---
name: "Elmer Bernstein"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/elmer-bernstein"
fi1m_id: "elmer-bernstein"
imdb_id: "nm0000930"
tmdb_id: 7182
wikidata_id: "Q111436"
roles: ["Composer"]
born: "4 April 1922"
died: "18 August 2004"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 24
average_fi1m_score: 75
average_over: 24
updated: "2026-10-04T21:52:52.127175+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Elmer Bernstein

## Identity

Elmer Bernstein

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/elmer-bernstein
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** elmer-bernstein
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000930
- **TMDB ID:** 7182
- **Wikidata ID:** Q111436
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer_Bernstein, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111436, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000930/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7182

Composer. Born 4 April 1922 in New York City, New York, USA. Died 18 August 2004.

## Details

- **Work:** Composer
- **Born:** 4 April 1922, New York City, New York, USA
- **Died:** 18 August 2004
- **Active:** 1953–2026
- **Also known as:** Elmer Bernstien
- **Frequently works with:** [John Landis](https://film.one/person/john-landis.md), [Dan Aykroyd](https://film.one/person/dan-aykroyd.md), [George Folsey Jr.](https://film.one/person/george-folsey-jr.md), [Ivan Reitman](https://film.one/person/ivan-reitman.md), [Martin Scorsese](https://film.one/person/martin-scorsese.md), [Barbara De Fina](https://film.one/person/barbara-de-fina.md), [Bill Murray](https://film.one/person/bill-murray.md), [Charles Bronson](https://film.one/person/charles-bronson.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 13 nominated)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 71 (5), 1960s 84 (3), 1980s 76 (8), 1990s 70 (6), 2000s 87 (1), 2020s 63 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 77 to 72 across 20 titles
- **Score spread:** 13 at 80+, 8 at 60–79, 3 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 14, Comedy 9, Crime 7, Adventure 3, Romance 3, Action 2
- **Screen time:** 43 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,433m across 21 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer_Bernstein, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111436, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000930/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7182

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Age of Innocence*](https://film.one/film/the-age-of-innocence.md) (86), [*The Great Escape*](https://film.one/film/the-great-escape.md) (82), [*Trading Places*](https://film.one/film/trading-places.md) (80), [*An American Werewolf in London*](https://film.one/film/an-american-werewolf-in-london.md) (80), [*The Man with the Golden Arm*](https://film.one/film/the-man-with-the-golden-arm.md) (78), [*Cape Fear*](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1991.md) (71), [*Stripes*](https://film.one/film/stripes.md) (70), [*The Ten Commandments*](https://film.one/film/the-ten-commandments.md) (67)
- **Netflix:** [*The Blues Brothers*](https://film.one/film/the-blues-brothers.md) (81), [*Ghostbusters*](https://film.one/film/ghostbusters.md) (80)
- **Hulu:** [*Airplane!*](https://film.one/film/airplane.md) (89)
- **Apple TV:** [*Sweet Smell of Success*](https://film.one/film/sweet-smell-of-success.md) (88)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Elmer Bernstein was an American composer and conductor. He composed scores for numerous films and television productions over a career spanning more than fifty years.

His credits include music for *The Grifters* (1990) and *The Age of Innocence* (1993). He adapted Bernard Herrmann's score for the 1991 film *Cape Fear*, and his work from that production is used in the 2026 series of the same name. Other notable scores encompass *The Magnificent Seven* (1960), *To Kill a Mockingbird* (1962), *The Great Escape* (1963), *Ghostbusters* (1984) and *Airplane!* (1980).

Bernstein won an Academy Award for *Thoroughly Modern Millie* (1967) and received fourteen Oscar nominations in total. He also won two Golden Globes.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, a2zsoundtrack.com.*

## On Fi1m (24)

- *Cape Fear* (2026), Fi1m 63, Music — [page](https://film.one/tv/cape-fear.md)
- *Far from Heaven* (2002), Fi1m 87, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/far-from-heaven.md)
- *Wild Wild West* (1999), Fi1m 34, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/wild-wild-west.md)
- *Fallen Angels* (1993), Fi1m 72, Main Title Theme Composer — [page](https://film.one/tv/fallen-angels-1993.md)
- *The Age of Innocence* (1993), Fi1m 86, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-age-of-innocence.md)
- *A Rage in Harlem* (1991), Fi1m 71, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/a-rage-in-harlem.md)
- *Cape Fear* (1991), Fi1m 71, Music, Original Music Composer, Conductor — [page](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1991.md)
- *The Grifters* (1990), Fi1m 84, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/the-grifters.md)
- *My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown* (1989), Fi1m 85, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/my-left-foot-the-story-of-christy-brown.md)
- *Spies Like Us* (1985), Fi1m 47, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/spies-like-us.md)
- *Ghostbusters* (1984), Fi1m 80, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/ghostbusters.md)
- *Trading Places* (1983), Fi1m 80, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/trading-places.md)
- *An American Werewolf in London* (1981), Fi1m 80, Conductor, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/an-american-werewolf-in-london.md)
- *Stripes* (1981), Fi1m 70, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/stripes.md)
- *Airplane!* (1980), Fi1m 89, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/airplane.md)
- *The Blues Brothers* (1980), Fi1m 81, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/the-blues-brothers.md)
- *Hud* (1963), Fi1m 86, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/hud.md)
- *The Great Escape* (1963), Fi1m 82, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/the-great-escape.md)
- *To Kill a Mockingbird* (1962), Fi1m 84, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/to-kill-a-mockingbird.md)
- *Some Came Running* (1958), Fi1m 76, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/some-came-running.md)
- *Sweet Smell of Success* (1957), Fi1m 88, Conductor, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/sweet-smell-of-success.md)
- *The Ten Commandments* (1956), Fi1m 67, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-ten-commandments.md)
- *The Man with the Golden Arm* (1955), Fi1m 78, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/the-man-with-the-golden-arm.md)
- *Robot Monster* (1953), Fi1m 48, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/robot-monster.md)

