Hugo Friedhofer

albatros1 ( 2007-11-20 )

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Hugo Wilhelm Friedhofer (May 3, 1901 - May 17, 1981) was a film music composer born in San Francisco. he began playing cello at the age of 13. After taking lessons in harmony and counterpoint at The University of California, Berkley. In 1929, he relocated to Hollywood, where he performed as a musician for Fox Studios then later, he was hired as an orchestrator for Warner Bros. and worked on over 50 films for the studio. While at Warner's, he largely worked with Max Steiner and Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Steiner, in particular, relied on Friedhofer's skill in turning his sketches into a full orchestral score. In 1937, Friedhofer composed his first full-length film score, The Adventures of Marco Polo. Though he still worked as an orchestrator through the 30s and into the 40s, he gradually received more assignments as a composer. In 1946, at the behest of Alfred Newman, Friedhofer was hired to compose the score for the 1946 William Wyler directed film, The Best Years of Our Lives, which earned him an Oscar for best original score at the 1947 Academy Awards. He was also nominated for other films, including The Bishop's Wife, Joan of Arc, Above and Beyond, Between Heaven and Hell, Boy on a Dolphin, An Affair to Remember, and The Young Lions. Friedhofer, who was greatly admired by his colleagues, was also noted for his caustic wit. He died in Los Angeles on May 17, 1981.