Charles Previn

Charles Previn (January 11, 1888, Brooklyn - September 21, 1973, Los Angeles) was an American film composer who was highly active at Universal in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. Before going to Hollywood, Previn had arranged music for over 100 Broadway productions.^[1]

From 1936 to 1944, Previn was musical director at Universal, overseeing everything from horror pictures to Arabian Nights fantasies. He was the great-uncle of German-born composer, pianist, conductor Andre Previn and TV and film director Steve Previn (brothers).^[2]

Secondary, collegiate, and conservatory education

• Graduated from Brooklyn High School
• 1910 — Bachelors degree, Cornell University
• Masters degree from New York College of Music
• 1947 — Ithaca Conservatory of Music awarded Previn an honorary doctorate

Professional career

• Musician and conductor of vaudeville and musical comedy
• Conductor of the St. Louis Municipal Opera
• Conductor on the NBC radio series Silken Strings from 1934 through 1936
• 1936-1944 – Musical director, arranger, composer and conductor at Universal. While there, Previn accumulated over 225 films to his credit, including most of Deanna Durbin's films.
• 1944 – Previn began working at other studios
• 1945-1947 – Previn succeeded Ernö Rapée as music director/conductor of the Radio City Music Hall Symphony
• 1947 – Previn returned to Hollywood and worked at Eagle-Lion and MGM
• 1953 – Previn retired

While at Universal, Previn composed uncredited stock music for several studio's releases.

Awards

Oscar Award

• Best Score (1937) — One Hundred Men and a Girl - Musical Director

Academy Award nominations

• Best Score (1938) — Mad About Music (w. Frank Skinner)
• Best Score (1939) — First Love
• Best Score (1940) — Spring Parade
• Scoring of a Musical Picture (1941) — Buck Privates
• Scoring of a Musical Picture (1942) — It Started With Eve (w. Hans J. Salter)
• Scoring of a Musical Picture (1944) — Song of the Open Road

Family

Parents

• Father: Rabbi Morris Previn (December 1860, Russia – 16 August 1929 Brooklyn)
• Mother: Henrietta Previn (September 1859, Germany - September 1948 New York, NY)

Morris and Henrietta were married in about 1880. Morris Previn was a rabbi at Ascha-Shorem on 78 Ten Eyck Street in Brooklyn.

Siblings

• Rosie (December 1882, Germany – May 1948, New York, NY)

MARRIED NAMES

Rose Meyer (married Dr. Joseph H. Meyer)

• Leo Previn (3 August 1884, Graudenz, Germany – February 1954, New York, NY)
• Arthur Gerald Previn (14 February 1886 Germany – July 1969, Falls Church, Virginia)
• Bessie (born October 1892, New York)

MARRIED NAMES

Bessis Landau (married Saul Albert Landau 19 November 1914 Manhattan, NY)

Bess Nathanson

Bess Kurtzman

• Jules Previn (23 July 1894, Connecticut – January 1976, Virginia)
• William Oliver Previn (19 June 1896 New York – 16 August 1978 Washington, D.C.)
• Stanley S. Previn (3 August 1899 – November 1973, Los Angeles)

References

General references

• Biography Index, A cumulative index to biographical material in books and magazines, Volume 1: January 1946 – July 1949, H. W. Wilson Company, New York (1949)
• Biography Index, A cumulative index to biographical material in books and magazines, Volume 10: September 1973 – August 1976, H. W. Wilson Company, New York (1977)
• Who Was Who on Screen, Third edition, by Evelyn Mack Truitt, R.R. Bowker, New York (1983)
• The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, Third edition, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, New York (1966)
• ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, Fourth edition, compiled for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, by Jaques Cattell Press, R.R. Bowker, New York (1980)
• Who's Who in Hollywood, the largest cast of international film personalities ever assembled, two volumes, by David Ragan, New York: Facts on File, New York (1992)

Inline citations

1. ^ Previn Succeeds Rapee, Stars and Stripes Newspaper, July 27, 1945
2. ^ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Persondata
Name	Previn, Charles
Alternative names
Short description	American film composer
Date of birth	January 11, 1888
Place of birth	Brooklyn, New York
Date of death	September 21, 1973
Place of death	Los Angeles, California