## Complete filmography (199)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Cape Fear* (2026), series, Music — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/cape-fear.md)
- *Torrente 4: Lethal crisis* (2011), Music
- *Return Of The Ghostbusters* (2007), as Compositor
- *Cecil B. DeMille: American Epic* (2004), Original Music Composer
- *Far from Heaven* (2002), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/far-from-heaven.md)
- *Chinese Coffee* (2000), Original Music Composer
- *Keeping the Faith* (2000), Original Music Composer
- *A Storm in Summer* (2000), Music Producer
- *Bringing Out the Dead* (1999), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *Introducing Dorothy Dandridge* (1999), Original Music Composer
- *Wild Wild West* (1999), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 34, [page](https://film.one/film/wild-wild-west.md)
- *The Deep End of the Ocean* (1999), Original Music Composer
- *Imagining 'Heavy Metal'* (1999), Music
- *Puppies for Sale* (1998), Music
- *Twilight* (1998), Original Music Composer
- *The Rainmaker* (1997), Original Music Composer
- *Hoodlum* (1997), Original Music Composer
- *Buddy* (1997), Original Music Composer
- *Bulletproof* (1996), Original Music Composer
- *Devil in a Blue Dress* (1995), Original Music Composer
- *Frankie Starlight* (1995), Original Music Composer
- *Canadian Bacon* (1995), Original Music Composer
- *A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies* (1995), series, Original Music Composer
- *Search and Destroy* (1995), Original Music Composer
- *Roommates* (1995), Conductor, Original Music Composer
- *The Good Son* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *The Age of Innocence* (1993), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/the-age-of-innocence.md)
- *Fallen Angels* (1993), series, Main Title Theme Composer — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/fallen-angels-1993.md)
- *Lost in Yonkers* (1993), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *Mad Dog and Glory* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *The Cemetery Club* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *The Babe* (1992), Original Music Composer
- *Cape Fear* (1991), Conductor, Original Music Composer — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1991.md)
- *Rambling Rose* (1991), Original Music Composer
- *A Rage in Harlem* (1991), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/a-rage-in-harlem.md)
- *Oscar* (1991), Original Music Composer
- *The Field* (1990), Original Music Composer
- *The Grifters* (1990), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-grifters.md)
- *Slipstream* (1989), Original Music Composer
- *My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown* (1989), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/my-left-foot-the-story-of-christy-brown.md)
- *The Good Mother* (1988), Original Music Composer
- *Funny Farm* (1988), Original Music Composer
- *Da* (1988), Music
- *Leonard Part 6* (1987), Original Music Composer
- *Amazing Grace and Chuck* (1987), Conductor, Original Music Composer
- *¡Three Amigos!* (1986), Original Music Composer
- *Legal Eagles* (1986), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *Spies Like Us* (1985), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 47, [page](https://film.one/film/spies-like-us.md)
- *Prince Jack* (1985), Music
- *The Black Cauldron* (1985), Original Music Composer
- *Marie Ward - Zwischen Galgen und Glorie* (1985), Music
- *Ghostbusters* (1984), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/ghostbusters.md)
- *Michael Jackson's Thriller* (1983), Music
- *Class* (1983), Original Music Composer
- *Trading Places* (1983), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/trading-places.md)
- *Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone* (1983), Original Music Composer
- *Airplane II: The Sequel* (1982), Original Music Composer
- *Five Days One Summer* (1982), Original Music Composer
- *Genocide* (1982), Conductor, Music
- *An American Werewolf in London* (1981), Original Music Composer, Conductor — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/an-american-werewolf-in-london.md)
- *Honky Tonk Freeway* (1981), Original Music Composer, Music
- *The Chosen* (1981), Original Music Composer
- *Heavy Metal* (1981), Original Music Composer
- *Stripes* (1981), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/stripes.md)
- *Going Ape!* (1981), Original Music Composer
- *Airplane!* (1980), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/airplane.md)
- *The Blues Brothers* (1980), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/the-blues-brothers.md)
- *This Year's Blonde* (1980), Original Music Composer
- *Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones* (1980), series, Music
- *Saturn 3* (1980), Original Music Composer
- *The Great Santini* (1979), Original Music Composer
- *Meatballs* (1979), Original Music Composer
- *Zulu Dawn* (1979), Original Music Composer
- *Charleston* (1979), Music
- *Little Women* (1978), series, Music
- *Bloodbrothers* (1978), Original Music Composer
- *Animal House* (1978), Original Music Composer
- *Cezanne* (1978), Music
- *Calypso's Search for the Britannic* (1977), Music
- *The 3,000 Mile Chase* (1977), Music
- *Powers of Ten* (1977), Music
- *Billy Jack Goes to Washington* (1977), Original Music Composer
- *The Incredible Sarah* (1976), Music
- *From Noon Till Three* (1976), as Songwriter (uncredited) · Original Music Composer
- *The Shootist* (1976), Original Music Composer
- *Serpico: The Deadly Game* (1976), Music
- *The Old Curiosity Shop* (1975), Original Music Composer
- *Ellery Queen: Too Many Suspects* (1975), Original Music Composer
- *Report to the Commissioner* (1975), Original Music Composer
- *Metropolitan Overview* (1975), Music
- *The Trial of Billy Jack* (1974), Original Music Composer
- *Nightmare Honeymoon* (1974), Original Music Composer
- *Gold* (1974), Original Music Composer, Music, Songs
- *Men of the Dragon* (1974), Music
- *McQ* (1974), Original Music Composer
- *Cahill: United States Marshal* (1973), Original Music Composer
- *Incident on a Dark Street* (1973), Original Music Composer
- *Nicholas Copernicus* (1973), Music
- *The Amazing Mr. Blunden* (1972), Original Music Composer
- *The Magnificent Seven Ride!* (1972), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *The Rookies* (1972), Music
- *Computer Perspective* (1972), Music
- *Appointment With Destiny* (1971), series, Original Music Composer
- *See No Evil* (1971), Original Music Composer
- *Walt Whitman: Poet for a New Age* (1971), Music
- *Big Jake* (1971), Original Music Composer
- *Doctors' Wives* (1971), Original Music Composer
- *The Tell-Tale Heart* (1971), Music
- *Appointment With Destiny: The Last Days of John Dillinger* (1971), Music
- *Cannon for Cordoba* (1970), Original Music Composer
- *A Walk in the Spring Rain* (1970), Original Music Composer
- *The Liberation of L.B. Jones* (1970), Original Music Composer
- *The Gypsy Moths* (1969), Original Music Composer
- *Guns of the Magnificent Seven* (1969), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *The Bridge at Remagen* (1969), Original Music Composer
- *True Grit* (1969), Original Music Composer, Songs
- *Midas Run* (1969), Original Music Composer
- *Where's Jack?* (1969), Music
- *Tops* (1969), Music
- *I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!* (1968), Original Music Composer
- *A Computer Glossary* (1968), Music
- *The Scalphunters* (1968), Original Music Composer
- *A Rough Sketch for a Proposed Film Dealing with the Powers of Ten and the Relative Size of Things in the Universe* (1968), Music
- *Thoroughly Modern Millie* (1967), Original Music Composer
- *Return of the Seven* (1966), Original Music Composer
- *Hawaii* (1966), Original Music Composer
- *Cast a Giant Shadow* (1966), Original Music Composer
- *The Silencers* (1966), Original Music Composer
- *View from the People Wall* (1966), Music
- *7 Women* (1965), Original Music Composer
- *The Reward* (1965), Original Music Composer
- *The Smithsonian Institution* (1965), Music
- *The Sons of Katie Elder* (1965), Original Music Composer
- *The Hallelujah Trail* (1965), Music
- *The Bold Men* (1965), Music Supervisor
- *Baby the Rain Must Fall* (1965), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *IBM at the Fair* (1965), Music
- *Four Days In November* (1964), Original Music Composer
- *The Carpetbaggers* (1964), Original Music Composer
- *The World of Henry Orient* (1964), Original Music Composer
- *The Making of the President 1960* (1963), Music
- *Love with the Proper Stranger* (1963), Original Music Composer
- *Kings of the Sun* (1963), Original Music Composer
- *Rampage* (1963), Music
- *The Caretakers* (1963), Original Music Composer
- *The Great Escape* (1963), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-great-escape.md)
- *Hud* (1963), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/hud.md)
- *A Girl Named Tamiko* (1962), Original Music Composer
- *To Kill a Mockingbird* (1962), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/to-kill-a-mockingbird.md)
- *Birdman of Alcatraz* (1962), Original Music Composer
- *Walk on the Wild Side* (1962), Original Music Composer, Conductor, Songs
- *The Comancheros* (1961), Original Music Composer
- *Summer and Smoke* (1961), Original Music Composer
- *The Young Doctors* (1961), Original Music Composer
- *By Love Possessed* (1961), Music
- *Topology: Jordan's Curve Theorem* (1961), Music
- *2ⁿ: A Story of the Power of Numbers* (1961), Original Music Composer
- *The Magnificent Seven* (1960), Original Music Composer
- *From the Terrace* (1960), Original Music Composer
- *The Rat Race* (1960), Original Music Composer
- *The Fabulous Fifties* (1960), Original Music Composer
- *An Introduction to Feedback* (1960), Music
- *The Story on Page One* (1959), Original Music Composer
- *The Miracle* (1959), Original Music Composer
- *Some Came Running* (1958), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/some-came-running.md)
- *The Buccaneer* (1958), Original Music Composer
- *Anna Lucasta* (1958), Original Music Composer
- *God's Little Acre* (1958), Original Music Composer
- *Kings Go Forth* (1958), Original Music Composer
- *Saddle the Wind* (1958), Original Music Composer
- *Desire Under the Elms* (1958), Original Music Composer
- *The Tin Star* (1957), Original Music Composer
- *Toccata for Toy Trains* (1957), Music
- *Sweet Smell of Success* (1957), Original Music Composer, Conductor — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/sweet-smell-of-success.md)
- *Men in War* (1957), Original Music Composer, Conductor
- *Fear Strikes Out* (1957), Original Music Composer
- *Drango* (1957), Original Music Composer
- *The Information Machine* (1957), Music
- *The Ten Commandments* (1956), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/film/the-ten-commandments.md)
- *The Naked Eye* (1956), Music
- *The Man with the Golden Arm* (1955), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/the-man-with-the-golden-arm.md)
- *It's a Dog's Life* (1955), Original Music Composer
- *Storm Fear* (1955), Original Music Composer
- *The View from Pompey's Head* (1955), Original Music Composer
- *The Eternal Sea* (1955), Original Music Composer
- *House: After Five Years of Living* (1955), Music
- *Silent Raiders* (1954), Original Music Composer
- *Make Haste to Live* (1954), Original Music Composer
- *Miss Robin Crusoe* (1953), Original Music Composer
- *Cat-Women of the Moon* (1953), Original Music Composer
- *Robot Monster* (1953), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 48, [page](https://film.one/film/robot-monster.md)
- *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, Original Music Composer
- *Never Wave at a WAC* (1953), Original Music Composer
- *A Communications Primer* (1953), Music
- *Battles of Chief Pontiac* (1952), Original Music Composer
- *Sudden Fear* (1952), Original Music Composer
- *Boots Malone* (1952), Music
- *Saturday's Hero* (1951), Music
- *Taking The Wheel*, Music

