John Barry

Composer and conductor. He was a five-time Academy Award recipient whose work helped define film music in the second half of the twentieth century. Born John Barry Prendergast in York, England, his father was the proprietor of a chain of cinemas, and his mother was a classically trained pianist, influences that shaped his lifelong connection to music and film.

He studied piano and trumpet as a child and, while serving in the British Army, took a correspondence course in composition and orchestration that laid the foundation for his professional career.

In 1957, he formed the rock group Johnny Barry and the Seven, which led to recording and arranging opportunities that soon brought him into the world of film.

He became internationally recognized for his association with the James Bond franchise, beginning with his arrangement of Monty Norman's theme for "Dr. No" in 1962, and his scoring of "From Russia With Love" (1963) and subsequent films in the series. His distinctive style, marked by dramatic brass and lush strings, became synonymous with Bond's cinematic identity.

Beyond Bond, he composed scores for a wide range of films across several decades. His early works included "The L-Shaped Room" (1962), "Zulu" (1964), and "Born Free" (1966), the latter earning him two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.

He won further Oscars for "The Lion in Winter" (1968), "Out of Africa" (1985), and "Dances with Wolves" (1990). He received additional Academy Award nominations for "Mary, Queen of Scots" (1971) and "Chaplin" (1992), as well as Emmy Award nominations for the television specials "Elizabeth Taylor in London" (1963) and "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years" (1977). Other notable film scores included "The Chase" (1966), "Monte Walsh" (1970), "The Day of the Locust" (1975), "The Cotton Club" (1984), and music for the television series "The Persuaders!" and "The Adventurer."

His contributions to cinema were widely regarded for their emotional depth, melodic richness, and ability to enhance the storytelling of the films he scored. Over the course of his career, he also received Grammy and Golden Globe Awards, cementing his reputation as one of the most influential film composers of his generation.

He died in Oyster Bay, New York, at the age of seventy-seven and was laid to rest at Locust Valley Cemetery.