Marvin Hamlisch’s musical genius was recognized at an early age: the musical prodigy entered Juilliard, the country’s most prestigious conservatory, at the age of six.
In this film extra from Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love, luminaries in entertainment and music attest to his brilliance and versatility. What puts Hamlisch in the same category as George Gershwin, says musicologist Maury Yeston, is that he just didn’t write a great tune, he understood the orchestra, could improvise in jazz styles and was the complete musician.
Hear testimonials from Hamlisch’s childhood companions Leslie Uggams and Christopher Walken; director Steven Soderbergh; Hamlisch’s wife Terre Blair Hamlisch; concert pianist Kevin Cole; composer and musicologist Maury Yeston; conductor and musical director J. Ernest Green; Broadway musical coordinator Michael Keller; actor Raul Esparza, and editor and writer Jason Epstein.
