---
name: "Hans J. Salter"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/hans-j-salter"
fi1m_id: "hans-j-salter"
imdb_id: "nm0006270"
tmdb_id: 30130
wikidata_id: "Q85707"
roles: ["Composer"]
born: "14 January 1896"
died: "23 July 1994"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 78
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-09-25T06:29:20.627158+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."
---

# Hans J. Salter

## Identity

Hans J. Salter

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/hans-j-salter
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** hans-j-salter
- **IMDb ID:** nm0006270
- **TMDB ID:** 30130
- **Wikidata ID:** Q85707
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_J._Salter, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q85707, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006270/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/30130

Composer. Born 14 January 1896 in Vienna, Austria. Died 23 July 1994.

## Details

- **Work:** Composer
- **Born:** 14 January 1896, Vienna, Austria
- **Died:** 23 July 1994
- **Active:** 1941–1953
- **Also known as:** Hans Salter, H. J. Salter
- **Frequently works with:** [Charles Previn](https://film.one/person/charles-previn.md), [Frank Skinner](https://film.one/person/frank-skinner.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 6 Oscar nominations
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1940s 73 (2), 1950s 84 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 82 to 75 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Crime 2, Drama 2, Thriller 2, Horror 1, Western 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $2m across 1 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_J._Salter, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q85707, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006270/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/30130

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Winchester '73*](https://film.one/film/winchester-73.md) (81)
- **Peacock:** [*The Wolf Man*](https://film.one/film/the-wolf-man.md) (78)
- **Tubi:** [*The Reckless Moment*](https://film.one/film/the-reckless-moment.md) (68)

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

## Biography

Hans J. Salter was an Austrian-American film composer. He studied composition at the Vienna Academy of Music and later worked at the Berlin State Opera and UFA studios in Germany. He emigrated to the United States in 1937 and was placed under contract at Universal Pictures, where he remained for nearly thirty years as composer, arranger, conductor and music director, frequently collaborating with Frank Skinner.

Salter contributed to numerous Universal horror and science-fiction films, including *The Wolf Man* (1941), *Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man* (1943), *House of Frankenstein* (1944), *Creature from the Black Lagoon* (1954) and *The Incredible Shrinking Man* (1957). His other credits include *Scarlet Street* (1945), *Winchester '73* (1950) and *Bend of the River* (1952). He received several Academy Award nominations for his film scores.

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

## On Fi1m (4)

- *The Big Heat* (1953), Fi1m 86, Additional Music — [page](https://film.one/film/the-big-heat.md)
- *Winchester '73* (1950), Fi1m 81, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/winchester-73.md)
- *The Reckless Moment* (1949), Fi1m 68, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/the-reckless-moment.md)
- *The Wolf Man* (1941), Fi1m 78, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/the-wolf-man.md)

