Composer
Max Steiner
Born 10 May 1888 · Vienna, Austria-Hungary [now Austria] — died 28 December 1971
Max Steiner was a Vienna-born composer who became a leading figure in Hollywood's Golden Age. He wrote more than 300 film scores, mainly for RKO and Warner Bros. He helped establish the orchestral film score, and is especially remembered for King Kong and Gone with the Wind.
Key films
King Kong (1933)
His groundbreaking, wall-to-wall orchestral score showed how music could drive a fantasy adventure and became a model for film scoring.
The Informer (1935)
Won him his first Academy Award, with music closely tracking the main character's emotions.
Gone with the Wind (1939)On Cinespective
His sweeping romantic score, including the famous Tara theme, is among the best-known in film history.
Now, Voyager (1942)
Won him a second Academy Award, with a lush score central to the film's emotional impact.
Casablanca (1943)On Cinespective
His score weaves the song As Time Goes By into a classic Warner Bros. drama.
Key awards
- 1935: Academy Award for Best Original Score, The Informer
- 1942: Academy Award for Best Original Score, Now, Voyager
- 1944: Academy Award for Best Original Score, Since You Went Away
- First recipient of the Golden Globe for Best Original Score, for Life with Father
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 232
- 1929Side StreetComposer
- 1929The Delightful RogueComposer
- 1930DixianaComposer
- 1931CimarronComposer
- 1931Kept HusbandsComposer
- 1931Beau IdealComposer
- 1931Consolation MarriageComposer
- 1931Bachelor ApartmentComposer
- 1931Friends and LoversComposer
- 1931Way Back HomeComposer
- 1931Are These Our Children?Composer
- 1931TransgressionComposer
- 1931The Gay DiplomatComposer
- 1931The Public DefenderComposer
- 1931Peach-o-RenoComposer
- 1931High StakesComposer
- 1931Cracked NutsComposer
- 1931Secret ServiceComposer
- 1931The RunaroundComposer
- 1931Fanny Foley HerselfComposer
- 1932The Most Dangerous GameComposer
- 1932A Bill of DivorcementComposer
- 1932What Price Hollywood?Composer
- 1932Thirteen WomenComposer
- 1932Bird of ParadiseComposer
- 1932The Animal KingdomComposer
- 1932The Lost SquadronComposer
- 1932The Penguin Pool MurderComposer
- 1932The Half-Naked TruthComposer
- 1932Is My Face Red?Composer
- 1932State's AttorneyComposer
- 1932Symphony of Six MillionComposer
- 1932Girl of the RioComposer
- 1932Little Orphan AnnieComposer
- 1932The ConquerorsComposer
- 1933King KongComposer
- 1933Little WomenComposer
- 1933The Son of KongComposer
- 1933Morning GloryComposer
- 1933Christopher StrongComposer
- 1933The Silver CordComposer
- 1933Melody CruiseComposer
- 1933SweepingsComposer
- 1933The Right To RomanceComposer
- 1933Lucky DevilsComposer
- 1933DiplomaniacsComposer
- 1933The Monkey's PawComposer
- 1933The Cheyenne KidComposer
- 1934Of Human BondageComposer
- 1934The Lost PatrolComposer
- 1934The Little MinisterComposer
- 1934StingareeComposer
- 1934Murder on the BlackboardComposer
- 1934The Age of InnocenceComposer
- 1934The Life of Vergie WintersComposer
- 1934The FountainComposer
- 1935The InformerComposer
- 1935Alice AdamsComposer
- 1935SheComposer
- 1935I Dream Too MuchComposer
- 1935The Three MusketeersComposer
- 1936The Charge of the Light BrigadeComposer
- 1936Little Lord FauntleroyComposer
- 1936The Garden of AllahComposer
- 1936The Ex-Mrs. BradfordComposer
- 1936ChatterboxComposer
- 1937A Star Is BornComposer
- 1937The Life of Emile ZolaComposer
- 1937Kid GalahadComposer
- 1937That Certain WomanComposer
- 1937Green LightComposer
- 1937Submarine D-1Composer
- 1937God's Country and the WomanComposer
- 1937TovarichComposer
- 1937SlimComposer
- 1938Angels with Dirty FacesComposer
- 1938JezebelComposer
- 1938The Amazing Dr. ClitterhouseComposer
- 1938The Dawn PatrolComposer
- 1938Crime SchoolComposer
- 1938The SistersComposer
- 1938Gold Is Where You Find ItComposer
- 1938White BannersComposer
- 1939Gone with the WindComposer
- 1939Dark VictoryComposer
- 1939Dodge CityComposer
- 1939Each Dawn I DieComposer
- 1939The Old MaidComposer
- 1939Intermezzo: A Love StoryComposer
- 1939They Made Me a CriminalComposer
- 1939The Oklahoma KidComposer
- 1939Confessions of a Nazi SpyComposer
- 1939Dust Be My DestinyComposer
- 1939Four WivesComposer
- 1940The LetterComposer
- 1940Santa Fe TrailComposer
- 1940All This, and Heaven TooComposer
