John Strauss

{{short description|American composer and music editor}}

{{Hatnote|For the producer and writer see John J. Strauss}}

{{Distinguish|Johann Strauss (disambiguation){{!}}Johann Strauss}}

John Leonard Strauss (April 28, 1920 – February 14, 2011) was an American television and film composer and music editor. Strauss co-wrote the theme song for the NBC television series, Car 54, Where Are You?, with Nat Hiken.{{cite news |title=Amadeus music editor and composer John Strauss dies |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12503057 |work=BBC News |date=2011-02-18 |accessdate=2011-02-24}} He also won a Grammy Award for his work as the producer of the soundtrack for the 1984 film, Amadeus.{{cite news |first=Margalit| last=Fox | title=John Strauss, Composer of 'Car 54' Theme, Dies at 90 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/arts/television/18strauss.html |work=The New York Times |date=2011-02-17 |accessdate=2011-02-24}} He also frequently collaborated with director Woody Allen in his films, including Take the Money and Run in 1969 and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) in 1972.

Biography

Strauss was born in New York City. He served in the United States Army in both North Africa and France during World War II. He studied at Yale University with Paul Hindemith following the end of the war.

In addition to co-writing the theme song for the TV sitcom Car 54, Where Are You?, Strauss won an Emmy Award in sound editing for his work on the 1978 television movie, The Amazing Howard Hughes.

He also wrote the theme song for The Phil Silvers Show. Strauss appeared briefly as an orchestra conductor in the film Amadeus.

Personal life

Strauss married actress Charlotte Rae on November 4, 1951,{{cite web | url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/43/Charlotte-Rae.html |title=Charlotte Rae Biography (1926-) |publisher=FilmReference.com |accessdate=January 21, 2013}} but the marriage ended in divorce in 1976 when he came out as bisexual.{{cite journal |last=Ravitz |first=Justin |url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/charlotte-rae-facts-of-life-star-my-husband-was-gay-cheated-on-me-2013211 |title=Charlotte Rae, Facts of Life Star: My Husband Was Gay, Cheated on Me |journal=Us Weekly |date=2013-01-21 |accessdate=2015-08-05}} The couple had two sons,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19820412&id=PeJNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PYsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6616,1616662 |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Free Lance-Star |location=Fredericksburg, Virginia |date=April 12, 1982 |title=Paul Lynde Helped Charlotte Rae |first=Jerry |last=Buck |accessdate=January 21, 2013 |quote=Miss Rae, the divorced mother of two grown sons....}} Larry and Andrew.{{cite journal |url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/charlotte-rae/bio/144274 |title=Charlotte Rae: Biography |journal=TV Guide |accessdate=January 21, 2013}} Strauss' partner, Lionel Friedman, died in 2003.

A longtime resident of Los Angeles, Strauss died in that city on February 14, 2011, of Parkinson's disease, at the age of 90.

References

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