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Henry Mancini Biography

Birth Name:
Enrico Nicola Mancini
Birth Place:
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Profession
Composer, arranger, conductor

Fast Facts

  • Introduced to music at age 8 by his father, who played the flute
  • Became a fan of big band and jazz as a teenager
  • While a teenager, sent his arrangements to Benny Goodman, who wrote back and encouraged him to pursue a music career
  • Drafted into the Air Force in 1943, short-circuiting his studies at the famed Juilliard School of Music
  • Following the war, was hired as a pianist-arranger for the Glenn Miller Orchestra
  • The first film he scored was Abbott and Costello's Lost in Alaska
  • Wrote the memorable theme for the TV show Peter Gunn
  • Composed such classic tunes as "Moon River," "Days of Wine and Roses" and "Charade," and scored such films as Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Pink Panther, Victor/Victoria and 10
  • His classic "Moon River," which features lyrics by Johnny Mercer, has been covered more than a thousand times
  • His score for Alfred Hitchock's 1972 film Frenzy was rejected by the director as unsuitable
  • Wrote Late Night With David Letterman's "Viewer Mail Theme
  • " Established scholarships and fellowships at Juilliard School of Music, UCLA, USC and the American Federation of Music's Congress of Strings

Awards

  • 1988Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1987Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1986Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Song): nominated
  • 1983Emmy-Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Limited Series or a Special (dramatic underscore): nominated
  • 1983Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1982Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score): winner
  • 1980Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1979Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1979Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Song): nominated
  • 1976Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Song): nominated
  • 1976Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1974Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1971Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: winner
  • 1971Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Song--Original for the Picture): nominated
  • 1970Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Song--Original for the Picture): nominated
  • 1970Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Song Score): nominated
  • 1970Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1968Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1966Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1966Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1965Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1965Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Song): nominated
  • 1964Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Song): nominated
  • 1964Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Music Score--substantially original): nominated
  • 1963Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Song): nominated
  • 1962Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Song): winner
  • 1961Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture): winner
  • 1961Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Song): nominated
  • 1961Grammy-Best Soundtrack Album or Recording of Score from Motion Picture or Television: winner
  • 1959Emmy-Best Musical Contribution to a Television Program: nominated
  • 1954Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Scoring of a Musical Picture): nominated

Relationships