The world now mourns Lalo Schifrin—the mastermind behind the legendary theme for the original Mission: Impossible television series, which went on to become the anthem of the decades-spanning blockbuster film franchise starring Tom Cruise.
Born in Buenos Aires to a family steeped in classical music, Schifrin studied in Paris and went on to work with greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald. He even wrote the finale performance for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, where The Three Tenors sang together for the first time.
With more than 100 scores for film and television to his name, his works earned multiple Grammys and a place in the Grammy Hall of Fame. But for millions around the world, he will forever be remembered as the creator of one of the most iconic and enduring themes in television and cinema history—that theme, the one that always meant the mission was just beginning.