Marvin Hamlisch

Marvin Hamlisch
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Name	Marvin Hamlisch
Caption	Hamlisch in 1973
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth date	2 June 1944
Birth place	New York City, U.S.
Death date	6 August 2012
Death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Composer, conductor
Years active	1965–2012
Spouse	Terre Blair, 1989, 2012

Marvin Hamlisch was an American composer and conductor who achieved immense success across Broadway theatre, Hollywood, and popular music. He is one of only seventeen individuals to have won an EGOT—an Emmy Award, Grammy Award, Academy Award, and Tony Award—and one of only two people to have won those four awards plus a Pulitzer Prize. His most famous works include the scores for the Broadway musical A Chorus Line and the films The Sting and The Way We Were.

Early life and education

Born in Manhattan to Viennese Jewish immigrants, he demonstrated prodigious musical talent from an extremely young age. By the age of seven, he was accepted into the prestigious Juilliard School Pre-College Division, studying classical piano. His early fascination with popular music and show tunes set him apart from his strictly classical peers at the institution. He later attended Queens College, City University of New York, graduating in 1967 with a degree in music.

Career

Hamlisch began his professional career as a rehearsal pianist for Broadway shows, including Funny Girl starring Barbra Streisand. His first major film credit came with the adaptation of The Swimmer in 1968. His breakthrough arrived in the early 1970s with his acclaimed work on films like The Sting, for which he adapted Scott Joplin's ragtime music, and The Way We Were, for which he wrote the iconic title song with lyricists Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman. His career reached a zenith in 1975 with the revolutionary Broadway musical A Chorus Line, created with director Michael Bennett and lyricist Edward Kleban. He later composed scores for other successful films such as Sophie's Choice and Ordinary People, and Broadway shows including They're Playing Our Song and The Goodbye Girl. For many years, he served as the principal pops conductor for several major American orchestras, including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Awards and honors

In 1974, Hamlisch won three Academy Awards in one night for his work on The Sting and The Way We Were. The musical A Chorus Line earned him both a Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1976. He received four Emmy Awards for television specials, including one for his work on Barbra Streisand: The Concert. His Grammy Awards include those for The Way We Were and the cast album of A Chorus Line. He was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Personal life and death

In 1989, he married television personality Terre Blair, and the couple resided in New York City and Los Angeles. He was known for his witty and engaging personality during concert performances. Hamlisch died suddenly following a brief illness in Los Angeles in August 2012. His funeral was held at Temple Emanu-El in New York, with eulogies delivered by friends including Liza Minnelli and Barbra Streisand.

Legacy and influence

Hamlisch is remembered as one of the most versatile and melodically gifted composers of his generation, bridging the worlds of popular music, film score, and musical theatre. The record-breaking success of A Chorus Line fundamentally changed the economics and artistic possibilities of Broadway theatre. His work as a pops conductor helped popularize orchestral music for wide audiences. The Marvin Hamlisch International Music Awards were established in his memory to support young musicians, and his extensive catalog of songs and scores continues to be performed worldwide.

Category:American composers Category:EGOT winners Category:Pulitzer Prize winners