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Lionel Newman was the youngest member of a trio of talented virtuosos, composers, and conductors who led the music department at 20th Century Fox for over forty years. By age 15, Lionel was already a celebrated pianist and toured nationally on the vaudeville circuit as accompanist for Mae West before joining his brothers, Alfred and Emil, on the West Coast. He completed his musical training under Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco in Los Angeles and, by 1934, led his own group, 'Newman's Society Orchestra,' aboard the luxury cruise ship SS Rotterdam of the Holland-America Line.
Guided by his older brother Alfred, who headed Fox's music department from 1939 to 1960, Lionel gradually entered the film industry. His first commission was writing the title song for the modern western The Cowboy and the Lady (1938), earning an Oscar nomination for Best Song alongside lyricist Arthur Quenzer. In 1942, Fox hired him as rehearsal pianist and songwriter. His first major success came in 1948 with the standard "Again," written for the film Road House (1948). The song became a Hit Parade favorite and was covered by top artists such as Mel Tormé, Doris Day, Vera Lynn, and Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra.
By the early 1950s, Lionel was entrusted with more prestigious roles as both musical director and composer. He developed a close professional and personal relationship with Marilyn Monroe after first collaborating on Don't Bother to Knock (1952). He became her preferred conductor for films including Niagara (1953) and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). He also composed the title song for River of No Return (1954), with lyrics by Ken Darby, as well as "Down in the Meadow," both performed by Monroe. His notable film credits over the years include North to Alaska (1960), Cleopatra (1963), The Sand Pebbles (1966), and Alien (1979). His compositions include the whistling theme for The Proud Ones (1956) and, co-written with Alfred, the stirring opening theme for the revenge western The Bravados (1958), starring Gregory Peck.
After Alfred left Fox in 1959, Lionel was promoted to music director and later vice president overseeing feature and television music. Throughout the 1960s, he supervised most musical productions at the studio while composing memorable TV themes such as the jazz-inflected score for The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959). In 1969, he won an Oscar, shared with Lennie Hayton, for Best Score of a Musical Picture for Hello, Dolly! (1969). Following Alfred’s death in 1970, Lionel became general director of music at Fox, a role he held until leaving in 1985. He then joined MGM/United Artists in a similar executive position for the remainder of his life.
Renowned for his meticulous perfectionism and lively sense of humor, Lionel was highly respected by colleagues and admired by emerging film composers. A scholarship for young classical conductors has been established in his name.
