Alex North (1910-1991) was one of America's most renowned film composers. His Hollywood career spanned 40 years, from the early fifties to his death, and his musical scores enhanced over 60 major motion pictures, including A Streetcar Named Desire, Cleopatra and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. He accumulated 15 Oscar nominations, and received the Lifetime Achievement Oscar. North's life and work are the focus of this book, beginning with his early life in Chester, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia, his studies at Juilliard in New York and in Russia and Mexico, his early experiences in modern dance, documentaries, and theater, and his major work in film. The book's second part offers analyses of North's musical scores for A Streetcar Named Desire, Spartacus, The Misfits, Under the Volcano, and Prizzi's Honor. The appendices include a bibliography of materials about North, a filmography, a listing of other North compositions, a discography, and a listing of awards.