Victor Young was a famed composer-conductor who made his American debut as a violinist in 1921.
Young was born in Chicago in 1900, the son of Polish emigrants. He began to study violin before he was 5 and was sent to Warsaw to study when he was 8. His professional debut was made with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra.
After his American debut he worked in Hollywood and after attracting national attention, became concertmaster at the Central Park Theatre in Chicago.
A pioneer in symphonic jazz, he wrote more than 75 popular hits after composing "Sweet Sue" in 1928.
Young was composer-conductor for Paramount Pictures for about 14 years, conducting the music for such films as "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "Love Letters," "Golden Earrings" and many others.
Young was in Kiev during World War I and was imprisoned there until a Bolshevist officer who admired him as a musician helped him escape. He made his way to Warsaw in a cattle car and was promptly thrown into a German prison. Eventually, he won parole but could not leave the country until peace was signed. After meeting his sister in Paris, he sailed for America.
During his career, Young was musical director for many top radio shows and was musical director for Brunswick Phonograph Co.
|
Year | Category | Work | |
---|---|---|---|
1938 | Best Original Score | Army Girl | Nomination |
1938 | Best Original Score | Breaking the Ice | Nomination |
1939 | Best Original Score | Golden Boy | Nomination |
1939 | Best Original Score | Gulliver's Travels | Nomination |
1939 | Best Original Score | Man of Conquest | Nomination |
1939 | Best Score | Way Down South | Nomination |
1940 | Best Score | Arise, My Love | Nomination |
1940 | Best Original Score | Arizona | Nomination |
1940 | Best Original Score | Dark Command | Nomination |
1940 | Best Original Score | North West Mounted Police | Nomination |
1941 | Best Scoring of a Dramatic Picture | Hold Back the Dawn | Nomination |
1942 | Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture | Flying Tigers | Nomination |
1942 | Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture | Silver Queen | Nomination |
1942 | Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture | Take a Letter, Darling | Nomination |
1943 | Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture | For Whom the Bell Tolls | Nomination |
1945 | Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture | Love Letters | Nomination |
1945 | Best Song | "Love Letters" from Love Letters | Nomination* |
1948 | Best Scoring of a Musical Picture | The Emperor Waltz | Nomination |
1949 | Best Song | "My Foolish Heart" from My Foolish Heart | Nomination* |
1950 | Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture | Samson and Delilah | Nomination |
1956 | Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture | Around the World in 80 Days | Win |
1956 | Best Song | "Written on the Wind" from Written on the Wind | Nomination* |
One thought about Victor Young
Share a thought about Victor Young