Leith Stevens

Leith Stevens, born in Mount Moriah, Missouri, in 1909, was a prolific American composer and conductor whose musical genius spanned radio, film, and television. A child prodigy pianist, Stevens accompanied renowned vocalists and quickly rose through the ranks of the music industry. He graduated from the prestigious Juilliard School and began his career at CBS Radio, where he honed his skills as a vocal arranger and conductor. Stevens' compositions are celebrated for their innovative use of jazz, anticipating the styles of later greats like Henry Mancini and Elmer Bernstein.

Throughout his career, Stevens composed scores for numerous iconic films, including the Marlon Brando classic "The Wild One" and the James Dean biopic "The James Dean Story." His work on "The War of the Worlds" and "Destination Moon" further cemented his legacy in the science fiction genre. Despite his untimely death in 1970, Leith Stevens' contributions to film and television music continue to inspire and influence composers today.