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Argentine-American composer, pianist, conductor, and arranger renowned for jazz-influenced film/TV scores. Schifrin rose to prominence in the 1960s-70s, creating indelible themes for Mission: Impossible and Dirty Harry. A six-time Oscar nominee, he seamlessly blended jazz, classical, and orchestral techniques across 100+ film scores and concert works.

• Schifrin's father was concertmaster of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic, exposing him to classical music early; he later rebelled by playing jazz in nightclubs.
• After studying under Olivier Messiaen in Paris, he became Dizzy Gillespie's pianist/arranger (1960-62), writing the acclaimed suite Gillespiana.
• His Mission: Impossible theme, recorded in 5/4 time, became a global phenomenon but earned him only $1,000 initially due to work-for-hire contracts.
• He endured a near-fatal fall from a Hollywood recording stage catwalk in 1969, fracturing his skull and requiring extensive rehabilitation.
• Despite six Academy Award nominations (e.g., Cool Hand Luke, The Fox), Schifrin never won an Oscar but received four Grammys and two Latin Grammys.
• Controversially fired from The Exorcist (1973) after producer William Friedkin rejected his avant-garde score; only fragments remained in the final film.