Michel Legrand
Personal Info
Known for
Sound
Gender
Male
Birthday
1932-02-24
Day of Death
2019-01-26 (86 years old)
Place of Birth
Bécon-les-Bruyères, Paris, France
Michel Legrand
Biography
Michel Jean Legrand (24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and jazz pianist. Legrand was a prolific composer, having written over 200 film and television scores, in addition to many songs. His scores for the films of French New Wave director Jacques Demy, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) and The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967), earned Legrand his first Academy Award nominations. Legrand won his first Oscar for the song "The Windmills of Your Mind" from The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).
Legrand was born in Paris to his father, Raymond Legrand, who was himself a conductor and composer, and his mother, Marcelle Ter-Mikaëlian, who was the sister of conductor Jacques Hélian. Raymond and Marcelle were married in 1929. His maternal grandfather was Armenian.
Legrand composed more than two hundred film and television scores. He won three Oscars and five Grammys. He studied music at the Conservatoire de Paris from age 11, working with, among others, Nadia Boulanger and graduated with top honors as both a composer and a pianist. He burst upon the international music scene at 22 when his album I Love Paris (album) became a surprise hit. He established his name in the United States by working with such jazz stars as Miles Davis and Stan Getz. His sister Christiane Legrand was a member of The Swingle Singers and his niece Victoria Legrand is a member of the dream pop band Beach House.
Legrand composed music for Jacques Demy's films The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) and The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967), and appeared and performed in Agnès Varda's Cléo from 5 to 7 (1961). He also composed music for Joseph Losey's Eva (1962), The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) (which features "The Windmills of Your Mind"), Ice Station Zebra (1968), The Picasso Summer (1969), The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun (1970), The Go-Between (1971), Summer of '42 (1971), Clint Eastwood's Breezy (1973), The Three Musketeers (1973), Orson Welles's last-completed film F for Fake (1974) and would later compose the score for Welles's posthumously-released movie The Other Side of the Wind (2018). He also composed the score for Yentl (1983), as well as the film score for Louis Malle's film Atlantic City (1980). His instrumental version of the theme from Brian's Song charted 56th in 1972 on the Billboard's pop chart.
Legrand died of sepsis, during the night of 25–26 January 2019, at the American Hospital of Paris in Neuilly-sur-Seine, where he had been hospitalized for two weeks for a pulmonary infection. His funeral was held in Paris at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on 1 February 2019. He was interred at the Père Lachaise Cemetery. He remained active until his death and had concerts scheduled to take place in the spring.
In 1997, Legrand composed the score for the musical Le Passe-muraille, with a book by Didier Van Cauwelaert. It premiered on Broadway in 2002 as Amour and was translated into English by Jeremy Sams and was directed by James Lapine. This musical was his Broadway debut and he was nominated for a Tony Award in 2003 for Best Score. Later he recorded Legrand Affair with Melissa Errico, a 100-piece symphony orchestra that included songs with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. ...
