Monty Norman

Professional

Composer/Lyricist:	Composer
Genre:	Songwriter
Email:	mtynorm@aol.com
Website:	www.montynorman.com

Biography

Monty Norman began his career as a singer with the leading British big bands of the late 50s and early 60s (Cyril Stapleton, Stanley Black, Ted Heath) and graduated to being a solo performer on stage, records and television. He wrote pop songs for himself and other artists, and when one of his songs, FALSE HEARTED LOVER, became an international hit he began thinking seriously of becoming a full-time composer. The decision was made for him when his first musical, EXPRESSO BONGO, became a West End hit and the offers started flowing in.

A string of musicals followed including the long-running London and Broadway show IRMA LA DOUCE (which received a Broadway Tony nomination), the Evening Standard Award-winning MAKE ME AN OFFER, THE ART OF LIVING, BELLE, QUICK QUICK SLOW, SONGBOOK (which swept the board, winning the Evening Standard, SWET (Laurence Olivier) and Ivor Novello Awards for Best Musical, plus a Broadway Tony nomination), POPPY, for the Royal Shakespeare Company (which brought another Olivier Award for Best Musical). He was also responsible for seven other musicals produced in London or provincial theatres.

His many film scores include CALL ME BWANA (for Bob Hope), IRMA LA DOUCE, EXPRESSO BONGO, THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE, THE TWO FACES OF DOCTOR JECKYLL and the first James Bond movie, DR NO, from which his James Bond Theme - the 'signature tune' for all subsequent Bond movies - has become one of the most successful movie theme tunes of all time. It has over 500 recordings and has sold over 25,000,000 records. Monty was given a special Ivor Novello Award for this unique achievement. DR NO was recently voted in the top 50 films of all time.

His songs have been sung and recorded by innumerable top American, British and European artists including CLIFF RICHARD, TOMMY STEELE, JACK JONES, FRANK SINATRA, SHIRLEY MACLAINE, BOB HOPE, MANTOVANI, JOHN BARRY, MOBY and COUNT BASIE. His many television credits include AGAINST THE CROWD and DICKENS OF LONDON. His commercials credits include Stirling Motors (US), Time Life James Bond Videos (US), John Smith's Beer (UK), and Neiman Marcus "Goldeneye" BMW car (US).

In 1989 he received from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers & Authors (BASCA) the highly coveted Gold Badge of Merit, for Services to British Music.

Currently, Monty has signed contracts for a new Broadway production of IRMA LA DOUCE, is working on a new musical based on Kingsley Amis' LUCKY JIM. and is releasing in November, COMPLETING THE CIRCLE, a double album cd of some of his show songs, new songs and Bond songs - with the first ever recording of BAD SIGN GOOD SIGN, the embryo song from which he created the JAMES BOND THEME.

Important Works		Performances
Stage Musicals: "Expresso Bongo" (1958) (music, lyrics) (with Julian More and David Heneker) Ran one year, West End; mentioned as 'the first rock 'n' roll musical' "Irma La Douce" (1958) (lyrics, book) (with Julian More and David Heneker) Ran 5? years, West End; one year Broadway (1960); Tony nomination "Make Me An Offer" (1959) (music, lyrics) (with David Heneker) Ran one year, West End; Evening Standard Award - Best Musical "The Art of Living" (1960) (music, lyrics) (with Julian More and David Heneker) Revue based on Art Buchwald's Herald Tribune articles Ran one year, West End "Belle" (1961) (music, lyrics) Black comedy West End; subsequently offered "Dr No" by Cubby Broccolli (substantial financial stake-holder in show) "Songbook" (1979 & 81) (music, book) Ran one year, West End; Broadway Evening Standard, SWET (Laurence Olivier) & Ivor Novello Awards - Best Musical; Tony nomination - Best Book in a Musical "Poppy" (1982/83) (music) Royal Shakespeare 'adult pantomine' musical Ran over a year at Barbican Threatre and West End SWET (Laurence Olivier) Award - Best Musical Film Scores: "The Two Faces of Doctor Jeckyll" (1960) (theme & score) (with David Heneker) "Dr No " (1962) (theme song & score) First James Bond Film - incl. 'James Bond Theme' Special Ivor Novello Award "Call Me Bwana" (1963) (theme song & part score) Bob Hope film		None added