Elmer Bernstein

Unrestricted Film music is an oft-overlooked art form— its scores are used once, and then typically forgotten. Composers and lyricists have led the charge for film music education, preservation, and awareness since the mid-1960s, none more active than Elmer Bernstein. Bernstein was an avid idealist whose faith in music and its transformative powers is illustrative of a life led by example. He was “a man of integrity, an outspoken supporter of his colleagues, and a critic.” He was an historian and educator. His work spanned over fifty years and garnered him two Western Heritage Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, an Emmy Award, an Academy Award, and even a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.; This thesis is a study of the creative endeavors of Elmer Bernstein and the contributions he made to film, television, theater, radio, symphonic performance, and philanthropy. It will discuss the history of Bernstein’s work for film composers’ rights as it relates to recent discussions of unionization and the impact that move could make in improving our cultural environment.