Ben Lanzarone, the composer, arranger, musical director and pianist who wrote music for such exhibits as Dynasty, Glad Days, Mr. Belvedere and The Tracey Ullman Present, has died. He was 85.
Lanzarone died Friday in his Los Angeles dwelling of lung most cancers, his household introduced.
The Brooklyn native toured with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Artwork Garfunkel, Mary Travers, Anthony Newley, Petula Clark, Lainie Kazan and Mason Williams and for Broadway served because the musical director on the unique 1972-80 manufacturing of Grease and arranger on 1972’s By way of Galactica and 1975’s Truckload.
His lengthy affiliation with TV producers Aaron Spelling and Doug Cramer resulted in scores for Dynasty, The Colbys, The Love Boat, Vega$, Matt Houston, and Resort.
And for manufacturing firms led by Thomas Miller, Edward Milkis and/or Bob Boyett, he got here up with music for episodes of Glad Days (together with the one in 1977 when Henry Winkler’s Fonzie “jumped the shark”), Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy.
It was for composing tv scores that received Lanzarone the celebrated Most Carried out Composer Award from ASCAP in 1986.
Born on Oct. 28, 1938, Benjamin Anthony Lanzarone graduated from the famed Excessive College of Music and Artwork in New York and earned a double grasp’s diploma from the Manhattan College of Music. He started as a classical pianist, touring the nation as a soloist with the Longines Symphonette and making his solo debut at Carnegie Recital Corridor.
Lanzarone moved into the world of well-liked music when he started working with songwriter Bob Crewe and composer Charles Fox that led to Lanzarone’s album In Traditional Type, which showcased his expertise as a classical and jazz pianist. (He was billed as Bhen Lanzaroni on the LP.)
Lanzarone went on to rearrange music for a lot of Crewe productions, together with recordings for Bobby Darin, Vikki Carr and The Bob Crewe Technology, and for such different artists as Peter Nero, Vicki Sue Robinson and the disco group The Brothers.
He labored on the soundtrack for Grease (1978) and organized and composed jingles for greater than 1,000 commercials, information and soundtracks.
He and his spouse of 46 years, actress-singer Ilene Graff (Mr. Belvedere, Broadway’s Guarantees, Guarantees), loved an expert relationship that spanned stage, display, live shows, recordings and a Grammy nomination for his or her 2003 album, Child’s Broadway Lullabies. Additionally they taught a workshop referred to as Making the Track Your Personal.
And with their daughter, Broadway veteran Nikka Graff Lanzarone, they created and carried out cabaret exhibits in New York and Los Angeles.
A member of the Recording Academy board of governors, Lanzarone lent his time to such charities as The Selection Membership, Broadway Cares/Fairness Fights AIDS and The Leisure Group Fund.
Survivors additionally embody his son-in-law, Daniel; brothers Frank and Peter; and brothers-in-law Richard and Todd, an actor.
A non-public memorial service shall be held in Los Angeles. Donations in his reminiscence could be made to the Leisure Group Fund (previously The Actors Fund).
