Dimitri Tiomkin Dimitri Tiomkin

Born: 10 May 1899, Kremenchuk, Ukraine.
Died: 11 November 1979.

Biography:
Dimitri Zinovievich Tiomkin was born in Kremenchug, Ukraine, and educated at the Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he studied with Felix Blumenfeld and Alexander Glazunov. He moved to Berlin in 1924, where his father was practicing as a doctor, and quickly became established as a pianist and conductor, subsequently spending many years touring Europe. He was especially instrumental in introducing the music of George Gershwin outside America, having given the first European performance of Gershwin's Piano Concerto in Paris. Sensing that the world of film would give him more opportunities to write original music, Tiomkin emigrated to the United States in 1925, moved to Hollywood with his wife, dancer Albertina Rasch, in 1930, and became an American citizen in 1937. Along with contemporaries such as Alfred Newman, Erich Korngold, Max Steiner and Franz Waxman, Tiomkin quickly became one of the pioneers of the new art form of movie music. He wrote his first scores in the early 1930s, but first came to prominence in 1937, with his score for Frank Capra's adventure "Lost Horizon". During his career, Tiomkin was regarded as one of the finest composers working in film, and had numerous successes, notably for his work in the Western genre (especially the films of John Wayne), on several films for Alfred Hitchcock. Among his best-remembered credits are films such as "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939), "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" (1944), "Red River" (1948), "The Thing from Another World" (1951), "High Noon" (1952), "Dial M for Murder" (1954), "The High and the Mighty" (1954), "Giant" (1956), "Friendly Persuasion" (1956), "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (1957), "The Old Man and the Sea" (1958), "Rio Bravo" (1959), "The Alamo" (1960), "The Guns of Navarone" (1961), "55 Days at Peking" (1963) and "The Fall of the Roman Empire" (1964). Many of his songs, often co-written with Ned Washington or Paul Francis Smith, went on to become classics, including "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling" and "The Green Leaves of Summer". During his career Tiomkin was nominated for a staggering 23 Oscars, winning on four occasions. The composer returned to his cultural roots in 1969 when he composed his last score for a documentary commemorating one of Russia's best-loved composers "Tchaikovsky". Tiomkin died aged 80 on 11 November 1979 from complications after he broke his pelvis in a fall while in London. However, he left behind a legacy as being one of the greatest composers to ever work in film music, and one of the most influential artists of his era.

Reviews:
High Noon

Filmography:
Tchaikovsky (1969), Great Catherine (1968), Circus World (1964), The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), 36 Hours (1964), 55 Days at Peking (1963), Without Each Other (1962), The Guns of Navarone (1961), Gunslinger (1961), Town Without Pity (1961), The Alamo (1960), The Unforgiven (1960), The Sundowners (1960), The Young Land (1959), Rio Bravo (1959), Rawhide (1959), Last Train from Gun Hill (1959), The Old Man and the Sea (1958), Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), Night Passage (1957), Search for Paradise (1957), Wild Is the Wind (1957), Giant (1956), Friendly Persuasion (1956), Tension at Table Rock (1956), Strange Lady in Town (1955), The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955), Land of the Pharaohs (1955), The High and the Mighty (1954), The Command (1954), The Adventures of Hajji Baba (1954), A Bullet Is Waiting (1954), Dial M for Murder (1954), Cease Fire (1953), Return to Paradise (1953), Blowing Wild (1953), His Majesty O'Keefe (1953), I Confess (1953), Jeopardy (1953), Take the High Ground! (1953), Angel Face (1952), Bugles in the Afternoon (1952), The Four Poster (1952), The Crimson Pirate (1952), High Noon (1952), My Six Convicts (1952), Mutiny (1952), The Big Sky (1952), The Happy Time (1952), Lady in the Iron Mask (1952), The Steel Trap (1952), Peking Express (1951), Strangers on a Train (1951), Drums in the Deep South (1951), Mr. Universe (1951), The Thing From Another World (1951), The Well (1951), The Men (1950), D.O.A. (1950), Champagne for Caesar (1950), Cyrano de Bergerac (1950), Dakota Lil (1950), Guilty Bystander (1950), Champion (1949), Canadian Pacific (1949), Home of the Brave (1949), Red Light (1949), Red River (1948), Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948), The Dude Goes West (1948), Portrait of Jennie (1948), So This Is New York (1948), The Long Night (1947), Duel in the Sun (1946), It's a Wonderful Life (1946), The Dark Mirror (1946), Angel on My Shoulder (1946), Black Beauty (1946), Pardon My Past (1946), Let There Be Light (1946), Whistle Stop (1946), China's Little Devils (1945), Two Down and One to Go (1945), The Battle of San Pietro (1945), Dillinger (1945), Forever Yours (1945), When Strangers Marry (1944), The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1944), The Impostor (1944), Ladies Courageous (1944), The Battle of Russia (1943), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Divide and Conquer (1943), The Unknown Guest (1943), Twin Beds (1942), A Gentleman After Dark (1942), The Moon and Sixpence (1942), Meet John Doe (1941), Blonde Menace (1941), The Corsican Brothers (1941), Flying Blind (1941), Forced Landing (1941), Harmon of Michigan (1941), The Westerner (1940), Lucky Partners (1940), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), You Can't Take It with You (1938), Spawn of the North (1938), The Road Back (1937), Lost Horizon (1937), I Live My Life (1935), The Flame Within (1935), Naughty Marietta (1935), The Casino Murder Case (1935), Mad Love (1935), Roast-Beef and Movies (1934), Alice in Wonderland (1933), Resurrection (1931), Our Blushing Brides (1930), Lord Byron of Broadway (1930).

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

Awards:
1959 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score (Drama/Comedy) - The Old Man and the Sea
1955 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score (Drama/Comedy) - The High and the Mighty
1953 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Score (Drama/Comedy) - High Noon
1953 Academy Awards - Winner, Best Original Song - Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling from High Noon
1972 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Adaptation or Original Song Score - Tchaikovsky
1965 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - The Fall of the Roman Empire
1964 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - 55 Days at Peking
1964 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Song - "So Little Time" from 55 Days at Peking
1962 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Drama/Comedy) - The Guns of Navarone
1962 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Song - "Town Without Pity" from Town Without Pity
1961 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Drama/Comedy) - The Alamo
1961 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Song - "The Green Leaves of Summer" from The Alamo
1960 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Song - "Strange Are the Ways of Love" from The Young Land
1958 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Song - "Wild is the Wind" from Wild is the Wind
1957 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Drama/Comedy) - Giant
1957 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Song - "Thee I Love" from Friendly Persuasion
1955 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Song - "The High and the Mighty" from The High and the Mighty
1950 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Drama/Comedy) - Champion
1945 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Drama/Comedy) - The Bridge of San Luis Rey
1944 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Drama/Comedy) - The Moon and Sixpence
1943 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score (Drama/Comedy) - The Corsican Brothers
1940 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
1938 Academy Awards - Nominee, Best Original Score - Lost Horizon

36 Hours The Alamo The Big Sky The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell The Fall of the Roman Empire Friendly Persuasion The Guns of Navarone High Noon/Cyrano De Bergerac/55 Days at Peking It's A Wonderful Life Lost Horizon The Old Man and the Sea Red River Search for Paradise The Thing From Another World/Take the High Ground!


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.