Riz Ortolani

Riz Ortolani
Ortolani in 1955
Background information
Birth name	Riziero Ortolani
Born	(1926-03-25)25 March 1926 Pesaro, Kingdom of Italy
Died	23 January 2014(2014-01-23) (aged 87) Rome, Italy
Occupation(s)	Composer, conductor, orchestrator
Website	www.rizortolani.com

Riziero Ortolani (Italian pronunciation: [ritˈtsjɛːro ˈritts ortoˈlaːni]; 25 March 1926 – 23 January 2014) was an Italian composer, conductor, and orchestrator, predominantly of film scores.^[1] He scored over 200 films and television programs between 1955 and 2014, with a career spanning over fifty years.^[2]

Internationally, he is best known for his genre scores, notably his music for mondo, giallo, horror, and Spaghetti Western films. His most famous composition is "More," which he wrote for the infamous film Mondo Cane. It won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Theme and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 36th Academy Awards.^[3] The song was later covered by Frank Sinatra, Kai Winding, Andy Williams, Roy Orbison, and others.

Ortolani received many other accolades, including four David di Donatello Awards, three Nastro d'Argento Awards, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. In 2013, he received a Lifetime Achievement from the World Soundtrack Academy.