About Phil Ohman
Lived 1896 – 1954 (aged 57). Phil Ohman was an American composer, songwriter, pianist and film score composer.
Phil Ohman (October 7, 1896 – August 8, 1954) was an American film composer and pianist. He is most well known for his collaboration with fellow musician Victor Arden in the 1920s and 1930s.
Biography Ohman was born Fillmore Wellington Ohman in New Britain, Connecticut in 1896. He is remembered as being one half of one of the pre-eminent piano duos in the 1922-1932, paired with Victor Arden. They were the pit pianists in many of George Gershwin's musicals, and recorded hundreds of piano rolls and records. Starting in mid 1927, just as they signed to Victor Records, they developed a large studio orchestra specializing in Broadway show songs that became quite popular. These particular records employed a rather large, brassy powerful sound (it is not known who they used as arranger), always with a space for a twin piano duet section.
Ohman died in Santa Monica, California on August 8, 1954.
Partial filmography Try and Play It (1922) Up and Down the Keys (1922) Piano Pan (1922) Sparkles (1935) The Renegade Trail (1939) Captain Caution (1940) The Roundup (1941) Sweethearts of the U.S.A. (1944) Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946) Million Dollar Weekend (1948)
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Phil Ohman's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Phil Ohman's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Phil Ohman?
American pianist and composer (1896–1954)
When was Phil Ohman born?
Phil Ohman was born on 7 October 1896 in New Britain.
When did Phil Ohman die?
Phil Ohman died on 8 August 1954 in Santa Monica.
What was Phil Ohman's occupation?
Phil Ohman was a composer, songwriter, pianist and film score composer.
What nationality was Phil Ohman?
Phil Ohman was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Phil Ohman. https://biography.guide/phil-ohman/
MLA: "Phil Ohman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/phil-ohman/.
Chicago: "Phil Ohman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/phil-ohman/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-24 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:08 UTC