Don Black Biography (1936?-)

Original name, Gerald Blackstone; born June 21, 1936 (some sources cite 1939), in London, England; married Shirley, 1958; children: two.

Nationality: British
Gender: Male
Occupation: Lyricist, writer
Birth Details: June 21, 1936?; London, United Kingdom

Famous Works

CREDITS
Television Appearances
Specials
The 39th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1967
Nobody Does It Better: The Music of James Bond, 1998
John Barry: Licence to Thrill (also known as Omnibus: John Barry--Licence to Thrill), BBC, 2000
Himself, The Real Shirley Bassey, 2001
Spotlights & Saris: Making Bombay Dreams (also known as Omnibus: Spotlight & Saris: Making "Bombay Dreams"), BBC, 2002
Episodic
"Soundtrack," Walk on By: The Story of Popular Song, ABC, 2001
Guest, Breakfast, BBC, 2004
Also appeared in Popular Song: Soundtrack of the Century, Bravo.
RECORDINGS
Videos
The Music of James Bond, 2000
The Making of "The Italian Job," Paramount Home Entertainment, 2003
Albums
The Italian Job (soundtrack recording), Dove, 1974
Born Free: The Don Black Songbook, 1995
Black's work has been released on other recordings.
WRITINGS
Stage Work
Lyricist for Musicals
Billy, music by John Barry, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London, 1974
Tell Me on a Sunday (based on song cycle created in 1979, originally staged beginning c. 1979 and 1982, revised version (with Jackie Clune), music by Lloyd Webber, Eisenhower Theatre, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 2002-2003, then Gielgud Theatre, London, 2003
The Little Prince and the Aviator, Alvin Theatre, New York City, preview performances 1981-82, never officially opened
Merlin, Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1983
Song and Dance, Royale Theatre, New York City, 1985-86
(With Charles Hart) Aspects of Love, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber,Really Useful Theatre Company, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1990-91
(With Christopher Hampton) Sunset Boulevard, music by Lloyd Webber, Minskoff Theatre, New York City, 1994-97
English lyrics, Romeo and Juliet, Piccadilly Theatre, London, beginning 2002
Additional lyrics, Dance of the Vampires, Minskoff Theatre, 2002-2003
Bombay Dreams, book by Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan, music by A. R. Rahman, Apollo Victoria Theatre, London, 2002-2003, then Broadway Theatre,New York City, 2004-2005, also produced in a touring production
Brighton Rock, book by Giles Havergal, music by Barry, Almeida Theatre, London, 2004
(With Hampton) Dracula, the Musical, music by Frank Wildhorn, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 2004-2005
Lyricist for "Next Time You Fall in Love" (music by Lloyd Webber), Starlight Express; provided additional lyrics for Whistle down the Wind.
Writings for the Stage
(With Christopher Hampton) Sunset Boulevard (musical; based on thefilm of the same name), Minskoff Theatre, New York City, 1994-97
(With Hampton) Dracula, the Musical (musical; based on the novel by Bram Stoker), Belasco Theatre, New York City, 2004-2005
Film Songs
Lyricist
Title song (music by John Barry), Thunderball (also known as Ian Fleming's "Thunderball"), United Artists, 1965
Title song (music by Barry), Born Free, Columbia, 1966
Title song, Pretty Polly (also known as A Matter of Innocence), Studios USA, 1967
Title song (music by Ron Grainer and Mark London), To Sir, with Love, Columbia, 1967
"When the World Is Ready," The Long Duel, Paramount, 1967
"Hideaway," Boom!, Universal, 1968

