Francis Lai
b. 1932, Nice, France. A composer and conductor for films from the early '60s. After scoring CIRCLE OF LOVE, Roger Vadim's re-make of Ophuls’ classic LA RONDE, starring Jane Fonda, Lai won an Academy Award for his music to director Claud Lelouch's classic love story A MAN AND A WOMAN (1966). He also scored Lelouch's follow-up, LIVE FOR LIFE, before going on to something lighter with the comedy-drama, I'LL NEVER FORGET WHAT'S ’IS NAME; followed by others in the late '60s such as THREE INTO TWO WON'T GO, MAYERLING and HANNIBAL BROOKS. In 1970, Lai won his second Oscar for LOVE STORY, one of the most popular movies of the decade. The soundtrack album stayed at number 2 in the US album chart for six weeks, and the film's theme, Where Do I Begin? (lyric by Carl Sigman), was a singles hit in the USA for Andy Williams, Henry Mancini and Lai himself; and in the UK for Williams and Shirley Bassey. In the same year, Lai, with his Orchestra, had a big hit in Japan with the title music for the film LE PASSAGER DE LA PLUIE (RIDER OF THE RAIN). During the '70s, Lai's cosmopolitan career included several more films for Lelouch, such as THE CROOK, MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, HAPPY NEW YEAR, CAT AND MOUSE, CHILD UNDER A LEAF, EMANNUELLE II and ANOTHER MAN, ANOTHER CHANCE; and others, such as …AND HOPE TO DIE, VISIT TO A CHIEF'S SON, AND NOW MY LOVE, INTERNATIONAL VELVET and the sequel to LOVE STORY, OLIVER'S STORY (1979) (music written with Lee Holdridge). In the '80s and early '90s the majority of Lai's music continued to be for French productions, and the Lelouch connection was maintained through films such as BOLERO (in conjunction with Michel LeGrand), EDITH AND MARCEL, BANDITS, LA BELLE HISTOIRE (THE BEAUTIFUL STORY) (co-composer Philippe Servain) and LES CLES DU PARADIS (THE KEYS TO PARADISE) (1992). His work for other directors included BEYOND THE REEF, MARIE; A MAN AND A WOMAN (20 YEARS LATER) and MY NEW PARTNER II. Besides his scores for feature films, Lai also contributed music to television programmes such as BERLIN AFFAIR and SINS (mini-series). 
Recordings include: GREAT FILM THEMES; A MAN, A WOMAN AND A LOVE STORY; and the soundtracks, BILITIS and DARK EYES.