50 Surprising Facts About Alan Bergman

Alan Bergman, born September 11, 1925, passed away on July 17, 2025, at the age of 99. Alongside his wife and lifelong creative partner Marilyn – who passed way in 2022 – he helped shape the golden era of film and television music. Their songs are stitched into the fabric of cinema, and Alan’s legacy lives on in every lyric that made us pause and feel. Here are 50 facts to celebrate his remarkable life and work.

  1. Alan Bergman was born in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in 1925.
  2. He studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  3. He earned his master’s degree in music at UCLA.
  4. He began his career in television at Philadelphia’s WCAU-TV.
  5. Johnny Mercer encouraged him to pursue songwriting in Los Angeles.
  6. He met Marilyn Keith in L.A. through songwriter Lew Spence.
  7. Alan and Marilyn married in 1958.
  8. Their daughter, Julie Bergman Sender, is a film producer.
  9. Alan and Marilyn shared Brooklyn roots and never met until L.A.
  10. They were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1980.
  11. They won their first Oscar for “The Windmills of Your Mind” in 1969.
  12. They wrote “The Way We Were” with Marvin Hamlisch in 1973.
  13. The song won them an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy.
  14. Alan and Marilyn wrote three of the five songs nominated for Best Original Song in 1983.
  15. They won the Oscar for Best Original Song Score for Yentl.
  16. Their Streisand collaborations include “Papa, Can You Hear Me?” and “The Way He Makes Me Feel.”
  17. They wrote lyrics for Frank Sinatra’s Nice ‘n’ Easy.
  18. They wrote Dean Martin’s title song “Sleep Warm.”
  19. Their “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” became a hit duet for Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond.
  20. Alan co-wrote “Someone In the Dark” for Michael Jackson’s E.T. album.
  21. They collaborated often with Michel Legrand, including on The Thomas Crown Affair.
  22. They contributed lyrics to “Pieces of Dreams” and “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?”
  23. They penned “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” for Best Friends (1982).
  24. They collaborated with John Williams on “Moonlight” for Sabrina (1995).
  25. They wrote “It Might Be You” for Tootsie.
  26. They composed “If We Were In Love” for Yes, Giorgio.
  27. They wrote the Emmy-winning song “Ordinary Miracles” for Barbra Streisand’s HBO special.
  28. Their songs were performed by Fred Astaire, Diana Krall, and Tony Bennett.
  29. Alan released his first vocal album Lyrically, Alan Bergman in 2007.
  30. He was praised for a vocal style reminiscent of Sinatra and Chet Baker.
  31. They co-wrote the TV themes for Maude, Good Times, and Alice.
  32. They won four Emmy Awards for music and lyrics.
  33. They created music for Broadway shows Something More! and Ballroom.
  34. They contributed lyrics to the score of Queen of the Stardust Ballroom.
  35. They wrote “Love Is Where You Are” for the film At First Sight.
  36. They helped open Bill Clinton’s inaugural festivities with “An American Reunion.”
  37. They worked with Quincy Jones on the In the Heat of the Night score.
  38. They contributed to the 2007 tribute album We All Love Ennio Morricone.
  39. They wrote for Streisand’s One Voice concert and her 2011 album What Matters Most.
  40. They collaborated with Cy Coleman on Portraits in Jazz for the Kennedy Center.
  41. Alan served on boards including the Johnny Mercer Foundation and The Jazz Bakery.
  42. They received the Johnny Mercer Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1997.
  43. Alan received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from UNC in 2011.
  44. They earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Songwriters.
  45. They were honored by ASCAP and held leadership roles in music advocacy.
  46. They received honorary doctorates from Berklee and Trinity College.
  47. Alan worked into his 90s and collaborated on Chasing Mem’ries in 2017.
  48. They helped define the emotional landscape of American cinema.
  49. Their songs remain among the most recorded and performed in modern music.
  50. Alan’s lyrics, filled with warmth and wisdom, gave voice to generations of storytellers.

Alan Bergman’s songs taught us how to feel deeply, remember gently, and dream vividly. His passing at 99 marks the end of an extraordinary era—but his lyrics live on, humming softly in the background of life’s most beautiful scenes.