"Nothing to Lose" and title song, The Party, United Artists, 1968
"This Time," Hot Millions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1968
"Amazing Grace" and title song (music by Elmer Bernstein), True Grit, Paramount, 1969
"Getta Bloomin' Move On!" and "On Days Like These" (music by Quincy Jones), The Italian Job, Paramount, 1969
Title song, Midas Run (also known as A Run on Gold), Cinerama Releasing, 1969
Title song, Sinful Davy, United Artists, 1969
The Guru, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1969
Run Wild, Run Free (also known as The White Colt), Columbia, 1969
Title song, Some Girls Do, 1969, United Artists, 1971
"Tell the World We're Not In," Goodbye Gemini (also known as Twinsanity), Cinerama Releasing, 1970
Title song, Walk in the Spring Rain, Columbia, 1970
First Love, 1970
Songs (music by Barry), Diamonds Are Forever (also known as IanFleming's "Diamonds Are Forever"), United Artists, 1971
Title song (music by Walter Scharf), Ben, Bing Crosby Productions,1972
"Follow, Follow," Follow Me! (also known as The Public Eye), MCA/Universal, 1972
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, American National Enterprises, 1972
Cahill U.S. Marshal (also known as Cahill and WednesdayMorning), Warner Bros., 1973
Walking Tall, Cinerama Releasing, 1973
Theme song (with Lulu and music by Barry), The Man with the Golden Gun (also known as Ian Fleming's "The Man with the Golden Gun"), United Artists, 1974
"Play It Again," The Tamarind Seed, Avco-Embassy, 1974
"Sail the Summer Winds," The Dove, Paramount, 1974
"Wherever Love Takes Me" (music by Bernstein), and other songs, Gold (also known as The Great Gold Conspiracy), Allied Artists, 1974
(With others) Paul and Michelle (also known as Paul et Michelle), Paramount, 1974
"All the Wishing in the World," The Wilby Conspiracy, United Artists, 1975
Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, Warner Bros., 1975
"Come to Me" (music by Henry Mancini), and "Until You Love Me," The Pink Panther Strikes Again, United Artists, 1976
It's Showtime (documentary; also known as Crazy Animals, Jaws, Paws, Claws, Wonderful World of Those Cuckoo Animals, and World of Those Cuckoo), United Artists, 1976
Gulliver's Travels (animated), Sunn Classic Pictures, 1977
"Dancing on the Edge of a Heartache," "I Feel Lucky Tonight," "Just LikeWe Never Said Goodbye," "Pour Your Little Heart Out," and title song, TheBitch, Video Classics, 1979
"Don't Lose the Feeling," Ashanti, Sony Pictures Releasing, 1979
"You're Always There," The Nude Bomb, Universal, 1980
"Diamond Trinkets," Honky Tonk Freeway, Universal, 1981
"Letting Go," The Golden Seal, Samuel Goldwyn, 1983
"Walkaway," The Krays, Miramax, 1990
Freddie as F.R.O.7 (animated; also known as Freddie the Frog), Miramax, 1992
(With Rachel Portman) "As Long as There's Christmas," Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (animated; also known as Beauty and theBeast 2), Buena Vista Home Video/Walt Disney Home Video, 1997
"Surrender," Tomorrow Never Dies, United Artists, 1997
"With One Look," In & Out, Paramount, 1997
Title song, The World Is Not Enough (also known as Pressure Point and T.W.I.N.E.), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1999
Thomas and the Magic Railroad (live action and animated), Destination Films, 2000
Aspects of Love (musical), 2005
Several of Black's original film songs, notably "Born Free," "To Sir, with Love," and "Walking Tall," have been featured in subsequent films, television broadcasts, and videos.
Screenplays
Gulliver's Travels (animated; based on the novel by Jonathan Swift), Sunn Classic Pictures, 1977
Television Song Lyrics
Series
End title song lyrics, Howard's Way, BBC, 1985-90
Movies
Mister Jerico, ABC, 1970
The Worst Witch, HBO, 1986
Specials
"Love among the Ruins," ABC Theatre, ABC, 1975
Tell Me on a Sunday (musical), PBS, 1980
Svengali, CBS, 1983
"Love Changes Everything," Michael Crawford in Concert, PBS, 1998
Andrew Lloyd Webber: Masterpiece, PBS, 2002
Albums
The Italian Job (soundtrack recording), Dove, 1974
Born Free: The Don Black Songbook, 1995
Black's work has been released on other recordings.
Song Lyrics
Lyn Paul, "If Everybody Loved the Same as You," 1977
(With Geoff Stephens) Hot Chocolate, "I'll Put You Together Again," c. 1978
(With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber) "Amigos para siempre" and other songsfor the 1992 summer Olympic ceremonies, Barcelona, Spain, 1992
Other song lyrics include "Walk Away," recorded by Matt Munro.
Songbooks
(With Christopher Hampton) Sunset Boulevard: The Musical, Faber & Faber, 1997
Unexpected Songs: 22 Songs by Lyricist Don Black, Hal Leonard, 2003
Work represented in other collections, including Andrew Lloyd Webber:The Essential Collection; Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now and Forever; Andrew Lloyd Webber: Song and Dance; and Vocal Selections from SunsetBoulevard.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Inverne, James, Wrestling with Elephants: The Authorized Biography ofDon Black, foreword by John Barry, Sanctuary Publishing, 2003

Electronic

Don Black Official Site, http://www.donblack.co.uk, February 4, 2005

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