Alan and Marilyn Bergman facts for kids

"Alan Bergman" redirects here. For the dancer, see Alan Bergman (dancer).

Quick facts for kids Alan and Marilyn Bergman
Marilyn and Alan Bergman in 2002
Occupation	Songwriters
Years active	1950s–2017
Notable work	See notable works
Children	1
Alan Bergman
Born	(1925-09-11)September 11, 1925 New York City, U.S.
Died	July 17, 2025(2025-07-17) (aged 99) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of California, Los Angeles
Spouse	Marilyn Katz (m. 1958; died 2022)

Marilyn Bergman
Birth name	Marilyn Keith Katz
Born	(1928-11-10)November 10, 1928 New York City, U.S.
Died	January 8, 2022(2022-01-08) (aged 93) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	The High School of Music & Art New York University
Spouse	Alan Bergman (m. 1958)

Alan Bergman (born September 11, 1925 – died July 17, 2025) and Marilyn Keith Bergman (born November 10, 1928 – died January 8, 2022) were a famous American songwriting team. They were married in 1958 and worked together until Marilyn's passing. Together, they wrote many popular songs and lyrics for TV shows, movies, and stage plays.

The Bergmans had a very successful career. They won four Emmys, three Oscars, and two Grammys, including the award for Song of the Year. Their amazing work earned them a spot in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The Lives of Alan and Marilyn Bergman
- Their Early Lives and How They Met
A Career Full of Hit Songs
Awards and Special Recognitions
Important Songs and Musicals
See also

The Lives of Alan and Marilyn Bergman

Their Early Lives and How They Met

Alan Bergman was born in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, in 1925. His mother was a homemaker, and his father sold children's clothing. Alan studied music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later earned a master's degree in music from UCLA.

Marilyn Bergman was also born in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in 1928, at the same hospital as Alan. Her parents were Edith and Albert Katz. Both Alan and Marilyn came from Jewish families. Marilyn studied music at The High School of Music & Art in New York. She then went on to study psychology and English at New York University.

Even though they grew up in the same area of New York, Alan and Marilyn didn't meet until they both moved to Los Angeles in the late 1950s. They got married in 1958. They had one daughter, Julie Bergman Sender, who became a film producer.

Marilyn Bergman passed away on January 8, 2022, at the age of 93. Alan Bergman passed away at his home in Los Angeles on July 17, 2025, at the age of 99.

A Career Full of Hit Songs

Alan Bergman started his career in the early 1950s as a television director and songwriter for a TV station in Philadelphia. A famous songwriter named Johnny Mercer encouraged Alan to move to Los Angeles to become a professional songwriter.

Marilyn had already moved to California. She became friends with songwriter Bob Russell. Marilyn later said she started writing lyrics "by accident" after breaking her shoulder, which stopped her from playing the piano. She also felt she wasn't disciplined enough to be a concert pianist. Alan and Marilyn both worked with a composer named Lew Spence. They finally met when Spence suggested they all work together.

Early Successes and Collaborations

With Lew Spence, the Bergmans wrote lyrics for songs like "Sleep Warm" for Dean Martin's 1958 album and "Nice 'n' Easy" for Frank Sinatra's 1960 album. In 1961, they wrote their first song for a movie, called The Right Approach. In 1964, they wrote lyrics for their first Broadway musical, Something More!

Their big break came in 1967 when they wrote the lyrics for "In the Heat of the Night" with music by Quincy Jones. This song was for the movie of the same name. They later worked with Quincy Jones again on Michael Jackson's album for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), writing the lyrics for "Someone In the Dark."

Working with Michel Legrand

The Bergmans started a long partnership with French composer Michel Legrand in the late 1960s. They wrote the English lyrics for Legrand's song "The Windmills of Your Mind" for the movie The Thomas Crown Affair (1968). This song won them their first Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1969. They were nominated for the Best Original Song award in the next two years for "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" and "Pieces of Dreams."

The Way We Were and More Awards

The Bergmans teamed up with Marvin Hamlisch to write Barbra Streisand's famous song "The Way We Were" for the movie of the same name. This song became one of the most recognized songs in the world. Hamlisch and the Bergmans won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and a Grammy Award for Song of the Year for it.

In 1983, the Bergmans made history at the 55th Academy Awards. They were nominated for three of the five songs in the Best Original Song category! These songs were "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?", "It Might Be You", and "If We Were in Love." The next year, their work on the film Yentl won them an Academy Award for Best Original Score. Songs from Yentl, like "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" and "The Way He Makes Me Feel", were also nominated for Best Original Song.

Later Works and Barbra Streisand

The Bergmans also helped write "An American Reunion," the opening ceremony for Bill Clinton's first term as President of the United States in 1993. In the late 1990s, they received more Oscar nominations for songs like "Moonlight" from Sabrina and "Love Is Where You Are" from At First Sight.

They had a very close working relationship with Barbra Streisand. Besides their work on Yentl and The Way We Were, they wrote songs for Streisand's concerts and TV specials. Marilyn also helped produce Streisand's "One Voice" concert. Streisand's 2011 album What Matters Most was a tribute to the Bergmans, featuring ten of their songs she hadn't recorded before.

In 2007, Alan Bergman released his first album as a singer, called Lyrically, Alan Bergman. It featured lyrics he and Marilyn had written. Critics praised his singing, comparing his voice to famous singers like Frank Sinatra.

Awards and Special Recognitions

The Bergmans received many awards and honors throughout their careers.

They were welcomed into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1980.
They received honorary doctorates from the Berklee College of Music in 1995.
They also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Songwriters that same year.
In 1996, they received the first Fiorello Lifetime Achievement Award from New York City's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School. They were later inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.
Marilyn Bergman received the Crystal Award from Women in Film Los Angeles in 1986.
She was also honored by the French Ministry of Culture in 1996.
In 2011, Alan received a Distinguished Alumnus award from his college, the University of North Carolina.
In 2022, Marilyn was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The Bergmans also held important leadership roles in arts organizations. Marilyn served as the president and chairman of the board for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) for fifteen years, from 1994 to 2009. She was the first woman to serve on ASCAP's board of directors. Alan served on the boards of other foundations and organizations that support artists and jazz music.

Important Songs and Musicals

Here are some of the notable songs and musicals Alan and Marilyn Bergman wrote:

"The Windmills of Your Mind" (music by Michel Legrand) for the 1968 movie The Thomas Crown Affair
"The Way We Were" (music by Marvin Hamlisch) for the 1973 movie The Way We Were
"Sleep Warm" (music by Lew Spence) for Dean Martin's 1958 album Sleep Warm
"Yellow Bird" (lyrics for Norman Luboff's arrangement)
"Nice 'n' Easy" (music by Lew Spence) for Frank Sinatra's 1960 album Nice 'n' Easy
"Champion the Wonder Horse" (music by Norman Luboff), for The Adventures of Champion
"You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (music by Neil Diamond), recorded by Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond
"Someone In the Dark" (music by Rod Temperton) for Michael Jackson's album for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
"I Knew I Loved You" (music by Ennio Morricone) recorded by Céline Dion

Musicals

Something More! (1964, composed by Sammy Fain)
Ballroom (1978, composed by Billy Goldenberg)

Songs for Movies

"The Right Approach" (music by Lew Spence) – The Right Approach (1961)
"In the Heat of the Night" (music by Quincy Jones) – In the Heat of the Night (1967)
English lyrics for "The Windmills of Your Mind" (music by Michel Legrand) – The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
"What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" (music by Michel Legrand) – The Happy Ending (1969)
"Pieces of Dreams" (music by Michel Legrand) – Pieces of Dreams (1970)
"All His Children" (music by Henry Mancini) – Sometimes a Great Notion (1971)
"The Way We Were" (music by Marvin Hamlisch) – The Way We Were (1973)
"The Last Time I Felt Like This" (music by Marvin Hamlisch) – Same Time, Next Year (1978)
"It Might Be You" (music by Dave Grusin) – Tootsie (1982)
"How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" (music by Michel Legrand) – Best Friends (1982)
Lyrics for Michel Legrand's score for Yentl (1983)
"Never Say Never Again" – (music by Michel Legrand) − Never Say Never Again (1983)
"Moonlight" (music by John Williams) – Sabrina (1995)

Songs for TV Shows

With Dave Grusin, they wrote theme songs for The Sandy Duncan Show (1972), Maude ("And Then There's Maude", 1972), and Good Times (1974).
They also wrote the theme for Alice ("There's a New Girl In Town", 1976).
Lyrics for Billy Goldenberg's music for Queen of the Stardust Ballroom (1975).
"Ordinary Miracles" for Barbra Streisand's HBO concert special (1994).