[1] In his youth, Amfitheatrof studied first with Jāzeps Vītols at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, then Jaroslav Křička in Prague.
[1] With World War II imminent in Europe, Amfitheatrof elected to remain in the United States.
During his twenty-six years in Hollywood, where he was employed by each of the major studios at one time or another, he composed the scores (often uncredited) for over 50 films, including Letter from an Unknown Woman, The Desert Fox, The Naked Jungle, The Last Hunt, and The Mountain.
Amfitheatrof once remarked in written correspondence (citation: private letters) with his friend and colleague, John Steven Lasher, that his career in Hollywood "as a prostitute composer" ultimately tarnished his image as a professional musician.
[citation needed] Amfitheatrof died at his home in Rome on 7 June 1983, after a prolonged period of declining health.