Franz Waxman

Franz Waxman (1906–1967) was one of Hollywood’s star composers. He was born in Königshütte (Chorzów) in the German Empire’s Prussian Province of Silesia (now in Poland). Waxman began his career in Germany, writing scores for German films. In the field of classical music he became famous for its Fantasy Carmen for Violin and Orchestra. In 1933 he moved to France and then, two years later, to the United States. He worked with the director Alfred Hitchcock in four films, including Rebecca, Suspicion, The Paradine Case and Rear Window. The composer of many film scores, Waxman received twelve Oscar nominations and won the prestigious award twice: for Sunset Boulevard and A Place in the Sun.