Hugo Friedhofer

Hugo Wilhelm Friedhofer (May 3, 1901 – May 17, 1981) was an American composer and cellist, known for his film scores. He won an Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), out of nine total nominations. Biography Hugo Wilhelm Friedhofer was born in San Francisco, California, United States. In 1929, he relocated to Hollywood, where he performed as a musician for Fox Studios productions such as Sunny Side Up (1929) and Grand Canary (1934). In 1946, Friedhofer was hired to compose the score for the 1946 William Wyler directed film, The Best Years of Our Lives, which earned him an Oscar for Best Original Score at the 1947 Academy Awards, A new recording of the score, released in 1979 by Entr’acte Recording Society, was favorably received at the time. Friedhofer was also nominated for eight other films, including The Woman in the Window, The Bishop’s Wife, Joan of Arc, Above and Beyond, Between Heaven and Hell, Boy on a Dolphin and An Affair to Remember (both nominated in 1958 ), as well as The Young Lions. Friedhofer, who was greatly admired by his colleagues, was also noted for his caustic, self-deprecating wit. When asked by fellow composer David Rak