Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

November 10, 1929 in New York City, NY

Death

:

January 8, 2022 in Los Angeles, CA

Genre

:

Film

 

 

Vocal

 

Marilyn Bergman was born on November 10, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in a musical family, with her father playing the violin and her mother singing in the synagogue choir. Bergman began writing poetry at a young age and was encouraged by her parents to pursue her passion for music. Bergman attended New York University, where she studied English literature and creative writing. During her time at NYU, she met her future husband, Alan Bergman, who was studying music composition. The two began collaborating on songs, with Marilyn writing the lyrics and Alan composing the music. In the 1950s, the Bergmans moved to Los Angeles, where they began working in the film industry. They wrote the lyrics for several popular songs, including "The Windmills of Your Mind" from the film "The Thomas Crown Affair" and "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" from the film "The Happy Ending." They also wrote the theme song for the television series "Maude." In addition to their work in the film and television industry, the Bergmans also wrote songs for the stage. They wrote the lyrics for the musical "Ballroom," which premiered on Broadway in 1978. The musical was based on the 1975 film "Queen of the Stardust Ballroom" and starred Dorothy Loudon and Vincent Gardenia. Throughout their career, the Bergmans collaborated with many notable composers, including Michel Legrand, Marvin Hamlisch, and Dave Grusin. They also worked with Barbra Streisand, writing the lyrics for several of her songs, including "The Way We Were" and "You Don't Bring Me Flowers." In addition to their work as lyricists, the Bergmans also composed their own music. They wrote the music and lyrics for the musical "Something More!" which premiered off-Broadway in 1964. The musical was based on the life of the Bergmans and starred Barbara Harris and Larry Kert. In 1983, the Bergmans were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. They also received several Academy Award nominations for their work in the film industry, winning the award for Best Original Song for "The Windmills of Your Mind" in 1969. In the 1990s, the Bergmans began working on classical music compositions. They wrote the lyrics for several classical pieces, including "The Summer Knows," which was adapted from their song "Summer Me, Winter Me" and was performed by Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman. In 2002, the Bergmans collaborated with composer Michel Legrand on the album "Legrand Affair," which featured their lyrics set to Legrand's music. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Throughout their career, the Bergmans remained dedicated to their craft and continued to write music and lyrics well into their 80s. They were known for their ability to capture the essence of a character or story in their lyrics and for their ability to collaborate seamlessly with composers. Marilyn Bergman passed away on August 10, 2017, at the age of 87. Her legacy lives on through her music and lyrics, which continue to inspire and move audiences around the world.

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