Mancini, Enrico

▪ 1995

      ("HENRY"), U.S. composer (b. April 16, 1924, Cleveland, Ohio—d. June 14, 1994, Los Angeles, Calif.), revolutionized film scoring by incorporating elements of jazz into his enduring melodies; he won four Academy Awards—for the songs "Moon River" (1961) and "Days of Wine and Roses" (1962) and for film scores for Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) and Victor/Victoria (1982)—besides garnering 20 Grammy awards and collecting eight gold records. His other hits included the title song from the film Charade, the Pink Panther film theme song, and the "Peter Gunn" television theme song. Mancini's musical education began with flute lessons from his father, but in time the piano became his instrument of choice. He briefly attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pa., where Max Adkins, conductor of the Stanley Theater pit band, encouraged him to produce arrangements for that group. Mancini's studies at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City were interrupted by duty in the army air force during World War II. While in the service, however, he met Glenn Miller, and after the war he joined Miller's band as an arranger and pianist. Mancini wrote music for radio before composing scores for such films as The Glenn Miller Story (1954), The Benny Goodman Story (1956), and Touch of Evil (1958). He teamed up with television producer Blake Edwards in 1958, rocketed to fame with his brassy "Peter Gunn" and "Mr. Lucky" theme songs, and wrote the scores for all of Edwards' films, notably The Great Race, Darling Lili, 10, S.O.B., Sunset, and the Pink Panther series. Besides composing the scores for more than 80 films, he also conducted sellout concerts. At the time of his death, Mancini was working on a stage adaptation of Victor/Victoria.

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