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won, 13 nominated

- 2003: Best Original Score (nominated), for *Far from Heaven*
- 1994: Best Original Score (nominated), for *The Age of Innocence*
- 1984: Best Original Song Score (nominated), for *Trading Places*
- 1975: Best Original Song (nominated)
- 1970: Best Original Song (nominated), for *True Grit*
- 1968: Best Original Score (won), for *Thoroughly Modern Millie*
- 1967: Best Score, Adaptation or Treatment (nominated), for *Return of the Seven*
- 1967: Best Original Song (nominated), for *My Wishing Doll*
- 1967: Best Original Score (nominated), for *Hawaii*
- 1963: Best Original Song (nominated), for *Walk on the Wild Side*
- 1963: Best Original Score (nominated), for *To Kill a Mockingbird*
- 1962: Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score (nominated), for *Summer and Smoke*
- 1961: Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score (nominated), for *The Magnificent Seven*
- 1956: Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score (nominated), for *The Man with the Golden Arm*

### Golden Globes — 2 won

- 1966: Best Original Score (won), for *Hawaii*
- 1962: Best Original Score (won), for *To Kill a Mockingbird*

### Other awards — 1 won, 2 nominated

- Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Musical Score 1985: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Musical Score (won), for *Bolero*
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1983: Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominated), for *Merlin*
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1968: Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominated), for *How Now, Dow Jones*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/elmer-bernstein