Felix Slatkin

Felix Slatkin (St. Louis, 22 December 1915 – Los Angeles, 8 February 1963) was an American violinist and conductor whose career unfolded across the concert hall, the film studios and chamber music. He began his training at the age of six with Sylvan Noack, then continued at the Curtis Institute of Philadelphia with Efrem Zimbalist, and studied conducting with Fritz Reiner.

Although he appeared as a soloist with the country's leading orchestras, in 1931 he joined the violin section of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and, two years later, became assistant concertmaster. In 1937 he moved to Los Angeles, where he conducted the studio orchestra of 20th Century Fox. After serving in the United States Air Force during the war, he founded the Hollywood String Quartet in 1947, together with Paul Shure, Paul Robyn and his wife, the cellist Eleanor Aller. The quartet toured and recorded prolifically until it disbanded in 1961.

In his later years he devoted himself chiefly to film work, popular music concerts and recordings. Apparently, his taste and classical training proved useful even in these commercial settings. His children are the conductor Leonard Slatkin and the cellist Fred Zlotkin.