Source: Article "Michel Legrand" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Known For
Acting
(2024)
(2022)
(2021)
Hommage à Michel Legrand et Jacques Demy au festival Sœurs Jumelles
as Self (archive footage)
(2018)
A Final Cut for Orson: 40 Years in the Making
as Self - Composer
(2018)
(2018)
La La La
as Self - Music Composer
(2018)
(2011)
Love Lasts Three Years
as Michel Legrand
(2011)
Michel Legrand and the Cinema
as Musician
(2008)
The Beaches of Agnès
as Self (archive footage)
(2008)
(2008)
La chanson 'Lola'
as Self
(2007)
Callas Assoluta
as Self (archive footage)
(2006)
(1995)
The World of Jacques Demy
as Self
(1993)
The Young Girls Turn 25
as Self
(1975)
Ann-Margret Smith
as Himself
(1972)
A Time for Loving
as Grondin
(1966)
L’Or et le plomb
as Musician
(1966)
(1964)
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
as Jean (singing voice) (uncredited)
(1962)
Cléo from 5 to 7
as Bob, the Pianist
(1952)
Her Last Christmas
as Conductor (uncredited)
Crew
(2022)
Michel Legrand, la musique enchantée
Original Music Composer
(2022)
Le cinéma de Michel Legrand
Original Music Composer
(2018)
The Other Side of the Wind
Original Music Composer
(2018)
J'ai perdu Albert
Original Music Composer
(2017)
The Guardians
Original Music Composer
(2015)
Les Parapluies de Cherbourg
Music Director, Author
(2009)
(2008)
Disco
Original Music Composer
(2006)
Deadly Lessons
Music
(2005)
Cavalcade
Original Music Composer
(2004)
The Young Girls of Rochefort
Music Arranger, Music
(2003)
Amber Wings
Music
(1999)
Season's Beatings
Original Music Composer
(1998)
Madeline
Original Music Composer
(1996)
The Ring
Original Music Composer
(1995)
(1995)
Les Miserables
Original Music Composer
(1995)
The World of Jacques Demy
Original Music Composer
(1994)
Prêt-à-Porter
Original Music Composer
(1993)
The Young Girls Turn 25
Original Music Composer
(1993)
The Pickle
Music
(1991)
Mountain of Diamonds
Music
(1991)
Dingo
Original Music Composer
(1990)
Flight from Paradise
Music
(1990)
Carnaval
Music
(1990)
Gaspard and Robinson
Music
(1990)
Eternity
Original Music Composer, Conductor
(1989)
Five Days in June
Director, Writer
(1989)
The Jeweller's Shop
Original Music Composer
(1988)
Un coupable
Original Music Composer
(1988)
(1988)
Switching Channels
Original Music Composer
(1987)
Spiral
Original Music Composer
(1987)
Casanova
Music
(1986)
You've Got Beautiful Stairs, You Know...
Original Music Composer
(1985)
Parking
Music
(1985)
Palace
Music
(1985)
(1985)
Going and Coming Back
Original Music Composer
(1985)
Promises to Keep
Original Music Composer
(1985)
Hell Train
Music
(1984)
The Jesse Owens Story
Original Music Composer
(1984)
Secret Places
Music
(1984)
Paroles et musique
Original Music Composer
(1983)
A Love in Germany
Original Music Composer
(1983)
Yentl
Original Music Composer, Songs
(1983)
Never Say Never Again
Original Music Composer
(1983)
Revenge of the Humanoids
Original Music Composer
(1982)
Best Friends
Music
(1982)
A Woman Called Golda
Original Music Composer
(1982)
Bankers Also Have Souls
Original Music Composer
(1982)
The Button
Music
(1981)
Bolero
Music
(1980)
The Mountain Men
Original Music Composer
(1980)
The Hunter
Original Music Composer
(1980)
(1980)
Atlantic City
Original Music Composer, Conductor
(1979)
Lady Oscar
Original Music Composer
(1979)
(1978)
Roads to the South
Original Music Composer
(1978)
The Phoenix
Music
(1978)
One Can Say It Without Getting Angry
Original Music Composer
(1977)
The Other Side of Midnight
Original Music Composer
(1977)
Gulliver's Travels
Music
(1976)
The Smurfs and the Magic Flute
Original Music Composer
(1976)
Gable and Lombard
Original Music Composer
(1976)
La Décharge
Original Music Composer
(1976)
Ode to Billy Joe
Original Music Composer
(1975)
Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York
Original Music Composer, Music
(1975)
Cage Without a Key
Original Music Composer
(1975)
Lovers Like Us
Music
(1974)
Our Time
Original Music Composer, Conductor
(1974)
It's Good to Be Alive
Original Music Composer
(1973)
The Three Musketeers
Original Music Composer
(1973)
Breezy
Original Music Composer
(1973)
A Doll's House
