Leo F. Forbstein
Personal Info
Known for
Sound
Gender
Male
Birthday
1892-10-16
Day of Death
1948-02-12 (55 years old)
Place of Birth
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Leo F. Forbstein
Biography
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.
Known For
Acting
(1935)
Broadway Gondolier
as Rehearsal Orchestra Leader
Crew
(1948)
The Big Punch
Music Director
(1948)
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Music Director
(1948)
Rope
Music Director
(1948)
Two Guys from Texas
Original Music Composer
(1948)
Winter Meeting
Music Director
(1948)
Romance on the High Seas
Music Director
(1948)
Silver River
Music Director
(1947)
Humoresque
Music Director
(1947)
Possessed
Music Director
(1947)
Love and Learn
Music Director
(1947)
Cry Wolf
Music Director
(1947)
The Two Mrs. Carrolls
Music Director
(1947)
Dark Passage
Music Director
(1947)
Stallion Road
Music Director
(1947)
The Unsuspected
Music Director
(1947)
Escape Me Never
Music Director
(1947)
(1947)
Deep Valley
Music Director
(1947)
The Unfaithful
Music Director
(1947)
Nora Prentiss
Music Director
(1947)
Pursued
Music Director
(1946)
Never Say Goodbye
Music Director
(1946)
The Big Sleep
Music Director
(1946)
A Stolen Life
Music Director
(1946)
Cinderella Jones
Music Director
(1946)
Three Strangers
Music Director
(1946)
Shadow of a Woman
Music Director
(1946)
Devotion
Music Director
(1946)
The Man I Love
Music Director
(1945)
Conflict
Music Director
(1945)
Hotel Berlin
Music Director
(1945)
Mildred Pierce
Music Director
(1945)
To Have and Have Not
Music Director
(1945)
Danger Signal
Music Director
(1945)
The Corn Is Green
Music Director
(1945)
Pride of the Marines
Music Director
(1945)
Christmas in Connecticut
Music Director
(1944)
Uncertain Glory
Music Director
(1944)
The Mask of Dimitrios
Music Director
(1944)
The Doughgirls
Music Director
(1944)
Arsenic and Old Lace
Original Music Composer
(1944)
Mr. Skeffington
Music Director
(1944)
Make Your Own Bed
Music Director
(1943)
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Music Director
(1943)
Northern Pursuit
Music Director
(1943)
Princess O'Rourke
Music Director
(1943)
Edge of Darkness
Music Director
(1943)
Casablanca
Music Director
(1943)
Destination Tokyo
Music Director
(1943)
Air Force
Music Director
(1943)
Oklahoma Outlaws
Music Director
(1943)
The Constant Nymph
Music Director
(1943)
The Hard Way
Music Director
(1942)
The Male Animal
Music Director
(1942)
Captains of the Clouds
Music Director
(1942)
Now, Voyager
Music Director
(1942)
Always in My Heart
Music Director
(1942)
Spy Ship
Music Director
(1942)
The Big Shot
Music Director
(1942)
Wings for the Eagle
Music Director
(1942)
Gentleman Jim
Music Director
(1942)
George Washington Slept Here
Music Director
(1941)
The Sea Wolf
Music Director
(1941)
Dive Bomber
Music Director
(1941)
Kisses for Breakfast
Music Director
(1941)
The Strawberry Blonde
Music Director
(1941)
The Great Lie
Music Director
(1941)
The Maltese Falcon
Music Director
(1941)
Meet John Doe
Music Director
(1941)
Underground
Music Director
(1941)
Manpower
Music Director
(1941)
Sergeant York
Music Director
(1941)
Honeymoon for Three
Music Director
(1941)
Nine Lives Are Not Enough
Music Director
(1941)
Steel Against the Sky
Music Director
(1941)
The Great Mr. Nobody
Music Director
(1941)
Four Mothers
Music Director
(1941)
Flight from Destiny
Music Director
(1941)
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Music Director
(1941)
The Wagons Roll at Night
Music Director
(1941)
Footsteps in the Dark
Music Director
(1941)
Affectionately Yours
Music Director
(1940)
The Letter
Music Director
(1940)
Virginia City
Music Director
(1940)
It All Came True
Music Director
(1940)
She Couldn't Say No
Music Director
(1940)
