About
"Study harmony, study counterpoint, study orchestration, and all the composition. And not only that, but see a lot of opera. Because if you want to write for film or television, you have to have a sensitivity for what is dramatic."
In his one-and-a-half-hour interview, Lalo Schifrin (1932-2025) talks about his early musical influences and studies, including his years in Paris studying with noted composer Olivier Messiaen. He speaks about coming to the United States and working with famed jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie, joining his band, and recording numerous LPs with him. He describes his entrance into writing music for television, working under head of Universal's TV music, Stanley Wilson. He comments on some of the early projects he worked on including the series Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre and the television movie See How They Run. He looks back on the television series with which he is most associated, Mission: Impossible, for which he composed the now world-famous theme music, set against a lit fuse in the memorable opening titles. Among the other series he discusses, for which he scored the theme and episodic music, are Mannix and Medical Center. He then describes his compositions for several notable television documentaries including The Making of the President: 1964, The Hidden World of Insects, and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. For the latter documentary, he recalls that the dramatic cantata he wrote was later performed at the Hollywood Bowl. He also speaks about his compositions outside of television, and acknowledges that a notable piece from his Cool Hand Luke score was later used as the Eyewitness News theme. Jon Burlingame conducted the interview on October 3, 2008 in Beverly Hills, CA.
Highlights
Lalo Schifrin on the theme song to Mission Impossible
Lalo Schifrin on composing for The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for David Wolper's three-part documentary The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich; on developing a cantata from his score
Lalo Schifrin on composing the theme for Medical Center and using a Moog synthesizer
Lalo Schifrin on differences between scoring documentaries and fictional TV shows
Lalo Schifrin on combining classical music and jazz influences into a single work
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early years and education; on his musical influences; on studying music in Paris; on coming to the United States and working with Dizzy Gillespie; on his first work in motion pictures
On his early television work on Harris Against the World and Bob Hope Presents Chrysler Theatre; on the process of composing music for television; on some of the TV movies and series he worked on, including The Man From U.N.C.L.E and T.H.E. Cat
On composing the themes and music for Mission: Impossible and Mannix; on composing for Bronk and Hunter; on composing the theme music for Paramount Pictures; on his work in documentaries for David Wolper including The Making of the President: 1964 and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Chapter 2
On composing for The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, Medical Center, Petrocelli, Starsky and Hutch, Most Wanted, and other TV movies and miniseries
On how part of his composition for the feature film Cool Hand Luke became the theme for local Eyewitness News broadcasts; on composing for Out on a Limb and other TV movies and miniseries; on working with The Three Tenors; on the role of music in a television show and how it elicits an emotional response
On how technology has impacted his work; on the business of composing for film; on his proudest career achievement; on his advice to aspiring composers
Shows
A.D.
Lalo Schifrin on composing for the TV movie The Nativity and the miniseries A.D.
Bob Hope Presents Chrysler Theatre
Lalo Schifrin on composing for the Chrysler Theatre teleplay "A Clash of Cymbals"
Lalo Schifrin on composing for the Chrysler Theatre teleplay "A Small Rebellion" -- featuring Dizzy Gillespie acapella
Bronk
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for Bronk
Harris Against the World
Lalo Schifrin on composing music and writing the theme for Harris Against the World
Hollywood Wives
Lalo Schifrin on composing for the miniseries Hollywood Wives
Hunter
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for the pilot of Hunter
Making of the President: 1964, The
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for David Wolper's documentaries, including The Making of the President: 1964; on the differences of scoring for TV vs. scoring documentaries
Man From U.N.C.L.E., The
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for several episodes of The Man From U.N.C.L.E
Mannix
Lalo Schifrin on Bruce Geller wanting him to compose for Mannix
Medical Center
Lalo Schifrin on composing the theme for Medical Center and using a Moog synthesizer
Mission: Impossible
Lalo Schifrin on composing for Mission: Impossible; on his Mission: Impossible theme
Most Wanted
Lalo Schifrin on composing for Most Wanted
National Geographic Specials
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for the National Geographic special "The Hidden World of Insects"
Nativity, The
Lalo Schifrin on composing for the TV movie The Nativity and the miniseries A.D.
