Franz Waxman, born December 24, 1906, was a German and American composer of Jewish descent, known primarily for his work in scoring major motion pictures.
His scores include Bride of Frankenstein, Rebecca, Sunset Boulevard, A Place in the Sun, Stalag 17, Rear Window, Peyton Place, The Nun’s Story, and Taras Bulba.
He received twelve Academy Award nominations, and won two Oscars in consecutive years, for Sunset Boulevard in 1950 and for A Place in the Sun in 1951.
He also composed concert works, including the oratorio Joshua (1959), and The Song of Terezin (1965), a work for orchestra, chorus, and children’s chorus based upon poetry written by children in the Theresienstadt concentration camp during World War II.
He died February 24, 1967 at age 60.