RESULTS 

Prize:   One (1) book    Case History of a Film Score by Henry Mancini - The Thorn Birds
The book is provided courtesy of Warner Bros. Publications and winners are judged, chosen, and notified by this website
 
Winner:    Dan Miles

1. How many Academy Awards Mancini has won ? Include the years and name of the movies.
2. Name (at least) 3 unreleased Mancini soundtracks that you feel demands an official release.
3. Send your comments or impressions on Mancini's life or work, or comment one or more Mancini recordings (at least 3 lines in total, extend as long as you like, this question will deserve the highest consideration).
OPTIONAL QUESTION
4. What instrument was played in the Main Titles of the TV mini-series The Thorn Birds and who played it ? 

HINT:  For the answer to the last question, check The Thorn Birds article from Frets magazine.
 
Samples of the Answers
 
Dan Miles:   Winner
Answer to Question 1:
Oscars won:
1961 "Breakfast at Tiffany's" - best original score
1961 "Moon River" - best original song (from "Breakfast at Tiffany's)
1962 "Days of Wine and Roses" - best original song (from "Days of Wine and Roses")
1982 "Victor, Victoria" - best original song score (from "Victor, Victoria")
 
Answer to Question 2:
Unreleased scores:
"Once is Not Enough" 1975
"White Dawn" - 1974
"Nightwing" - 1979
______
"Moneychangers" (TV mini-series) - 1976. Although this is not an official questions, I am offering this because I consider it a marvelous score. The mini-series was 4 1/2 hours in length and Henry 
wrote 2 hours of music for it. Aside from a powerful main title, Henry wrote a separate theme for all four female leading characters: "Margot's Theme", "Ceila's Theme", "Juanita's Theme" and "Avirl's 
Theme". Also, this was a David Wolper production. Possibly, without Henry's wonderful contribution to the "Moneychangers" he may not have been asked to score the "Thorn Birds".
 
Answer to Question 3:
The life and work of Henry Mancini:
I became aware of Henry music in 1965. Oddly enough, I was first attracted to his incredible arranging talent. I had the LP soundtrack to "Rock, Pretty Baby" (1956) that contained some interesting original 
rock 'n roll music. It also contained a very catchy instrumental tune entitle "Free & Easy". It was played by a small combo on the LP. The 1960 LP "The Mancini Touch" included a newly arranged version of it - this time for full orchestra. I couldn't believe they were the same composition. In a brief four year period his arranging talent had grown significantly. I found it amazing that the same musician was 
capable of producing too vastly different arrangements.
 
His arranging talent also astonished me again on a couple of other occasions. On the same LP, "The Mancini Touch", he arranged and recorded "Like Young". This tune was written by David Rose and Andre Previn. I had their version on one of their LPs but found Henry's version so much more imaginative and inventive than the version actually recorded by the composers. I also found this true on Elmer Bernstein's composition "Walk on the wild Side" that Henry released on the 1963 LP "Our Man in Hollywood".
 
To say that Henry was a great composer goes without saying. He knew exactly what to write for each situation. He was a genius.
 
I had the honor to meet Henry on several occasions. I would like to add that he had a marvelous sense of humor. In 1977 Henry wrote the theme for the "NBC Nightly News" evening program. The tune was used by NBC for a few years than changed to a theme by another composer. Around this time, he was in Denver appearing with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. A day or so before the concert, he was interviewed on TV by the local NBC affiliate station. The local interviewer asked Mancini about his theme being replaced commenting that it was perfect for a "news show" and couldn't imagine it was no longer being used. Henry's comment was "Well, I guess the news wasn't any good so they cancelled my theme!" It was really funny.
 
Henry was also an incredibly humble man. In fact, I really don't think he realized what a great composer he really was. If so, it was never let it show.
 
It would be difficult to find another composer who is as versatile as Henry. In 1962 he wrote the scores for "Experiment in Terror", "Days of Wine and Roses", "Hatari!" and "Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation". In 1970 he wrote the scores for "The Molly Maguires", "Darling Lili", "Gaily, Gaily", "Hawaiians" and "Sunflower". That really amazing!
 
Answer to Question 4:
The unique instrument used in the "Thorn Birds" is called a dulcimer. 
I know that Henry spent eight days finding a musician who could play the dulcimer, but the musician's name is never mentioned, but as a wild guess, I would say either Mark Biggs or Esther Kreek.
 
 
Richard J. Jenks:  
1. Moon River (song)from Breakfast at Tiffany's 1961
2. Days of Wine and Roses (song) from Days of Wine and Roses; 1962
3. Victoria Victoria (song score) from Victor Victoria; 1982
 
4. Henry Mancini had a unique ability. On the one hand, he could write beautiful melodies which brought to mind present, or long-lost, loves. On the other hand, he could write the kind of rousing music which invigorated the heart and soul.

Beyond his music, he seemed like a very gentle, humble and likeable human being.

I had the good fortune on seeing him 25 times in concert. Whenever possible, I would try and make my way back stage. On one occasion, my wife told him how much I loved his music and what a 
devoted fan I was. He subsequently signed my photo: "To Rick, my #1 fan." Needless to say, it was something only dreams are made of. On another occasion he took the time to walk over to a fence surrounding a TV station and looked through (and signed) a scrapbook I had of him. And the way he typically signed an autograph with the phrase "with warmest regards" showed the thought and respect he had for his fans.
 
There will never be another person like him.
 
Thorn Birds: Dulcimer

NOTE:   Answers to question 2 were not submitted
 
 
Stefan Huber:  
1. Four:
Best Song (1961) -- "Moon River" from "Breakfast at Tiffany's"
Best Score (1961) -- "Breakfast at Tiffany's"
Best Song (1962) -- "Days of Wine and Roses" from movie of the same name
Best Score (1982) -- "Victor/Victoria"

2.
-- "Bachelor in Paradise" (some selections of this outstanding easylistening score have appeared on compilations, but it would be nice to have the score in its entirety)
-- "Days of Wine and Roses" (RCA did a commercial cut of the title song, but Warner never issued the complete score!)
-- "Wait Until Dark" (Mancini recorded the main theme for RCA, but no issue of complete score!)

3. I guess, Mancini did an outstanding contribution to not only movie music,but to music in general. "Moon River" is the song of the century and I guess there were not many composers who were nominated for a best song Academy Award twice in the same year. 
Yet, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is not only an outstanding document how movie music should sound and a nostalgic presentation of the 1950's (or early 1960's), but one of the best albums ever compiled. Each selection of this album is a definite winner and the album should be present in any serious record collection.

4. dulcimer