THE WAY THEY WERE

Oscar-Winning Songwriter Dies at 99

Alan Bergman wrote hundreds of songs with his wife, Marilyn, across decades.

Alan Bergman, a songwriter who shared three Oscars, two Grammys, and four Emmys with his wife and co-writer, Marilyn Bergman, died in his Los Angeles home on Thursday. He was 99. The songwriter continued to write songs until the very end, despite battling respiratory issues, a spokesperson shared with People. Throughout their long careers, the musical Bergman duo penned hundreds of songs for prominent television, film, and stage productions, frequently collaborating with the illustrious singer Barbra Streisand. They also wrote songs for music legends Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Their most famous song, ”The Way We Were,” which the couple wrote for the 1973 film starring Streisand and Robert Redford, established their reputations. Bergman knew he wanted to write music since he was 12. He told the Lobero Theatre Foundation that he loved listening to the radio and taking piano lessons as a child. Both Bergman and his wife grew up in the same Brooklyn neighborhood; as if by fate, the two were born in the same hospital, though they didn’t meet until they both worked for L.A. composer Lew Spence. They are survived by their daughter, Julie Bergman, and granddaughter, Emily Sender.