Léo Arnaud - wikipedia Léo Arnaud This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( August 2012 ) Leo Arnaud Background information Birth name Noël Leon Marius Arnaud Also known as Leo Vauchant ( 1904 - 07 - 24 ) July 24, 1904 Lyon, France April 26, 1991 ( 1991 - 04 - 26 ) ( aged 86 ) Hamptonville, North Carolina, United States Genres Film scores Occupation ( s ) Arranger, composer, and orchestrator Instruments Cello and trombone Years active 1930s -- 1960s Leo Arnaud or Léo Arnaud ( / ˈleɪ. oʊ ɑːr ˈnoʊ / ; July 24, 1904 -- April 26, 1991 ) was a French - American composer of film scores, best known for `` Bugler 's Dream '', which is used as the theme by television networks presenting the Olympic Games in the United States. The composer studied composition at conservatories in Lyon and Paris with Maurice Ravel and Vincent d'Indy. After playing as a jazz trombonist in France using the name Leo Vauchant and arranging for the Jack Hylton band in England from 1928 to 1930, he immigrated to the United States in 1931. He worked in Hollywood as an arranger for Fred Waring before joining Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer as an arranger, composer, and orchestrator from 1936 to 1966. In 1980, Arnaud left Hollywood and retired to Yadkin County, North Carolina. His wife, Faye Brooks Arnaud, was a native of the area. He is buried at Asbury United Methodist Church in Hamptonville, North Carolina. Contents 1 Bugler 's Dream 2 Filmography 3 Awards 4 References 5 External links Bugler 's Dream `` Bugler 's Dream '' is very well known, especially by Americans, as theme music for the Olympic Games from its use in ABC 's and NBC 's television coverage of the games. It is considered to be a symbol of the Olympics. Arnaud 's piece is very stately, beginning with a timpani cadence that is soon joined by a distinctive theme in brass. The musical theme of `` Bugler 's Dream '' is based on Joseph - David Buhl 's `` Salut aux étendards '', a typical cavalry trumpet 's call, composed during Napoleon 's Consulate. Arnaud was commissioned by conductor Felix Slatkin to create a piece for his album Charge ! in 1958. For this, he wrote `` The Charge Suite '', published by Shawnee Press, which included `` Bugler 's Dream ''. ABC began using the composition as the theme to its coverage of the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, and in future Olympics. It was also used as the title piece for the series ABC 's Wide World of Sports. NBC went with an alternate theme in 1988 when it obtained the rights to the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, but brought `` Bugler 's Dream '' back for its coverage of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. For the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, composer John Williams wrote `` Olympic Fanfare and Theme '', which is played in a medley with `` Bugler 's Dream. '' It consists of Williams 's arrangement of `` Bugler 's Dream '' which is similar to Arnaud 's original but with a repeat of the theme with a full orchestra, followed by Williams 's composition. Williams 's arrangement of Arnaud 's `` Bugler 's Dream '' as well as `` Olympic Fanfare and Theme '' are both commonly used in recent Olympic coverage by NBC. It is also commonly played during graduation ceremonies in the United States. Filmography The Competition ( 1980 ) ( conducting coach ) Ryan 's Daughter ( 1970 ) ( orchestrator ) Blue Movie ( 1968 ) ( orchestrator ) The F.B.I. ( two episodes, 1965 ) ( composer ) Hollywood My Home Town ( 1965 ) ( orchestrator ) The Unsinkable Molly Brown ( 1964 ) ( orchestrator ) Hollywood Without Make - Up ( 1963 ) ( orchestrator ) Billy Rose 's Jumbo ( 1962 ) ( orchestrator ) Horas de pánico ( 1957 ) ( conductor ) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers ( 1954 ) ( orchestrator ) Rose Marie ( 1954 ) ( orchestrator ) Sombrero ( 1953 ) ( musical director ) Stars and Stripes Forever ( 1952 ) ( orchestrator ) Lovely to Look At ( 1952 ) ( orchestrator ) The Strip ( 1951 ) ( orchestrator ) Two Weeks with Love ( 1950 ) ( orchestrator ) Three Little Words ( 1950 ) ( music arranger ) That Midnight Kiss ( 1949 ) ( orchestrator ) Neptune 's Daughter ( 1949 ) ( orchestrator ) The Barkleys of Broadway ( 1949 ) ( music arranger ) The Kissing Bandit ( 1948 ) ( composer : incidental music ) ( music arranger ) ( uncredited ) One Touch of Venus ( 1948 ) ( musical director ) Easter Parade ( 1948 ) ( orchestrator ) A Date with Judy ( 1948 ) ( orchestrator ) Big City ( 1948 ) ( orchestrator ) Hit Parade of 1947 ( 1947 ) ( orchestrator ) Apache Rose ( 1947 ) ( composer : incidental music ) ( uncredited ) Calendar Girl ( 1947 ) ( orchestrator ) The Thrill of Brazil ( 1946 ) ( musical director ) DuBarry Was a Lady ( 1943 ) ( orchestrator ) Best Foot Forward ( 1943 ) ( orchestrator ) For Me and My Gal ( 1942 ) ( music arranger : vocals ) ( orchestrator ) Panama Hattie ( 1942 ) ( vocal and orchestral arrangements ) Berlin Correspondent ( 1942 ) ( orchestrator ) ( uncredited ) Iceland ( 1942 ) ( orchestrator ) ( uncredited ) Ship Ahoy ( 1942 ) ( music arranger : vocals ) ( orchestrator ) Rio