One of cinema and theater's greatest songwriters is no longer with us. Leslie Bricusse passed away at 90 on Tuesday, leaving behind a catalog of cinema hits from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Goldfinger, Doctor Dolittle, and many more. His death was announced by his son via Instagram along with a tribute.
The London-born Bricusse was a cinema songwriting giant, often working alongside his creative partner Anthony Newley to create themes for some of the biggest productions from the 1960s through the 80s. Together, they wrote the theme to the James Bond film Goldfinger for Shirley Bassey, collaborated with Sammy Davis Jr. for the Willy Wonka hit "The Candy Man," and created the film's "Pure Imagination." Bricusse would win two Oscars over the course of his illustrious career, one for the 1967 Doctor Doolittle track "Talk to the Animals" and one for his work with Henry Mancini on the score for Victor/Victoria in 1982.
Some of Bricusse's other notable works include collaborating with John Berry for the theme to You Only Live Twice, creating 1963 Song of the Year winner "What Kind of Fool Am I" from Stop the World, I Want to Get Off with Newley, and co-writing "Feeling Good" from The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd. Over his career, his songs have been covered by artists from all over the spectrum, from Nina Simone to Frank Sinatra, and the American rock band The Turtles. Bricusse's life of accomplishments earned him an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989.
Joan Collins, one of Bricusse's closest friends and Newley's wife, paid tribute to the legendary songwriter over social media, calling him "One of the giant songwriters of our time." She added "He and his beautiful Evie have been in my life for over 50 years. I will miss him terribly, as will his many friends."
Bricusse's work was about as prevalent in cinema history as any songwriter's. Even to this day, songs like "The Candy Man" and "Pure Imagination" can still be heard in commercials and are referenced in modern media for their timelessness. His body of work is massive and memorable enough that most everyone knows at least a few songs from his storied career and each truly embodied the project it went with, whether it be for a musical or a massive blockbuster.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bricusse's family and friends.