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Frank Skinner

Personal Informations

Known for Department
Sound
Known appearances
211
Gender
Male
Birthday
Dec 31, 1897 (70 old)
Deathday
Oct 8, 1968
Place of Birth
Meredosia, Illinois, USA
Frank Skinner

Frank Skinner

Frank Skinner (December 31, 1897 – October 9, 1968) was an American film composer and arranger.

Skinner was born in Meredosia, Illinois. A graduate of the Chicago Musical College (now known as the Chicago Conservatory of Music), 16-year-old Frank found employment in vaudeville and began playing in local areas with his brother Carl Skinner of Meredosia Illinois on drums. They were billed as the Skinner Brothers dance band. From there they began playing on the steamboats that went up and down the Illinois River. It was during this time that he began writing and arranging music for dance bands. This work brought him to New York, where from 1925 to 1935 he arranged about 2000 popular songs for Robbins Publishing. By the time he left Manhattan for Hollywood, he had written two books on arranging for dance bands.

After a short period at MGM, working on musical settings for The Great Ziegfeld (1936), Skinner was hired by Universal Studios. Over the course of his 30 years there, he composed music for more than 200 films. Although he continued to work on musicals, he quickly mastered the art of dramatic scores, eventually earning five Academy Award nominations (1938–43). He died in Beverly Hills, California, leaving behind his wife Dolly Repine Skinner.

His distinctive approach to scoring horror films, such as Son of Frankenstein (1939) and The Wolf Man (1941), has been characterized as a ‘passion for chromatic lines … mirrored contours … [and] restrained, yet ominously mythical orchestrations’ (Marcello). He gained new recognition in the 1950s for his lush romantic scores, including those for such Douglas Sirk films as Magnificent Obsession (1954) and Written on the Wind (1956). Despite many changes in the film industry, his book Underscore (1950) has survived as an excellent introduction to film music composition.

In 2014, Dallas pre-swing orchestra, The Singapore Slingers released a fifteen-track CD homage to Skinner's arrangements.

