Hamlisch, Marvin

Hamlisch, Marvin, 1944–2012, American composer, conductor, and pianist, b. New York City, grad. Queens College (B.S., 1967). A versatile and prolific composer of melodies ranging from the soulfully melodic to jazzily jaunty, he won three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony, and three Golden Globes. His first hit song was Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows (1965) sung by Leslie Gore. He soon moved to Los Angeles, where he began writing motion picture scores, eventually producing more than 40, including those for Woody Allen's Take the Money and Run (1969) and Bananas (1970), The Way We Were and The Sting (both 1973, both Academy Awards), Ordinary People (1980), Sophie's Choice (1982), Shirley Valentine (1989), and The Informant! (2009). His work for the stage includes music for The Chorus Line (1975, Tony Awards, Pulitzer Prize) and scores for They're Playing Our Song (1979), The Goodbye Girl (1977), and Sweet Smell of Success (2002). Long associated with Barbra Streisand , he was the musical director and arranger for her 1994 concert tour and television special. Hamlisch also conducted pops orchestras in Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Dallas, Seattle, and other cities.

See his autobiography (with G. C. Gardner, 1992).

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