An American conductor and composer, born in New York to immigrants from Austria. He was accepted at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. He participated in providing music for more than forty films, starting with musical theater productions. His credits include The Sting (1973) and The Way We Were (1973), both of which earned him three Oscars. During his long career, he won four Grammy Awards and a Tony Award, in addition to two Golden Globe Awards.