Spiegel established himself in the American industry in the early 1940s, using the pseudonym "S.P. Eagle" and scoring with such excellent productions as Orson Welles' "The Stranger" (1946) and John Huston's "The African Queen" (1952). He resumed the use of his real name for his credit on "On the Waterfront" (1954) and the "Spiegel" imprimatur went on to adorn such notable, independently produced films as "The Bridge On the River Kwai" (1957) and "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962).