Johnny Mandel

[1925 -] Arranger and composer of American popular music. John Alfred Mandel began exercising his interest in music very early: at thirteen was already training writing arrangements and twenty already earned his living as a trombonist and trumpeter playing in big bands. He wrote arrangements for big names like Artie Shaw and Count Basie in the 50s and made history in association with the cinema: in 1958 the music to I Want To Live became part so important in jazz insertion supporting dramatically a film as were a Streetcar Named Desire (1951) of Alex North and The Man With the Golden Arm (1956) of Elmer Bernstein. Although more connected to the jazz market, his work on the screen are memorable and include a great classic: the score for The Sandpiper (1965), which launched the theme The Shadow of Your Smile, one of the standarts of jazz at the movies. Other credits were detachable, The Americanization of Emily (1964), Harper (1966), The Russians are Coming (1966), Point Blank (1967), Mash (1970) wich the theme Suicide is Painless had lyrics by Robert Altman, The Last Detail (1973) and later, Being There (1979), Deathtrap (1982) and The Verdict (1982).