Respected Composer Bernstein Dead at 82

Tony-nominated composer Elmer Bernstein, best known for his Oscar-winning film scores, died on August 18 in his sleep, according to an Associated Press report. He was 82.

Bernstein first worked on Broadway in 1954, composing incidental music for the musical Peter Pan. He returned to the theater over a decade later, composing the score for How Now, Dow Jones, which earned him a Tony nomination for his music and received a Best Musical nomination. He received another Tony nomination for his third Broadway show, Merlin.

Considered to be one of Hollywood's best composers, Bernstein was nominated for Academy Awards for his scores of The Man with the Golden Arm, The Magnificent Seven, Summer and Smoke, To Kill a Mockingbird, Walk on the Wild Side, Return of the Seven, Hawaii for which he earned nods for Best Original Song and Best Score, Thoroughly Modern Millie, True Grit, Gold, Trading Places, The Age of Innocence and Far from Heaven and took home the prestigious statue for Thoroughly Modern Millie. In 1963 he was awarded the Emmy for his score for The Making of The President. He has also received five Grammy nominations from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.