Known for

The Ride to Hangman's Tree
The Ride to Hangman's Tree
Let's Kill Uncle
Let's Kill Uncle
The Appaloosa
The Appaloosa
Madame X
Madame X
Shenandoah
Shenandoah
Kitten with a Whip
Kitten with a Whip
Bullet for a Badman
Bullet for a Badman
Captain Newman, M.D.
Captain Newman, M.D.
The Ugly American
The Ugly American
Back Street
Back Street
Midnight Lace
Midnight Lace
Portrait in Black
Portrait in Black
Imitation of Life
Imitation of Life
The Restless Years
The Restless Years
The Perfect Furlough
The Perfect Furlough
Kathy O'
Kathy O'
Once Upon a Horse...
Once Upon a Horse...
This Happy Feeling
This Happy Feeling
The Tarnished Angels
The Tarnished Angels
Interlude
Interlude
My Man Godfrey
My Man Godfrey
Man of a Thousand Faces
Man of a Thousand Faces
Tammy and the Bachelor
Tammy and the Bachelor
The Midnight Story
The Midnight Story
The Night Runner
The Night Runner
The Tattered Dress
The Tattered Dress
Battle Hymn
Battle Hymn
Written on the Wind
Written on the Wind
Away All Boats
Away All Boats
The Rawhide Years
The Rawhide Years
Star in the Dust
Star in the Dust
Never Say Goodbye
Never Say Goodbye
All That Heaven Allows
All That Heaven Allows
Lady Godiva of Coventry
Lady Godiva of Coventry
One Desire
One Desire
Foxfire
Foxfire
The Shrike
The Shrike
Revenge of the Creature
Revenge of the Creature
Chief Crazy Horse
Chief Crazy Horse
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops
6 Bridges to Cross
6 Bridges to Cross
Destry
Destry
Sign of the Pagan
Sign of the Pagan
The Black Shield of Falworth
The Black Shield of Falworth
Magnificent Obsession
Magnificent Obsession
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Taza, Son of Cochise
Taza, Son of Cochise
The Far Country
The Far Country
Forbidden
Forbidden
The Stand at Apache River
The Stand at Apache River
Wings of the Hawk
Wings of the Hawk
The Man from the Alamo
The Man from the Alamo
Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
Desert Legion
Desert Legion
The Mississippi Gambler
The Mississippi Gambler
Because of You
Because of You
The Black Castle
The Black Castle
The World in His Arms
The World in His Arms
The Duel at Silver Creek
The Duel at Silver Creek
Bonzo Goes to College
Bonzo Goes to College
Lost in Alaska
Lost in Alaska
Sally and Saint Anne
Sally and Saint Anne
No Room for the Groom
No Room for the Groom
Bend of the River
Bend of the River
Week-End with Father
Week-End with Father
The Raging Tide
The Raging Tide
Iron Man
Iron Man
Bright Victory
Bright Victory
Comin' Round the Mountain
Comin' Round the Mountain
The Mark of the Renegade
The Mark of the Renegade
The Strange Door
The Strange Door
Hollywood Story
Hollywood Story
Francis Goes to the Races
Francis Goes to the Races
Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man
Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man
Bedtime for Bonzo
Bedtime for Bonzo
Harvey
Harvey
Katie Did It
Katie Did It
The Sleeping City
The Sleeping City
Shakedown
Shakedown
Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion
Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion
Winchester '73
Winchester '73
Spy Hunt
Spy Hunt
Louisa
Louisa
Comanche Territory
Comanche Territory
One Way Street
One Way Street
Francis
Francis
Bagdad
Bagdad
Free For All
Free For All
Abandoned
Abandoned
Red, Hot and Blue
Red, Hot and Blue
The Gal Who Took the West
The Gal Who Took the West
Sword in the Desert
Sword in the Desert
Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff
Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff
The Lady Gambles
The Lady Gambles
Johnny Stool Pigeon
