David Raksin
- Known For
- Sound
- Born
- August 4, 1912 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Died
- August 9, 2004
- Active Years
- 1936–2020 (85 Years)
- Total Credits
- 101 credits in database
Biography
David Raksin was an American composer, arranger, orchestrator, and scorer born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 4, 1912. He was the son of Isidor Raksin, a music store operator and musical conductor, and Pauline Raksin. His father taught him to play the piano and woodwind instruments at an early age. Raksin later studied music with Arnold Schonberg, though he was largely a self-taught multi-instrumentalist. Throughout his career, he created music for plays, ballet, the concert hall, television shows, and hundreds of films, including the Westerns Across the Wide Missouri in 1951, A Big Hand for the Little Lady in 1966, and Will Penny in 1968. He was married to Joanne Carol Kaiser. David Raksin died on August 9, 2004, at the age of 92.
Career overview
David Raksin was an American composer renowned for his work in film and television. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 4, 1912, he was the son of Isidor Raksin, a music store operator and musical conductor, and Pauline Raksin. Taught to play the piano and woodwind instruments at an early age by his father, Raksin eventually studied music with Arnold Schonberg while becoming largely a self-taught multi-instrumentalist.
During his career, Raksin composed, arranged, orchestrated, and scored for hundreds of plays, movies, and television shows, in addition to writing for ballet and the concert hall. His extensive film credits included a number of Westerns, such as Across the Wide Missouri released in 1951, A Big Hand for the Little Lady released in 1966, and Will Penny released in 1968. He was also credited with soundtrack work for Captain America: The First Avenger.
Raksin died on August 9, 2004, at the age of 92 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Throughout his life, he was married to Joanne Carol Kaiser and had children named Richard David, Alexander, and Valentina.
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Career timeline
Full Filmography
101 titles- Zappa (2020) as Self (archive footage)
- Max Steiner: Maestro of Movie Music (2019) Thanks
- Hollywood Legenden (2004) as Self
- Männer im Trenchcoat, Frauen im Pelz (2004) as Self
- Bad Boy Made Good: The Revival of George Antheil's 1924 Ballet Mécanique (2003) as Interviewee
- Cinerama Adventure (2002) as Self
- Charlie Chaplin: A Tramp's Life (1998) as Self
- The Hollywood Soundtrack Story (1995) as Self
- Music for the Movies: The Hollywood Sound (1995) as Self
- Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic (1993) as Self - Composer
- Music for the Movies: Bernard Herrmann (1992) as Self
- Lady in a Corner (1989) Music
- Biography (1987) as Self - Composer 'Laura'
- The Day After (1983) Original Music Composer
- Memoirs of a Movie Palace: The Kings of Flatbush (1980) Original Music Composer
- The Suicide's Wife (1979) Music
- The Ghost of Flight 401 (1978) Original Music Composer
- Hollywood's Musical Moods (1976) as Self
- Magick Lantern Cycle (1974) Music
- Glass Houses (1972) Music
- Great Performances (1971) as Self
- What's the Matter with Helen? (1971) Original Music Composer
- The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again (1970) Original Music Composer
- Will Penny (1967) Original Music Composer
- A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966) Original Music Composer
- A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966) Conductor
- Love Has Many Faces (1965) Original Music Composer
- Sylvia (1965) Original Music Composer
- The Patsy (1964) Original Music Composer
- Invitation to a Gunfighter (1964) Music
- Scorpio Rising (1964) Music
- Two Weeks in Another Town (1962) Original Music Composer
- Night Tide (1961) Original Music Composer
- Too Late Blues (1961) Original Music Composer
- Pay or Die! (1960) Original Music Composer
- Al Capone (1959) Original Music Composer
- The Redeemer (1959) Music
- Separate Tables (1958) Original Music Composer
- Twilight for the Gods (1958) Original Music Composer
- Until They Sail (1957) Original Music Composer
- Man on Fire (1957) Original Music Composer
- Gunsight Ridge (1957) Original Music Composer
- Jubal (1956) Original Music Composer
- Bigger Than Life (1956) Original Music Composer
- Hilda Crane (1956) Original Music Composer
- The Big Combo (1955) Music
- Suddenly (1954) Original Music Composer
- Apache (1954) Original Music Composer
- The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) Original Music Composer
- The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) Conductor
- The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) Orchestrator
- Pat and Mike (1952) Music
- Carrie (1952) Original Music Composer
- The Girl in White (1952) Original Music Composer
- Across the Wide Missouri (1951) Original Music Composer
- The Man with a Cloak (1951) Original Music Composer
- Kind Lady (1951) Music
- Force of Evil (1950) Music
- Whirlpool (1950) Original Music Composer
- A Lady Without Passport (1950) Original Music Composer
- The Reformer and the Redhead (1950) Original Music Composer
- The Next Voice You Hear... (1950) Original Music Composer
- The Magnificent Yankee (1950) Orchestrator
- The Magnificent Yankee (1950) Conductor
- The Magnificent Yankee (1950) Original Music Composer
- Right Cross (1950) Original Music Composer
- Fury at Furnace Creek (1948) Original Music Composer
- Apartment for Peggy (1948) Original Music Composer
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) Original Music Composer
- Forever Amber (1947) Original Music Composer
- Daisy Kenyon (1947) Music
- Daisy Kenyon (1947) Original Music Composer
- The Homestretch (1947) Music
- Fallen Angel (1945) Original Music Composer
- Where Do We Go from Here? (1945) Music
- Don Juan Quilligan (1945) Original Music Composer
- Circumstantial Evidence (1945) Orchestrator
- Laura (1944) Original Music Composer
- Belle of the Yukon (1944) Original Music Composer
- Irish Eyes Are Smiling (1944) Additional Music
- Main Street Today (1944) Music
- Tampico (1944) Music
- I Dood It (1943) Music
- City Without Men (1943) Music
- The Man Who Wouldn't Die (1942) Original Music Composer
- On the Sunny Side (1942) Original Music Composer
- Dr. Renault's Secret (1942) Original Music Composer
- Inflation (1942) Music
- The Undying Monster (1942) Music
- Just Off Broadway (1942) Music
- Dead Men Tell (1941) Original Music Composer
- The Gorilla (1939) Music
- The Witness Vanishes (1939) Original Music Composer
- Marked Woman (1937) Additional Music
- Wings Over Honolulu (1937) Original Music Composer
- Midnight Court (1937) Music
- The Mighty Treve (1937) Original Music Composer
- Modern Times (1936) Music Arranger
- These Three (1936) Orchestrator
- All About Alfred as Self
- Bilder, die man hören kann as Self
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is David Raksin best known for?
David Raksin is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Zappa (2020), Lady in a Corner (1989), Biography (1987), The Day After (1983).
When and where was David Raksin born?
David Raksin was born on August 4, 1912 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. They passed away on August 9, 2004.
How many credits does David Raksin have?
David Raksin has accumulated over 101 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1936 to 2020.
What is David Raksin's background in cinema and television?
David Raksin was an American composer, arranger, orchestrator, and scorer born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 4, 1912. He was the son of Isidor Raksin, a music store operator and musical conductor, and Pauline Raksin. His father taught him to play the piano and woodwind instruments at an early age. Raksin lat...
David Raksin by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Zappa (2020) as Self (archive footage) — aged about 107
- Biography (1987) as Self - Composer 'Laura' — aged about 74
- Great Performances (1971) as Self — aged about 58
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