Born and raised in the Bronx, New York City (February 13, 1928), Fried attended The Juilliard School of Music. He went to high school with Stanley Kubrick and entered the world of film soundtracks when he composed the scores for five of his earliest films.

After moving to Los Angeles, Fried arranged the exotica album Orienta. He began composing and arranging music for several films such as Terror in a Texas Town and shows such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E., working with Robert Drasnin, and also the original Star Trek, for which he composed the famous musical underscore "The Ritual/Ancient Battle/2nd Kroykah" (now known as "Star Trek Fight Music") for the episode "Amok Time." Among his many television show themes is his jazz-inspired intro for the western series Shotgun Slade.

Fried is perhaps best known for his collaboration with Quincy Jones on their Emmy Award-winning score for the 1977 miniseries Roots.

He won Golden Pine Award (Lifetime Achievement) at the 2013 International Samobor Film Music Festival, along with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Clint Eastwood. His credits consist of nearly 300 films, television episodes, and specials.

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