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Herbert Kretzmer

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Songwriter

The Resume

    (October 5, 1925- )
    Born in Kroonstad (Orange Free State), South Africa
    Lyricist for Les Miserables
    Senior drama critic for ‘The Daily Express’ (1962-80)
    Television critic for ‘The Daily Mail’ (1979-87)
    Wrote for the West End musicals 'The Admirable Crichton,' 'The Four Musketeers,' 'Marguerite,’ and ‘Kristina’
    Famous for his long-term collaboration with Charles Aznavour

Why he might be annoying:

    He is widely credited as the main songwriter for Les Miserables, when in fact he only penned the English translation lyrics for the West End.
    Of Greta Garbo he said: ‘Boiled down to essentials, she is a plain mortal girl with large feet.’
    He joined Boubil and Schonberg in their attempt to secure a Best Original Song Oscar for the 2012 ‘Les Mis’ version, which resulted in the schmaltzy ‘Suddenly’ (it was nominated but lost to Adele for ‘Skyfall’).

Why he might not be annoying:

    His family were Lithuanian Jewish Immigrants who fled to South Africa from Czarist Russia to pogroms.
    His brother went on to become Mayor of Johannesburg and a decorated World War II veteran.
    He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to music in 2011.
    As a columnist for Britain’s Daily Sketch, he profiled Truman Capote, John Steinbeck, and Louis Armstrong.
    He won a Tony Award and a Grammy Award, both for his work on ‘Les Miserables,’ in 1987, sharing it with Alain Bouibil and Claude-Michel Schonberg.
    He penned the pop song tribute to President Kennedy, ‘In the Summer of His Years,’ within hours of his assassination (Connie Francis and Mahalia Jackson both sang versions).
    He adapted one of the most popular musicals in the world for an English-language audience.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


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Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying