A comprehensive survey of the career of one of Hollywood's composers of film music. From his beginning in 1929 with film scoring pioneers like Max Steiner, Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Alfred Newman, through his nine separate Oscar nominations, and his work on 120 films, including "The Best Years of Our Lives" in 1946, Hugo Friedhofer has made his influence felt on the way that Hollywood makes a film (and people view it). Friedhofer's life is examined through essays, letters and interviews with film historians and personal friends of the composer. Friedhofer himself provides an oral history of his life conducted by Irene Atkins in 1974 for The American Film Institute. In addition to lucid discussion about his own work in film, Friedhofer offers insight into Hollywood filmmaking and ethics during its (often self-proclaimed) Golden Age. He discusses working with Samuel Goldwyn, Billy Wilder, George Stevens and William Wyler, as well as his association with great composers and musicians of the time, including Arnold Schoenberg, Aaron Copland, and George Gershwin. Essays are included by Linda Danly, Gene Lees, a music journalist and friend of Friedhofer, and David Raskin, composer, colleague, and friend.