Topics: W : Waxman, Franz

Franz Waxman (1906-1967) was born Franz Wachsmann in Konigshutte, Upper Silesia, Germany. His father wanted him to be a banker but he used the money he earned as a teller to pay for piano, composition, and harmony lessons, then moved to Berlin to further his musical career. After playing with a jazz band, his movie break came in orchestrating and conducting Frederick Hollander's score for Josef von Sternberg's film, The Blue Angel.