Herbert Gretzmer, songwriter for ‘Les Misபிள்rables’, dies at 95

The Broadway production of “Les Miserables” opened in 1987 and ran for 16 years, with Broadway updates in 2006 and 2014. In 2012, a Hollywood movie version grossed more than $ 440 million. Translated into 22 languages, the awards are performed by 100 travel agencies and are viewed by over 80 million people worldwide. Its estimated revenue is more than $ 3 billion.

Herbert Gretzmer was born on October 5, 1925, in Grunstad, South Africa, one of the four sons of William and Dilli Gretzmer. His parents ran a furniture store. His elder brother Elliott became mayor of Johannesburg.

The songs inspired Herbert. He had no musical training, but played the piano by ear. He graduated from Groonstad High School and Rhodes University in Grahamstown, where he wrote songs for school musicians. He began writing weekly cinema columns in 1946 for Africa Film Productions. In the early 1950s, he was a reporter and entertainment columnist for The Johannesburg Express.

After landing in London in 1954, he wrote for The Daily Sketch and The Sunday Dispatch. From 1962 to 1978, he was a drama critic for The Express, writing 2,500 reviews and interviewing John Steinbeck, Truman Cabot, Tennessee Williams and many other stage and screen stars. From 1979 to 1987 he won two national awards as a television reviewer for The Daily Mail.

Mr. Gretzmer married Elizabeth Wilson in 1961. They had two children, Daniel and Matthew, and divorced in 1973. In 1988, he married Sibyl Sever, an American. He is survived by his second wife, two children and two grandchildren. Berlin said.

Mr. In his second career, Gretzmer wrote and adapted the musical “Our Man Crichton” in 1964, which was directed by J.M. In “She” (1974) Mr. His collaboration with Aznavoor helped introduce the French singer to an international audience.

Mr. from “Les Miss”. Gretzmer’s royalty is about 20 million. He bought a townhouse in London and filled it with art, and he became a celebrity wherever he went. Queen Elizabeth II named him the Commissioner of the British Empire in 2011.