Born in New York City; educated at N.Y. Military Academy, Manhattan School of Music, & Julliard. He started out as a trumpeter and trombonist with various bands and orchestras, including those of Jimmy Dorsey, Buddy Rich and Count Basie. In the late 40s, he emerged as a brilliant arranger of jazz music for Artie Shaw and others, working with increasing frequency in TV. He began composing for films in the late 1950s, and collaborated with Paul Francis Webster to win a Best Song Academy Award for "The Shadow of Your Smile" for THE SANDPIPER (1965). Notable (non-nominated) composing credits include I WANT TO LIVE! (1958 -- his first film), THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY (1964), HARPER and THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING (both 1966), POINT BLANK (1967), M*A*S*H (1970), THE LAST DETAIL and SUMMER WISHES, WINTER DREAMS (both 1973), THE SAILOR WHO FELL FROM GRACE WITH THE SEA (1976), BEING THERE (1979), CADDYSHACK (1980), DEATHTRAP and THE VERDICT (both 1982), and BRENDA STARR (1989). He retired from composing for television and films in 1990.  Music Best Song 1965: THE SANDPIPER "The Shadow of Your Smile" - Music  Nominated for Music Best Song 1965: AN AMERICAN DREAM "A Time for Love" - Music 2 nominations, 1 Award