When Welles gained his RKO Pictures contract , Herrmann worked for him . He wrote his first film score for '' Citizen Kane '' ( 1941 ) and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Score of a Dramatic Picture . He composed the score for Welles 's second film , '' The Magnificent Ambersons '' ( 1942 ) ; like the film itself , the music was heavily edited by the studio , RKO Pictures . When more than half of his score was removed from the soundtrack , Herrmann bitterly severed his ties with the film and promised legal action if his name were not removed from the credits
Academy Award nomination
14th Academy Awards
Bernard Herrmann