Max Steiner
Birth Name:
Maximilian Raoul Walter Steiner
Birth Place:
Vienna, Austria
Profession
Soundtrack, Music department, Actor
Fast Facts
- Commemorated in 1999 on a U․S․ Postal Service stamp honoring Hollywood composers
- Posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1995
- Enrolled in the Imperial Academy of Music where he completed a four-year course in only one year
- Quote: "The orchestrator just takes what he is given to do, andif he has any ideas of his own, he had better not show them․"
- Composing over 300 film scores, he also worked as a proficient musical director for Broadway plays
- Frequently collaborated with directors David O․ Selznick, John Ford and William Wyler
- Became a full-time, professional conductor at the age of 16
- In two weeks time, he completed the score for "King Kong․"
- Was given piano lessons as a child from legendary composer Johannes Brahms
- Was helped by the Duke of Westminster in gaining passage to America after the outbreak of World War I
Awards
- 1935Oscar - Best Music, Score:Nominated
- 1935Oscar - Best Music, Score:Nominated
- 1936Oscar - Best Music, Score:Winner
- 1937Oscar - Best Music, Score:Nominated
- 1939Oscar - Best Music, Scoring:Nominated
- 1940Oscar - Best Music, Original Score:Nominated
- 1940Oscar - Best Music, Original Score:Nominated
- 1941Oscar - Best Music, Original Score:Nominated
- 1942Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic Picture:Nominated
- 1943Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture:Winner
- 1944Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture:Nominated
- 1945Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture:Nominated
- 1945Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture:Winner
- 1946Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture:Nominated
- 1947Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture:Nominated
- 1948Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture:Nominated
- 1948Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture:Nominated
- 1948Golden Globe - Best Original Score:Winner
- 1948International Award - Best Score:Winner
- 1949Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture:Nominated
- 1950Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture:Nominated
- 1951Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture:Nominated
- 1953Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture:Nominated
- 1953Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture:Nominated
- 1955Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture:Nominated
- 1956Oscar - Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture:Nominated
- 1958Golden Laurel - Top Music Composer:Winner
- 1960Golden Laurel - Top Score:Winner
- 1961Golden Laurel - Top Musical Score:Nominated
- 2008IFMCA Award - Best Re-Recording of an Existing Score:Nominated
- 2009IFMCA Award - Best Re-Recording of an Existing Score:Nominated
- 2013IFMCA Award - Best Archival Re-Recording of an Existing Score:Nominated
- 2021OFTA Film Hall of Fame - Score:Winner
- 2022OFTA Film Hall of Fame - Score:Winner