Composer Marvin Hamlisch Dies At Age 68

One of America's greatest contemporary composers, Marvin Hamlisch, passed away yesterday at the age of 68. He was one of only two people to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony, and Pulitzer Prize. The other was Richard Rodgers. Marvin Hamlisch had a legendary career. He was born in New York City June 2, 1944 to Jewish parents of Austrian descent. Marvin Hamlisch was a child prodigy and began his paid music career as a rehearsal pianist for Funny Girl starring Barbra Streisand. He gained his greatest fame writing film scores including the music for the hit title song to the film The Way We Were and performing the top 10 pop hit adaptation of Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" from the soundtrack to The Sting.

Marvin Hamlisch also had success with Broadway musicals. He won a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize for composing the music for A Chorus Line. He also received strong acclaim for writing the music for They're Playing Our Song, a musical loosely based on his relationship with songwriter Carole Bayer Sager. Marvin Hamlisch died yesterday after a brief illness leaving behind his wife of 23 years, Terre Blair.

• Listen to "The Entertainer"

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