Franz Waxman was a German-born composer of Jewish descent, active chiefly in the 20th century, born in Konigshutte, Silesia (now Chorzow, Poland). He worked in Germany until 1934, relocated to Paris, and then settled in Hollywood, where he composed for Universal Studios, MGM, and Warner Bros. before becoming a freelance composer; he also founded the Los Angeles Music Festival in 1947. Best known for his film scores, numbering over 150, particularly in the horror, suspense, and dramatic genres, he also composed concert works and oratorios. He died of cancer in Los Angeles in February 1967, roughly two months after his 60th birthday.

Waxman was one of the most acclaimed film composers of Hollywood’s Golden Age, earning twelve Academy Award nominations and winning consecutive Oscars for Sunset Boulevard (1950) and A Place in the Sun (1951); his Sunset Boulevard score was later ranked among the greatest film scores by the American Film Institute. His sophisticated application of classical compositional technique to cinema helped establish standards for symphonic film scoring that influenced generations of later composers, and his founding of the Los Angeles Music Festival reflected his broader contribution to the region’s concert music culture.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Waxman