David Raksin

David Raksin (August 4, 1912 – August 9, 2004) was an American composer best known for his prolific work in film and television scoring, including the iconic theme for the 1944 film noir classic Laura, which has been recorded over 400 times and became a standard in the Great American Songbook.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a family of Russian Jewish heritage, Raksin was the eldest of three sons; his father, Isidore Raksin, was a conductor and performer who introduced him to music by giving him a clarinet, which the young Raksin taught himself to play. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Central High School and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by studies in composition with Arnold Schoenberg in the early 1930s, which influenced his modernist leanings amid the more traditional Hollywood studio system. After moving to New York, he worked as an orchestrator for Broadway shows and dance bands before heading to Hollywood in 1935 at age 23 to assist Charlie Chaplin with the score for Modern Times, marking his entry into film music.

David Raksin was born on August 4, 1912, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Jewish parents of Russian heritage. He grew up in a musical household in the city's Jewish pushcart neighborhood of Marshall Street, where music permeated daily life.

Raksin's father, Isidore Raksin, played a pivotal role in his early musical exposure as a clarinetist who performed in concert bands, conducted orchestras for silent movie theaters, and owned a music store that provided access to instruments. Isidore also instructed his son in woodwinds, fostering hands-on familiarity with various instruments from a young age. The family's emphasis on music, intertwined with Jewish cultural values, sparked Raksin's initial interest in composition and performance.