C. Bakaleinikoff

Constantin Romanovich Bakaleinikov also spelled Bakaleynikov and Bakaleinikoff was a Russianborn composer Bakaleinikoff was from a large musical family His brothers were Nikolai Bakaleinikov flautist composer and conductor Vladimir Bakaleinikov violist composer and conductor and Mikhail Mischa Bakaleinikoff composer He studied at the Moscow Conservatory Following the Russian revolution he migrated to the United States with his brother Mischa He worked as a conductor for the Los Angeles Philharmonic before beginning his Hollywood career as a freelance composer At the 1927 premiere of director Cecil B DeMilles The King of Kings at Hollywoods famed Graumans Chinese Theater the audience was treated to a concert of film music classics conducted by him With the arrival of sound the Bakaleinikoff brothers became studio maestros Mischa joined Columbia Pictures while Constantin became a musical director at Paramount Pictures followed by MGM Constantin also worked briefly at Columbia and later for independent Grand National Pictures In 1935 Bakaleinikoff participated in making the earliest dance film Spring Night He conducted Joseph Achrons score for this first experimental ballet film which featured the choreography and dancing of David Lichine who had danced with Colonel de Basils Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo Nana Gollner the Texasborn ballerina was his partner This pioneering film which emerged from the Diaghilev sphere of influence was produced by Adolf Zuckor Bakaleinikoff received his first Academy Award nomination for scoring the James Cagney feature Something to Sing About 1937 Later he became the senior music director at RKO Radio Pictures where he spent most of his motion picture career He earned Academy Award nominations for his work on The Fallen Sparrow 1943 Higher and Higher 1943 and None But the Lonely Heart 1944 For Alfred Hitchcocks Notorious 1946 starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman he conducted the original score by composer Roy Webb one that complements the directors elements of suspense and danger throughout the film Bakaleinikoff who was always billed as C Bakaleinikoff appeared on camera as himself in RKOs backstage musical Ding Dong Williams filmed 1945 released in April 1946 He remained at RKO until the studio folded in 1956 He donated his time and talent in the late 1950s in mentoring and conducting the Burbank Youth Symphony Constantin Bakaleinikoff was married to silent film actress Fritzi Ridgeway He died in 1966 and is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale California