Jerry Goldsmith

Jerry Goldsmith stood out for more than forty years as one of the most respected and productive composers working in film and television, maintaining such a demanding pace that he averaged an estimated six scores per year at the height of his output in the 1960s. He was born in Los Angeles on February 10, 1929, trained in music at the University of Southern California, and took an entry-level clerical position at CBS television before moving into the network’s music department in 1950. While there he supplied themes for programs that included Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, Have Gun Will Travel, The Twilight Zone, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E., then made the move to feature films in 1957 with his debut score for Black Patch. Mentored by the distinguished Alfred Newman, he first attracted widespread attention with his work on 1962’s Lonely Are the Brave and soon established himself among Hollywood’s busiest composers. His subsequent projects ranged from Patton, Planet of the Apes, Seconds, Chinatown, and Poltergeist to Rambo: First Blood Part II; although nominated for more than a dozen Academy Awards, he secured only a single win, for 1976’s The Omen. He also maintained an active presence on the concert circuit, presenting his own music and leading ensembles such as the San Diego Symphony and Britain’s Royal Philharmonic.