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Leo Frank Forbstein (October 16, 1892 – March 16, 1948) was an American film musical director and orchestra conductor who worked on more than 550 projects during a twenty-year period.
Forbstein was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He was attracted to music as a child, learning the violin at the age of four. As a conductor at the Royal Theater in St. Joseph, he synchronized the orchestra with the action in silent films; he then became principal conductor at the Newman Theatre in Kansas City, where the organist was future Warner Bros. colleague Carl W. Stalling. In the mid-1920s, Forbstein relocated to Hollywood to head the symphony orchestra at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre.
He signed with Warner Bros. as one of the directors of its Vitaphone Orchestra, alongside Erno Rapee (then Warners' general music director), Louis Silvers, and David Mendoza; Forbstein's first screen credit was The Squall in 1929. In 1931, Warners dismissed Rapee and Mendoza in a consolidation and economy move and Forbstein became the company's general music director.
In 1936, Forbstein and composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold were write-in candidates for the Oscar for Best Music, Score for their work on Captain Blood. The following year, he was nominated officially for The Charge of the Light Brigade and Anthony Adverse, winning for the latter. He was nominated again for The Life of Emile Zola in 1938.
Forbstein was married to the former Bess Gallas from October 16, 1914 until his death from a heart attack in Los Angeles, California. They had one daughter, Harriett (born 1915), who married assistant director Melvin Dellar. Leo Forbstein was entombed in the Corridor of Immortality at Home of Peace Cemetery.
Academy Awards
Best Score, Adaptation or Treatment
Known For
The Big Sleep
(1946)
Music Director
Casablanca
(1943)
Music Director
Baby Face
(1933)
Conductor
Night Nurse
(1931)
Conductor
Rope
(1948)
Music Director
The Maltese Falcon
(1941)
Music Director
Gold Diggers of 1933
(1933)
Conductor
Mildred Pierce
(1945)
Music Director
Dark Passage
(1947)
Music Director
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
(1948)
Music Director
Sergeant York
(1941)
Music Director
Dodge City
(1939)
Music Director
Sweet Music
(1935)
Conductor
The Adventures of Robin Hood
(1938)
Music Director
Jezebel
(1938)
Music Director
The Letter
(1940)
Music Director
Full Filmography
Sound
The Squall
(1929)
Conductor
Broadway Babies
(1929)
Music
The Flirting Widow
(1930)
Conductor
Loose Ankles
(1930)
Conductor
The Doorway to Hell
(1930)
Music Director
One Night at Susie's
(1930)
Conductor
The Dawn Patrol
(1930)
Conductor
Playing Around
(1930)
Conductor
Numbered Men
(1930)
Conductor
Spring Is Here
(1930)
Conductor
Sweet Mama
(1930)
Conductor
Smart Money
(1931)
Music Director
The Star Witness
(1931)
Music Director
Side Show
(1931)
Music Director
Too Young to Marry
(1931)
Music Director
Kiss Me Again
(1931)
Conductor
Big Business Girl
(1931)
Conductor
The Last Flight
(1931)
Conductor
Stranger in Town
(1931)
Conductor
Safe in Hell
(1931)
Conductor
Gold Dust Gertie
(1931)
Conductor
Night Nurse
(1931)
Conductor
The Man Who Played God
(1932)
Original Music Composer
Haunted Gold
(1932)
Original Music Composer
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
(1932)
Original Music Composer
Love Is a Racket
(1932)
Music
The Woman from Monte Carlo
(1932)
Conductor
Silver Dollar
(1932)
Conductor
Winner Take All
(1932)
Conductor
They Call It Sin
(1932)
Conductor
The Match King
(1932)
Conductor
Beauty and the Boss
(1932)
Conductor
The Rich Are Always with Us
(1932)
Conductor
The Purchase Price
(1932)
Conductor
Miss Pinkerton
(1932)
Conductor
The Crash
(1932)
Conductor
Man Wanted
(1932)
Conductor
Scarlet Dawn
(1932)
Conductor
Three on a Match
(1932)
Conductor
Central Park
(1932)
Conductor
Big City Blues
(1932)
Conductor
Doctor X
(1932)
Conductor
The Mouthpiece
(1932)
Conductor
Jewel Robbery
(1932)
Conductor
Street of Women
(1932)
Conductor
One Way Passage
(1932)
Conductor
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain
(1932)
Orchestrator
Tiger Shark
(1932)
Conductor
Blondie Johnson
(1933)
Conductor
The Man from Monterey
