Born in Chester, PA. Composer of ballets, symphonies and stage music whose work on Elia Kazan's theater production of Death of a Salesman moved the director to bring him to Hollywood to compose the score for A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951). Lyrical and jazz-influenced, the score earned North the first of 15 Oscar® nominations (he never won a competitive Award) and introduced the sparer, more economic style of orchestration that eventually displaced the lusher scores of the 1930s and 40s. North's subsequent work ranged from intimate dramas THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING (1952) and WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1966), to the period epics SPARTACUS (1960), CLEOPATRA (1963) and the western CHEYENNE AUTUMN (1964). He also scored several of John Huston's later films, including THE MISFITS (1961), WISE BLOOD (1979), UNDER THE VOLCANO (1984), PRIZZI'S HONOR (1985) and THE DEAD (1987). In 1986 he was awarded an honorary Oscar for his cumulative work in motion pictures. His last scores were for GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM (1987), THE PENITENT (1988) and POSIEDNÍ MOTÝL (1991, a.k.a. THE LAST BUTTERFLY). North was the focus of a little-known controversy when he composed an original score for Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968), which Kubrick then rejected in favor of the selection of classical works he had been using as a temporary sound track during the film's production. Kubrick had commissioned North's composition to appease MGM executives who had urged him to use a more conventional score (as he had with North's score for SPARTACUS), but the notoriously autonomous director persevered in his determination to use classical pieces. It was a controversial decision among film music composers, and North's composition remained virtually unknown until 1993 when, two years after his death, his longtime friend and colleague Jerry Goldsmith conducted the world premiere recording of North's original 2001 score. North's most-recorded song was "Unchained Melody" (w. Hy Zaret). North was married to actress Sherle North from 1941 until 1966. Their son, Steven North, is a TV and film producer.

Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1951: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1951: DEATH OF A SALESMAN  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1952: VIVA ZAPATA!  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1955: THE ROSE TATTOO  Nominated for Music Best Song 1955: UNCHAINED "Unchained Melody" - Music  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1956: THE RAINMAKER  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1960: SPARTACUS  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Music Score Substantially Original) 1963: CLEOPATRA  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Music Score Substantially Original) 1965: THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Original Music Score) 1966: WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score for a Motion Picture Not a Musical) 1968: THE SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Dramatic Score) 1974: SHANKS  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score) 1975: BITE THE BULLET  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score) 1981: DRAGONSLAYER  Nominated for Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score) 1984: UNDER THE VOLCANO  Honorary Award 1985: "In recognition of his brilliant artistry in the creation of memorable music for a host of distinguished motion pictures." Winner presented a Statuette. 15 nominations, 1 Honorary Award