Alfred Newman Alfred Newman

Born: 17 March 1900, New Haven, Connecticut.
Died: 17 February 1970.

Biography:
Alfred Newman is the head of a musical dynasty (his younger brothers, Emil and Lionel, were both composers, as are his sons David and Thomas, and his nephew Randy) and one of the most important and influential composers ever to wield a baton in Hollywood. His important legacy to the film music industry is almost incalculable. The eldest of ten children, young Alfred was a musical prodigy, and was giving piano concerts at the age of seven. The money he earned from his recitals funded his continued musical education in New York, where he was taught composition and harmony. His first work was accompanying Grace La Rue in her vaudeville act, which in turn led to further work at the Harlem Opera House and on Broadway. It was while conducting Gershwin musicals such as "Treasure Girl" and "Funny Face" on Broadway in the 1920s that he first encountered movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn, who lured him to Hollywood. He scored his first major movie, "Street Scene", in 1931, and quickly became the "premier" composer working in film at that time. He was appointed Head of Music at Twentieth Century Fox, and remained there for nearly two decades, during which time he contributed an enormous amount to film music as a composer, arranger, musical director and conductor. His credits read like a list of the most influential film scores of all time: "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937), "Alexander's Ragtime Band" (1938), "Brigham Young" (1940), "The Mark of Zorro" (1940), "How Green Was My Valley" (1941), "The Song of Bernadette" (1943), "The Razor's Edge" (1946), "Captain from Castile" (1947), "Prince of Foxes" (1949), "All About Eve" (1950), "David and Bathsheba" (1951), "The Robe" (1953), "The Egyptian" (1954), "The Seven-Year Itch" (1955), "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" (1955), "Anastasia" (1956), "The King and I" (1956), "The Diary of Anne Frank" (1959), "South Pacific" (1959), "How the West Was Won" (1962), "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (1965), and his last score "Airport" (1970). Newman's career encompassed over 250 films, in every conceivable genre, earning him an astonishing 45 Oscar nominations, winning nine times. He composed the music for the 20th Century Fox logo which is still in use today. He also is credited as "discovering" a number of composers, including David Raksin, Bernard Herrmann and John Williams, whose first screen assignments were as a result of his association. Newman retired from scoring immediately after "Airport" was finished, and looked to have a long and happy retirement. He died aged 69 on 17 February 1970 at his home in Hollywood, of complications from emphysema.

