Composer John Barry worked on a multitude of film scores, among which were several in the James Bond film franchise. He won five Academy Awards as a composer (Born Free and Dances With Wolves among them) and did uncredited work arranging Monty Norman’s James Bond theme, but he began officially putting his stamp on the films with From Russia With Love and Goldfinger.

Music and film were influential parts of his life from childhood. The York, England native was born to a mother who was a classical pianist and father who was a silent film projectionist and later owned a chain of movie theaters. He played trumpet for the British Army then worked as an arranger for a few orchestras. Barry broke into TV and film by appearing on the BBC series Drumbeat with his band, the John Barry Seven.

In addition to From Russia With Love and Goldfinger, Barry worked on nine other Bond films. They included Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Diamonds Are Forever, The Man With the Golden Gun, Moonraker, Octopussy, A View to a Kill and The Living Daylights.

Barry’s scores also played across a wide range of styles and genres including The Ipcress File, 1976’s King Kong, Body Heat, Chaplin, Indecent Proposal, My Life, Mercury Rising, The Horse Whisperer, Madagascar, and Oscar-winners The Lion in Winter and Out of Africa.