Composer Marvin Hamlisch dies at 68

Marvin Hamlisch, a conductor and award-winning composer best known for the torch song "The Way We Were," died yesterday. (AP)

Marvin Hamlisch, who composed the scores for dozens of movies including "The Sting" and won a Tony for "A Chorus Line," has died in Los Angeles aged 68.

Family spokesman Jason Lee said Hamlisch died Monday after a brief illness. Other details weren't being released.

Hamlisch's scores helped define some of Hollywood's most iconic works. The composer won every major award in his career, including three Academy Awards, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globes.

Hamlisch composed more than 40 film scores, including "Sophie's Choice," ''Ordinary People" and "Take the Money and Run." He won his third Oscar for his adaptation of Scott Joplin's music for "The Sting." On Broadway, Hamlisch received the Pulitzer Prize for long-running favorite "The Chorus Line" and wrote "The Goodbye Girl" and "Sweet Smell of Success."

A news release from his publicist said he had been scheduled to fly to Nashville, Tennessee, this week to see a production of his hit musical "The Nutty Professor."

Hamlisch also had a place in popular culture. Known for his nerdy look, complete with thick eyeglasses, that image was sealed on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" during Gilda Radner's "Nerd" sketches. Radner, playing Lisa Loopner, would swoon over Hamlisch.

Hamlisch was principal pops conductor for symphony orchestras in Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Dallas, Pasadena, Seattle and San Diego. He was to be announced to the same position with the Philadelphia Orchestra and was due to lead the New York Philharmonic during its upcoming New Year's Eve concert.

AP