Born Maximilian Raoul Walter Steiner in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (now Austria). A musical prodigy, he graduated from Vienna's Imperial Academy of Music at 13, after completing the eight-year course in one year. The following year he wrote the book and lyrics and composed the score for a musical that played Vienna for two years. Studying under Mahler, he was a professional conductor at 16. In 1914 he emigrated to the US, where he became conductor and orchestrator of Broadway musicals for George White, Florenz Ziegfeld, and Victor Herbert. With the advent of sound, he went to Hollywood in 1929 and exerted an enormous influence on the development of the musical score as a functional element in films. His scores were typically melodious and full-bodied and closely linked with the visual images. His score for THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948) won top prize at Venice. His best-known music is probably the score of GONE WITH THE WIND (1939), one of the richest and longest in screen history. In all, he scored more than 200 films, mostly for RKO and Warners.

Nominated for Music Scoring (Best Score) 1934: THE LOST PATROL - as Head of RKO Studio Music Department & Score  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Score) 1934: THE GAY DIVORCÉE - as Head of RKO Studio Music Department  Music Scoring Awards (Best Score) 1935: THE INFORMER - as Head of RKO Studio Music Department & Score  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Score) 1936: THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE - Score at Warner Bros.  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Score) 1936: THE GARDEN OF ALLAH - as Head of Selznick International Music Department & Score  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Score) 1937: THE LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA - Score at Warner Bros.  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Score) 1938: JEZEBEL  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Original Score) 1939: DARK VICTORY  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Original Score) 1939: GONE WITH THE WIND  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Original Score) 1940: THE LETTER  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic Picture) 1941:  Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1942: NOW, VOYAGER  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1943: CASABLANCA  Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1944: SINCE YOU WENT AWAY  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1944: THE ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Musical Picture) 1945: RHAPSODY IN BLUE (w. Ray Heindorf)  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Musical Picture) 1946: NIGHT AND DAY (w. Ray Heindorf)  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Musical Picture) 1947: MY WILD IRISH ROSE (w. Ray Heindorf)  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1947: LIFE WITH FATHER  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1948: JOHNNY BELINDA  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1949: BEYOND THE FOREST  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1950: THE FLAME AND THE ARROW  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1952: THE MIRACLE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Musical Picture) 1952: THE JAZZ SINGER (w. Ray Heindorf)  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1954: THE CAINE MUTINY  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1955: BATTLE CRY 26 nominations, 3 Awards