Francis Lai
- Known for
- Sound
- Born
- April 26, 1932
- Died
- November 7, 2018 (aged 86)
- Birthplace
- Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France
Biography
Francis Albert Lai (26 April 1932 – 7 November 2018) was a French composer, noted for his film scores. He won the 1970 Oscar for Best Music, Original Score and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score for the film Love Story. The soundtrack album went to No. 2 in the Billboard album charts and the film's theme, "Where Do I Begin", was a hit single for Andy Williams. Lai was born on 26 April 1932, in Nice, France, the son of market gardeners of Italian origin. From a very early age, Lai was fascinated by music and he played first in his local regional orchestras. In Marseilles he discovered jazz and met Claude Goaty, a singer of popular songs in the 50s. While in his twenties, Lai left home and followed Goaty to Paris, where he became part of the lively Montmartre music scene. The "Taverne d'Attilio" on the Place du Tertre in Montmartre, was a favorite place for the young talented Bernard Dimey with whom Lai composed his first song. Their song-writing partnership would extend to a hundred or so. After a short period with the orchestra of Michel Magne, Lai became an accompanist for Édith Piaf and composed for her. In 1965, he met filmmaker Claude Lelouch and was hired to help write the score for the film A Man and a Woman. Released in 1966, the film was an international success, earning a number of Academy Awards. The young Lai received a Golden Globe Award nomination for "Best Original Score". This initial success brought more opportunities to work for the film industry both in his native France, where he continued to work with Lelouch on scores to films such as Vivre pour vivre (1967), Un homme qui me plaît (1969), Le voyou (1970) and La bonne année (1973), as well as in Great Britain and the United States. He was known for his support of Mireille Mathieu in many compositions and recordings. In 1970 he wrote the score for director René Clément's film, Rider on the Rain ("Le passager de la pluie"). It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc in September 1971. In 1970, Lai won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Score and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score for the film Love Story. In the United States, the soundtrack album reached No. 2 in the Billboard album charts and the film's theme, "Where Do I Begin", was a hit single with lyrics by Carl Sigman for singer Andy Williams. The song would also be recorded successfully by Lai himself, with a full orchestra, and by Henry Mancini and Shirley Bassey. Lai's "Love Story" theme was heard in the 1978 Love Story sequel titled Oliver's Story, although the main score was composed by Lee Holdridge. ... Source: Article "Francis Lai" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
The Cinema of Francis Lai
Movie · Original Music Composer
Stjepan Hauser plays Bach and Morricone @ Château de Neuschwanstein 2025
Movie · Music
Shoot to Live
Movie · Music
The Best Years of a Life
Movie · Original Music Composer
Everyone's Life
Movie · Original Music Composer
Un + une
Movie · Original Music Composer
We Love You, You Bastard
Movie · Original Music Composer
D'un film à l'autre
Movie · Original Music Composer
What War May Bring
Movie · Original Music Composer
Amore e libertà - Masaniello
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Courage to Love
Movie · Original Music Composer
Plastic Tree
Movie · Music
Panorama: The Wonderland Club
Movie · Music Arranger
One 4 All
Movie · Original Music Composer
Chance or Coincidence
Movie · Original Music Composer
Panorama: Defend the Children
Movie · Music
Men, Women: A User's Manual
Movie · Original Music Composer
Les Miserables
Movie · Original Music Composer
Gayniggers from Outer Space
Movie · Music
Le Voleur et la menteuse
Movie · Original Music Composer
All That... for This?!
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Beautiful Story
Movie · Original Music Composer
Stranger in the House
Movie · Original Music Composer
I'll Be Going Now
Movie · Original Music Composer
Les Clés du Paradis
Movie · Original Music Composer
There Were Days... and Moons
Movie · Original Music Composer
My New Partner II
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Passion of Bernadette
Movie · Original Music Composer
Le Provincial
Movie · Original Music Composer
Too Beautiful for You
Movie · Original Music Composer
Itinerary of a Spoiled Child
Movie · Original Music Composer
Bernadette
Movie · Original Music Composer
Keys to Freedom
Movie · Original Music Composer
Paradise Calling
Movie · Original Music Composer
Bandits
Movie · Original Music Composer
Dark Eyes
Movie · Original Music Composer
A Man and a Woman: 20 Years Later
Movie · Original Music Composer
No More God, No More Love
Movie · Original Music Composer
Marie: A True Story
Movie · Original Music Composer
AIDS: Love in Danger
Movie · Original Music Composer
Astrolab 22
TV · Music · 1 ep
My New Partner
Movie · Original Music Composer
I Believe in Santa Claus
Movie · Original Music Composer
Dog Day
Movie · Music
Edith and Marcel
Movie · Original Music Composer
Wunderland
Movie · Music
Salut la puce
Movie · Music
Madame Claude 2
Movie · Music
Bolero
Movie · Original Music Composer
Das Traumschiff
TV · Music · 5 eps
Pig in the Middle
TV · Original Music Composer · 20 eps
Us Two
Movie · Original Music Composer
Beyond the Reef
Movie · Original Music Composer
International Velvet
Movie · Original Music Composer
Robert et Robert
Movie · Music
Boarding School
Movie · Original Music Composer
Lost Soul
Movie · Original Music Composer
Widows' Nest
Movie · Music
Bilitis
Movie · Original Music Composer
Another Man, Another Chance
Movie · Original Music Composer
Türkiye
Movie · Music
The Good and the Bad
Movie · Original Music Composer
Striptease
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Body of My Enemy
Movie · Music
Cat and Mouse
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Babysitter
Movie · Original Music Composer
Emmanuelle: The Joys of a Woman
Movie · Original Music Composer
Marriage
Movie · Original Music Composer
Loving in the Rain
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Sex Symbol
Movie · Music
Visit to a Chief's Son
Movie · Music
Child Under a Leaf
Movie · Original Music Composer
And Now My Love
Movie · Music
By the Blood of Others
Movie · Original Music Composer
Happy New Year
Movie · Original Music Composer
Killing in the Sun
Movie · Original Music Composer
Reigen
Movie · Original Music Composer
And Hope to Die
Movie · Original Music Composer
Tom Thumb
Movie · Music
Money Money Money
Movie · Music
Dust in the Sun
Movie · Music
Spy Trap
TV · Music · 61 eps
Iran
Movie · Original Music Composer
Smic, Smac, Smoc
Movie · Music
The Legend of Frenchie King
Movie · Original Music Composer
La usurpadora
TV · Music · 10 eps
Dead Gods
TV · Theme Song Performance · 306 eps
Hello-Goodbye
Movie · Original Music Composer
Rider on the Rain
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Crook
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Games
Movie · Original Music Composer
Eyes Full of Sun
Movie · Original Music Composer
Berlin Affair
Movie · Music
Love Story
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Modification
Movie · Original Music Composer
Life Love Death
Movie · Music
Love Is a Funny Thing
Movie · Original Music Composer
3 Into 2 Won't Go
Movie · Original Music Composer
Hannibal Brooks
Movie · Original Music Composer
House of Cards
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Golden Claws of the Cat Girl
Movie · Music
13 Days in France
Movie · Original Music Composer
Mayerling
Movie · Original Music Composer
Snows of Grenoble
Movie · Music
Tender Moment
Movie · Original Music Composer
Live for Life
Movie · Original Music Composer
My Love, My Love
Movie · Original Music Composer
I'll Never Forget What's'isname
Movie · Original Music Composer
Action Man
Movie · Original Music Composer
The Bobo
Movie · Original Music Composer
A Man and a Woman
Movie · Original Music Composer
Fragilité, ton nom est femme
Movie · Original Music Composer