LONDON — Monty Norman, best known for writing the iconic James Bond theme music, has died at age 94, multiple news outlets are reporting.
According to The Associated Press, the British composer’s official website said he died Monday “after a short illness.” No further details were immediately available.
Norman, born Monty Noserovitch in 1928, received his first guitar at age 16, the AP reported. He initially performed with bands and comedian Benny Hill, then began to write songs for Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard. He also composed for musicals, including “Expresso Bongo” and “Make Me an Offer,” according to the news agency.
Producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli later hired Norman to write the theme music for the 1962 film “Dr. No,” the first in the James Bond franchise, the AP reported. The piece, which was adapted from an earlier theme he had composed for a proposed musical based on V.S. Naipaul’s “A House for Mr. Biswas,” went on to be used in the rest of the Bond films.
Because composer John Barry was hired to rearrange the Bond theme, many erroneously believed he had composed it, according to the AP. Norman won a lawsuit against the Sunday Times in 2001 after the newspaper attributed the theme to Barry, the news agency reported.
Norman and ex-wife Diana Coupland, who died in November 2006, shared a daughter, The Guardian reported. Norman’s second wife was Rina Caesari, according to the newspaper.
– The Associated Press contributed to this report.