Nicknamed "Benny." Preeminent film composer, born in New York City and brought to Hollywood by Orson Welles, subsequently renowned for his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock. Herrmann had scored many of Welles's radio shows (including the infamous 1939 broadcast of "War of the Worlds") before making the move west for CITIZEN KANE (1941), and immediately joined the front rank of film composers. In contrast to the prevailing Hollywood style, Herrmann's scores moved away from full, lush arrangements to smaller, often unorthodox orchestration. Equally innovative was his use of brief, easily recognizable themes in place of lengthier melodies. Of Herrmann's many collaborations with Hitchcock, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956) -- in which he appears as the conductor -- VERTIGO (1958) and PSYCHO (1960) stand out. However, not one of Herrmann's scores for Hitchcock was nominated for an Academy Award. His other outstanding credits include THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (1941) -- which beat out his KANE score for the Oscar -- THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1958), François Truffaut's THE BRIDE WORE BLACK (1968) and Martin Scorsese's TAXI DRIVER (1976). Other notable film scoring credits include THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS (1942), JANE EYRE (1944), ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM (1946), THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947), PORTRAIT OF JENNIE (1948, uncredited), THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951), 5 FINGERS and THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO (both 1952), BENEATH THE 12-MILE REEF (1953), THE EGYPTIAN (1954), PRINCE OF PLAYERS, THE KENTUCKIAN and THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY (all 1955), THE WRONG MAN (1956), A HATFUL OF RAIN (1957), THE NAKED AND THE DEAD (1958), NORTH BY NORTHWEST and JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (both 1959), THE 3 WORLDS OF GULLIVER (1960), MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1961), TENDER IS THE NIGHT and CAPE FEAR (both 1962), JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (1963), MARNIE (1964), FAHRENHEIT 451 (1966), SISTERS (1973), IT'S ALIVE! (1974). Herrmann was a sound consultant on Hitchcock's THE BIRDS (1963), and he composed music for many television series. His personal favorite among his scores was THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947); some of the main thematic material in the score turned up in his only opera, Wuthering Heights. For a time, Herrmann was married to actress Louise Fletcher.  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic Picture) 1941: CITIZEN KANE  Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic Picture) 1941: ALL THAT MONEY CAN BUY (a.k.a. THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER)  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1946: ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score) 1976: TAXI DRIVER  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score) 1976: OBSESSION 5 nominations, 1 Award