David Raksin

David Raksin studied at University of Pennsylvania. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is film score. Employment is recorded with University of California, Los Angeles and University of Southern California. Works named in the authority record are Laura. Distinctions recorded are Inkpot Award.

• Name — David Raksin • Born — 4 August 1912 • Birthplace — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. • Died — 9 August 2004 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Education — University of Pennsylvania • Occupation — Film composer • Years Active — 1936–2004 • Notable Works — Laura (1944)

• Illustration — Trailer for Laura David Raksin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, to Jewish parents of Russian heritage. His father was an orchestra conductor. Raksin played professionally in dance bands while attending Central High School of Philadelphia. He went on to study composition with Harl McDonald at the University of Pennsylvania, and later with Isadore Freed in New York and Arnold Schoenberg in Los Angeles. In New York, Raksin worked as an arranger for Harms/Chappell.

One of his earliest film assignments was as assistant to Charlie Chaplin in the composition of the score for Modern Times (1936). He is perhaps best remembered for his score for Laura (1944). The theme music for "Laura", with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, became a major hit. During Raksin's lifetime, "Laura" was reportedly the second most-recorded song in history after "Stardust" by Hoagy Carmichael and Mitchell Parish. Raksin's theme song, "The Bad and the Beautiful" (also called "Love is For the Very Young") for the 1953 film The Bad and the Beautiful (1953) was also a hit, although not as popular as "Laura". Raksin insisted that the song be released as an instrumental, because he had resented having to split the proceeds from "Laura" with a lyricist. Raksin's theme for "The Bad and the Beautiful" was initially disliked by the film's director Vincente Minnelli and producer John Houseman, but was saved from rejection by the intervention of Adolph Green and Betty Comden, who both liked it. The theme has since been praised by Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Rosenman, Richard Rodney Bennett, and Alexander Courage. Sondheim reportedly called it "one of the best themes ever written in films." Raksin also scored the 1958 film Separate Tables, for which he earned an Academy Award nomination. In the 1960s, Raksin wrote the theme for (and scored the pilot of) the medical drama television series Ben Casey. Later in life, Raksin taught at the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Raksin married twice. He had a daughter with his first wife and a son with his second.

• Thumbs Up! (1934) - revue - co-orchestrator • Parade (1935) - revue - co-orchestrator • At Home Abroad (1935) - revue - co-orchestrator • New Faces of 1936 (1936) - revue - co-orchestrator • If the Shoe Fits (1946) - musical - composer • Dream (1997) - revue - featured songwriter for "Laura"

• Streaming audio interview with Raksin, by Charles Amirkhanian, January 28, 1988 • David Raksin interview by Bruce Duffie, May 1988

David Raksin is recorded as composer, conductor and musician.