A “Dancing with the Stars” family is mourning the loss of one of their own.
Harold Wheeler, the longtime music director for the ABC reality competition series, has died. He was 82 years old.
Wheeler, who was also a prominent Broadway orchestrator and won a special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theater in 2019, died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles after a long illness, Deadline reported.
The musician served as both music director and composer for the first 17 seasons of DWTS from 2005 to 2013, before his departure was confirmed in 2014 ahead of the show’s 18th season.
Tom Bergeron, who hosted DWTS for the series’ first 28 seasons, posted a heartfelt tribute to Wheeler on Instagram Thursday.
“When I first heard @dancingwiththestars’ music in 2005, it was coming from Harold Wheeler and his orchestra,” he began. “There was no greater joy than breaking up him and his orchestra during dress rehearsal. Well, that and getting to bask in the brilliance of their talent. #Rest in Peace my friends 😔”
Wheeler’s DWTS successor Ray Chu responded to Bergeron’s post in the comments, calling it “one of the greatest honors” of his career to pass the baton to Wheeler.
“Harold couldn’t have been kinder, offering his blessings and encouragement as I stepped into the role he so prominently shaped,” Chu wrote. “It meant more to me than words can express.”
Chu also exclaimed Wheeler’s “immense” influence on the entertainment industry.
Six-time Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy winner and current “DWTS” judge Derek Hough also praised Wheeler on Instagram as someone who “helped build so much of the magic we know.”
“From the Oscars to countless iconic shows, he was a legend. I’ll always remember sending him an idea early in the season and the fun moment when[season 15 celebrity partner]Sean[Johnson]and I rolled into the pit with his band,” he wrote, also sharing a clip of the moment.
“Harold, thank you for your music, your kindness, and your memories,” Hough continued. “Rest in peace, my friend.”
In addition to his long-running role on “DWTS,” Wheeler has numerous stage and film credits, including award shows such as the Oscars and Emmy Awards, and as music director and orchestrator for several musicals from Broadway to television.
He also conducted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics and performed with musicians such as Burt Bacharach, Nina Simone, and Bruce Springsteen.
Wheeler is survived by his wife, Hattie Winston; his two daughters, Marian and Samantha; and his grandchildren.
The DWTS family suffered a major loss when Len Goodman, who served as a judge for most of the show’s first 31 seasons, died in 2023 after prostate cancer spread to his bones.
He died in a hospice in Kent, England, surrounded by his family. He was 78 years old.
Goodman’s agent, Jackie Gill, confirmed his death in a statement at the time, saying he was a “much-loved husband, father and grandfather who will be greatly missed by his family, friends and all who knew him.”
