John Barry

Although film composers are often the unsung heroes of the movie business, the Yorkshire-born composer John Barry is perhaps one of the best known of his profession. The reason for his celebrity is quite simple: between 1963 and 1967 Barry composed the scores for eleven James Bond films and such was the popularity of the Bond franchise Barry was virtually a household name having appeared in film credits seen by millions of movie fans all over the world.

The Bond connection started off with the release of 'Dr No' in 1962 - the famous Bond theme used in this movie was originally written by Monty Norman but the film's producers, unhappy with Norman's work, drafted in Barry (who was a young, up-and-coming songwriter at the time) to improve on Norman's composition. The result was one of the most distinctive and enduring pieces of film music ever written and has been the subject of much controversy and legal wrangles over the years as both Norman and Barry have laid claim to the composer's rights.

Regardless of who composed the original Bond theme, what is not in doubt is Barry's extraordinary contribution to film music. During his 50-year career he won five Academy Awards, two Baftas and four Grammys plus numerous other industry accolades. His distinguished career came to an end in 2011 when he died of a heart attack at his home in the USA, aged 77.