Leo Arnaud

Noël Léon Marius Arnaud, known professionally as Leo Arnaud, was a French American arranger, composer, and trombonist. He was born on July 24, 1904, and passed away on April 26, 1991. Arnaud is best known for composing "Bugler's Dream," a piece that became the theme music used by television networks in the United States for the Olympic Games.

Arnaud studied music at famous schools in Lyon and Paris, learning from well-known composers like Maurice Ravel and Vincent d'Indy. Before moving to the United States in 1931, he played jazz in France under the name Leo Vauchant and worked with the Jack Hylton band in England. In the U.S., he worked in Hollywood, arranging music for Fred Waring and later for the famous movie studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

After many years in Hollywood, Arnaud retired in 1980 to Yadkin County, North Carolina, where his wife Faye Brooks Arnaud was from. He was buried at Asbury United Methodist Church in Hamptonville, North Carolina.

"Bugler's Dream"

"Bugler's Dream" is very well known in the United States as theme music for the Olympic Games. It was first used in ABC Olympic broadcasts and NBC Olympic broadcasts starting with the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The music is stately, beginning with drums and then a clear melody played by brass instruments.

The tune of "Bugler's Dream" comes from an old military call called "Salut aux étendards" by Joseph-David Buhl, made during the time of Napoleon. The composer Leo Arnaud wrote the piece for a music album called Charge! in 1958. It became popular as the theme for many Olympic events and sports shows. Even today, it is often played during Olympic coverage.

Filmography

Leo Arnaud worked on many films as a music arranger, composer, and orchestrator. Here are some of the films he contributed to:

• The Competition (1980)
• Ryan's Daughter (1970)
• Blue (1968)
• The F.B.I. (1965)
• Hollywood My Home Town (1965)
• The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)
• Hollywood Without Make-Up (1963)
• Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962)
• Horas de pánico (1957)
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
• Rose Marie (1954)
• Sombrero (1953)
• Stars and Stripes Forever (1952)
• Lovely to Look At (1952)
• The Strip (1951)
• Two Weeks with Love (1950)
• Three Little Words (1950)
• That Midnight Kiss (1949)
• Neptune's Daughter (1949)
• The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)
• The Kissing Bandit (1948)
• One Touch of Venus (1948)
• Easter Parade (1948)
• A Date with Judy (1948)
• Big City (1948)
• Hit Parade of 1947 (1947)
• Apache Rose (1947)
• Calendar Girl (1947)
• The Thrill of Brazil (1946)
• DuBarry Was a Lady (1943)
• Best Foot Forward (1943)
• For Me and My Gal (1942)
• Panama Hattie (1942)
• Berlin Correspondent (1942)
• Iceland (1942)
• Ship Ahoy (1942)
• Rio Rita (1942)
• Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake (1942)
• Babes on Broadway (1941)
• Remember the Day (1941)
• Two-Faced Woman (1941)
• You'll Never Get Rich (1941)
• Lady Be Good (1941)
• The Big Store (1941)
• Ziegfeld Girl (1941)
• Blondie Goes Latin (1941)
• Murder Over New York (1940)
• Hullabaloo (1940)
• Third Finger, Left Hand (1940)
• Strike Up the Band (1940)
• Yesterday's Heroes (1940)
• Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940)
• Two Girls on Broadway (1940)
• Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)
• I Take This Woman (1940)
• The Earl of Chicago (1940)
• Babes in Arms (1939)
• The Wizard of Oz (1939)
• Lady of the Tropics (1939)
• Broadway Serenade (1939)
• Society Lawyer (1939)
• The Ice Follies of 1939 (1939)
• Boys Town (1938)
• Marie Antoinette (1938)
• The Girl of the Golden West (1938)
• Of Human Hearts (1938)
• Rosalie (1937)
• Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937)
• A Day at the Races (1937)
• Carnival in Paris (1937)
• Song of Revolt (1937)
• Sinner Take All (1936)
• Born to Dance (1936)
• Violets in Spring (1936)

Awards

Leo Arnaud was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score for the film The Unsinkable Molly Brown in 1964. He shared this nomination with six other musicians who worked on the film's music, and Arnaud was responsible for the orchestration.