Elmer Bernstein

Elmer Bernstein (1922–2004) was one of the American film industry’s most respected composers. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, he wrote music for over 200 films and television programmes. A thirteen-time Academy Award nominee, Bernstein won the award in 1967 for Thoroughly Modern Millie. Sometimes confused with conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein (no relation), Elmer Bernstein is best known for his music for Westerns, but he wrote memorable scores across a variety of genres, including classics such as those for To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Escape, The Age of Innocence, Far from Heaven and Ghostbusters. His score for The Magnificent Seven, a classic Western directed by John Sturges received an Academy Award nomination in 1961.