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India.com
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Lalo Schifrin, Legendary Composer Behind Iconic Mission Impossible Theme, Passes Away At 93
Grammy-winning composer of 'Mission: Impossible' Lalo Schifrin, who also composed film scores including 'Cool Hand Luke,' 'Dirty Harry' and 'Bullitt,' passed away on Thursday at the age of 93, reported Variety. The celebrated music composer's demise was due to complications from pneumonia, the news outlet said. This Argentine musician was among the first to apply a broad range of musical ideas to film and TV scores, from jazz and rock to more modern and complex techniques of orchestral writing. Schifirin was at the peak of his career in the 1960s and 70s, when he produced several film and TV scores that are now regarded as classics. In November 2018, Schifrin became only the third composer in the history of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences to receive an honorary Oscar. According to Variety. Schifrin was nominated six times for Oscars including score nods for 'Cool Hand Luke' (1967), 'The Fox' (1968) 'Voyage of the Damned' (1976) 'The Amityville Horror' (1979) and 'The Sting II' (1983), plus a best-song nomination for 'The Competition' (1980), but he was especially well-known for his TV themes. The famous 'Mission: Impossible' theme earned him two of his five Grammy Awards and three of his four Emmy nominations, bringing him lasting fame. It was used throughout the eight Tom Cruise "Mission" films that began in 1996. The first of two 'Mission: Impossible' soundtrack albums became a best-seller in 1968, and the theme reached no. 41 on the Billboard pop charts, reported Variety. According to the outlet, Schifrin wrote the music for more than 40 TV-movies and miniseries including the controversial 1966 'Doomsday Flight,' about a madman who hides a bomb aboard a commercial airliner; and the 1980s and '90s multi-parters 'Princess Daisy,' 'A.D.,' 'Out on a Limb,' 'A Woman Named Jackie' and 'Don Quixote,' reported Variety. Other TV series for which he wrote themes included 'Blue Light,' 'The Young Lawyers,' 'Planet of the Apes,' 'Bronk' and 'Glitter.' According to Variety, Schifrin's last major work was a collaboration with fellow Argentinian composer Rod Schejtman: "Long Live Freedom," a 35-minute symphony dedicated to their country that debuted April 5 at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires. Survivors, in addition to his wife Donna, include three children (William Schifrin and wife Lissa, Frances Schifrin and husband John Newcombe, Ryan Schifrin and wife Theresa) and four grandchildren, reported the outlet. (ANI)
Mint
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Mission Impossible theme composer Lalo Schifrin passes away at 93
Washington DC [US], June 27 (ANI): Grammy-winning composer of 'Mission: Impossible' Lalo Schifrin, who also composed film scores including 'Cool Hand Luke,' 'Dirty Harry' and 'Bullitt,' passed away on Thursday at the age of 93, reported Variety. The celebrated music composer's demise was due to complications from pneumonia, the news outlet said. This Argentine musician was among the first to apply a broad range of musical ideas to film and TV scores, from jazz and rock to more modern and complex techniques of orchestral writing. Schifirin was at the peak of his career in the 1960s and 70s, when he produced several film and TV scores that are now regarded as classics. In November 2018, Schifrin became only the third composer in the history of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences to receive an honorary Oscar. According to Variety. Schifrin was nominated six times for Oscars including score nods for 'Cool Hand Luke' (1967), 'The Fox' (1968) 'Voyage of the Damned' (1976) 'The Amityville Horror' (1979) and 'The Sting II' (1983), plus a best-song nomination for 'The Competition' (1980), but he was especially well-known for his TV themes. The famous 'Mission: Impossible' theme earned him two of his five Grammy Awards and three of his four Emmy nominations, bringing him lasting fame. It was used throughout the eight Tom Cruise "Mission" films that began in 1996. The first of two 'Mission: Impossible' soundtrack albums became a best-seller in 1968, and the theme reached no. 41 on the Billboard pop charts, reported Variety. According to the outlet, Schifrin wrote the music for more than 40 TV-movies and miniseries including the controversial 1966 'Doomsday Flight,' about a madman who hides a bomb aboard a commercial airliner; and the 1980s and '90s multi-parters 'Princess Daisy,' 'A.D.,' 'Out on a Limb,' 'A Woman Named Jackie' and 'Don Quixote,' reported Variety. Other TV series for which he wrote themes included 'Blue Light,' 'The Young Lawyers,' 'Planet of the Apes,' 'Bronk' and 'Glitter.' According to Variety, Schifrin's last major work was a collaboration with fellow Argentinian composer Rod Schejtman: "Long Live Freedom," a 35-minute symphony dedicated to their country that debuted April 5 at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires. Survivors, in addition to his wife Donna, include three children (William Schifrin and wife Lissa, Frances Schifrin and husband John Newcombe, Ryan Schifrin and wife Theresa) and four grandchildren, reported the outlet. (ANI)
