Biography
Bert Shefter (May 15, 1902 – June 29, 1999) was a Russian-born film composer who worked primarily in America. He was born in Poltava, Russian Empire (now Ukraine.) After emigrating to the USA he attended the Carnegie Institute, Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music & the Damrosch Institute, NYC. He began his musical career as a duo-pianist with Morton Gould (known as "Shefter & Gould".) They performed in theaters and on the radio between 1930 - 1936. He developed his skills as a conductor, and began appearing both as solo pianist and conductor on stage. He was the guest conductor at Carnegie Hall during the 1946-1947 season.He formed his own orchestra, and appeared on New York radio including some broadcasts over the NBC Network. He also conducted his orchestra on recordings for several record labels and for the "Muzak" store music service.
His first work in film music was as musical director for the production One Too Many in 1950.
In the late 1950s, Shefter struck up an alliance with fellow film composer Paul Sawtell and they produced many film scores together. Most notably they provided the music to classic science fiction and horror films including Kronos (1957), It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958), Return of the Fly (1959), The Lost World (1960), Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961, in cooperation with producer Irwin Allen), and Jack the Giant Killer (1962). In 1965 they composed some scores for the director Russ Meyer, such as the cult classic Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! and Motorpsycho. The last score they provided was for the Mexican film Emiliano Zapata in 1970 shortly before Sawtell's retirement.
Filmography
all 74
Movies 74
Director 1
They Call Him Marcado (1971)
The Gatling Gun (1971)
Emiliano Zapata (1970)
The Christine Jorgensen Story (1970)
The Last Shot You Hear (1969)
The Bubble (1966)
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
Motor Psycho (1965)
Curse of the Fly (1965)
The Last Man on Earth (1964)
Thunder Island (1963)
Cattle King (1963)
Harbor Lights (1963)
Young Guns of Texas (1962)
Jack the Giant Killer (1962)
About Time (1962)
Wild Harvest (1962)
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)
Misty (1961)
The Big Show (1961)
Gun Fight (1961)
Operation Bottleneck (1961)
The Long Rope (1961)
Police Dog Story (1961)
Frontier Uprising (1961)
Five Guns to Tombstone (1961)
Tess of the Storm Country (1960)
The Walking Target (1960)
The Lost World (1960)
Cage of Evil (1960)
The Music Box Kid (1960)
Noose for a Gunman (1960)
Virgin Sacrifice (1960)
Three Came to Kill (1960)
A Dog's Best Friend (1959)
Vice Raid (1959)
Pier 5, Havana (1959)
Counterplot (1959)
The Miracle of the Hills (1959)
The Big Circus (1959)
Return of the Fly (1959)
A Dog of Flanders (1959)
The Sad Horse (1959)
The Cosmic Man (1959)
Machete (1958)
Villa!! (1958)
Wind Across the Everglades (1958)
It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
Sierra Baron (1958)
Ambush at Cimarron Pass (1958)
Hell Ship Mutiny (1957)
Ghost Diver (1957)
The Deerslayer (1957)
Gun Duel In Durango (1957)
She Devil (1957)
Kronos (1957)
Five Steps to Danger (1956)
The Desperados Are in Town (1956)
The Big Chase (1954)
Sins of Jezebel (1953)
No Escape (1953)
The Great Jesse James Raid (1953)
College Capers (1953)
A Day in the Country (1953)
The Tall Texan (1953)
Sky High (1951)
Leave It to the Marines (1951)
Pier 23 (1951)
Roaring City (1951)
Danger Zone (1951)
M (1951)
Fingerprints Don't Lie (1951)
One Too Many (1950)
Holiday Rhythm (1950)
Ratings
Information
Known ForSound
GenderMale
Birthday1902-05-15
Deathday1999-06-29 (97 years old)
Birth PlacePoltava, Ukraine
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
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