## Complete filmography (184)

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

- *Return of the Gunfighter* (1967), Original Music Composer
- *Let's Kill Uncle* (1966), Music
- *Beau Geste* (1966), Original Music Composer
- *Incident at Phantom Hill* (1966), Music
- *Gunpoint* (1966), Music
- *Women of the Prehistoric Planet* (1966), Music
- *The War Lord* (1965), Original Music Composer
- *The Human Duplicators* (1965), Music
- *Mutiny in Outer Space* (1965), Music
- *Kitten with a Whip* (1964), Additional Music
- *Bedtime Story* (1964), Original Music Composer
- *King Kong vs. Godzilla* (1963), Music
- *Showdown* (1963), Music
- *If a Man Answers* (1962), Original Music Composer
- *Follow That Dream* (1962), Original Music Composer
- *Hitler* (1962), Original Music Composer
- *Come September* (1961), Original Music Composer
- *The Law and Mr. Jones* (1960), series, Music
- *The Leech Woman* (1960), Original Music Composer
- *The Man in the Net* (1959), Original Music Composer
- *The Wild and the Innocent* (1959), Music
- *The Gunfight at Dodge City* (1959), Original Music Composer
- *Ride a Crooked Trail* (1958), Additional Music
- *Raw Wind in Eden* (1958), Music
- *Step Down to Terror* (1958), Music
- *The Thing That Couldn't Die* (1958), Music
- *Day of the Badman* (1958), Music
- *The Female Animal* (1958), Original Music Composer
- *The Tall Stranger* (1957), Original Music Composer
- *Joe Dakota* (1957), Original Music Composer
- *The Land Unknown* (1957), Original Music Composer
- *The Midnight Story* (1957), Music
- *The Night Runner* (1957), Original Music Composer
- *The Incredible Shrinking Man* (1957), Original Music Composer
- *The Mole People* (1956), Original Music Composer
- *Three Brave Men* (1956), Music Supervisor
- *Autumn Leaves* (1956), Original Music Composer
- *Hold Back the Night* (1956), Original Music Composer
- *The Rawhide Years* (1956), Music
- *Red Sundown* (1956), Music
- *Inside Detroit* (1955), Music
- *Lady Godiva of Coventry* (1955), Original Music Composer
- *The Far Horizons* (1955), Original Music Composer
- *Wichita* (1955), as Songs · Original Music Composer
- *Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy* (1955), Original Music Composer, Music
- *Women's Prison* (1955), Music
- *Revenge of the Creature* (1955), Music
- *Sign of the Pagan* (1954), Original Music Composer
- *Bengal Brigade* (1954), Original Music Composer
- *The Human Jungle* (1954), Original Music Composer
- *The Black Shield of Falworth* (1954), Original Music Composer
- *Creature from the Black Lagoon* (1954), Original Music Composer
- *The Far Country* (1954), Original Music Composer
- *The Big Heat* (1953), Additional Music — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/the-big-heat.md)
- *Against All Flags* (1952), Original Music Composer
- *The Black Castle* (1952), Music
- *The Duel at Silver Creek* (1952), Additional Music
- *Lost in Alaska* (1952), Music
- *Untamed Frontier* (1952), Original Music Composer
- *Flesh and Fury* (1952), Original Music Composer
- *The Battle at Apache Pass* (1952), Music
- *Bend of the River* (1952), Original Music Composer
- *Finders Keepers* (1952), Original Music Composer
- *The Strange Door* (1951), Music
- *Thunder on the Hill* (1951), Original Music Composer
- *The Golden Horde* (1951), Original Music Composer
- *You Never Can Tell* (1951), Original Music Composer
- *Iron Man* (1951), Music
- *Hollywood Story* (1951), Additional Music
- *The Prince Who Was a Thief* (1951), Original Music Composer
- *Apache Drums* (1951), Original Music Composer
- *Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man* (1951), Music
- *Tomahawk* (1951), Original Music Composer
- *Frenchie* (1950), Music
- *Undercover Girl* (1950), Music
- *The Killer That Stalked New York* (1950), Original Music Composer
- *Shakedown* (1950), Music
- *Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in the Foreign Legion* (1950), Music
- *Winchester '73* (1950), Music — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/winchester-73.md)
- *Spy Hunt* (1950), Music
- *Please Believe Me* (1950), Original Music Composer
- *Borderline* (1950), Original Music Composer
- *The Reckless Moment* (1949), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/the-reckless-moment.md)
- *Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff* (1949), Music
- *Johnny Stool Pigeon* (1949), Music
- *Cover Up* (1949), Original Music Composer
- *Mexican Hayride* (1948), Music
- *Man-Eater of Kumaon* (1948), Music
- *An Innocent Affair* (1948), Music
- *The Sign of the Ram* (1948), Original Music Composer
- *Love from a Stranger* (1947), Original Music Composer
- *The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap* (1947), Music
- *The Web* (1947), Music
- *That's My Man* (1947), Music
- *Magnificent Doll* (1946), Original Music Composer
- *The Dark Horse* (1946), Music
- *Lover Come Back* (1946), Music
- *Valley of the Zombies* (1946), Music
