Charles Strouse, a composer whose hits on the Broadway shows “Annie” and “Bye Bye Birdie” earned him three Tony Awards, a Grammy and an Emmy, died on Thursday. He was 96.
Strouse’s death at his home in New York City was confirmed by Jim Byk, a spokesperson for his family.
Strouse wrote scores for more than 30 musicals, 14 of which played on Broadway. His first Broadway musical was “Bye Bye Birdie,” which first opened in 1960. His work resulted in his first Tony Award.
Strouse’s compositions from “Bye Bye Birdie” included “Put On a Happy Face” and “Kids (What’s the Matter With Kids Today?)“ The lyrics were written by his frequent collaborator, Lee Adams.
Strouse won his second Tony for his work in the 1970 musical “Applause” with “But Alive,” another collaboration with Adams.
“Bye Bye Birdie” and “Applause” won Tony Awards for best musical.
So sorry to hear about Charles Strouse. I worked with Lee Adams, Joshua Logan, and Charles (who we all called Buddy) on a musical starting Ray Bolger, ALL AMERICAN, in which he wrote the unforgettable song “Once Upon A Time”. Buddy was so talented and such a pleasure to work… pic.twitter.com/UIjCqhxJ2I
— Mel Brooks (@MelBrooks) May 16, 2025
In 1977, Strouse and Martin Charnin combined to compose "Tomorrow” and“It’s the Hard-Knock Life” from “Annie."
“Annie” won a Tony Award for best original score. “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Annie” were later adapted for film.
“Annie” ran for 2,377 performances on Broadway.
Strouse also scored music in the films “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967) and “The Night They Raided Minsky’s” (1968). He wrote the song “Those Were the Days,” which served as the introduction for the 1970s hit television series “All in the Family.”
“I work every day. Activity -- it’s a life force,” Strouse told The Associated Press during an interview shortly before his 80th birthday in 2008. “When you enjoy doing what you’re doing, which I do very much, I have something to get up for.”
Strouse and Charnin, who both won Grammy Awards for the “Annie” cast album, found some of their work included in Jay-Z’s 1998 Grammy-winning album, “Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life.”
“Tomorrow” has been heard on soundtracks from “Shrek 2″ to “Dave” to “You’ve Got Mail.” In 2016, Lukas Graham used parts of the chorus from “Annie” for his hit, “Mama Said.”
Charles Strouse, the Tony, Grammy, and Emmy-winning composer of Annie, Bye Bye Birdie, Rags, and more, has passed away. He was one of the great composers of our time. Strouse's remarkable knack for crafting a catchy, memorable tune left a mark on stage, film, and television.… pic.twitter.com/YSLRUYHNsR
— Music Theatre International (@mtishows) May 16, 2025
Strouse was born on June 7, 1928, in New York City, according to his biography. He graduated from the Eastman School of Music.
His autobiography “Put on a Happy Face: A Broadway Memoir,” was published in July 2008.
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