(1933)
Music
The King's Vacation
(1933)
Conductor
The Mind Reader
(1933)
Conductor
The Silk Express
(1933)
Conductor
Gold Diggers of 1933
(1933)
Conductor
Goodbye Again
(1933)
Conductor
The Narrow Corner
(1933)
Conductor
The Kennel Murder Case
(1933)
Conductor
College Coach
(1933)
Conductor
Lilly Turner
(1933)
Conductor
Girl Missing
(1933)
Conductor
Mystery of the Wax Museum
(1933)
Conductor
42nd Street
(1933)
Conductor
Footlight Parade
(1933)
Conductor
She Had to Say Yes
(1933)
Conductor
Employees' Entrance
(1933)
Conductor
Private Detective 62
(1933)
Conductor
I Loved a Woman
(1933)
Conductor
The House on 56th Street
(1933)
Conductor
Baby Face
(1933)
Conductor
The Man with Two Faces
(1934)
Music Director
Big Hearted Herbert
(1934)
Conductor
He Was Her Man
(1934)
Conductor
Happiness Ahead
(1934)
Conductor
Murder in the Clouds
(1934)
Conductor
Housewife
(1934)
Conductor
The Secret Bride
(1934)
Conductor
Kansas City Princess
(1934)
Conductor
Dames
(1934)
Conductor
Fog Over Frisco
(1934)
Conductor
Mandalay
(1934)
Conductor
The Dragon Murder Case
(1934)
Conductor
Here Comes the Navy
(1934)
Conductor
Massacre
(1934)
Conductor
The Case of the Howling Dog
(1934)
Conductor
Gambling Lady
(1934)
Conductor
Babbitt
(1934)
Conductor
Midnight Alibi
(1934)
Conductor
Journal of a Crime
(1934)
Conductor
British Agent
(1934)
Conductor
Dr. Monica
(1934)
Conductor
Fashions of 1934
(1934)
Conductor
The Firebird
(1934)
Music
Keystone Hotel
(1935)
Music Director
Miss Pacific Fleet
(1935)
Music Director
Don't Bet on Blondes
(1935)
Music Director
Alibi Ike
(1935)
Music Director
The Irish in Us
(1935)
Music Director
Shipmates Forever
(1935)
Music Director
The Florentine Dagger
(1935)
Music Director
Sweet Music
(1935)
Conductor
The Case of the Curious Bride
(1935)
Music Director
Broadway Gondolier
(1935)
Music Director
Go Into Your Dance
(1935)
Music Director
The Goose and the Gander
(1935)
Music Director
Maybe It's Love
(1935)
Conductor
A Night at the Ritz
(1935)
Music Director
Traveling Saleslady
(1935)
Music Director
While the Patient Slept
(1935)
Conductor
Stranded
(1935)
Music Director
I Found Stella Parish
(1935)
Music Director
The Case of the Lucky Legs
(1935)
Music Director
We're in the Money
(1935)
Music Director
Living on Velvet
(1935)
Conductor
Frisco Kid
(1935)
Music Director
Going Highbrow
(1935)
Music Director
'G' Men
(1935)
Music Director
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(1935)
Music Director
Earthworm Tractors
(1936)
Original Music Composer
Road Gang
(1936)
Music Director
The Murder of Dr. Harrigan
(1936)
Music Director
Stage Struck
(1936)
Music Director
The White Angel
(1936)
Music Director
The Petrified Forest
(1936)
Music Director
The Story of Louis Pasteur
(1936)
Music Director
Colleen
(1936)
Conductor
King of the Islands
(1936)
Music Director
Satan Met a Lady
(1936)
Music Director
The Charge of the Light Brigade
(1936)
Music Director
The Singing Kid
(1936)
Conductor
Snowed Under
(1936)
Conductor
Give Me Your Heart
(1936)
Music Director
Freshman Love
(1936)
Music Director
Sing Me a Love Song
(1936)
Music Director
Gold Diggers of 1937
(1936)
Music Director
Call It a Day
(1937)
Music Director
Ready, Willing and Able
(1937)
Music Director
The Go-Getter
(1937)
Music Director
Tovarich
(1937)
Music Director
Marked Woman
(1937)
Music Director
Ever Since Eve
(1937)
Music Director
The Great Garrick
(1937)
Music Director
The Life of Emile Zola
(1937)
Music Director
Another Dawn
(1937)
Music Director
Confession
(1937)
Music Director
Back in Circulation
(1937)
Music Director
First Lady
(1937)
Music Director
Stolen Holiday
(1937)
Music Director
Green Light
(1937)
Music Director
The Prince and the Pauper
(1937)
Music Director
God's Country and the Woman
(1937)
Music Director
It's Love I'm After
(1937)
Music Director
The Dawn Patrol
(1938)
Music Director
Torchy Gets Her Man
(1938)
Music Director
Angels with Dirty Faces
(1938)
Music Director
Four's a Crowd
(1938)
Music Director
Jezebel
(1938)
Music Director
Valley of the Giants
(1938)
Music Director
Four Daughters
(1938)
Music Director
A Slight Case of Murder
(1938)
Music Director
My Bill
(1938)
Music Director
Secrets of an Actress
(1938)
Music Director
Comet Over Broadway
(1938)
Music Director
The Adventures of Robin Hood
