---
name: "Herbert Kretzmer"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/herbert-kretzmer"
roles: ["Writer"]
born: "5 October 1925"
died: "14 October 2020"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-20T07:42:28.880782+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Herbert Kretzmer

Writer. Born 5 October 1925 in Kroonstad, South Africa. Died 14 October 2020.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Born:** 5 October 1925, Kroonstad, South Africa
- **Died:** 14 October 2020
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Kretzmer, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5734832, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471014/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/231710

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Les Misérables*](https://film.one/film/les-miserables-2012.md) (62)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Herbert Kretzmer was a South African-born British journalist and lyricist. Born in Kroonstad in 1925, he moved to London in the 1950s and worked as a feature writer, drama critic for the Daily Express and television critic for the Daily Mail.

He was best known for writing the English lyrics for the stage musical *Les Misérables*, which opened in London in 1985 and became one of the longest-running West End shows. Kretzmer also contributed to the 2012 film adaptation of the musical. His other lyric work included collaborations with Charles Aznavour on songs such as "She" and the 1960 hit "Goodness Gracious Me".

Kretzmer received a Tony Award and a Grammy Award for his *Les Misérables* lyrics, and was appointed OBE in 2011. He died in London in 2020.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, bbc.co.uk, theguardian.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Les Misérables* (2012), Fi1m 62, Writer, Lyricist — [page](https://film.one/film/les-miserables-2012.md)

## Complete filmography (10)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Mashup* (2021), Original Story
- *Les Misérables: The Staged Concert* (2019), Writer
- *Les Misérables* (2012), Lyricist, Writer — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/les-miserables-2012.md)
- *Les Misérables: 25th Anniversary in Concert* (2010), Writer
- *Les Misérables: In Concert at Windsor Castle* (2004), Writer
- *Les Misérables: 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall* (1995), Writer
- *Les Misérables: The Australia Day Concert* (1989), Lyricist
- *Every Home Should Have One* (1970), Story
- *Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?* (1969), Lyricist
- *Too Hot to Handle* (1960), Screenplay

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/herbert-kretzmer