Biography
Leslie Bricusse was a British composer, lyricist and playwright. Born in London in 1931, he studied at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he was president of the Footlights club.
He collaborated frequently with Anthony Newley on stage musicals such as Stop the World – I Want to Get Off (1961) and The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd (1965). Bricusse wrote the screenplay, music and lyrics for the 1967 film Doctor Dolittle, which featured the Academy Award-winning song "Talk to the Animals". His other notable credits include songs and lyrics for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Victor/Victoria (1982) and Hook (1991). He received two Academy Awards and was appointed OBE. Bricusse died in 2021.
