(1911-1975) US film composer. His long career began with Citizen Kane 1940 and included collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock (North by Northwest 1959 and Psycho 1960) and François Truffaut (Fahrenheit 451 1966). He wrote his best scores for thriller and mystery movies, and was a major influence in the establishment of a distinctively American musical imagery.
Born in New York, he studied composition at New York University and the Juilliard School. He joined CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) 1933 as a composer and conductor of music for drama and documentary programs and worked with Orson Welles on a number of radio projects before making his film debut. An eclectic stylist, he made his own orchestrations and sought out many new and exotic instruments for special effects and authentic color.