Johnny Stool Pigeon
Tulsa
Tulsa
Mexican Hayride
Mexican Hayride
Family Honeymoon
Family Honeymoon
For the Love of Mary
For the Love of Mary
Tap Roots
Tap Roots
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein
Hazard
Hazard
The Naked City
The Naked City
The Exile
The Exile
The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap
The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap
The Egg and I
The Egg and I
Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman
Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman
I'll Be Yours
I'll Be Yours
The Dark Mirror
The Dark Mirror
Black Angel
Black Angel
Canyon Passage
Canyon Passage
Her Adventurous Night
Her Adventurous Night
She-Wolf of London
She-Wolf of London
Pillow of Death
Pillow of Death
Strange Confession
Strange Confession
Secret Agent X-9
Secret Agent X-9
The Jungle Captive
The Jungle Captive
Here Come the Co-eds
Here Come the Co-eds
The Suspect
The Suspect
The Mummy's Curse
The Mummy's Curse
House of Frankenstein
House of Frankenstein
In Society
In Society
Reckless Age
Reckless Age
The Mummy's Ghost
The Mummy's Ghost
South of Dixie
South of Dixie
Jungle Woman
Jungle Woman
Phantom Lady
Phantom Lady
Gung Ho!
Gung Ho!
Crazy House
Crazy House
Fired Wife
Fired Wife
Hers to Hold
Hers to Hold
All by Myself
All by Myself
Captive Wild Woman
Captive Wild Woman
White Savage
White Savage
Sherlock Holmes in Washington
Sherlock Holmes in Washington
It Ain't Hay
It Ain't Hay
Keep 'Em Slugging
Keep 'Em Slugging
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon
Mug Town
Mug Town
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Nightmare
Nightmare
Who Done It?
Who Done It?
The Mummy's Tomb
The Mummy's Tomb
Eyes of the Underworld
Eyes of the Underworld
Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror
Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror
Between Us Girls
Between Us Girls
Invisible Agent
Invisible Agent
There's One Born Every Minute
There's One Born Every Minute
Eagle Squadron
Eagle Squadron
Tough as They Come
Tough as They Come
Saboteur
Saboteur
Ride 'Em Cowboy
Ride 'Em Cowboy
Hellzapoppin'
Hellzapoppin'
The Wolf Man
The Wolf Man
Keep 'Em Flying
Keep 'Em Flying
Appointment for Love
Appointment for Love
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
Hold That Ghost
Hold That Ghost
The Flame of New Orleans
The Flame of New Orleans
Riders of Death Valley
Riders of Death Valley
The Black Cat
The Black Cat
Horror Island
Horror Island
Nice Girl?
Nice Girl?
Back Street
Back Street
The Invisible Woman
The Invisible Woman
One Night in the Tropics
One Night in the Tropics
Seven Sinners
Seven Sinners
The Mummy's Hand
The Mummy's Hand
Hired Wife
Hired Wife
When the Daltons Rode
When the Daltons Rode
South to Karanga
South to Karanga
La Conga Nights
La Conga Nights
The House of the Seven Gables
The House of the Seven Gables
It's a Date
It's a Date
Black Friday
Black Friday
My Little Chickadee
My Little Chickadee
Green Hell
Green Hell
The Invisible Man Returns
The Invisible Man Returns
The Big Guy
The Big Guy
Destry Rides Again
Destry Rides Again
Tower of London
Tower of London
First Love
First Love
The Witness Vanishes
The Witness Vanishes
The House of Fear
The House of Fear
The Sun Never Sets
The Sun Never Sets
Ex-Champ
Ex-Champ
Three Smart Girls Grow Up
Three Smart Girls Grow Up
Son of Frankenstein
Son of Frankenstein
That Certain Age
That Certain Age
The Rage of Paris
The Rage of Paris
Wives Under Suspicion
Wives Under Suspicion
Mad About Music
Mad About Music
One Hundred Men and a Girl
One Hundred Men and a Girl

