Mancini, Henry

Henry Mancini (1924 - 1994) was an American composer, conductor and arranger. He is best known as a composer of film and television music. He won twenty Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented to him in memoriam in 1995. He has won four Academy Awards, two Oscars for the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's (Best Music and Best Film Song - the famous Moon River), as well as for his song in Days of Wine and Roses (1963) and the adapted score for Victor, Victoria (1983). He won a Golden Globe for his song in Darling Lili (1971). His best known work, however, is the jazz theme accompanying the Pink Panther film series . Among his television works, he is best known for his music for the TV series Birds of a Feather and Peter Gunn. In 2000, the American Film Institute named his Moon River the fourth best film song of all time and his score for The Pink Panther the twentieth best film score.