Elmer Bernstein, Film Composer

An Authorized Biography

Peter M. Bernstein

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
• Year: 2023
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781538183588
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Film & Video

"Consider this new book the standard Bernstein biography." - Booklist, Starred Review
A behind-the-scenes look at the life and music of legendary Hollywood composer Elmer Bernstein, the only person to be nominated for an Academy Award in every decade from the 1950s to the 2000s
Over a career spanning 54 years, he composed landmark scores in every available genre-epics, jazz, westerns, dramas, and comedies-and his credits read like list of the greatest films of his time: The Ten Commandments, The Magnificent Seven, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Man With the Golden Arm, The Great Escape, Ghostbusters, to name just a few. This biography, written by Elmer's son Peter, interweaves exclusive interviews, oral histories not otherwise available, estate archival materials, and personal experiences.
Elmer Bernstein lived a colorful life: he was a first generation American; he was blacklisted; and he was a fearless advocate for film music not afraid to take on anyone in pages of trade papers. The book looks at many of his landmark scores in depth, collaborations with various producers and directors, and his success in navigating the rough and tumble of Hollywood. There is much to his story: a cycle of struggle, success, frustration, failure, and reinvention repeated many times over his career which connected the Old Hollywood with the modern era.

Table of contents

• A Short Introduction
• 1 Beginnings
• 2 Growing Up
• 3 From New York to Hollywood
• 4 Hollywood 1950–1952
• 5 The Blacklist
• 6 DeMille and Preminger
• 7 Testimony and Finishing
• 8 Success
• 9 Television and Boats
• 10 Magnificence and the Ponies
• 11 Early 60s—Incredible Pace
• 12 Changes and Travels—Mid-60s
• 13 Oscar and the Rest of the 60s
• 14 The 70s Part 1—A Bumpy Ride
• 15 The 70s Part 2—Preservationist and Mentor
• 16 Career Renewal with Comedies—Who Knew?
• 17 The Other 80s—Looking for Change, Again
• 18 The 90s Part 1—Rescued from the Comedy World
• 19 The 90s Part 2—Keeping It Going
• 20 Finale
• 21 Coda
• Appendix 1 Filmography
• Appendix 2 Television
• Appendix 3 Other Works
• Appendix 4 Discography
• Notes
• Bibliography
• About the Author