John Barry dies at 77; composer scored 11 James Bond films
Barry won five Oscars for films such as 'Born Free' and 'Out of Africa' and scored Bond films including 'Goldfinger,' 'Diamonds Are Forever' and 'From Russia With Love.' His work on the Bond franchise put him in the forefront of music composers.
John Barry a five-time Academy Award-winning composer of movies such as "Born Free" and "Out of Africa" who earned a prominent spot in pop-culture history by writing the scores for 11 James Bond films, including "From Russia With Love" and "Goldfinger," has died. Barry died Sunday in New York, where he reportedly had lived for some time, his family said in a statement. It began with Barry's work on Monty Norman's theme for "Dr. No," the 1962 movie debut of author Ian Fleming's 007, starring Sean Connery. The movie was scored by Norman.
I think James Bond would have been far less cool without John Barry holding his hand," fellow Bond movie composer David Arnold told BBC Radio after learning of Barry's death.
The newspaper denied libel, arguing that Barry was the composer of the tune.
In the 2008 Daily Variety article, Barbara Broccoli, who began producing the Bond films in 1995, praised Barry's work. "John is part of the original DNA of the Bond film franchise," she said. In chronicling Barry's transformation as a film composer, Burlingame said Monday that Barry's "career begins in a twangy guitar, jazz-rock idiom [in the 1960 film 'Beat Girl'], progresses through the fresh pop-orchestral sound of the James Bond films and eventually becomes one of grandly romantic, lushly orchestrated, symphonic scores for movies like 'Out of Africa' and 'Dances with Wolves.' "It's the same with John Barry. Barry, the youngest of four siblings, was born John Barry Prendergast on Nov. 3, 1933, in Yorkshire, England, where his father owned a number of movie theaters and his mother was a pianist.
Barry began studying piano at age 9 and later learned trumpet and studied orchestration. When Faith appeared in the movie "Beat Girl," Barry did the score.
Barry was divorced three times.
I think James Bond would have been far less cool without John Barry holding his hand," fellow Bond movie composer David Arnold told BBC Radio after learning of Barry's death.
The newspaper denied libel, arguing that Barry was the composer of the tune.
In the 2008 Daily Variety article, Barbara Broccoli, who began producing the Bond films in 1995, praised Barry's work. "John is part of the original DNA of the Bond film franchise," she said. In chronicling Barry's transformation as a film composer, Burlingame said Monday that Barry's "career begins in a twangy guitar, jazz-rock idiom [in the 1960 film 'Beat Girl'], progresses through the fresh pop-orchestral sound of the James Bond films and eventually becomes one of grandly romantic, lushly orchestrated, symphonic scores for movies like 'Out of Africa' and 'Dances with Wolves.' "It's the same with John Barry. Barry, the youngest of four siblings, was born John Barry Prendergast on Nov. 3, 1933, in Yorkshire, England, where his father owned a number of movie theaters and his mother was a pianist.
Barry began studying piano at age 9 and later learned trumpet and studied orchestration. When Faith appeared in the movie "Beat Girl," Barry did the score.
Barry was divorced three times.
So in the other side, I was John Barry's No 1 fan, says Jerry Sadowitz, I am John Barry's biggest fan and always will be, having been firmly struck by his sound when I was nine years old. Modest and insightful, as well as talented.
I worked in a record shop in Soho when I was 17 and I used save up for Barry albums: they were about £25 each – which, in 1978, was absolutely outrageous – but the music was like heroin to me.Barry didn't compose anything for movies during the last 10 years of his life, but I visited his unofficial website every day hoping to hear of a new project.
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