Tim Rice

Tim Rice. Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice is a preeminent English lyricist and author, celebrated for his transformative contributions to musical theatre and film. His legendary collaborations with composers like Andrew Lloyd Webber and Elton John have produced some of the most successful and enduring works in entertainment history. Rice's career, spanning over five decades, is distinguished by his wit, narrative skill, and an unprecedented achievement of competitive EGOT status.

Early life and education

Born in Amersham, he was the son of Joan Odette and Hugh Gordon Rice. He was educated at the independent St Albans School and later at the Sorbonne in Paris. His early interests included history and pop music, and he briefly pursued a legal career before his passion for songwriting took precedence. During this period, he also worked as a trainee at the BBC and as a management trainee at Unilever.

Career

Rice's professional breakthrough came through his partnership with Andrew Lloyd Webber, which began in 1965. Their first major success was the 1968 concept album *Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat*, initially written for a school choir. This was followed by the groundbreaking rock opera *Jesus Christ Superstar* in 1970, which sparked international controversy and acclaim. After *Evita* in 1976, their collaboration paused, leading Rice to explore other ventures. He achieved monumental success in the 1990s with his lyrics for Disney films, including *Aladdin* and *The Lion King*, composed by Alan Menken and Elton John, respectively. He later reunited with Lloyd Webber for *The Beautiful Game* and collaborated with Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA on *Chess*.

Notable works and collaborations

His seminal works with Andrew Lloyd Webber—*Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat*, *Jesus Christ Superstar*, and *Evita*—redefined the modern musical. His film work for Disney yielded classics like "A Whole New World" from *Aladdin* and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from *The Lion King*. The musical *Chess*, with music by ABBA members, produced the hit "I Know Him So Well". Later stage works include *The Lion King* (with additional material by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi), *Aida* (with Elton John), and *The Wizard of Oz*. He also contributed to the 2019 film adaptation of *Cats*.

Awards and recognition

Rice is one of the few individuals to have won all four major American entertainment awards—an EGOT. He has won three Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and five Tony Awards, including a Special Tony. His Grammy Award wins include Song of the Year for "A Whole New World". In the UK, he has received multiple Laurence Olivier Awards. He was knighted in 1994 and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2018. He is also a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Personal life

He married Jane McIntosh in 1974, with whom he had a son and a daughter; she died in 2024. A lifelong cricket enthusiast, he served as president of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 2002 and is a noted cricket historian and collector. He has been involved with numerous charitable organizations, including Nordoff Robbins and the British Red Cross. His other interests include history and literature, and he has authored several books on cricket and musical theatre.

Category:English lyricists Category:Academy Award winners Category:EGOT winners