Elmer Bernstein (April 4, 1922 - August 18, 2004) was an American film score composer. He was famous for composing music for The Ten Commandments, The Man with the Golden Arm, The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, Meatballs, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Ghostbusters.
Bernstein was born in New York City, the son of Selma (née Feinstein) and Edward Bernstein. Although not related to the celebrated composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, they wer...
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Elmer Bernstein (April 4, 1922 - August 18, 2004) was an American film score composer. He was famous for composing music for The Ten Commandments, The Man with the Golden Arm, The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, Meatballs, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Ghostbusters.
Bernstein was born in New York City, the son of Selma (née Feinstein) and Edward Bernstein. Although not related to the celebrated composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, they were friends, and there was a slight facial similarity between the two men. Within the world of professional music, they were distinguished from each other by the use of the nicknames Bernstein West (Elmer) and Bernstein East (Leonard).
During his childhood he performed professionally as a dancer and an actor, in the latter case playing the part of Caliban in The Tempest on Broadway, and he also won several prizes for his painting. Throughout his life, he demonstrated an enthusiasm for an even wider spectrum of the arts than his childhood...
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