A Noted Film Composer

 

Dimitri Tiomkin (1894-1979) was a Russian-born American film composer and conductor. After his move to Hollywood, he became best known for his scores for Western films, including Duel in the Sun, Red River, High Noon, The Big Sky, 55 Days at Peking, and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. He could not be pigeon-holed into one style. From sweet melodies to his pounding "rolling thunder" timpanis, his music enhanced a film. It all worked well for contemporary dramas or science fiction such as Dillinger, Champion, D.O.A., The Thing from Another World, Giant, and Dial M for Murder.  

Tiomkin received 22 Academy Award nominations and won four Oscars, three for Best Original Score for High Noon, The High and the Mighty, and The Old Man and the Sea, and one for Best Original Song for "The Ballad of High Noon" from the former film. During the 1950s Tiomkin was the highest-paid film composer, composing nearly a picture each month. Between 1948 and 1958, his "golden decade," he composed 57 film scores. 

Note: Tiomkin composed for television as well, most famously for his memorable theme song for Rawhide. Initially he was not interested in the television medium. The now-famous legend has it that when the producer told him it would star Eric Fleming, Tiomkin was all-in. His broken English translating only heard, Errol Flynn. He said, "Oh, for Mr. Fleen I will do it!"