RIP John Barry

Composer John Barry, famous for his work on the James Bond films, has died aged 77.

Born John Barry Prendergast in 1933; the son of a classical pianist mother and a father who owned a number of theatres and cinemas in Lancashire and Yorkshire. He attended a Catholic convent school in York, which was bombed in early 1942, killing several of the nuns and his fellow pupils. When he was later required to do national service, he joined the army band where he learned to arrange music.

He first found fame as leader of the John Barry Seven. His arrangement of Monty Norman’s James Bond Theme led to him composing scores for 11 films in the series, including Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice.

While he will be forever associated with the Bond films, he worked on many other scores including Born Free, Out Of Africa and Dances With Wolves. He won five Oscars, four Grammys, a Bafta and a Golden Globe during his career. He received a Bafta fellowship in 2005.

His work found a new audience when Robbie Williams featured music from You Only Live Twice on his 1998 hit single Millennium. He also worked on a number of television themes and later in his career released albums of his own music.

His most recent film score featured in the 2001 war thriller Enigma, while a musical version of Brighton Rock, created with lyricist Don Black had its London premiere in 2004. 

In 2002 he was named an Honorary Freeman of the City of York, an honour he received at a venue in the city where he once used to play trumpet in the 1950s. He was Awarded an OBE in 1999 for his services to music.

Current Bond film composer David Arnold paid tribute to his predecessor via Twitter: “I am profoundly saddened by the news but profoundly thankful for everything he did for music and for me personally.”

Barry, who lived in Oyster Bay, Long Island, is survived by Laurie, his wife of 33 years, his four children and five grandchildren. He died of a heart attack, having suffered from poor health for some time.

His family said funeral arrangements would be private, and that a memorial service would be held in the UK later this year. 

  

CLASSIC JOHN BARRY SCORES

• From Russia With Love
• Goldfinger
• Zulu
• The Ipcress File
• Born Free
• You Only Live Twice
• The Lion in Winter
• Midnight Cowboy
• Murphy’s War
• Mary, Queen of Scots
• Diamonds are Forever
• Body Heat
• Out of Africa
• Peggy Sue Got Married
• Dances with Wolves
• Chaplin