- *The Cat Creeps* (1946), Music
- *Little Miss Big* (1946), Music
- *Scarlet Street* (1945), Original Music Composer
- *This Love of Ours* (1945), Original Music Composer
- *River Gang* (1945), Original Music Composer, Music Director
- *The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry* (1945), Music
- *Secret Agent X-9* (1945), Original Music Composer
- *The Jungle Captive* (1945), Music
- *Can't Help Singing* (1944), Original Music Composer
- *The Mummy's Curse* (1944), Music
- *House of Frankenstein* (1944), Music Director, Original Music Composer
- *The Merry Monahans* (1944), Original Music Composer
- *The Mummy's Ghost* (1944), Music, Music Director
- *Christmas Holiday* (1944), Music Director, Original Music Composer
- *The Invisible Man's Revenge* (1944), Original Music Composer, Music Director
- *Jungle Woman* (1944), Music
- *Phantom Lady* (1944), Music Director, Additional Music
- *Gung Ho!* (1943), Conductor
- *The Spider Woman* (1943), Music Director
- *Never a Dull Moment* (1943), Music
- *The Mad Ghoul* (1943), Music Director
- *Son of Dracula* (1943), Original Music Composer
- *Sherlock Holmes Faces Death* (1943), Music Director
- *Adventures of the Flying Cadets* (1943), Original Music Composer
- *All by Myself* (1943), Music
- *Captive Wild Woman* (1943), Music Director, Music
- *Don Winslow of the Coast Guard* (1943), Music Director
- *Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man* (1943), Music Director, Original Music Composer
- *Keep 'Em Slugging* (1943), Original Music Composer, Music Director
- *The Amazing Mrs. Holliday* (1943), Original Music Composer
- *What We Are Fighting For* (1943), Music Director
- *Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon* (1942), Music
- *Mug Town* (1942), Music Director, Music
- *Pittsburgh* (1942), Music
- *The Old Chisholm Trail* (1942), Music Director
- *Madame Spy* (1942), Music Director
- *Who Done It?* (1942), Music
- *The Mummy's Tomb* (1942), Music Director, Music
- *Night Monster* (1942), Music Director
- *Eyes of the Underworld* (1942), Original Music Composer, Music Director
- *Pardon My Sarong* (1942), Music
- *The Silver Bullet* (1942), Music
- *Invisible Agent* (1942), Original Music Composer, Music Director
- *Drums of the Congo* (1942), Music Director
- *The Spoilers* (1942), Original Music Composer
- *Tough as They Come* (1942), Music Director
- *The Mystery of Marie Roget* (1942), Music Director
- *The Strange Case of Doctor Rx* (1942), Music Director
- *The Ghost of Frankenstein* (1942), Original Music Composer
- *Bombay Clipper* (1942), Music Director
- *The Mad Doctor of Market Street* (1942), Music Director
- *The Wolf Man* (1941), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/the-wolf-man.md)
- *Ride 'Em Cowboy* (1941), Music
- *It Started with Eve* (1941), Music Score Producer, Music
- *Badlands of Dakota* (1941), Music
- *Hold That Ghost* (1941), Music, Music Director
- *Hit the Road* (1941), Music
- *The Black Cat* (1941), Music Director, Music
- *Man-Made Monster* (1941), Music Director, Original Music Composer
- *Horror Island* (1941), Music Director
- *The Man Who Lost Himself* (1941), Original Music Composer
- *Trail of the Vigilantes* (1940), Original Music Composer
- *Seven Sinners* (1940), Original Music Composer
- *Spring Parade* (1940), Music
- *The Mummy's Hand* (1940), Music Director, Music
- *South to Karanga* (1940), Music Director
- *Zanzibar* (1940), Music
- *Black Friday* (1940), Music Director
- *The Invisible Man Returns* (1940), Original Music Composer
- *The Big Guy* (1939), Music
- *Tower of London* (1939), Music
- *First Love* (1939), Music
- *The Great Commandment* (1939), Music
- *The Witness Vanishes* (1939), Original Music Composer
- *Ex-Champ* (1939), Original Music Composer
- *Son of Frankenstein* (1939), Music Arranger
- *Danger on the Air* (1938), Original Music Composer
- *The Rage of Paris* (1938), Additional Music
- *Catherine the Last* (1936), Music Co-Supervisor
- *Liebe auf Bretteln* (1935), Music
- *Four and a Half Musketeers* (1935), Music Director
- *The Four Müllers* (1935), Music
- *Polibek ve sněhu* (1935), Original Music Composer
- *Carnival of Love* (1934), Music
- *Madame Wants No Children* (1933), Original Music Composer
- *Gloria* (1931), Music

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 6 nominated

- 1946: Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score (nominated), for *This Love of Ours*
- 1946: Best Original Musical Score (nominated), for *Can't Help Singing*
- 1945: Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score (nominated), for *Christmas Holiday*
- 1945: Best Original Musical Score (nominated), for *The Merry Monahans*
- 1944: Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score (nominated), for *The Amazing Mrs. Holliday*
- 1943: Best Original Musical Score (nominated), for *It Started with Eve*

*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/hans-j-salter