Out on a Limb
Lalo Schifrin on composing for the miniseries Out on a Limb
Petrocelli
Lalo Schifrin on composing for Petrocelli
Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, The
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for David Wolper's three-part documentary The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich; on developing a cantata from his score
See How They Run
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for the first movie of the week, See How They Run
Starsky and Hutch
Lalo Schifrin on composing for Starsky and Hutch
T.H.E. Cat
Lalo Schifrin on composing the theme and music for T.H.E. Cat, produced and directed by Boris Sagal
Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, The
Lalo Schifrin on composing for The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau
Woman Named Jackie, A
Lalo Schifrin on composing for the miniseries A Woman Named Jackie
Topics
Advice
Lalo Schifrin on advice to an aspiring composer
John F. Kennedy
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for David Wolper's documentaries, including The Making of the President: 1964; on the differences of scoring for TV vs. scoring documentaries
Pop Culture
Lalo Schifrin on composing the Mission: Impossible theme
Lalo Schifrin on composing the theme for Medical Center
Lalo Schifrin on how part of his composition for the feature film Cool Hand Luke became the theme for local Eyewitness News broadcasts
Technological Innovation
Lalo Schifrin on how technology has impacted his work
Television and the Presidency
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for David Wolper's documentaries, including The Making of the President: 1964; on the differences of scoring for TV vs. scoring documentaries
Television Industry
Lalo Schifrin on advice to an aspiring composer
TV Theme Songs
Lalo Schifrin on composing the Mission: Impossible theme
Lalo Schifrin on composing the theme for Medical Center
Lalo Schifrin on how part of his composition for the feature film Cool Hand Luke became the theme for local Eyewitness News broadcasts
Professions
Composer
Lalo Schifrin on his process for writing music for television; on writing music for Universal and for MGM
Lalo Schifrin on differences between composing for film and television
Lalo Schifrin on his music style
Lalo Schifrin on composing chamber music
Lalo Schifrin on combining classical music and jazz influences into a single work
Lalo Schifrin on the role of music in a television show and how it elicits an emotional response
Music Director
Lalo Schifrin on being music director for the Paris Philharmonic
Music Professionals
Lalo Schifrin on his process for writing music for television; on writing music for Universal and for MGM
Lalo Schifrin on differences between scoring documentaries and fictional TV shows
Lalo Schifrin on differences between scoring documentaries and fictional TV shows
Lalo Schifrin on differences between composing for film and television
Lalo Schifrin on his music style
Lalo Schifrin on being music director for the Paris Philharmonic
Lalo Schifrin on the business side of music for television
Lalo Schifrin on composing chamber music
Lalo Schifrin on combining classical music and jazz influences into a single work
Lalo Schifrin on the role of music in a television show and how it elicits an emotional response
Genres
Adventure/Espionage Series
Lalo Schifrin on composing the theme and music for T.H.E. Cat, produced and directed by Boris Sagal
Lalo Schifrin on composing the Mission: Impossible theme
News and Documentary
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for David Wolper's three-part documentary The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich; on developing a cantata from his score
Lalo Schifrin on composing for The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau
People
Elmer Bernstein
Lalo Schifrin on composer Elmer Bernstein and Mel Stuart being responsible for getting him involved with music for David Wolper's documentaries
Jacques Cousteau
Lalo Schifrin on composing for The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau
Placido Domingo
Lalo Schifrin on his collaborations with The Three Tenors
Bruce Geller
Lalo Schifrin on meeting Bruce Geller and composing for Mission: Impossible; on his Mission: Impossible theme
Lalo Schifrin on Bruce Geller wanting him to compose for Mannix, and at the same time, composing for Braddock
Dizzy Gillespie
Lalo Schifrin on first meeting Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones and coming to the United States at the request of Dizzy Gillespie; on joining his band
Lalo Schifrin on composing for Chrysler Theatre teleplays
Lalo Schifrin on composing for the Chrysler Theatre teleplay "A Small Rebellion" -- featuring Dizzy Gillespie acapella
Adolf Hitler
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for David Wolper's three-part documentary The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Quincy Jones
Lalo Schifrin on first meeting Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones
Jennings Lang
Lalo Schifrin on meeting Jennings Lang, father of studio pianist Mike Lang
Bruce Lee
Lalo Schifrin on a connection between the music of Mission Impossible and Bruce Lee (Schifrin wrote the music for Enter the Dragon)
Shirley MacLaine
Lalo Schifrin on composing for the miniseries Out on a Limb
Boris Sagal
Lalo Schifrin on composing the theme and music for T.H.E. Cat, produced and directed by Boris Sagal
Walter Scharf
Lalo Schifrin on Walter Scharf composing for Mission: Impossible
Rod Serling
Lalo Schifrin on composing for the film The Doomsday Flight written by Rod Serling
Aaron Spelling
Lalo Schifrin on composing for Starsky and Hutch
Mel Stuart
Lalo Schifrin on composer Elmer Bernstein and Mel Stuart being responsible for getting him involved with music for David Wolper's documentaries
Stanley Wilson
Lalo Schifrin on meeting Stanley Wilson (the head of Universal's music department) and how he impacted his career
David L. Wolper
Lalo Schifrin on composing music for David Wolper's three-part documentary The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich