Charles Previn

Charles Previn
Ad in the May 1927 Variety
Born(1888-01-11)January 11, 1888
Brooklyn, New York
DiedSeptember 22, 1973(1973-09-22) (aged 85)
Los Angeles, California
OccupationFilm composer

Charles Previn (January 11, 1888 – September 22, 1973) was an American film composer who was active at Universal in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. Before being based in Hollywood, Previn arranged music for over 100 Broadway productions.[1]

Previn was born in Brooklyn to Henrietta Giballe and the rabbi Morris Previn, who a year earlier had emigrated from Graudenz via Glasgow to the United States.[2] He graduated from Brooklyn High School and obtained a bachelor's degree from Cornell University in 1910. He obtained a master's degree from New York College of Music.

From 1936 to 1944, Previn was musical director at Universal, overseeing everything from horror pictures to Arabian Nights fantasies. He was a cousin of the father of German-born composer, pianist, and conductor André Previn and TV and film director Steve Previn (brothers).[3] He died in Los Angeles, aged 85.

  1. ^ "Previn Succeeds Rapee", Stars and Stripes Newspaper, July 27, 1945
  2. ^ Charles' and his older brother Arthur's US passport applications.
  3. ^ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide