Piero Umiliani (17 July 1926 – 14 February 2001) was an Italian composer of film scores.

Biography

29 August 1981: Rimini Meeting. Concert in Rimini of the Rai Orchestra directed by Master Piero Umiliani.

Umiliani was born in Florence, Tuscany. Like many of his Italian colleagues at that time, he composed the scores for many exploitation films in the 1960s and 1970s, in genres such as spaghetti Westerns, Eurospy, giallo, and softcore sex films.

His composition "Mah Nà Mah Nà" (1968) was originally used in Sweden: Heaven and Hell, a 1968 Mondo documentary about Sweden. It was a minor charting single (spending 6 weeks on the Billboard chart and peaking at #55, and reaching #22 in Canada), popularized by The Red Skelton Show, first airing in October 1969, and The Muppets, who covered the song several times; starting on episode 0014 of Sesame Street on 27 November 1969, then The Ed Sullivan Show three days later, and again on the syndicated series The Muppet Show in 1977. The track was also a hit in the UK, reaching number 8 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1977.

Umiliani's other scores included Son of Django, Orgasmo, Gangster's Law, Death Knocks Twice, Five Dolls for an August Moon, Baba Yaga, The Slave and Sex Pot. His orchestra score "Arrivano I Marines" for War Italian Style, a 1966 comedy about two USMC soldiers in Italy, is used in the Armored Trooper Votoms series as "March of the Red Shoulders".

His composition "Crepuscolo Sul Mare" was used in Ocean's Twelve. More recently, his composition Echi Della Natura featured on the soundtrack of Ashim Ahluwalia’s 2012 film Miss Lovely.

Outside of his film score work, Umiliani formed the rock band Braen's Machine with Alessandro Alessandroni.

Umiliani died in Rome in February 2001, at the age of 74.[better source needed]

Selected filmography

YearFilmDirected bySingles
1958Big Deal on Madonna Street
1960The Traffic PolicemanLuigi ZampaA1: Titoli Di Testa / A2: Il Vigile
1961On the Tiger's Back
Creole VenusLorenzo Ricciardi
1962Getting Away with It the Italian WayLucio Fulci
SmogFranco Rossi
1963OmicronUgo GregorettiOmicron (Titoli Di Testa)
1964Intrigue in Los AngelesRomano Ferrara
Samson and His Mighty Challenge
1965La Celestina P... R...
Sons of the LeopardSergio Corbucci
Agent 3S3: Passport to Hell
The RecklessGiuliano Montaldo
Two Mafiosi Against GoldfingerGiorgio Simonelli
The Dreamer
Agente X 1-7 operazione OceanoTanio Boccia
Lady Morgan's VengeanceMassimo Pupillo
Operation PokerOsvaldo Civirani
1966Man on the Spying TrapezeJuan de Orduña
Agent 3S3, Massacre in the Sun
Target Goldseven
Ring Around the World
Due mafiosi contro Al Capone
Requiem for a Secret AgentSergio Sollima
Blockhead
War Italian StyleLuigi ScattiniArrivano I Marines
NeroGiovanni Vento
1967The Bridge of AsiaCorrado Sofia
Blueprint for a Massacre
Argoman the Fantastic Superman
Italians and IndustryRomolo Marcellini
Lotus Flowers for Miss Quon
Son of Django
Last of the Badmen
I barbieri di Sicilia
1968Il marchio di Kriminal
Two Eyes to KillRenato Borraccetti
Chrysanthemums for a Bunch of SwineSergio Pastore
Sweden: Heaven and HellLuigi Scattini
1969OrgasmoUmberto LenziFate Had Planned It So
The ArchangelGiorgio Capitani
Gangster's LawSiro MarcelliniCrepuscolo Sul Mare
Witchcraft '70Luigi Scattini
Death Knocks TwiceHarald Philipp
1970Le Isole Dell'AmorePino de Martino
Five Dolls for an August MoonMario BavaCinevox / BX MDF 149: Cinque Bambole (Versione Coro) / Ti Risveglierai Con Me (Versione Film)
A Quiet Place to KillUmberto Lenzi
Don Franco e Don Ciccio nell'anno della contestazioneMarino Girolami
Roy Colt and Winchester JackMario Bava
Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Fifth Floor NeighbourRamón Fernández
1971Vengeance Is a Dish Served ColdPasquale Squitieri
1972History and Prehistory
Il Mondo Dei Romani
Sex of Their BodiesLuigi Scattini
1973La ragazza fuoristradaLuigi Scattini
Baba YagaCorrado Farina
The SlaveGiorgio Capitani
1974La governanteGiovanni Grimaldi
The BodyLuigi Scattini
Blood RiverGianfranco Baldanello
Il domesticoLuigi Filippo D'Amico
1975Il fidanzamentoGiovanni Grimaldi
Sex PotGiorgio Capitani
The School TeacherNando Cicero
1976Eva NeraJoe D'Amato
1977Twilight of LoveLuigi Scattini
Pane, burro e marmellataGiorgio Capitani
1978Blue NudeLuigi Scattini
The Soldier with Great ManeuversNando Cicero
1979Lobster for BreakfastGiorgio Capitani
1980I Hate BlondesGiorgio Capitani
1981There Is a Ghost in My BedLuigi Scattini
Teste di quoioGiorgio Capitani
Quando la coppia scoppiaGiorgio Capitani
1982Vai avanti tu che mi vien da ridereGiorgio Capitani

Library music

YearAlbumSingles
1971Paesaggi
Synthi Time
Underground
1972Percussioni ed effetti specialiEchi della natura
1973Temi ritmici e dinamici
To-Day's SoundOpen Space (4:16) / Slogan (4:10)
1974Mondo inquieto
Musica classica per l'uomo d'oggi
Nuove arie romantiche
1975Paesi Balcani
1978Discomusic
Motivi allegri e distensivi
1979Film concerto
Panorama italiano
Tensione
1981Album di viaggio
1983Suspence elettronica

External links