Biografía

Was reassigned to the band unit shortly after he joined the U.S. Army in World War II. This actually saved his life, as the unit to which he'd originally been assigned was wiped out to a man in the Battle of the Bulge.

For ¡Hatari! (1962), he wrote a brief piece of incidental music to accompany a scene where a baby elephant is taken for a walk. To Mancini's astonishment, it became an international hit as "Baby Elephant Walk," and was re-recorded by a large number of artists and in many styles.

Pictured on a 37¢ USA commemorative stamp issued in his honor, 13 April 2004. The titles of the following films and TV shows, for which Mancini wrote the score and/or songs, are listed on the stamp: Muñequita de lujo (1961); Días de vino y rosas (1962); Charada (1963); Peter Gunn (1958)'; La pantera rosa (1963); Un camino para dos (1967); Sombras del mal (1958); ¡Hatari! (1962); La carrera del siglo (1965); Chantaje contra una mujer (1962); Victor/Victoria (1982); Corazón querido (1964) and Amor entre espinas (1983). The Pink Panther cartoon character is in the lower left corner, pointing to Mancini.

No less prolific a recording artist than he was a film/TV composer, his many albums, mostly for RCA, sold in the millions, and included: "Music from 'Peter Gunn'" (1958), "Music from 'Mr. Lucky'" and "The Mancini Touch" (1959), "Combo" and "Mr. Lucky Goes Latin" (1960), "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961), "Our Man in Hollywood" and "Charade" (1963), "The Concert Sound of Henry Mancini", "The Best of Mancini" and "The Pink Panther" (1964), "'The Second Time Around' and Other Favorites" (1966), "Mancini '67" and "Encore!: More of the Concert Sound of Henry Mancini" (1967), "A Warm Shade of Ivory" (1968), "Six Hours Past Sunset" (1969), and "Big Screen - Little Screen" (1972). He also had a Number 1 single with "Love Theme from 'Romeo and Juliet'" in 1969.

Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984.