Earle H. Hagen, the man heard whistling at the beginning of The Andy Griffith Show, died at his home in Rancho Mirage, CA on Monday at age 88.

Hagen co-wrote the jazz classic “Harlem Nocturne” and composed themes for television shows “The Andy Griffith Show,” “I Spy,” “The Mod Squad,” and others.

He and Dick Rogers were nominated for an Academy Award for best music scoring for the 1960 Marilyn Monroe movie “Let’s Make Love.”

For television, he composed original music for more than 3,000 episodes, pilots and TV movies, including theme songs for “That Girl,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”

According to his wife Laura, Hagen had been in ill health for several months.

Related Articles:

• Director Sydney Pollack Dies of Cancer at 73 (Photos)
• Fox News Liz Trotta Wants Obama and Osama Dead (Video)
• Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In Creator Dick Martin Dies in Santa Monica (PHOTOS)
• Val Thomas: Dead Woman Comes Back to Life (Photo)
• Former White House Aide Hamilton Jordan Dies
• Gospel Legend Dottie Rambo Dies in Tour Bus Crash 1934-2008
• D.C. Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey Found Dead From Apparent Suicide (Video)
• Albert Hofmann, Inventor of LSD, Dead at Age 102

Filed under: Across the Nation, Celebrities