Reviews:
How The West Was Won

Filmography:
Airport (1970), Firecreek (1968), Camelot (1967), Nevada Smith (1966), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), How the West Was Won (1962), The Counterfeit Traitor (1962), Flower Drum Song (1961), The Pleasure of His Company (1961), The Mark (1961), The Diary of Anne Frank (1959), The Best of Everything (1959), A Certain Smile (1958), The Bravados (1958), South Pacific (1958), April Love (1957), Anastasia (1956), Bus Stop (1956), Carousel (1956), The King and I (1956), The Seven Year Itch (1955), Daddy Long Legs (1955), Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955), A Man Called Peter (1955), The Egyptian (1954), Hell and High Water (1954), There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), Tonight We Sing (1953), How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), Destination Gobi (1953), The Robe (1953), Treasure of the Golden Condor (1953), The President's Lady (1953), Kangaroo (1952), With a Song in My Heart (1952), Night Without Sleep (1952), O'Henry's Full House (1952), The Prisoner of Zenda (1952), The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952), Wait 'Til the Sun Shines, Nellie (1952), What Price Glory (1952), On the Riviera (1951), David and Bathsheba (1951), Half Angel (1951), Fourteen Hours (1951), The Guest (1951), Take Care of My Little Girl (1951), All About Eve (1950), The Gunfighter (1950), No Way Out (1950), Panic in the Streets (1950), The Big Lift (1950), Under My Skin (1950), For Heaven's Sake (1950), Two Flags West (1950), When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950), Twelve O'Clock High (1949), Thieves' Highway (1949), Pinky (1949), Come to the Stable (1949), Mr. Belvedere Goes to College (1949), A Letter to Three Wives (1949), Alias the Champ (1949), Down to the Sea in Ships (1949), Everybody Does It (1949), Mother Is a Freshman (1949), Prince of Foxes (1949), The Snake Pit (1948), When My Baby Smiles at Me (1948), Cry of the City (1948), Sitting Pretty (1948), Call Northside 777 (1948), Chicken Every Sunday (1948), The Iron Curtain (1948), That Lady in Ermine (1948), That Wonderful Urge (1948), Unfaithfully Yours (1948), The Walls of Jericho (1948), Yellow Sky (1948), Captain from Castile (1947), Gentleman's Agreement (1947), The Foxes of Harrow (1947), Mother Wore Tights (1947), The Late George Apley (1947), The Homestretch (1947), I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now (1947), The Shocking Miss Pilgrim (1947), The Razor's Edge (1946), Margie (1946), Centennial Summer (1946), Dragonwyck (1946), Leave Her to Heaven (1945), State Fair (1945), A Bell for Adano (1945), A Royal Scandal (1945), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), The Keys of the Kingdom (1944), Wilson (1944), The Fighting Lady (1944), Irish Eyes Are Smiling (1944), The Purple Heart (1944), The Sullivans (1944), Sunday Dinner for a Soldier (1944), The Song of Bernadette (1943), Coney Island (1943), The Moon Is Down (1943), Claudia (1943), December 7th (1943), Heaven Can Wait (1943), My Friend Flicka (1943), Wintertime (1943), Roxie Hart (1942), The Battle of Midway (1942), Son of Fury (1942), Song of the Islands (1942), The Black Swan (1942), China Girl (1942), Girl Trouble (1942), Life Begins at Eight-Thirty (1942), Orchestra Wives (1942), The Pied Piper (1942), Rings on Her Fingers (1942), Springtime in the Rockies (1942), Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942), This Above All (1942), To the Shores of Tripoli (1942), How Green Was My Valley (1941), Remember the Day (1941), Weekend in Havana (1941), A Yank in the RAF (1941), Man Hunt (1941), The Great American Broadcast (1941), That Night in Rio (1941), Ball of Fire (1941), Belle Starr (1941), Blood and Sand (1941), Charley's Aunt (1941), Wild Geese Calling (1941), Tin Pan Alley (1940), The Mark of Zorro (1940), They Knew What They Wanted (1940), Foreign Correspondent (1940), Earthbound (1940), Lillian Russell (1940), Johnny Apollo (1940), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), Little Old New York (1940), Vigil in the Night (1940), The Blue Bird (1940), Brigham Young (1940), Hudson's Bay (1940), Maryland (1940), Barricade (1939), Beau Geste (1939), They Shall Have Music (1939), Young Mr. Lincoln (1939), Wuthering Heights (1939), Gunga Din (1939), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), The Rains Came (1939), The Real Glory (1939), The Star Maker (1939), The Cowboy and the Lady (1938), Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938), Trade Winds (1938), The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), The Hurricane (1937), You Only Live Once (1937), Wee Willie Winkie (1937), When You're in Love (1937), 52nd Street (1937), Slave Ship (1937), Stella Dallas (1937), Come and Get It (1936), Ramona (1936), Beloved Enemy (1936), Dodsworth (1936), The Gay Desperado (1936), These Three (1936), Clive of India (1935), The Wedding Night (1935), Barbary Coast (1935), Cardinal Richelieu (1935), The Dark Angel (1935), The Melody Lingers On (1935), Metropolitan (1935), Splendor (1935), Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back (1934), We Live Again (1934), One Night of Love (1934), The Cat's Paw (1934), Our Daily Bread (1934), Born To Be Bad (1934), The Affairs of Cellini (1934), Moulin Rouge (1934), The Count of Monte Cristo (1934), The House of Rothschild (1934), The Last Gentleman (1934), The Mighty Barnum (1934), Nana (1934), Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round (1934), Advice to the Lovelorn (1933), Blood Money (1933), The Bowery (1933), Broadway Through a Keyhole (1933), Gallant Lady (1933), Hallelujah, I'm a Bum (1933), I Cover the Waterfront (1933), The Masquerader (1933), Roman Scandals (1933), Secrets (1933), Rain (1932), Sky Devils (1932), Cock of the Air (1932), Cynara (1932), The Greeks Had a Word for Them (1932), Mr. Robinson Crusoe (1932), Night World (1932), Okay, America! (1932), Arrowsmith (1931), City Lights (1931), Corsair (1931), Kiki (1931), Street Scene (1931), Tonight or Never (1931), The Unholy Garden (1931), The Devil to Pay! (1930).

