Leo Erdody (December 17, 1888 – April 5, 1949) was an American film composer of Hungarian descent. He studied music in Germany, and later went to Hollywood, scoring his first film in 1921. He later joined

Producers Releasing Corporation Producers Releasing Corporation was the smallest and least prestigious of the Hollywood film studios of the 1940s. It was considered a prime example of what was called "Poverty Row": a low-rent stretch of Gower Street in Hollywood where shoest ...

and scored several films for them. For his work on '' Minstrel Man'', he was a nominee for an Academy Award for Best Original Score.

Early life and career

Erdody was born in Chicago on December 17, 1888. His father was a conductor in

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...

. It was possible that Leo had noble ancestry, which is why he occasionally billed himself solely by his surname. Erdody studied in Berlin under teachers including

Joseph Joachim Joseph Joachim (28 June 1831 – 15 August 1907) was a Hungarian violinist, conductor, composer and teacher who made an international career, based in Hanover and Berlin. A close collaborator of Johannes Brahms, he is widely regarded as one of t ...

and

Max Bruch Max Bruch (6 January 1838 – 2 October 1920) was a German Romantic composer, violinist, teacher, and conductor who wrote more than 200 works, including three violin concertos, the first of which has become a prominent staple of the standard ...

. He worked in Europe for an early part of his career, but soon returned to the United States. Erdody's first work as composer was the 1928 film '' Lilac Time''. In 1941, he scored the film '' Under Fiesta Stars''. He joined

in 1942 and scored several films for them, creating music for '' Tomorrow We Live'', ''

Overland Stagecoach ''Overland Stagecoach'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Fred Myton. The film stars Robert Livingston as the Lone Rider, Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones, and Dennis Moore as Sheriff Smoky Moor ...

'', '' Queen of Broadway'', '' Hitler – Dead or Alive'', and ''

Baby Face Morgan ''Baby Face Morgan'' is a 1942 American comedy of errors crime film directed by Arthur Dreifuss. It stars Mary Carlisle and Richard Cromwell. The film was a notable "B" effort for PRC (Producers Releasing Corporation). Jack Schwarz was producer ...

'' that year. In 1943, he scored several films including ''

Jive Junction ''Jive Junction'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and written by Irving Wallace, Walter Doniger and Malvin Wald Malvin Daniel Wald (August 8, 1917 – March 6, 2008) was an American screenwriter most famous for writin ...

'', ''

Western Cyclone ''Western Cyclone'' is a 1943 American Producers Releasing Corporation Western film of the "Billy the Kid" series directed by Sam Newfield. The film is also known as ''Frontier Fighters'' (cut American reissue title). Plot On a western l ...

'', ''

Wild Horse Rustlers ''Wild Horse Rustlers'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Joseph O'Donnell. The film stars Robert Livingston as the Lone Rider and Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy Jones", with Lane Chandler, Linda Lei ...

'', and ''

Isle of Forgotten Sins ''Isle of Forgotten Sins'' is an American South Seas adventure film released on August 15, 1943 by PRC, with Leon Fromkess in charge of production, directed by Edgar G. Ulmer (also credited with original story) and featuring top-billed John Car ...

''. Erdody had a noted collaboration with director Edgar G. Ulmer, with Erdody scoring several of Ulmer's films, including ''

Bluebeard "Bluebeard" (french: Barbe bleue, ) is a French folktale, the most famous surviving version of which was written by Charles Perrault and first published by Barbin in Paris in 1697 in '' Histoires ou contes du temps passé''. The tale tells the s ...

'', ''

Strange Illusion ''Strange Illusion'' is a 1945 film noir version of Hamlet, envisioned as a modern crime film. It was directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and starred Jimmy Lydon, Warren William and Sally Eilers. According to noir historian Spencer Selby the film is "a st ...

'', and ''

Detour __NOTOC__ A detour or (British English: diversion) is a (normally temporary) route taking traffic around an area of prohibited or reduced access, such as a construction site. Standard operating procedure for many roads departments is to route an ...

''. In 1944, Erdody, along with composer Ferde Grofé, received Academy Award for Best Original Score nominations for their work on '' Minstrel Man''. He continued scoring films for another four years. His final film was the Sam Newfield-directed '' Miraculous Journey''.

Death

Erdody died of

arteriosclerosis Arteriosclerosis is the thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of arteries. This process gradually restricts the blood flow to one's organs and tissues and can lead to severe health risks brought on by atherosclerosis, which ...

in 1949, in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

. His death was noted to have occurred "very suddenly". It was noted that Erdody's death was a "tragedy" for Edgar G. Ulmer and that Ulmer "didn't really get over it ever."

Selected filmography

* '' Queen of Broadway'' (1942) * ''Dead Men Walk'' (1943) * ''

'' (1945) * '' Gas House Kids'' (1946) * '' I Ring Doorbells'' (1946) * ''

Lady at Midnight ''Lady at Midnight'' is a 1948 American mystery film directed by Sam Newfield and starring Richard Denning, Frances Rafferty, and Claudia Drake.Langman p.150 The film's sets were designed by the art director Edward C. Jewell. It was shot at the ...

'' (1948)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Erdody, Leo 1888 births 1949 deaths Musicians from Chicago American people of Hungarian descent American film score composers American male film score composers 20th-century American male musicians