Few composers have made as significant an impact on the sound of film and television music as Carl Davis. Born in 1936 in Brooklyn, Davis received much of his musical education in the United States but made his name in the UK, initially with his compositions for the influential comedy show That Was the Week That Was (1962-63). Other celebrated achievements include his neoclassical-style scores for beloved BBC programmes such as Pride and Prejudice (1995) and Upstairs Downstairs (2010), as well as films such as The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981). Davis became an in-demand composer for silent films—see his sweeping themes for historical epics like Napoléon and the original Ben-Hur and his whimsical accompaniment for Harold Lloyd’s The Freshman. Outside of his soundtracks, he is best known for co-writing Paul McCartney’s 1991 choral-orchestral work Liverpool Oratorio.