Lalo Schifrin, the esteemed composer best known for the iconic Mission: Impossible theme, passed away peacefully on June 26 at the age of 93 due to complications from pneumonia.
Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Schifrin began his musical journey under classical tutelage before venturing into jazz, collaborating with greats like Astor Piazzolla and Dizzy Gillespie.
His unique fusion of jazz, tango, Latin rhythms, and classical music reshaped modern film and television scoring.
Over his lifelong career, he composed more than 100 film and TV scores, earning six Academy Award nominations—for works including Cool Hand Luke, The Fox, The Amityville Horror, and The Sting II—and four Grammy Awards.
He also received a prestigious honorary Oscar in 2018, recognizing his enduring contributions to the arts.
Among his standout film contributions were the driving, rhythmically inventive themes for Bullitt and Dirty Harry, as well as the martial-arts ambiance in Enter the Dragon.
His groundbreaking Mission: Impossible theme, became a cultural sensation—an enduring element in both the original TV series and the blockbuster Tom Cruise films.
Even decades later, his work resonated with new generations. Soul-act trio Portishead sampled his track Danube Incident, and modern composers continue to draw inspiration from his genre-blending innovations.
Schifrin is survived by his wife Donna, their three children—William, Frances, and Ryan—and four grandchildren.
