Emil Newman

Summary

Emil Newman (January 20, 1911 – August 30, 1984) was an American music director and conductor who worked on more than 200 films and TV series. He was nominated for an Oscar for his musical direction on the classic Sun Valley Serenade (1941), contributing to the Newmans being the most nominated Academy Award extended family, with a collective 95 nominations in various music categories.

Emil Newman
Born(1911-01-20)January 20, 1911
New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedAugust 30, 1984(1984-08-30) (aged 73)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Composer, conductor
Years active1940–1980

Biography edit

A native of Connecticut, Newman entered films in 1940 as the musical director on 13 films. He was credited on 25 films in 1941 and 28 in 1942, one of which, Whispering Ghosts, contained his first (uncredited) contribution as a composer. He had 15 titles in 1943, including "Musical Direction" (screen credit) for the all-black musical Stormy Weather and the 20th Century Fox wartime film Chetniks! The Fighting Guerrillas, 19 in 1944, 17 in 1945 and 16 in 1946, including Hugo Friedhofer's Academy Award score for The Best Years of Our Lives, which he also conducted. Between 1950 and 1965, Newman was the composer on 23 films, most of which were lower-budget B movies, although they also included prestigious pictures such as Hondo (1953). He also provided the music for numerous 1950s TV shows.

Newman died in Woodland Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles. He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

Family connections, marriage and children edit

Emil Newman's older brother was renowned film composer Alfred Newman (1901–1970), whose children Maria, David and Thomas are also composers. His younger brother was another famous film composer, Lionel Newman (1916–1989), whose grandson Joey Newman is a film and TV composer. Another brother, Irving, was the father of still another acclaimed film musical personality, songwriter and composer Randy Newman. His brother Marc Newman was a film agent representing some of Hollywoods most noted composers including John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Dave Grusin and Marvin Hamlisch. His brother Robert V. Newman was a studio executive and former President of John Wayne's Batjac Productions. Their family is of Jewish descent.[1]

Newman was married to bit-part actress Eva May Hoffman aka Eve Farrell. They had two children, daughter Arleen (born 1939) and son William Robert (born August 14, 1937).

William Robert Newman is the father of Jill Newman, Sarah Devries, William Marcus and Jaice Newman. The offspring of Arleen Newman and Dennis Crosby (son of Bing Crosby) are Erin Colleen Crosby and Kelly Lee Crosby. Dennis also adopted Katherine Denise Buelle, Arleen's daughter by her first husband Mike Buelle.

Selected filmography edit

Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
1942 Time to Kill Herbert I. Leeds 20th Century Fox
Whispering Ghosts Alfred L. Werker 20th Century Fox
The Magnificent Dope Walter Lang 20th Century Fox
Careful, Soft Shoulder Oliver H.P. Garrett 20th Century Fox
Dr. Renault's Secret Harry Lachman 20th Century Fox
The Undying Monster John Brahm 20th Century Fox
Quiet Please, Murder John Larkin 20th Century Fox
Over My Dead Body Malcolm St. Clair 20th Century Fox
1943 Tonight We Raid Calais John Brahm 20th Century Fox
Dixie Dugan Otto Brower 20th Century Fox
1948 Jungle Patrol Joseph M. Newman 20th Century Fox
A Song Is Born Howard Hawks Samuel Goldwyn Productions uncredited
1950 Guilty of Treason Felix E. Feist Eagle-Lion Films
Woman on the Run Norman Foster Universal Pictures
1951 Cry Danger Robert Parrish RKO Pictures
The Groom Wore Spurs Richard Whorf Universal Pictures
Journey into Light Stuart Heisler 20th Century Fox
1952 The Lady Says No Frank Ross United Artists
Japanese War Bride King Vidor 20th Century Fox
Rancho Notorious Fritz Lang RKO Pictures
The San Francisco Story Robert Parrish Warner Bros.
Big Jim McLain Edward Ludwig Warner Bros.
1953 War Paint Lesley Selander United Artists
Island in the Sky William A. Wellman Warner Bros.
99 River Street Phil Karlson United Artists
Hondo John Farrow Warner Bros.
1954 Beachhead Stuart Heisler United Artists
Southwest Passage Ray Nazarro United Artists
The Mad Magician John Brahm Columbia Pictures
Ring of Fear James Edward Grant Warner Bros.
1955 The Naked Street Maxwell Shane United Artists
1957 Death in Small Doses Joseph M. Newman Allied Artists Pictures
The Iron Sheriff Sidney Salkow United Artists
Chicago Confidential Sidney Salkow United Artists
1958 Hong Kong Confidential Edward L. Cahn United Artists
Unwed Mother Walter Doniger Allied Artists Pictures
1959 Riot in Juvenile Prison Edward L. Cahn United Artists
1965 The Great Sioux Massacre Sidney Salkow Columbia Pictures with Edward B. Powell

References edit

  1. ^ MacDonald, Laurence E. The Invisible Art of Film Music: A Comprehensive History, Scarecrow Press (2013)

External links edit