Which composer won an Academy Award nomination for the film's score?

Oliver Wallace received the Academy Award nomination for the score of Disney’s 1951 Alice in Wonderland.

Wallace was the film’s principal composer and helped create its musical identity, writing or co-writing several pieces used in the picture. His work complemented songs by other Disney and Hollywood songwriters, including Sammy Fain, Bob Hilliard, Mack David, Al Hoffman, Jerry Livingston, Don Raye, and Gene de Paul.

The nomination came at the 24th Academy Awards, honoring films released in 1951. Alice in Wonderland was nominated in the category then called Music (Scoring of a Musical Picture). Wallace did not win: the award went to An American in Paris, whose scoring team included Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin.

A frequent mix-up is confusing Wallace with Sammy Fain, whose songwriting helped supply several of the film’s best-known songs. Wallace’s nomination recognized the film’s musical score, while Fain and other writers were associated primarily with individual songs. Wallace later became closely identified with Disney music through projects including Dumbo and the studio’s television work.