CAMARILLO : Hungarian Emigre Composer Dies
Frank Worth of Camarillo, a Hungarian emigre who distinguished himself in the United States as a music composer for radio, television and cinema, died Thursday at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Woodland Hills.
He was 86 and had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
Worth’s death was announced Monday by his widow, Mildred, of Camarillo.
Born Nov. 30, 1903, in Debrecen, Hungary, Worth emigrated with his family to Milwaukee in 1910. He began his musical career at 16, playing in pit orchestras of vaudeville and silent movie theaters.
Worth and his family moved to Los Angeles in 1946, where he worked as a composer and conductor for the Hedda Hopper show, the Roy Rogers show and others. Worth also conducted the musical scores for many Walt Disney nature programs.
Worth has several orchestral compositions to his credit, including “A Cello Concerto” and “The Festival Italia for Symphony Orchestra.”
Worth is also survived by four sons, Franz, Michael, Peter and Christopher, and nine grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held at Conejo Mountain Memorial Park in Camarillo at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
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