Bernard B. Brown

July 24, 1898 — La Farge, Wisconsin, USA

Bernard B. Brown was a pioneering figure in the field of sound engineering and music composition. He began his career at the age of sixteen as a first violinist in the pit orchestra at Clune's Auditorium in Los Angeles. His early work included providing the accompanying score for the premiere run of D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation (1915). Brown's career took off when he joined the animation company headed by Rudolf Ising and Hugh Harman, later becoming a resident composer at Warner Brothers. He was known for his work on the 'Buddy' and 'Bosko' cartoons, both of which were Ising-Harman creations. Brown's contributions to the film industry were recognized with an Academy Award for When Tomorrow Comes (1939) and a Technical Achievement Award in 1945. He retired in 1958 and passed away in February 1981.