Marc Shaiman Named Oscar's Music Director

The key word, we bet, is 10. With a record 10 films to be in Best Picture contention at the 2010 Academy Awards, composer Marc Shaiman had better get started on those parody songs to send up that fact. Per Indiewire.com, he'll serve as music director of the 82nd Academy Awards itself, it was announced by telecast producers Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic.

For Shankman in particular, the choice of Shaiman is pretty much keeping things in the family: Shankman directed the John Travolta-starring film version of the hit Broadway musical 'Hairspray,' for which Shaiman wrote music to Scott Wittman's lyrics (both won Tonys). Shaiman was previously the music director for the 78th Academy Awards in 2004.

Shaiman is also a five-time Academy Award nominee: three for Original Score (1995's 'The American President,' 1996's 'The First Wives Club' and 1998's 'Patch Adams') and two for Original Song (1993's 'A Wink and a Smile' from 'Sleepless in Seattle' and 1999's 'Blame Canada' from 'South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut').

It was on 'Saturday Night Live' nearly 35 years ago that Shaiman's career began. Long associated with Bette Midler's renowned stage shows, he also scored the 1990 film 'Misery' and in more recent years was musical director for the short-lived 'Martin Short Show' and 'Bette' on TV.

And he and Wittman have created a Broadway musical version of the Steven Spielberg film 'Catch Me If You Can' that played in Seattle earlier this year and is now widely believed to be Broadway-bound.