Dennis McCarthy, born on July 3, 1945, is an esteemed American composer renowned for his contributions to television and film scores. He has made a significant impact on the Star Trek franchise, composing music for series such as Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, and the feature film Star Trek Generations. His television work extends to popular series like Dynasty, V, MacGyver, Sliders, and Dawson's Creek. McCarthy's career began in the late 1960s, where he worked as a conductor and arranger for Glen Campbell and later became the music director for Campbell's and Barbara Mandrell's television shows.

Throughout his career, McCarthy has been recognized with numerous accolades, including 18 ASCAP awards and a Primetime Emmy Award for his theme for Deep Space Nine. He has also received nine Emmy nominations for his work related to Star Trek. Additionally, he won an Emmy for music direction for the 63rd Academy Awards. McCarthy's versatility is further demonstrated by his work on stage productions and various recordings. He has been married to Patty since 1965, and they have three children together.