A Fugitive from Justice
Music Director
(1940)
They Drive by Night
Music Director
(1940)
Castle on the Hudson
Music Director
(1940)
Knute Rockne All American
Music Director
(1940)
Santa Fe Trail
Music Director
(1939)
Indianapolis Speedway
Music Director
(1939)
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
Music Director
(1939)
Dodge City
Music Director
(1939)
Angels Wash Their Faces
Music Director
(1939)
You Can't Get Away with Murder
Music Director
(1939)
Dark Victory
Music Director
(1939)
Espionage Agent
Music Director
(1939)
Women in the Wind
Music Director
(1939)
King of the Underworld
Music Director
(1939)
Off the Record
Music Director
(1939)
Wings of the Navy
Music Director
(1939)
Four Wives
Music Director
(1939)
The Old Maid
Music Director
(1939)
Dust Be My Destiny
Music Director
(1939)
Daughters Courageous
Music Director
(1939)
Juarez
Music Director
(1939)
Invisible Stripes
Music Director
(1939)
Each Dawn I Die
Music Director
(1938)
A Slight Case of Murder
Music Director
(1938)
The Sisters
Music Director
(1938)
My Bill
Music Director
(1938)
Heart of the North
Music Director
(1938)
Going Places
Music Director
(1938)
Racket Busters
Music Director
(1938)
Secrets of an Actress
Music Director
(1938)
Comet Over Broadway
Music Director
(1938)
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Music Director
(1938)
Men Are Such Fools
Music Director
(1938)
Hollywood Hotel
Music Director
(1938)
Angels with Dirty Faces
Music Director
(1938)
Torchy Gets Her Man
Music Director
(1938)
The Dawn Patrol
Music Director
(1938)
Four's a Crowd
Music Director
(1938)
Jezebel
Music Director
(1938)
Crime School
Music Director
(1938)
Valley of the Giants
Music Director
(1938)
Four Daughters
Music Director
(1937)
The Great Garrick
Music Director
(1937)
The Life of Emile Zola
Music Director
(1937)
Green Light
Music Director
(1937)
The Prince and the Pauper
Music Director
(1937)
Another Dawn
Music Director
(1937)
Confession
Music Director
(1937)
God's Country and the Woman
Music Director
(1937)
Back in Circulation
Music Director
(1937)
It's Love I'm After
Music Director
(1937)
Stolen Holiday
Music Director
(1937)
First Lady
Music Director
(1937)
Call It a Day
Music Director
(1937)
Ready, Willing and Able
Music Director
(1937)
The Go-Getter
Music Director
(1937)
Tovarich
Music Director
(1937)
Marked Woman
Music Director
(1937)
Ever Since Eve
Music Director
(1936)
Sing Me a Love Song
Music Director
(1936)
Give Me Your Heart
Music Director
(1936)
Freshman Love
Music Director
(1936)
Gold Diggers of 1937
Music Director
(1936)
Earthworm Tractors
Original Music Composer
(1936)
Road Gang
Music Director
(1936)
Stage Struck
Music Director
(1936)
The Murder of Dr. Harrigan
Music Director
(1936)
The White Angel
Music Director
(1936)
The Petrified Forest
Music Director
(1936)
The Story of Louis Pasteur
Music Director
(1936)
Colleen
Conductor
(1936)
King of the Islands
Music Director
(1936)
Satan Met a Lady
Music Director
(1936)
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Music Director
(1936)
The Singing Kid
Conductor
(1936)
Snowed Under
Conductor
(1935)
Frisco Kid
Music Director
(1935)
A Night at the Ritz
Music Director
(1935)
Traveling Saleslady
Music Director
(1935)
While the Patient Slept
Conductor
(1935)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Music Director
(1935)
Stranded
Music Director
(1935)
I Found Stella Parish
Music Director
(1935)
The Case of the Lucky Legs
Music Director
(1935)
Going Highbrow
Music Director
(1935)
We're in the Money
Music Director
(1935)
Living on Velvet
Conductor
(1935)
Miss Pacific Fleet
Music Director
(1935)
Keystone Hotel
Music Director
(1935)
The Irish in Us
Music Director
(1935)
Alibi Ike
Music Director
(1935)
Don't Bet on Blondes
