Leo F. Forbstein
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 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.
Humoresque
(Music Director)
The Male Animal
(Music Director)
Jewel Robbery
(Conductor)
The Dragon Murder Case
(Conductor)
She Had to Say Yes
(Conductor)
Mandalay
(Conductor)
Thank Your Lucky Stars
(Music Director)
Spring Is Here
(Conductor)
Northern Pursuit
(Music Director)
The Great Garrick
(Music Director)
Frisco Kid
(Music Director)
Here Comes the Navy
(Conductor)
Employees' Entrance
(Conductor)
The Letter
(Music Director)
Possessed
(Music Director)
Sing Me a Love Song
(Music Director)
Princess O'Rourke
(Music Director)
The Sea Wolf
(Music Director)
The Life of Emile Zola
(Music Director)
Indianapolis Speedway
(Music Director)
A Night at the Ritz
(Music Director)
Conflict
(Music Director)
Green Light
(Music Director)
The Prince and the Pauper
(Music Director)
A Slight Case of Murder
(Music Director)
Traveling Saleslady
(Music Director)
Dive Bomber
(Music Director)
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
(Music Director)
While the Patient Slept
(Conductor)
Edge of Darkness
(Music Director)
Dodge City
(Music Director)
Love and Learn
(Music Director)
Virginia City
(Music Director)
Angels Wash Their Faces
(Music Director)
Never Say Goodbye
(Music Director)
You Can't Get Away with Murder
(Music Director)
The Sisters
(Music Director)
Uncertain Glory
(Music Director)
Massacre
(Conductor)
Cry Wolf
(Music Director)
Captains of the Clouds
(Music Director)
Kisses for Breakfast
(Music Director)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(Music Director)
Private Detective 62
(Conductor)
Stranded
(Music Director)
Another Dawn
(Music Director)
I Found Stella Parish
(Music Director)
Give Me Your Heart
(Music Director)
Confession
(Music Director)
Street of Women
(Conductor)
My Bill
(Music Director)
Freshman Love
(Music Director)
The Case of the Howling Dog
(Conductor)
Sweet Mama
(Conductor)
The Strawberry Blonde
(Music Director)
Hotel Berlin
(Music Director)
The Case of the Lucky Legs
(Music Director)
Gambling Lady
(Conductor)
Heart of the North
(Music Director)
Babbitt
(Conductor)
Journal of a Crime
(Conductor)
Midnight Alibi
(Conductor)
The Two Mrs. Carrolls
(Music Director)
Now, Voyager
(Music Director)
God's Country and the Woman
(Music Director)
Gold Dust Gertie
(Conductor)
Back in Circulation
(Music Director)
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain
(Orchestrator)
Dark Victory
(Music Director)
The Mask of Dimitrios
(Music Director)
Baby Face
(Conductor)
Going Places
(Music Director)
The Doughgirls
(Music Director)
Going Highbrow
(Music Director)
Racket Busters
(Music Director)
The Big Punch
(Music Director)
We're in the Money
(Music Director)
The Great Lie
(Music Director)
Espionage Agent
(Music Director)
Mildred Pierce
(Music Director)
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
(Music Director)
Casablanca
(Music Director)
Secrets of an Actress
(Music Director)
Always in My Heart
(Music Director)
The Maltese Falcon
(Music Director)
It's Love I'm After
(Music Director)
Comet Over Broadway
(Music Director)
Stolen Holiday
(Music Director)
The Man Who Played God
(Original Music Composer)
The Adventures of Robin Hood
(Music Director)
First Lady
(Music Director)
Living on Velvet
(Conductor)
British Agent
(Conductor)
One Way Passage
(Conductor)
The House on 56th Street
(Conductor)
Haunted Gold
(Original Music Composer)
Men Are Such Fools
(Music Director)
Dr. Monica
(Conductor)
I Loved a Woman
(Conductor)
Women in the Wind
(Music Director)
Dark Passage
(Music Director)
The Firebird
(Music)
Destination Tokyo
(Music Director)
Arsenic and Old Lace
(Original Music Composer)
Hollywood Hotel
(Music Director)
Gold Diggers of 1937
(Music Director)
The Big Sleep
(Music Director)
Miss Pacific Fleet
(Music Director)
Keystone Hotel
(Music Director)
Earthworm Tractors
(Original Music Composer)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
(Original Music Composer)
The Man with Two Faces
(Music Director)
Smart Money
(Music Director)
Angels with Dirty Faces
(Music Director)
The Star Witness
(Music Director)
Torchy Gets Her Man
(Music Director)
The Dawn Patrol
(Music Director)
King of the Underworld
(Music Director)
Side Show
(Music Director)
It All Came True
(Music Director)
Meet John Doe
(Music Director)
Four's a Crowd
(Music Director)
Manpower
(Music Director)
Underground
(Music Director)
Wings for the Eagle
(Music Director)
Spy Ship
(Music Director)
The Big Shot
(Music Director)
The Irish in Us
(Music Director)
Don't Bet on Blondes
(Music Director)
Alibi Ike
(Music Director)
She Couldn't Say No
(Music Director)
Tiger Shark
(Conductor)
Night Nurse
(Conductor)
To Have and Have Not
(Music Director)
Sergeant York
(Music Director)
The Man from Monterey
(Music)
Gentleman Jim
(Music Director)
Mr. Skeffington
(Music Director)
Jezebel
(Music Director)
Too Young to Marry
(Music Director)
'G' Men
(Music Director)
A Stolen Life
(Music Director)
Stallion Road
(Music Director)
Rope
(Music Director)
Blondie Johnson
(Conductor)
Crime School
(Music Director)
Fashions of 1934
(Conductor)
Two Guys from Texas
(Original Music Composer)
Air Force
(Music Director)
The Tenderfoot
(Conductor)
You Said a Mouthful
(Conductor)
Big Hearted Herbert
(Conductor)
Call It a Day
(Music Director)
He Was Her Man
(Conductor)
Happiness Ahead
(Conductor)
Love Is a Racket
(Music)
Kiss Me Again
(Conductor)
Off the Record
(Music Director)
The Woman from Monte Carlo
(Conductor)
Murder in the Clouds
(Conductor)
Road Gang
(Music Director)
Ready, Willing and Able
(Music Director)
Honeymoon for Three
(Music Director)
Silver Dollar
(Conductor)
Nine Lives Are Not Enough
(Music Director)
Stage Struck
(Music Director)
Steel Against the Sky
(Music Director)
The Florentine Dagger
(Music Director)
The Go-Getter
(Music Director)
The Flirting Widow
(Conductor)
The Unsuspected
(Music Director)
The Murder of Dr. Harrigan
(Music Director)
The Great Mr. Nobody
(Music Director)
Shipmates Forever
(Music Director)
The King's Vacation
(Conductor)
Upperworld
(Conductor)
Winter Meeting
(Music Director)
Sweet Music
(Conductor)
Valley of the Giants
(Music Director)
Winner Take All
(Conductor)
Wings of the Navy
(Music Director)
Cinderella Jones
(Music Director)
The White Angel
(Music Director)
Escape Me Never
(Music Director)
Four Mothers
(Music Director)
Four Wives
(Music Director)
The Petrified Forest
(Music Director)
The Story of Louis Pasteur
(Music Director)
The Case of the Curious Bride
(Music Director)
The Squall
(Conductor)
Big Business Girl
(Conductor)
The Silk Express
(Conductor)
They Call It Sin
(Conductor)
The Mind Reader
(Conductor)
Colleen
(Conductor)
Housewife
(Conductor)
Life Begins
(Conductor)
The Secret Bride
(Conductor)
The Beast with Five Fingers
(Music)
Gold Diggers of 1933
(Conductor)
The Rich Are Always with Us
(Conductor)
The Match King
(Conductor)
Beauty and the Boss
(Conductor)
The Purchase Price
(Conductor)
Kansas City Princess
(Conductor)
Goodbye Again
(Conductor)
Broadway Gondolier
(Music Director)
The Narrow Corner
(Conductor)
Deep Valley
(Music Director)
King of the Islands
(Music Director)
A Fugitive from Justice
(Music Director)
Oklahoma Outlaws
(Music Director)
Miss Pinkerton
(Conductor)
The Crash
(Conductor)
Loose Ankles
(Conductor)
Tovarich
(Music Director)
Three Strangers
(Music Director)
Dames
(Conductor)
The Constant Nymph
(Music Director)
The Unfaithful
(Music Director)
The Last Flight
(Conductor)
The Doorway to Hell
(Music Director)
Flight from Destiny
(Music Director)
Danger Signal
(Music Director)
Make Your Own Bed
(Music Director)
Man Wanted
(Conductor)
Stranger in Town
(Conductor)
One Night at Susie's
(Conductor)
The Kennel Murder Case
(Conductor)
College Coach
(Conductor)
Shadow of a Woman
(Music Director)
George Washington Slept Here
(Music Director)
The Dawn Patrol
(Conductor)
Scarlet Dawn
(Conductor)
Safe in Hell
(Conductor)
Satan Met a Lady
(Music Director)
They Drive by Night
(Music Director)
Three on a Match
(Conductor)
The Corn Is Green
(Music Director)
Lilly Turner
(Conductor)
Marked Woman
(Music Director)
The Man Who Came to Dinner
(Music Director)
The Hard Way
(Music Director)
Go Into Your Dance
(Music Director)
Central Park
(Conductor)
Devotion
(Music Director)
Fog Over Frisco
(Conductor)
Romance on the High Seas
(Music Director)
The Charge of the Light Brigade
(Music Director)
The Singing Kid
(Conductor)
The Wagons Roll at Night
(Music Director)
Big City Blues
(Conductor)
Doctor X
(Conductor)
Footsteps in the Dark
(Music Director)
The Mouthpiece
(Conductor)
Girl Missing
(Conductor)
Mystery of the Wax Museum
(Conductor)
Footlight Parade
(Conductor)
Silver River
(Music Director)
42nd Street
(Conductor)
Affectionately Yours
(Music Director)
Playing Around
(Conductor)
Maybe It's Love
(Conductor)
The Goose and the Gander
(Music Director)
The Old Maid
(Music Director)
Ever Since Eve
(Music Director)
Snowed Under
(Conductor)
Dust Be My Destiny
(Music Director)
Pride of the Marines
(Music Director)
Daughters Courageous
(Music Director)
Castle on the Hudson
(Music Director)
Broadway Babies
(Music)
Knute Rockne All American
(Music Director)
Four Daughters
(Music Director)
Numbered Men
(Conductor)
Juarez
(Music Director)
Ladies They Talk About
(Conductor)