Rita ( 1942 ) ( music arranger : vocals ) ( orchestrator ) Son of Fury : The Story of Benjamin Blake ( 1942 ) ( orchestrator ) ( uncredited ) Babes on Broadway ( 1941 ) ( music arranger : vocals ) ( orchestrator ) Remember the Day ( 1941 ) ( orchestrator ) ( uncredited ) Two - Faced Woman ( 1941 ) ( orchestrator ) You 'll Never Get Rich ( 1941 ) ( music arranger ) ( uncredited ) Lady Be Good ( 1941 ) ( music arranger : vocals ) ( orchestrator ) The Big Store ( 1941 ) ( music arranger : vocals ) ( orchestrator ) Ziegfeld Girl ( 1941 ) ( music arranger : vocal arrangements ) ( orchestrator ) Blondie Goes Latin ( 1941 ) ( music arranger ) Murder Over New York ( 1940 ) ( orchestrator ) ( uncredited ) Hullabaloo ( 1940 ) ( orchestrator ) Third Finger, Left Hand ( 1940 ) ( arranger : `` Hail to California '', `` Carmen Ohio '' ) ( uncredited ) Strike Up the Band ( 1940 ) ( music arranger : vocals ) ( orchestrator ) Yesterday 's Heroes ( 1940 ) ( orchestrator ) ( uncredited ) Andy Hardy Meets Debutante ( 1940 ) ( music arranger : vocals ) ( orchestrator ) Two Girls on Broadway ( 1940 ) ( orchestrator ) Broadway Melody of 1940 ( 1940 ) ( orchestrator ) I Take This Woman ( 1940 ) ( orchestrator ) ( uncredited ) The Earl of Chicago ( 1940 ) ( orchestrator ) ( uncredited ) Babes in Arms ( 1939 ) ( orchestrator ) The Wizard of Oz ( 1939 ) ( orchestrator : Munchkinland musical sequence ) ( uncredited ) Lady of the Tropics ( 1939 ) ( orchestrator ) ( uncredited ) Broadway Serenade ( 1939 ) ( vocal and orchestral direction ) Society Lawyer ( 1939 ) ( orchestrator ) The Ice Follies of 1939 ( 1939 ) ( music arranger : orchestral arrangements / vocal arrangements ) Boys Town ( 1938 ) ( music arranger ) Marie Antoinette ( 1938 ) ( orchestrator ) ( uncredited ) The Girl of the Golden West ( 1938 ) ( music arranger : vocal arrangements ) ( orchestrator ) Of Human Hearts ( 1938 ) ( orchestrator ) ( uncredited ) Rosalie ( 1937 ) ( music arranger : vocal arrangements ) ( orchestrator ) Broadway Melody of 1938 ( 1937 ) ( music arranger : orchestral and vocal arrangements ) A Day at the Races ( 1937 ) ( music arranger : choral and orchestral ) Carnival in Paris ( 1937 ) ( vocal and orchestral arrangements ) Song of Revolt ( 1937 ) ( vocal and orchestral arrangements ) Sinner Take All ( 1936 ) ( composer : stock music ) ( uncredited ) Born to Dance ( 1936 ) ( music arranger : choral ) Violets in Spring ( 1936 ) ( vocal and orchestral arrangements ) Awards Arnaud was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adaptation or Treatment Score for The Unsinkable Molly Brown ( 1964 ) at the 37th Academy Awards, presented in 1965. It was a co-nomination with six other men who also wrote the film 's music, with Arnaud doing orchestration. References Jump up ^ De Jong, Diederik C.D. ( January -- February 1996 ). `` Arnaud : Symphonie Francaise, Latin American Scenario, Midinette, In Memoriam, Well Tempered Oboist, Bugler 's Dream ''. American Record Guide : 71. Retrieved November 14, 2007. Jump up ^ Leo Arnaud at Answers.com Archived July 30, 2007, at WebCite Jump up ^ Hall, Frieda ( August 24, 2004 ). `` Hamptonville News ''. The Tribune. Jump up ^ Greenberg, Robert. `` Viva la Fanfare ! ''. Robert Greenberg Music. Archived from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2016. Jump up ^ Burlingame, Jon ( February 21, 2014 ). `` Film Composers Achieve Olympic Victory ''. The Film Music Society. Retrieved August 12, 2016. Jump up ^ Harrell, Jeff ( August 18, 2004 ). `` The Shape of Days -- The Olympic Theme ''. Retrieved August 18, 2008. Jump up ^ Stepanich, Greg ( August 16, 2008 ). `` Leo Arnaud 's Olympics Brand ''. Retrieved August 18, 2008. 8. ^ Guegold, William K. ( Golden Clef Publishing, 1996. ) `` 100 Years of Olympic Music : Music and Musicians of the Modern Olympic Games, 1896 - 1996. '' External links Léo Arnaud on IMDb Burlingame, Jon ( February 21, 2014 ). `` Film Composers Achieve Olympic Victory ''. The Film Music Society. Retrieved 2016 - 08 - 07. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leo_Arnaud&oldid=827600968 '' Categories : 1904 births 1991 deaths 20th - century classical composers 21st - century classical composers American jazz trombonists American music arrangers American film score composers Male film score composers French emigrants to the United States French film score composers French music arrangers French trombonists Musicians from North Carolina People from Yadkin County, North Carolina People from Lyon Pupils of Vincent d'Indy 20th - century French musicians 21st - century trombonists 20th - century trombonists 20th - century American composers Hidden categories : Webarchive template webcite links Articles needing additional references from August 2012 All articles needing additional references Use mdy dates from August 2012 Articles with hCards Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch فارسی Français Italiano Suomi Edit links This page was last edited on 25 February 2018, at 17 : 55. 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Question: who wrote the theme song for the winter olympics
Answer: Leo Arnaud; Leo Arnaud