Oscar-, Grammy-, and Emmy-winning lyricist Marilyn Bergman has died at her home in Los Angeles at age 93. The death was confirmed by her family.
Mrs. Bergman, with her co-writer husband Alan Bergman, were go-to lyricists for Hollywood for several decades for film and television. The Bergmans, who began collaborating in 1956 and married in 1958, garnered three Oscars, three Emmys, and a Grammy award in their long career. They were inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1980.
Mr. and Mrs. Bergman made their Broadway debuts in 1964 as lyricists for Something More!, based on the novel Portofino P.T.A. The short-lived musical had music by Sammy Fain and a book by Nate Monaster, and starred Arthur Deems and Barbara Cook. The Bergmans had little more success with their second Broadway show, Ballroom, written with composer Billy Goldenberg and book writer Jerome Kass. Although the musical did not last long on the Main Stem, the number "Fifty Percent," performed by star Dorothy Loudon at the 1979 Tony Awards, would not only remain in the star’s repertoire, but also become a concert song for many actresses including Bea Arthur, Tyne Dally, and Carolee Carmello. Barbra Streisand, a long-time friend and collaborator of the Bergmans, recorded the song in 2016.
The Bergmans have contributed to the American songbook with the Oscar-winning songs "The Windmills of Your Mind," written with composer Michel Legrand for The Thomas Crown Affair and "The Way We Were," written with Marvin Hamlisch for the film of the same name. The couple teamed up again with Legrand for the 1983 film musical Yentl, earning a third Oscar for Best Original Song Score or Adaptation Score. Other hits by The Bergmans include "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," written with Neil Diamond and recorded by Diamond and Streisand; and the song "It Might Be You" from the film Tootsie. They also wrote the catchy lyrics of television theme songs for the sitcoms Maude, Alice, and Good Times, as well as the theme for the hit drama series In the Heat of the Night.
Mrs. Bergman is survived by her husband Alan, daughter Julie Bergman, and one granddaughter.