(1938)
Music Director
Men Are Such Fools
(1938)
Music Director
The Sisters
(1938)
Music Director
Heart of the North
(1938)
Music Director
Racket Busters
(1938)
Music Director
Going Places
(1938)
Music Director
Hollywood Hotel
(1938)
Music Director
King of the Underworld
(1939)
Music Director
Off the Record
(1939)
Music Director
Wings of the Navy
(1939)
Music Director
Four Wives
(1939)
Music Director
The Old Maid
(1939)
Music Director
Dust Be My Destiny
(1939)
Music Director
Daughters Courageous
(1939)
Music Director
Juarez
(1939)
Music Director
Indianapolis Speedway
(1939)
Music Director
You Can't Get Away with Murder
(1939)
Music Director
Angels Wash Their Faces
(1939)
Music Director
Dark Victory
(1939)
Music Director
Women in the Wind
(1939)
Music Director
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
(1939)
Music Director
Dodge City
(1939)
Music Director
Espionage Agent
(1939)
Music Director
It All Came True
(1940)
Music Director
She Couldn't Say No
(1940)
Music Director
A Fugitive from Justice
(1940)
Music Director
They Drive by Night
(1940)
Music Director
Castle on the Hudson
(1940)
Music Director
Knute Rockne All American
(1940)
Music Director
The Letter
(1940)
Music Director
Virginia City
(1940)
Music Director
The Maltese Falcon
(1941)
Music Director
Meet John Doe
(1941)
Music Director
Underground
(1941)
Music Director
Manpower
(1941)
Music Director
Sergeant York
(1941)
Music Director
Honeymoon for Three
(1941)
Music Director
Nine Lives Are Not Enough
(1941)
Music Director
Steel Against the Sky
(1941)
Music Director
The Great Mr. Nobody
(1941)
Music Director
Four Mothers
(1941)
Music Director
Flight from Destiny
(1941)
Music Director
The Man Who Came to Dinner
(1941)
Music Director
The Wagons Roll at Night
(1941)
Music Director
Footsteps in the Dark
(1941)
Music Director
Affectionately Yours
(1941)
Music Director
The Sea Wolf
(1941)
Music Director
Kisses for Breakfast
(1941)
Music Director
The Strawberry Blonde
(1941)
Music Director
Dive Bomber
(1941)
Music Director
The Great Lie
(1941)
Music Director
Spy Ship
(1942)
Music Director
The Big Shot
(1942)
Music Director
Wings for the Eagle
(1942)
Music Director
Gentleman Jim
(1942)
Music Director
George Washington Slept Here
(1942)
Music Director
The Male Animal
(1942)
Music Director
Always in My Heart
(1942)
Music Director
Captains of the Clouds
(1942)
Music Director
Now, Voyager
(1942)
Music Director
Destination Tokyo
(1943)
Music Director
Casablanca
(1943)
Music Director
Air Force
(1943)
Music Director
Oklahoma Outlaws
(1943)
Music Director
The Constant Nymph
(1943)
Music Director
The Hard Way
(1943)
Music Director
Thank Your Lucky Stars
(1943)
Music Director
Princess O'Rourke
(1943)
Music Director
Northern Pursuit
(1943)
Music Director
Edge of Darkness
(1943)
Music Director
Arsenic and Old Lace
(1944)
Original Music Composer
Mr. Skeffington
(1944)
Music Director
Make Your Own Bed
(1944)
Music Director
The Mask of Dimitrios
(1944)
Music Director
The Doughgirls
(1944)
Music Director
Uncertain Glory
(1944)
Music Director
Mildred Pierce
(1945)
Music Director
To Have and Have Not
(1945)
Music Director
Danger Signal
(1945)
Music Director
The Corn Is Green
(1945)
Music Director
Pride of the Marines
(1945)
Music Director
Conflict
(1945)
Music Director
Hotel Berlin
(1945)
Music Director
Cinderella Jones
(1946)
Music Director
Three Strangers
(1946)
Music Director
Shadow of a Woman
(1946)
Music Director
Devotion
(1946)
Music Director
Never Say Goodbye
(1946)
Music Director
The Big Sleep
(1946)
Music Director
A Stolen Life
(1946)
Music Director
Dark Passage
(1947)
Music Director
Stallion Road
(1947)
Music Director
The Unsuspected
(1947)
Music Director
Escape Me Never
(1947)
Music Director
The Beast with Five Fingers
(1947)
Music
Deep Valley
(1947)
Music Director
The Unfaithful
(1947)
Music Director
Humoresque
(1947)
Music Director
Possessed
(1947)
Music Director
Love and Learn
(1947)
Music Director
The Two Mrs. Carrolls
(1947)
Music Director
Cry Wolf
(1947)
Music Director
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
(1948)
Music Director
Winter Meeting
(1948)
Music Director
Romance on the High Seas
(1948)
Music Director
Silver River
(1948)
Music Director
The Big Punch
(1948)
Music Director
Rope
(1948)
Music Director
Acting