Alan and Marilyn Bergman
This husband-and-wife team gave Hollywood its most elegant emotional vocabulary, writing lyrics that became the inner monologue for generations.
1929–2022 (age 93)·American lyricists and songwriters·Birthday: November 10·The Silent Generation
Biography
Alan and Marilyn Bergman’s partnership was a rare alchemy of personal and professional harmony that spanned over six decades. Meeting in New York’s songwriting scene, they married in 1958 and forged a unified voice that spoke directly to the heart of the American experience. They didn't just write songs for films; they crafted lyrical soliloquies that elevated cinematic moments into timeless emotional touchstones. Their work with composers like Michel Legrand and Marvin Hamlisch possessed a sophisticated, literate quality, turning complex feelings into deceptively simple phrases. Their legacy is not merely in awards but in the way their words—from the wistful yearning of 'The Way We Were' to the gentle reassurance of 'You Don't Bring Me Flowers'—remain embedded in the cultural consciousness, serving as a shorthand for love, memory, and longing.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Alan was born in 1929, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1929
#1 Movie
The Broadway Melody
Best Picture
The Broadway Melody
Alan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1929Born
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1934Started school
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1942Became a teenager
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1945Could drive
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1947Could vote
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Turned 21
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1959Turned 30
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 40
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 50
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 60
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 70
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 80
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2022Died at 93
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Key Achievements
- Won Academy Awards for Best Original Song for 'The Windmills of Your Mind,' 'The Way We Were,' and 'You Light Up My Life.'
- Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1980.
- Wrote the lyrics for the iconic theme songs to 'Happy Days' and 'Maude.'
- Received the Grammy Trustees Award for their lifetime contributions to the recording industry.
Did You Know?
Marilyn initially worked under her maiden name, Marilyn Keith, before they began collaborating exclusively.
They wrote the English lyrics for the French melody that became 'The Windmills of Your Mind.'
Alan served in the United States Army during the Korean War.
Their song 'What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?' was originally written for a film that was never produced.
“We try to write from the inside out. We try to find what the character is feeling and then find the simplest, most direct way to say it.”
