- Born
- DiedAugust 6, 2012 · Westwood, Los Angeles, California, USA (respiratory arrest caused by anoxic brain encephalopathy and hypertension)
- Birth nameMarvin Frederick Hamlisch
- Height6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
- Musical talent ran in Marvin Hamlisch's family - his father was an accordionist, and at seven Hamlisch was the youngest student ever accepted by Manhattan's Julliard School of Music. Hamlich furthered his education by taking night classes at Queens College and working during the day as a rehearsal pianist for Broadway shows. He eventually began composing songs for stage productions. In 1968 he met film producer Sam Spiegel, resulting in his first film score for The Swimmer (1968) (he had previously written some songs for a low-budget teen epic, Ski Party (1965), but did not do the score for it). Hamlisch became well versed in the very specialized field of film scoring. In addition to scoring films, he ventured into film production as co-producer of The Entertainer (1975). In 1976 he won a Tony award for his scoring of the Broadway show, A Chorus Line (1985).
- IMDb mini biography by: frankfob2@yahoo.com - Composer, songwriter ("Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows"), and conductor, educated at the Professional Children's School, Juilliard, and Queens College. He was the musical director for Equity Library Theatre productions, and wrote songs for Liza Minnelli and for Julius Monk's 'Upstairs at the Downstairs' revues. Joining ASCAP in 1959, his chief musical collaborator was Howard Liebling, and his many other popular-song compositions include "Little Rosy Red", "The Travelin' Life", and "Blues for Koto and Trumpet".
- IMDb mini biography by: Hup234! - Marvin Hamlisch is an American composer and conductor.
Hamlisch was one of only fifteen people to win Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. This collection of all four is referred to as an 'EGOT'. He is one of only two people (along with composer Richard Rodgers) to have won those four prizes and a Pulitzer Prize 'PEGOT'.
Hamlisch's first job was as a rehearsal pianist for Funny Girl (1968) with Barbra Streisand. Shortly afterward, he was hired by producer Sam Spiegel to play piano at Spiegel's parties. This connection led to his first film score, The Swimmer (1968). His favorite musicals growing up were My Fair Lady (1964), Gypsy (1962), West Side Story (1961), and Bye Bye Birdie (1963). Hamlisch attended Queens College, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1967.
In 2008, Hamlisch was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tango Papa
- SpouseTerre Blair(May 29, 1989 - August 7, 2012) (his death)
- Often wrote songs for stage musicals and film scores
- At the age of seven, he was the youngest student ever accepted at the acclaimed Juilliard School of Music.
- Made film history in 1974 as the first individual ever to win three Academy Awards in one night in all three music categories. One for the song, "The Way We Were" (with co-writers Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman), another for composing the score of The Way We Were (1973), and a third for the adaptation of Scott Joplin's ragtime music for The Sting (1973).
- He was the accompanist and straight man for Groucho Marx, when he toured in 1974-1975.
- Marvin Hamlisch won the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the musical "A Chorus Line", collaborating with Nicholas Dante, Michael Bennett, James Kirkwood Jr. and Ed Kleban.
- The sixth person and third man to receive the EGOT. The other recipients (chronologically) are Richard Rodgers, Helen Hayes, Rita Moreno, John Gielgud, Audrey Hepburn, Jonathan Tunick, Mel Brooks, Mike Nichols, Whoopi Goldberg, Scott Rudin, Robert Lopez, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, John Legend, Alan Menken, Jennifer Hudson, Viola Davis and Elton John.
- To put something on Earth that wasn't there yesterday, that's what I like.
- My whole life revolves around dessert.
- Music can make a difference. There is a global nature to music which has the potential to bring all people together.
- [on The Way We Were (1973)] I wanted to write something that was uplifting and positive. On the other hand, there is a tremendous amount of bittersweetness to that film, so it's a real duality. And that why I think the song - though it is in a major mode - is quite sad.
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