Dimitri Tiomkin

One of the most influential European film composers of the 20th Century, Dimitri Tiomkin made the unlikely leap from post-revolutionary Russia to Hollywood thanks to a rich melodic sound which effortlessly captured the American spirit. A favorite of several legendary directors, classically-trained pianist Tiomkin first struck up a creative partnership with Frank Capra on "Lost Horizon" (1937), which later resulted in the first of a staggering 22 Oscar nominations with "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939). Tiomkin then moved into Western territory for a number of Fred Zinnemann films including "High Noon" (1952), whose box-office success was widely attributed to a hit theme tune which unarguably introduced the concept of the blockbuster soundtrack. Showcasing his versatility, Tiomkin also scored four Alfred Hitchcock classics, changed the course of science fiction music on Howard Hawks' "The Thing" (1951) and enhanced the epic nature of "The Land of the Pharaohs" (1955). Tiomkin's 'golden decade' ended in 1958 but he continued to court awards attention with his expansive scores for "Town Without Pity" (1961), "The Fall of the Roman Empire" (1964) and his final work, "Chaikovsky" (1969), and also made a major impact on the small screen with his memorable theme to "Rawhide" (CBS, 1959-1965). His 1979 death closed the book on one of Hollywood's most visionary composing careers.