Overview

• He won the 1977 Grammy for Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist for Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born), performed by Barbra Streisand with lyrics by Paul Williams.
• He composed scores for television hits including Airwolf, Fame, Cagney & Lacey, Magnum, P.I., and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, co-writing the latter’s theme with Jimmy Webb.
• As a session vocalist, he sang on iconic TV themes such as Batman, Flipper, and Gilligan’s Island, and recorded Suicide Is Painless for Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H.
• His work ranged from film projects including The Muppet Movie to commercial jingles for Chevron, United Airlines, Continental Airlines, Dubonnet Wine, and Pacific Bell.
• He is survived by his brother Rod and four daughters; his second wife, violinist Shari Zippert, died in 2024.