Billy Goldenberg, one of the most successful Hollywood composers that too few people knew about , has died aged 84 years ago. Queerguru had the pleasure of dining with him one night after he had just finished touring with “Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends,” which he created with Ms. Arthur. Goldenberg, openly gay, was the perfect match for Ms Arthur and he had his own wealth of stories about his long and very successful career.
He may have started by writing the soundtrack for comedy sketches of Mike Nichols and Elaine May in that broadway show, “An Evening with Nichols and May.” but his first major break came in an offer from Steven Spielberg.
In the 1960s he started to compose music for Spielberg’s films and other young director’s television like the Night Gallery, Columbo, and then in 1971 for a movie, Duel.] and he also wrote music like “Rhoda” for the The Mary Tyler Moore Show and for the movie Kojak.
HIs other work included the music for Barbra Streisand’s big hit “The Way We Were” Then he won his first Emmy Award for the score of Queen of the Stardust Ballroom. Later on, he earned another 3 Emmy Awards.
Billy Goldenberg was a generous charismatic man : an old school gay man who took such sheer delight in both his life and his work. It was so easy to see why the likes of Bea Arthur totally adored him.
February 10, 1936 - August 3, 2020 R.I.P.
Labels: 2020, Billy Goldenberg, composer, obituary