Sound

1967
The Ride to Hangman's Tree
as.job job.Music.he
1966
Let's Kill Uncle
as.job job.Music.he
The Appaloosa
as.job job.Music.he
Madame X
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1965
Shenandoah
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1964
Bullet for a Badman
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1963
Captain Newman, M.D.
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Ugly American
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1961
Back Street
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1960
Midnight Lace
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Portrait in Black
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1959
Imitation of Life
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1958
The Restless Years
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Perfect Furlough
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Kathy O'
as.job job.Music.he
Once Upon a Horse...
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
This Happy Feeling
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1957
The Tarnished Angels
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Interlude
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
My Man Godfrey
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Man of a Thousand Faces
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Tammy and the Bachelor
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Midnight Story
as.job job.Music.he
The Night Runner
as.job job.Music.he
The Tattered Dress
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Battle Hymn
as.job job.Music.he
1956
Written on the Wind
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Away All Boats
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Rawhide Years
as.job job.Music.he
Star in the Dust
as.job job.Music.he
Never Say Goodbye
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1955
All That Heaven Allows
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Lady Godiva of Coventry
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
One Desire
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Foxfire
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Shrike
as.job job.Music.he
Revenge of the Creature
as.job job.Music.he
Chief Crazy Horse
as.job job.Music.he
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops
as.job job.Music.he
6 Bridges to Cross
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1954
Destry
as.job job.Music.he
Sign of the Pagan
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Black Shield of Falworth
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Magnificent Obsession
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Saskatchewan
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Taza, Son of Cochise
as.job job.Music.he
The Far Country
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1953
Forbidden
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Stand at Apache River
as.job job.Music.he
Wings of the Hawk
as.job job.Music.he
The Man from the Alamo
as.job job.Music.he
Thunder Bay
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Desert Legion
as.job job.Music.he
The Mississippi Gambler
as.job job.Music.he
1952
Because of You
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Black Castle
as.job job.Music.he
The World in His Arms
as.job job.Music.he
The Duel at Silver Creek
as.job job.Music.he
Bonzo Goes to College
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Lost in Alaska
as.job job.Music.he
Sally and Saint Anne
as.job job.Music.he
No Room for the Groom
as.job job.Music.he
Bend of the River
as.job job.Music.he
1951
Week-End with Father
as.job job.Music.he
The Raging Tide
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Iron Man
as.job job.Music.he
Bright Victory
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Comin' Round the Mountain
as.job job.Music.he
The Mark of the Renegade
as.job job.Music.he
The Strange Door
as.job job.Music.he
Hollywood Story
as.job job.Music.he
Francis Goes to the Races
as.job job.Music.he
Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man
as.job job.Music.he
Bedtime for Bonzo
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1950
Harvey
as.job job.Music.he
Katie Did It
as.job job.Music.he
The Sleeping City
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Shakedown
as.job job.Music.he
Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion
as.job job.Music.he
Winchester '73
as.job job.Music.he
Spy Hunt
as.job job.Music.he
Louisa
as.job job.Music.he
Comanche Territory
as.job job.Music.he
One Way Street
as.job job.Music.he
Francis
as.job job.Music.he
1949
Bagdad
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Free For All
as.job job.Music.he
Abandoned
as.job job.Music.he
The Gal Who Took the West
as.job job.Music.he
Sword in the Desert
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff
as.job job.Music.he
The Lady Gambles
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Johnny Stool Pigeon
as.job job.Music.he
Tulsa
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1948
Mexican Hayride
as.job job.Music.he
Family Honeymoon
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
For the Love of Mary
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Tap Roots
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Hazard
as.job job.Music.he
The Naked City
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1947
The Exile
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap
as.job job.Music.he
The Egg and I
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
I'll Be Yours
as.job job.Music.he
1946
The Dark Mirror
as.job job.Music.he
Black Angel
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Canyon Passage
as.job job.Music Director.he
Her Adventurous Night
as.job job.Music.he
She-Wolf of London
as.job job.Music.he
1945
Pillow of Death
as.job job.Music.he
Strange Confession
as.job job.Music.he
Secret Agent X-9
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Jungle Captive
as.job job.Music.he
Here Come the Co-eds
as.job job.Music.he
The Suspect
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1944
The Mummy's Curse
as.job job.Music.he
House of Frankenstein
as.job job.Music.he
In Society
as.job job.Music.he
Reckless Age
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Mummy's Ghost
as.job job.Music.he
South of Dixie
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Jungle Woman
as.job job.Music.he
1943
Gung Ho!
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Crazy House
as.job job.Orchestrator.he
Fired Wife
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Hers to Hold
as.job job.Music.he
All by Myself
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Captive Wild Woman
as.job job.Music.he
White Savage
as.job job.Music.he
Sherlock Holmes in Washington
as.job job.Music.he
It Ain't Hay
as.job job.Music.he
Keep 'Em Slugging
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1942
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Mug Town
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Pittsburgh
as.job job.Music.he
Nightmare
as.job job.Music.he
Who Done It?
as.job job.Music.he
The Mummy's Tomb
as.job job.Music.he
Eyes of the Underworld
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror
as.job job.Music.he
Between Us Girls
as.job job.Music.he
Invisible Agent
as.job job.Music.he
There's One Born Every Minute
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Eagle Squadron
as.job job.Music.he
Tough as They Come
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Saboteur
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Ride 'Em Cowboy
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1941
Hellzapoppin'
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Wolf Man
as.job job.Music.he
Keep 'Em Flying
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Appointment for Love
as.job job.Music.he
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Moonlight in Hawaii
as.job job.Orchestrator.he
Hold That Ghost
as.job job.Music.he
The Flame of New Orleans
as.job job.Music.he
Riders of Death Valley
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Black Cat
as.job job.Music.he
Horror Island
as.job job.Music.he
Nice Girl?
as.job job.Music.he
Back Street
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1940
The Invisible Woman
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
One Night in the Tropics
as.job job.Music.he
Seven Sinners
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Mummy's Hand
as.job job.Music.he
Hired Wife
as.job job.Music Score Producer.he
When the Daltons Rode
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
South to Karanga
as.job job.Music Score Producer.he
La Conga Nights
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The House of the Seven Gables
as.job job.Music.he
It's a Date
as.job job.Songs.he
Black Friday
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
My Little Chickadee
as.job job.Music Score Producer.he
Green Hell
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The Invisible Man Returns
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
1939
The Big Guy
as.job job.Music.he
Destry Rides Again
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Tower of London
as.job job.Orchestrator.he
First Love
as.job job.Music.he
The Witness Vanishes
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
The House of Fear
as.job job.Music.he
The Sun Never Sets
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Ex-Champ
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Three Smart Girls Grow Up
as.job job.Music.he
Son of Frankenstein
as.job job.Orchestrator.he
1938
That Certain Age
as.job job.Music.he
The Rage of Paris
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Wives Under Suspicion
as.job job.Original Music Composer.he
Mad About Music
as.job job.Music.he
1937
One Hundred Men and a Girl
as.job job.Music.he

Crew

1964
Kitten with a Whip
as.job job.Additional Music.he
1949
Red, Hot and Blue
as.job job.Additional Music.he
1944
Phantom Lady
as.job job.Additional Music.he
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