheCape this one]], this was a 1996 series made for FirstRunSyndication about astronauts.
* ''WesternAnimation/DinkTheLittleDinosaur''
* ''[[Series/WaltDisneyPresents Disney's Wonderful World]]''
* ''VideoGame/DragonsLair''
* ''The Lazarus Man''
* ''Series/ThePretender'' (first season)
* ''WesternAnimation/APupNamedScoobyDoo''
* ''Series/SeaQuestDSV''
* ''Series/SupahNinjas''
* ''Series/TheYoungRiders''
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