Highest Grossing Films (adjusted for inflation):
Unavailable at this time.

Awards:
1968 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score (Adaptation of Treatment) - Camelot
1957 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score (Musical) - The King and I
1956 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score (Dramatic/Comedic) - Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing
1954 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score (Musical) - Call Me Madam
1953 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score (Musical) - With A Song in My Heart
1948 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score (Musical) - Mother Wore Tights
1944 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score (Dramatic/Comedic) - The Song of Bernadette
1941 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score - Tin Pan Alley
1939 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score - Alexander's Ragtime Band
1971 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - Airport
1968 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Greatest Story Ever Told
1964 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - How The West Was Won
1962 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Musical) - Flower Drum Song
1960 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Dramatic/Comedic) - The Diary of Anne Frank
1960 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Song - "The Best of Everything" from The Best of Everything
1959 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Musical) - South Pacific
1957 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Dramatic/Comedic) - Anastasia
1956 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Musical) - Daddy Long-Legs
1955 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Musical) - There's No Business Like Show Business
1952 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Dramatic/Comedic) - David and Bathsheba
1952 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Musical) - On the Riviera
1951 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Dramatic/Comedic) - All About Eve
1950 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Song - "Through A Long and Sleepless Night" from Come to the Stable
1949 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Dramatic/Comedic) - The Snake Pit
1949 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Musical) - When My Baby Smiles At Me
1948 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Dramatic/Comedic) - Captain from Castile
1947 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Musical) - Centennial Summer
1946 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Dramatic/Comedic) - The Keys of the Kingdom
1946 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Musical) - State Fair
1945 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Dramatic/Comedic) - Wilson
1945 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Musical) - Irish Eyes Are Smiling
1944 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Musical) - Coney Island
1943 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Dramatic/Comedic) - The Black Swan
1943 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Musical) - My Gal Sal
1942 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Dramatic) - Ball of Fire
1942 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Dramatic) - Hoe Green Was My Valley
1941 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Mark of Zorro
1940 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Rains Came
1940 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - Wuthering Heights
1940 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1940 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - They Shall Have Music
1939 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Cowboy and the Lady
1939 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Goldwyn Follies
1938 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Hurricane
1938 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Prisoner of Zenda
1971 Golden Globes - Nominee, Best Original Score - Airport

Airport All About Eve/Leave Her To Heaven Anastasia The Best of Everything The Black Swan The Blue Bird The Bravados Camelot Captain from Castile Carousel David and Bathsheba Down to the Sea in Ships/Twelve O'Clock High Dragonwyck The Egyptian Flower Drum Song The Greatest Story Ever Told Hell and High Water How Green Was My Valley How the West Was Won How to Marry a Millionaire The Hunchback of Notre Dame/Beau Geste The Keys to the Kingdom The King and I Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing A Man Called Peter Oklahoma! Prince of Foxes The Prisoner of Zenda The Razor's Edge The Robe Son of Fury The Song of Bernadette South Pacific State Fair Wilson


Home Page | Reviews A-M | Reviews N-Z | Composers | Links

Site copyright © 1997-2008, Jonathan Broxton/Movie Music UK. This page copyright © 2008. All rights reserved. The reviews and articles contained herein may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of the author. Some artwork and multimedia material are © various record labels and artists. All photos, multimedia and album artwork used are for non-profit making, promotional purposes, and no copyright infringement is intended.