Music Director
(1935)
'G' Men
Music Director
(1935)
The Florentine Dagger
Music Director
(1935)
Shipmates Forever
Music Director
(1935)
Sweet Music
Conductor
(1935)
The Case of the Curious Bride
Music Director
(1935)
Broadway Gondolier
Music Director
(1935)
Go Into Your Dance
Music Director
(1935)
The Goose and the Gander
Music Director
(1935)
Maybe It's Love
Conductor
(1934)
The Dragon Murder Case
Conductor
(1934)
Mandalay
Conductor
(1934)
Here Comes the Navy
Conductor
(1934)
Massacre
Conductor
(1934)
The Case of the Howling Dog
Conductor
(1934)
Gambling Lady
Conductor
(1934)
Babbitt
Conductor
(1934)
Journal of a Crime
Conductor
(1934)
Midnight Alibi
Conductor
(1934)
British Agent
Conductor
(1934)
Dr. Monica
Conductor
(1934)
The Firebird
Music
(1934)
The Man with Two Faces
Music Director
(1934)
Fashions of 1934
Conductor
(1934)
Big Hearted Herbert
Conductor
(1934)
He Was Her Man
Conductor
(1934)
Happiness Ahead
Conductor
(1934)
Murder in the Clouds
Conductor
(1934)
Upperworld
Conductor
(1934)
Housewife
Conductor
(1934)
The Secret Bride
Conductor
(1934)
Kansas City Princess
Conductor
(1934)
Dames
Conductor
(1934)
Fog Over Frisco
Conductor
(1933)
She Had to Say Yes
Conductor
(1933)
Employees' Entrance
Conductor
(1933)
Private Detective 62
Conductor
(1933)
Baby Face
Conductor
(1933)
The House on 56th Street
Conductor
(1933)
I Loved a Woman
Conductor
(1933)
(1933)
Blondie Johnson
Conductor
(1933)
The King's Vacation
Conductor
(1933)
The Silk Express
Conductor
(1933)
The Mind Reader
Conductor
(1933)
Gold Diggers of 1933
Conductor
(1933)
Goodbye Again
Conductor
(1933)
The Narrow Corner
Conductor
(1933)
The Kennel Murder Case
Conductor
(1933)
College Coach
Conductor
(1933)
Lilly Turner
Conductor
(1933)
Girl Missing
Conductor
(1933)
Mystery of the Wax Museum
Conductor
(1933)
Footlight Parade
Conductor
(1933)
42nd Street
Conductor
(1933)
Ladies They Talk About
Conductor
(1932)
Jewel Robbery
Conductor
(1932)
Street of Women
Conductor
(1932)
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain
Orchestrator
(1932)
The Man Who Played God
Original Music Composer
(1932)
One Way Passage
Conductor
(1932)
Haunted Gold
Original Music Composer
(1932)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Original Music Composer
(1932)
Tiger Shark
Conductor
(1932)
The Tenderfoot
Conductor
(1932)
You Said a Mouthful
Conductor
(1932)
Love Is a Racket
Music
(1932)
The Woman from Monte Carlo
Conductor
(1932)
Silver Dollar
Conductor
(1932)
Winner Take All
Conductor
(1932)
They Call It Sin
Conductor
(1932)
Life Begins
Conductor
(1932)
The Rich Are Always with Us
Conductor
(1932)
The Match King
Conductor
(1932)
Beauty and the Boss
Conductor
(1932)
The Purchase Price
Conductor
(1932)
Miss Pinkerton
Conductor
(1932)
The Crash
Conductor
(1932)
Man Wanted
Conductor
(1932)
Scarlet Dawn
Conductor
(1932)
Three on a Match
Conductor
(1932)
Central Park
Conductor
(1932)
Big City Blues
Conductor
(1932)
Doctor X
Conductor
(1932)
The Mouthpiece
Conductor
(1931)
Gold Dust Gertie
Conductor
(1931)
Smart Money
Music Director
(1931)
The Star Witness
Music Director
(1931)
Side Show
Music Director
(1931)
Night Nurse
Conductor
(1931)
Too Young to Marry
Music Director
(1931)
Kiss Me Again
Conductor
(1931)
Big Business Girl
Conductor
(1931)
The Last Flight
Conductor
(1931)
Stranger in Town
Conductor
(1931)
Safe in Hell
Conductor
(1930)
Spring Is Here
Conductor
(1930)
Sweet Mama
Conductor
(1930)
The Flirting Widow
Conductor
(1930)
Loose Ankles
Conductor
(1930)
The Doorway to Hell
Music Director
(1930)
One Night at Susie's
Conductor
(1930)
The Dawn Patrol
Conductor
(1930)
Playing Around
Conductor
(1930)
Numbered Men
Conductor
(1930)
Road to Paradise
Conductor
(1929)
The Squall
Conductor
(1929)
Broadway Babies
Music