- Born
- Died
- Birth nameIrwin Michnik
- Composer, arranger and producer Mitch Leigh was a graduate of Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree and wrote many musical commercial themes. He was awarded honors from the American Television Commercial Festival and the Venice International Advertising Film Festival. He founded Music Makers, Inc. and served as its president and creative director, and also as president of Sound Makers, Inc. He contributed instrumental music to the Broadway productions "Too Good to Be True" and "Never Live Over a Pretzel Factory", and he wrote the stage score for "Man of LaMancha", for which he composed "The Impossible Dream". Joining ASCAP in 1964, his chief musical collaborator was Joe Darion.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Louis Rugani
- SpousesAbby Leigh(? - March 16, 2014) (his death, 3 children)Abby Kimmelman(? - 2014) (his death, 2 children)Renee Goldman (divorced, 1 child)
- In 1957, he founded Music Makers, Inc., a radio and television commercial music publishing house, of which Leigh is artistic director. It was Music Makers, Inc., who, under Leigh's supervision, orchestrated the music for the stage production of "Man of La Mancha".
- Won two 1966 Tony Awards for "Man of La Mancha": for his music as part of the Best Musical win and as Best Composer and Lyricist with collaborator Joe Darion. Nineteen years later, in 1985, he was Tony-nominated as Best Director (Musical) for a revival of "The King and I" that was Yul Brynner's farewell appearance in his signature role as the King of Siam.
- He spent most of his career on Madison Avenue, writing commercial jingles for several clients, including L & M cigarettes, Ken-L Ration dog food, and the Sara Lee Corporation.
- Won a 1966 Tony Award for his music for the Broadway musical "Man of La Mancha", which was filmed in 1972.
- In 2001, the Yale University School of Music building was renamed Leigh Hall in honor of Mitch Leigh and his wife Abby.
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