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Marvin Levy, Legendary Publicist Behind Steven Spielberg's Biggest Hits, Dies at 96
Marvin Levy, the legendary Hollywood publicist known for his decades-long partnership with Steven Spielberg and for being the first member of his profession to receive recognition from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, died Monday. He was 96. 'Marvin's passing is a huge loss for me and our industry writ large. There are many talented PR executives, but Marvin was one of a kind. For over 50 years, he was a deeply loyal and exceptional collaborator who was respected and appreciated by all those who were lucky enough to learn from his counsel. When it came to handling the press, he had no peer,' Spielberg said in a statement. 'To the media-and the world of exhibition, Marvin was the face of Amblin. We were opposite ends of the movie-making process. Every time i reached the end of production on a film, Marvin's work had only begun. Through countless films, tv series, Amblin events, awards campaigns and our public relations strategy—this is where Marvin came alive. He loved his work—and was endlessly enthusiastic about our business. He was creative, innovative and respected for his knowledge and honesty. He was excited to figure how new and better ways to present films to audiences. As a result, he was the first and only publicist to receive an Academy Award.' 'He was equally dedicated to his beloved wife of 73 years, Carol, and their children, Don and Doug as well as their grandsons Daniel and Brian. I am grateful for all our years together. Marvin never failed to make me laugh, he never stopped smiling. We will miss you Marvin. You will always be in our hearts and your memory will always make us smile,' the director continued. Born Nov. 16, 1928 in New York, Levy attended NYU and served in the Air Force, where he first worked in public relations and advertising out of Selfridge AFB in Michigan. He moved into entertainment in the late 1940s, working as a writer and producer before being hired in publicity for MGM. During his years with MGM, he handled local promotional efforts for legendary films including 'Gigi' and 'Ben-Hur.' He moved to the PR firm Blowitz, Thomas and Canton in 1964, remaining with them until the company disbanded a decade later, after which he relocated to Los Angeles and ended up at Columbia Pictures. It was there that among his projects for the studio was marketing 'Close Encounters of the Third King,' Spielberg's follow up to his breakthrough hit 'Jaws.' The pair formed a close friendship, and in later years Spielberg would refer to Levy as a father figure. Levy eventually left Columbia to work for Spielberg full time, first at the director's Amblin Entertainment and later at Dreamworks. During their decades of collaboration, Levy handled promotion and awards season pushes for some of Spielberg's most important work, including 'E.T.,' 'Jurassic Park,' 'Schindler's List,' 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'Munich,' 'The Color Purple,' 'Lincoln' and 'Bridge of Spies.' He also handled promotion on the 'Back to the Future' trilogy, 'Gladiator,' and more. His impact on Hollywood over his career is difficult to overstate, and appropriately, in 2018 he became the first, and as of this writing only publicist to receive Academy recognition. At that year's Academy Awards, Levy received an honorary Oscar 'for an exemplary career in publicity that has brought films to the minds, hearts and souls of audiences all over the world.' In addition to serving on the Academy's Board of Governors for 23 years, Levy was a supporter of the Shoah Foundation, Righteous Persons Foundation, and Starlight Children's Foundation. He's survived by Carol, his wife of 73 years, their two sons and grandsons. Levy's funeral is planned for Friday, April 11th at 10 am at Mount Sinai cemetery, 5950 Forest Lawn Drive in Los Angeles, CA 90068. The post Marvin Levy, Legendary Publicist Behind Steven Spielberg's Biggest Hits, Dies at 96 appeared first on TheWrap.