Original Music Composer, Conductor
(1973)
A Slightly Pregnant Man
Original Music Composer
(1973)
The Hostage Gang
Music
(1973)
Cops and Robbers
Original Music Composer
(1973)
40 Carats
Original Music Composer
(1973)
Bequest to the Nation
Original Music Composer
(1973)
F for Fake
Original Music Composer
(1973)
(1973)
Impossible Object
Original Music Composer
(1972)
Hearth Fires
Original Music Composer
(1972)
A Time for Loving
Original Music Composer
(1972)
One Is a Lonely Number
Conductor, Original Music Composer
(1972)
The Outside Man
Original Music Composer
(1972)
The Old Maid
Original Music Composer, Conductor
(1972)
Not Dumb, the Bird
Music
(1972)
Lady Sings the Blues
Original Music Composer
(1972)
Portnoy's Complaint
Original Music Composer
(1972)
(1971)
The Married Couple of the Year Two
Original Music Composer
(1971)
Le Mans
Original Music Composer
(1971)
Brian's Song
Original Music Composer
(1971)
Touch and Go
Original Music Composer
(1971)
Summer of '42
Original Music Composer
(1971)
A Little Sun in Cold Water
Original Music Composer
(1971)
The Go-Between
Original Music Composer
(1970)
Donkey Skin
Original Music Composer, Songs
(1970)
The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun
Original Music Composer
(1970)
Wuthering Heights
Original Music Composer
(1970)
Pieces of Dreams
Original Music Composer
(1970)
To Catch a Pebble
Original Music Composer
(1969)
The Swimming Pool
Original Music Composer
(1969)
The Happy Ending
Music
(1969)
Play Dirty
Conductor, Music
(1969)
Castle Keep
Music, Conductor
(1969)
The Picasso Summer
Original Music Composer, Music
(1968)
The Thomas Crown Affair
Original Music Composer, Conductor
(1968)
The Man in the Buick
Music Director, Original Music Composer
(1968)
Sweet November
Original Music Composer
(1968)
Ice Station Zebra
Original Music Composer, Conductor
(1968)
How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life
Original Music Composer
(1968)
A Hatful of Rain
Music
(1967)
The Oldest Profession
Original Music Composer
(1967)
Pretty Polly
Music
(1967)
La Chinoise
Original Music Composer
(1967)
The Young Girls of Rochefort
Songs, Original Music Composer, Other, Music Director
(1967)
1999 A.D.
Original Music Composer
(1966)
A Matter of Resistance
Original Music Composer
(1966)
Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?
Original Music Composer
(1966)
Funny Money
Original Music Composer
(1966)
The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean
Original Music Composer, Conductor
(1965)
(1965)
(1964)
Band of Outsiders
Original Music Composer
(1964)
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Original Music Composer, Conductor, Songs
(1964)
Le Grand Escroc
Original Music Composer
(1964)
Agent 38-24-36
Original Music Composer
(1964)
The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers
Original Music Composer
(1964)
From a Distant Gaze
Music
(1964)
(1963)
Maigret Sees Red
Original Music Composer
(1963)
L'Amérique lunaire
Music
(1963)
Bay of Angels
Original Music Composer
(1963)
The Lovely Month of May
Original Music Composer
(1963)
Love Is a Ball
Original Music Composer
(1962)
Vivre Sa Vie
Original Music Composer
(1962)
L'Envie
Music
(1962)
La colère
Music
(1962)
La Gourmandise
Sound
(1962)
Eva
Original Music Composer
(1962)
Cléo from 5 to 7
Original Music Composer, Songs
(1962)
Fiancés on the Bridge
Original Music Composer, Musician
(1962)
Lust
Original Music Composer
(1962)
The Seven Deadly Sins
Original Music Composer
(1962)
Playtime in Paris
Music
(1962)
La Paresse
Original Music Composer
(1962)
(1961)
A Woman Is a Woman
Original Music Composer
(1961)
Lola
Music, Original Music Composer
(1961)
Melancholia
Music
(1961)
The Counterfeiters of Paris
Original Music Composer
(1961)
It Means That Much to Me
Original Music Composer
(1960)
The Door Slams
Original Music Composer
(1960)
The French Game
Original Music Composer
(1960)
(1960)
Jack of Spades
Music
(1959)
Jours de mes années
Music
(1958)
Sinners of Paris
Music
(1957)
The Tricyclist
Original Music Composer
(1957)
Too Many Lovers
Conductor
(1955)
Lovers' Net
Original Music Composer
(1955)
Razzia
Music Director