Marvin Hamlisch, Composer of A Chorus Line Dies at 68
Tony Award winning composer, orchestrator, and pianist Marvin Hamlisch died August 6th 2012 at the age of 68. Among his numerous works for the Broadway stage, Hamlisch composed A Chorus Line, the Pulitzer Prize winning musical that changed the face of musical theatre, running for 6137 performances.
Hamlisch began his Broadway career as a vocal arranger for Funny Girl (1964) during which he sparked long time association with singer Barbra Streisand. Subsequently, he composed dance arrangements for Golden Rainbow (1968) and Seesaw (1973). Hamlish’s first full score for the Broadway stage was A Chorus Line, featuring songs such as “God I Hope I Get It,” “At the Ballet,” “Dance: Ten; Looks: Three,” and the poignant show business anthem, “What I Did For Love.” Following the earth shattering success of A Chorus Line, Hamlisch composed They’re Playing Our Song (1979), Smile (1986), and Sweet Smell of Success (2002).
In addition to his prolific work in musical theatre, Hamlisch worked extensively in film and television. His film scores include The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) from the James Bond franchise, Sophie’s Choice (1982) starring Meryl Streep, 3 Men and a Baby (1987), and The Informant (2009). Hamlisch wrote the song, “The Way We Were,” popularized by Barbra Streisand in the 1973 film of the same name. According to Playbill.com, he is one of only 11 people to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award.
In recent years, Hamlisch composed classical works and conducted symphony orchestras around the country. In 2008, he arranged and orchestrated Liza Minnelli’s special concert Liza the Palace (2008) which won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event.
“What I Did for Love” and “One,” originally performed in A Chorus Line.
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