Profile of Henry Mancini on Famous Like Me

Henry Mancini (April 16, 1924 – June 14, 1994), was a noted American composer and arranger. He is remembered particularly for being a composer of music for TV and films and won a record number of Grammy awards (including a "Lifetime Achievement" award in 1995).

He was born Enrico Nicola Mancini in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in the Pittsburgh surburb of West Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.

Although he was drafted into the Army during World War Two, Mancini was able get a transfer from the infantry to the band. The compositions for which he is best known include "Moon River" (the theme song from the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's), and the theme music for the 1963 films The Pink Panther and Charade. He is often credited with composing the music for the Peanuts movies, the well-known theme Linus and Lucy in particular. However, these songs were composed and performed by another esteemed jazz pianist, Vince Guaraldi. Although much of Mancini's work can be classified as easy listening, he was capable of writing powerful and rousing scores such as that for Lifeforce.

Two his earliest scores were for the TV shows, Peter Gunn (1958) and Mr. Lucky (1959). A notable addition later in his career was the theme song to the situation comedy Newhart (1982).

He died at age 70 in Beverly Hills, California of pancreatic cancer.

Selected Songs

• From Peter Gunn (lyrics by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston)
  • "Peter Gunn Theme"
  • "Bye Bye"
  • "The Brothers Go to Mother's"
  • "Dreamsville"
  • "Blues for Mother's"
  • "Sorta Blue"
  • "Slow and Easy"
• From The Richard Boone Show (lyrics by Al Stillman)
  • "How Soon"
• "Man's Favorite Sport" (1963) (lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
• "I Love You and Don't You Forget It" (1963) (lyrics by Al Stillman)
• Remington Steele Theme

Selected Movies

• Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) (starring Audrey Hepburn)
  • "Moon River" (lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
• Charade (1963) (starring Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn)
  • "Charade"
• Soldier in the Rain (1963)
• The Pink Panther (1964) (starring Peter Sellers)
  • Theme
  • "It Had Better Be Tonight" (lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
• Dear Heart (1964)
  • "Dear Heart"
• A Shot in the Dark (1964) (starring Peter Sellers)
• Moment to Moment (1965)
  • "Moment to Moment" (lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
• The Great Race (1966)
• Arabesque (1966)
• What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966)
  • "In the Arms of Love" (lyrics by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans)
• Two for the Road (1967)
  • "Two for the Road"
• Wait Until Dark (1967)
  • "Wait Until Dark"
• The Party (1968) (starring Peter Sellers)
  • "Nothing to Lose" (sung by Claudine Longet)
• Me, Natalie
• Gaily, Gaily
• The Molly Maguires
• Sunflower (1970)
  • "Loss of Love" (lyrics by Bob Merrill)
• Darling Lili (lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
  • "I'll Give You Three Guesses"
  • "Darling Lili"
• The Hawaiians
• The Night Visitor
• Hatari!
  • "Baby Elephant Walk"
• Experiment in Terror
• Days of Wine and Roses
  • "Days of Wine and Roses"
• High Time
• Bachelor in Paradise
• The Great Impostor
• Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation
• Peanuts theme - often ascribed to Mancini, but actually composed by Vince Guaraldi.

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