Lalo Schifrin, the composer behind the iconic theme for ‘Mission: Impossible’ and over 100 other film and television arrangements, has passed away at the age of 93. Schifrin’s sons, William and Ryan, confirmed his death on Thursday due to complications from pneumonia. The Argentinian composer won four Grammys and was nominated for six Oscars for his original scores in films such as ‘Cool Hand Luke,’ ‘The Fox,’ ‘Voyage of the Damned,’ ‘The Amityville Horror,’ and ‘The Sting II.’
Schifrin’s music had a unique style and he believed that films had personalities that determined the type of music that should be composed for them. In addition to his work in film and television, Schifrin was also known for his arrangement for the World Cup championship in Italy in 1990, which featured the first joint performance of the Three Tenors – Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, and José Carreras. The work became one of the biggest classical music sellers in history.
Schifrin’s score for ‘Mission: Impossible’ was one of his most famous works and has become severely popular. The theme, which was composed in 5/4 time signature, was closely tied to the show’s self-destruct clock and became recognized as “the most contagious tune ever heard by mortal ears” by New Yorker film critic Anthony Lane.
In 2017, the theme was entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Schifrin was born to a Jewish family in Buenos Aires, where his father was the concertmaster of the philharmonic orchestra. He was classically trained in music and also studied law. Schifrin won a Grammy for ‘Jazz Suite on the Mass Texts’ in 1965 while also earning a nod for the score of TV’s ‘The Man from UNCLE.’ In 2018, he was presented with an honorary Oscar statuette and in 2017, the Latin Recording Academy presented him with a special trustee award.
Schifrin, who also worked with Dizzy Gillespie and created music for TV shows such as ‘The Man from UNCLE,’ ‘Tango,’ ‘Rush Hour’ and its sequels, ‘Bringing Down The House’ and ‘Dirty Harry,’ leaves behind his sons, William and Ryan, daughter Frances, and wife Donna.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jun/27/lalo-schifrin-dies-aged-93-composer-dead-mission-impossible-theme
