Lalo Schifrin, the Argentine-American composer whose blend of jazz, classical, and Latin American music helped define the sound of film and television for generations, died on Thursday in Los Angeles at the age of 93. The cause was complications from pneumonia, according to reports from his family.
Born Boris Claudio Schifrin in Buenos Aires in 1932, Schifrin’s musical roots ran deep: his father was a violinist at the Teatro Colón, and his early piano studies included lessons with Enrique Barenboim and composer Juan Carlos Paz. Though he initially studied sociology and law, Schifrin’s passion for music took him to the Conservatoire de Paris and eventually to the heart of American jazz and Hollywood.
He first made an international mark with works for jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie, including Gillespiana and The New Continent, and soon relocated to Los Angeles. It was there that he became one of the most in-demand composers of the 20th century. His unmistakable theme for Mission: Impossible, composed in 5/4 time, became one of the most iconic pieces in television history.
Schifrin scored over 100 films, including Cool Hand Luke, Bullitt, Enter the Dragon, The Amityville Horror, and the Rush Hour trilogy, and was a frequent collaborator with Clint Eastwood on the Dirty Harry series. His music was known for rhythmic inventiveness, cinematic flair, and an often jazz-inflected voice that made his scores instantly recognizable.
He received six Oscar nominations, four Emmy nominations, and won five Grammy Awards. In 2019, he was honored with an Academy Honorary Award for his contributions to film music.
In the final chapter of his career, Schifrin returned to his roots. In 2024, he partnered with fellow Argentine composer Rod Schejtman to write a new symphony, premiered at the Teatro Colón in April 2025 for the theatre’s centennial. The piece, described as a sweeping fusion of cinematic and symphonic traditions, was celebrated as a powerful homage to Argentina’s cultural legacy.
Schifrin is survived by his wife Donna and their three children.
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