Biography
Pete Rugolo was an American jazz composer, arranger and record producer. Born Pietro Rugolo on 25 December 1915 in San Piero Patti, Sicily, he moved with his family to Santa Rosa, California, as a child. He studied at San Francisco State College and composition with Darius Milhaud at Mills College.
After military service in the Second World War, Rugolo joined Stan Kenton’s orchestra as an arranger and composer, contributing to its progressive sound. He later worked as a music director for Capitol and Mercury Records before moving into film and television scoring in the 1950s and 1960s. His television work included themes and scores for series such as The Fugitive, Run for Your Life, The Thin Man and MASH* (1972).
Rugolo also composed for films including Jack the Ripper (1959) and The Sweet Ride (1968). He received three Primetime Emmy Awards from six nominations and was honoured with the Golden Score Award in 1993. He died on 16 October 2011 in Sherman Oaks, California.
