Dave Grusin

Prolific Hollywood film music composer who began as Andy Williams' accompanist and soon thereafter served as music director for his hit variety show in the 1960s. Grusin got to know the show's producers, Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin, who gave him his first chance to score for features with "Divorce, American Style" (1967). Grusin has subsequently contributed lively, smooth orchestrated music to films by many of Hollywood's leading mainstream directors, including Mike Nichols ("The Graduate" 1967), Robert Mulligan ("The Pursuit of Happiness" 1971, "Clara's Heart" 1988), Mark Rydell ("On Golden Pond" 1981, "For the Boys" 1991), Herbert Ross ("The Goodbye Girl" 1977) and Martin Ritt ("The Front" 1976). He also worked with actor-directors Warren Beatty ("Heaven Can Wait" 1978, "Reds" 1981) and Robert Redford, winning an Oscar for the spirited, Latino-flavored score of Redford's "The Milagro Beanfield War" (1988).