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American composer, arranger, and jazz musician renowned for his Oscar-winning film scores and sophisticated big band arrangements.Prolific across six decades, Mandel transitioned from trombonist in swing-era bands to an Emmy/Grammy-winning composer for film/TV, collaborating with icons like Sinatra and Streisand while defining cinematic jazz elegance.

• Mandel's 'Suicide Is Painless' (MASH theme) became a counterculture anthem despite being written in 5 minutes; director Robert Altman's son penned the lyrics.
• He battled industry sexism in the 1950s by advocating for trombonist/arranger Manny Albam, pretending Albam's work was his own to bypass prejudice.
• Won his only Oscar for 'The Shadow of Your Smile' (The Sandpiper), later covered by 500+ artists including Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand.
• Died of natural causes at 94, leaving behind 700+ compositions and arrangements celebrated for harmonic complexity.