Biography
Multiple Oscar and Grammy award-winning composer whose numerous plush, tuneful, often jazzy scores of the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s were often more memorable than the films and TV shows for which they were written. Mancini began his career as a pianist-arranger for the Glenn Miller Orchestra under the direction of Tex Beneke after WWII and from 1952 to 1958 worked on more than 100 films as staff composer for Universal Pictures. In 1958 Mancini …
Latest Tv Credits
1 - 4 of 4
Career Milestones
| Composed his first score for a TV series, the CBS adventure, "Mr. Lucky" | ||
| Composed music for the CBS TV series, "Cade's County" | ||
| Composed music for the NBC mystery series, "Columbo", in the 1970s | ||
| Hosted and served as music director of the syndicated variety series, "The Mancini Generation" | ||
| Last TV collaborations with Blake Edwards, the TV-movies "Justin Case" and "Peter Gunn" | ||
| Obtained first instrument, a piccolo, at age eight; later learned the flute and piano | ||
| Provided music for the ABC sitcom, "What's Happening" | ||
| Provided music for the NBC sci-fi adventure series, "The Invisible Man" | ||
| Went to work for Universal-International as staff composer where he wrote scores for over 100 films including "The Glenn Miller Story" (1954) for which he received his first Oscar nomination | ||
1946 | Joined Glenn Miller Band (under direction of Tex Beneke) as pianist and arranger | |
1952 | First film work, as uncredited arranger on the Abbott and Costello comedy, "Lost in Alaska" | |
1954 | First film credit for title song, "Six Bridges to Cross" and for music adaptation and song, "The Glenn Miller Story" | |
1954 | Received first Oscar nomination, for "Best Scoring of a Musical Picture", for "The Glenn Miller Story" | |
1958 | Created now-classic theme for TV detective series, "Peter Gunn"; also first notable TV composition and first collaboration with writer-director Blake Edwards | |
1959 | Became an RCA recording artist | |
1960 | Association with Universal ended with his work on the film, "The Great Imposter" | |
1960 | First of 27 feature collaborations with writer-producer-director Blake Edwards, "High Time" | |
1971 | Hosted and served as music director for three syndicated TV specials highlighting his compositions, "Monsanto Presents Mancini" | |
1976 | Composed music for first TV miniseries, "Arthur Hailey's 'The Moneychangers'" | |
1977 | Composed music for the NBC TV series, "Kingston: Confidential" | |
1983 | Last original theme music composition for a TV series, the ABC anthology drama, "Hotel" | |
1986 | Received last of 18 Oscar nominations, in the category of "Best Song", for the title tune of Blake Edwards's comedy, "That's Life" | |
1987 | Career feted on the PBS variety show, "Mancini and Friends" | |
1991 | Last TV theme music composition, "Democrats: A Presidential Debate" | |
1992 | Composed music for the syndicated revival of the game show, "Tic Tac Dough" | |
1993 | Last feature film credit as well as last feature collaboration with Blake Edwards, "Son of the Pink Panther" | |
1993 | Last major TV appearance, on the Disney Channel's variety concert special, "Disney's Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra" | |
1994 | Began undergoing treatments for blood clots and cancer | |
1994 | Made one of last public appearances on April 19 at gala celebrating his 70th birthday at the Pauley Pavilion at UCLA | |
1995 | Made Broadway debut as composer (posthumously) with Blake Edwards' stage version of "Victor/Victoria" | |
Awards
1954 | Academy Award for Music (Scoring of a Musical Picture) in The Glenn Miller Story |
1958 | Grammy Award for Album Of The Year |
1958 | Grammy Award for Best Arrangement |
1959 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Musical Contribution in Peter Gunn |
1960 | Grammy Award for Best Arrangement |
1960 | Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance Large Group |
1961 | Academy Award for Music (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) in Breakfast At Tiffany's |
1961 | Academy Award for Music (Song) in Bachelor in Paradise |
1961 | Academy Award for Music (Song) in Breakfast At Tiffany's |
1961 | Grammy Award for Best Arrangement |
1961 | Grammy Award for Record Of The Year |
1961 | Grammy Award for Song Of The Year |
1962 | Academy Award for Music (Song) in Days of Wine and Roses |
1962 | Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement |
1963 | Academy Award for Music (Song) in Charade |
1963 | Grammy Award for Best Background Arrangement |
1963 | Grammy Award for Record Of The Year |
1963 | Grammy Award for Song Of The Year |
1964 | Academy Award for Music (Music Score--Substantially Original) in The Pink Panther |
1964 | Academy Award for Music (Song) in Dear Heart |
1964 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture in Dear Heart |
1964 | Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement |
1964 | Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition (Other Than Jazz) |
1964 | Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Performance, Non-Jazz |
1965 | Academy Award for Music (Song) in The Great Race |
1965 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score - Motion Picture in The Great Race |
1965 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture in The Great Race |
1967 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score - Motion Picture in Two For the Road |
1969 | Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement |
1970 | Academy Award for Music (Original Score) in The Sunflower |
1970 | Academy Award for Music (Original Song Score) in Darling Lili |
1970 | Academy Award for Music (Song--Original For the Picture) in Darling Lili |
1970 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture in Darling Lili |
1970 | Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Performance |
1970 | Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement |
1971 | Academy Award for Music (Song--Original For the Picture) in Sometimes a Great Notion |
1973 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture in Oklahoma Crude |
1975 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score - Motion Picture in The Return of the Pink Panther |
1976 | Academy Award for Music (Original Song) in The Pink Panther Strikes Again |
1979 | Academy Award for Music (Original Score) in 10 |
1979 | Academy Award for Music (Original Song) in 10 |
1979 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score - Motion Picture in 10 |
1982 | Academy Award for Music (Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score) in Victor/Victoria |
1982 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score - Motion Picture in Victor/Victoria |
1983 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement In Music Composition For a Limited Series or Special (Dramatic Underscore) in The Thorn Birds |
1986 | Academy Award for Music (Original Song) in That's Life! |
1986 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture in That's Life! |
1987 | Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score - Motion Picture in The Glass Menagerie |
1995 | Palm Springs International Film Festival for Frederick Loewe Award for Film Composing |