The Tragic Death Of Oscar-Winning Lyricist Marilyn Bergman

When we think of the films that have most deeply resonated with us, it's hard to imagine them without the music and scores behind them that accentuate and imprint the emotions they evoke. What would "Jaws" be without the nail-biting staccatos that portend the dread-wrought arrival of its titular monster, or the swelling crescendos of two reunited lovers parting for the very last time at the end of "Casablanca?" These tracks are created by some of the most unsung heroes of the entertainment industry. They're composers who, in their own way, create some of the most indelible moments of the silver screen. And among the Henry Mancinis and Danny Elfmans, there are even more hidden figures: female composers, who, by way of the patriarchy, fought even harder to make their music heard in an industry that has routinely relegated women to the wings. 

Unfortunately, the world lost one of these world-makers in early January 2022 with the death of Marilyn Bergman, who was a key figure in making the music to some of the most memorable scenes on-screen.

As the Associated Press reported on January 8, it was announced composer Marilyn Bergman died in her home in Los Angeles. Marilyn, along with her husband Alan Bergman (pictured above), was responsible for songs like "The Way We Were," which became a Barbra Streisand staple after she starred in the movie of the same name alongside Robert Redford. Other popular hits in Marilyn's oeuvre included "It Might Be You" from the Dustin Hoffman hit film "Tootsie," and "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" from the film "Best Friends." According to a representative who announced the composer's death, per AP, Marilyn was 93 years old and died from heart failure, which bore no connection to the current COVID-19 pandemic. 

As AP also noted, Marilyn deeply understood the impact and significance of her work in Hollywood. She said once during a 2013 interview with HuffPost, "If one really is serious about wanting to write songs that are original, that really speak to people, you have to feel like you created something that wasn't there before — which is the ultimate accomplishment, isn't it?" She then added, "And to make something that wasn't there before, you have to know what came before you." She is survived by her husband and their daughter, Julie Bergman Sender, who works as a producer for independent films.