Mission Complete: Iconic Composer Lalo Schifrin Takes Final Bow at 93

Mia Reynolds, 6/27/2025Lalo Schifrin, the iconic composer behind the "Mission: Impossible" theme, has passed away at 93. Renowned for blending jazz with film scores in classics like "Dirty Harry" and "Cool Hand Luke," Schifrin's legacy continues to inspire musicians worldwide. His final work premiered in April 2023, showcasing his unyielding creativity.

You know the one — "Dum-dum DUM DUM dum-dum DUM DUM." Written in that quirky 5/4 time signature, it's become more than just a TV show opener. As New Yorker film critic Anthony Lane perfectly put it, it's "only the most contagious tune ever heard by mortal ears." The theme even managed to snag the #41 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 back in '68, proving that sometimes the most memorable tunes come from the most unexpected places.

Born Boris Claudio Schifrin in Buenos Aires, his path to Hollywood reads like something straight out of a film script. The son of a philharmonic concertmaster, young Schifrin spent his college days at Buenos Aires' Colegio Nacional University secretly passing around banned American jazz records under Juan Perón's watchful eye. Talk about foreshadowing — here was a guy already breaking musical barriers before he'd even started his career.

"In music, the choices are infinite," he wrote in his 2008 autobiography, and boy, did he prove it. Schifrin's work defied easy categorization, earning him six Oscar nominations along the way. Though that golden statuette proved elusive for decades, justice finally came in 2018 when his old friend Clint Eastwood presented him with an honorary Academy Award. At the ceremony, Kathy Bates nailed it: "His work cannot be easily labeled. Is what he creates jazz? Is it classical, contemporary, popular?" The answer, naturally, was all of the above.

The "Mission: Impossible" story began rather simply in '66. Series creator Bruce Geller needed something special — "exciting, almost like a logo," as Schifrin recalled years later. Working with nothing but a description of a burning fuse, Schifrin crafted what would become his most enduring piece. "Maybe the fact that I was so free and had no images to catch, maybe that's why this thing has become so successful," he mused in 2006.

That theme — which Schifrin admitted he wrote with "a little humor, lightness" — didn't just define the original series. It became the backbone of eight (and counting) Tom Cruise blockbusters, with modern composers like Danny Elfman and Michael Giacchino building their own variations on Schifrin's immortal foundation.

Beyond that iconic theme, Schifrin's fingerprints are all over American cinema. "Cool Hand Luke," "Dirty Harry," "Bullitt," "Enter the Dragon" — each score showcased his knack for blending jazz, classical, and contemporary elements into something entirely fresh. His approach to "Dirty Harry" was particularly clever, scoring for the villain instead of the hero and letting Scorpio's theme drive the musical narrative.

But Hollywood was just one chapter in Schifrin's story. He arranged for jazz giants like Dizzy Gillespie (his self-proclaimed "only master"), conducted major symphony orchestras, and even created arrangements for the Three Tenors that helped classical music reach new audiences.

Even in his final months, Schifrin kept pushing boundaries. This past April, he collaborated with fellow Argentine composer Rod Schejtman on "Long Live Freedom," a 35-minute symphony that premiered at Buenos Aires' Teatro Colón. What better way to close out a career spent breaking down musical walls?

Schifrin leaves behind his wife Donna, three children — William, Frances, and Ryan — four grandchildren, and countless musicians inspired by his fearless approach to composition. His parting words at that 2018 Oscar ceremony seem especially poignant now: "Receiving this honorary Oscar is the culmination of a dream. It is mission accomplished." Indeed it was, maestro. Indeed it was.

The music world lost one of its most versatile voices last Thursday when Lalo Schifrin, the mastermind behind the unforgettable "Mission: Impossible" theme, passed away from pneumonia complications at 93. His legacy? That infectious five-note melody that's been living rent-free in our collective consciousness for nearly six decades.You know the one — "Dum-dum DUM DUM dum-dum DUM DUM." Written in that quirky 5/4 time signature, it's become more than just a TV show opener. As New Yorker film critic Anthony Lane perfectly put it, it's "only the most contagious tune ever heard by mortal ears." The theme even managed to snag the #41 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 back in '68, proving that sometimes the most memorable tunes come from the most unexpected places.Born Boris Claudio Schifrin in Buenos Aires, his path to Hollywood reads like something straight out of a film script. The son of a philharmonic concertmaster, young Schifrin spent his college days at Buenos Aires' Colegio Nacional University secretly passing around banned American jazz records under Juan Perón's watchful eye. Talk about foreshadowing — here was a guy already breaking musical barriers before he'd even started his career."In music, the choices are infinite," he wrote in his 2008 autobiography, and boy, did he prove it. Schifrin's work defied easy categorization, earning him six Oscar nominations along the way. Though that golden statuette proved elusive for decades, justice finally came in 2018 when his old friend Clint Eastwood presented him with an honorary Academy Award. At the ceremony, Kathy Bates nailed it: "His work cannot be easily labeled. Is what he creates jazz? Is it classical, contemporary, popular?" The answer, naturally, was all of the above.The "Mission: Impossible" story began rather simply in '66. Series creator Bruce Geller needed something special — "exciting, almost like a logo," as Schifrin recalled years later. Working with nothing but a description of a burning fuse, Schifrin crafted what would become his most enduring piece. "Maybe the fact that I was so free and had no images to catch, maybe that's why this thing has become so successful," he mused in 2006.That theme — which Schifrin admitted he wrote with "a little humor, lightness" — didn't just define the original series. It became the backbone of eight (and counting) Tom Cruise blockbusters, with modern composers like Danny Elfman and Michael Giacchino building their own variations on Schifrin's immortal foundation.Beyond that iconic theme, Schifrin's fingerprints are all over American cinema. "Cool Hand Luke," "Dirty Harry," "Bullitt," "Enter the Dragon" — each score showcased his knack for blending jazz, classical, and contemporary elements into something entirely fresh. His approach to "Dirty Harry" was particularly clever, scoring for the villain instead of the hero and letting Scorpio's theme drive the musical narrative.But Hollywood was just one chapter in Schifrin's story. He arranged for jazz giants like Dizzy Gillespie (his self-proclaimed "only master"), conducted major symphony orchestras, and even created arrangements for the Three Tenors that helped classical music reach new audiences.Even in his final months, Schifrin kept pushing boundaries. This past April, he collaborated with fellow Argentine composer Rod Schejtman on "Long Live Freedom," a 35-minute symphony that premiered at Buenos Aires' Teatro Colón. What better way to close out a career spent breaking down musical walls?Schifrin leaves behind his wife Donna, three children — William, Frances, and Ryan — four grandchildren, and countless musicians inspired by his fearless approach to composition. His parting words at that 2018 Oscar ceremony seem especially poignant now: "Receiving this honorary Oscar is the culmination of a dream. It is mission accomplished." Indeed it was, maestro. Indeed it was.