- 1940Virginia CityComposer
- 1940City for ConquestComposer
- 1940Dr. Ehrlich's Magic BulletComposer
- 1940A Dispatch from ReutersComposer
- 1941Sergeant YorkComposer
- 1941They Died with Their Boots OnComposer
- 1941The Great LieComposer
- 1941The Bride Came C.O.D.Composer
- 1941Dive BomberComposer
- 1941Shining VictoryComposer
- 1942Now, VoyagerComposer
- 1942In This Our LifeComposer
- 1942Desperate JourneyComposer
- 1942Captains of the CloudsComposer
- 1942The Gay SistersComposer
- 1942Murder in the Big HouseComposer
- 1943CasablancaComposer
- 1943Watch on the RhineComposer
- 1943Why We Fight: The Battle of BritainComposer
- 1943Mission to MoscowComposer
- 1944Arsenic and Old LaceComposer
- 1944Passage to MarseilleComposer
- 1944Since You Went AwayComposer
- 1944The ConspiratorsComposer
- 1944Up in ArmsComposer
- 1944The Adventures of Mark TwainComposer
- 1945Mildred PierceComposer
- 1945The Corn Is GreenComposer
- 1945San AntonioComposer
- 1945Saratoga TrunkComposer
- 1945Rhapsody in BlueComposer
- 1945Roughly SpeakingComposer
- 1946The Big SleepComposer
- 1946Cloak and DaggerComposer
- 1946A Stolen LifeComposer
- 1946Tomorrow Is ForeverComposer
- 1946My ReputationComposer
- 1946One More TomorrowComposer
- 1947PursuedComposer
- 1947Life with FatherComposer
- 1947The Beast with Five FingersComposer
- 1947Deep ValleyComposer
- 1947The UnfaithfulComposer
- 1947CheyenneComposer
- 1947The Voice of the TurtleComposer
- 1947My Wild Irish RoseComposer
- 1947Love and LearnComposer
- 1948The Treasure of the Sierra MadreComposer
- 1948Key LargoComposer
- 1948Johnny BelindaComposer
- 1948Silver RiverComposer
- 1948The Woman in WhiteComposer
- 1948Fighter SquadronComposer
- 1948Winter MeetingComposer
- 1948The Decision of Christopher BlakeComposer
- 1948April ShowersComposer
- 1949White HeatComposer
- 1949The FountainheadComposer
- 1949Flamingo RoadComposer
- 1949Beyond the ForestComposer
- 1949South of St. LouisComposer
- 1949Without HonorComposer
- 1949A Kiss in the DarkComposer
- 1949The Lady Takes a SailorComposer
- 1949Mrs. MikeComposer
- 1950The Breaking PointComposer
- 1950CagedComposer
- 1950The Flame and the ArrowComposer
- 1950DallasComposer
- 1950The Glass MenagerieComposer
- 1950Rocky MountainComposer
- 1951Distant DrumsComposer
- 1951Operation PacificComposer
- 1951On Moonlight BayComposer
- 1951Lightning Strikes TwiceComposer
- 1951Jim Thorpe – All-AmericanComposer
- 1951I Was a Communist for the FBIComposer
- 1951Force of ArmsComposer
- 1951SugarfootComposer
- 1951Close to My HeartComposer
- 1952Room for One MoreComposer
- 1952Springfield RifleComposer
- 1952The Miracle of Our Lady of FatimaComposer
- 1952This Is CineramaComposer
- 1952Mara MaruComposer
- 1952The Iron MistressComposer
- 1952The Lion and the HorseComposer
- 1953Trouble Along the WayComposer
- 1953So BigComposer
- 1953The Charge at Feather RiverComposer
- 1953The Jazz SingerComposer
- 1953So This Is LoveComposer
- 1953The Desert SongComposer
- 1954The Caine MutinyComposer
- 1954King Richard and the CrusadersComposer
- 1954The Boy from OklahomaComposer
- 1955The Violent MenComposer
- 1955IllegalComposer
- 1955Battle CryComposer
- 1955Hell on Frisco BayComposer
- 1955The Last CommandComposer
- 1955The McConnell StoryComposer
- 1956The SearchersComposer
- 1956Helen of TroyComposer
- 1956Death of a ScoundrelComposer
- 1956Bandido!Composer
- 1956Come Next SpringComposer
- 1957Band of AngelsComposer
- 1957China GateComposer
- 1957All Mine to GiveComposer
- 1957Escapade in JapanComposer
- 1958Marjorie MorningstarComposer
- 1958Fort DobbsComposer
- 1958Darby's RangersComposer
- 1959The Hanging TreeComposer
- 1959A Summer PlaceComposer
- 1959The FBI StoryComposer
- 1959John Paul JonesComposer
- 1960The Dark at the Top of the StairsComposer
- 1960Cash McCallComposer
- 1960Ice PalaceComposer
- 1961A Majority of OneComposer
- 1961Susan SladeComposer
- 1961ParrishComposer
- 1961The Sins of Rachel CadeComposer
- 1961Portrait of a MobsterComposer
- 1962Rome AdventureComposer
- 1963Spencer's MountainComposer
- 1963FBI Code 98Composer
- 1964A Distant TrumpetComposer
- 1964Those CallowaysComposer
- 1964Youngblood HawkeComposer
- 1965Two on a GuillotineComposer
- 1976Hollywood's Musical Moods · as SelfActor
- 2019Max Steiner: Maestro of Movie Music · as Self (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.