Charles Strouse dead at 96: Legendary Annie composer has passed away

Daily Mail​

16-05-2025

The brilliant Broadway composer who created music for classic such as Annie, Applause and Bye Bye Birdie died at the age of 96 Thursday.
Charles Strouse was at his home in New York City when he passed away, his family told The Press Room, a publicity agency in a statement obtained by Dailymail.com.
Over five decades, Strouse penned more than 10 musicals that played on Broadway, as well as writing Those Were the Days, classic theme song to the TV staple All in The Family.
Among other classic tunes Strouse was responsible for included Annie's Tomorrow and Bye Bye Birdie's Put on a Happy Face, which marked his breakout in the entertainment industry.
As he turned 80 in 2018, Strouse told the AP that he continued to 'work every day' on music and that 'activity' is 'a life force.'
He added: 'When you enjoy doing what you're doing, which I do very much, I have something to get up for.'
Annie alum Jenn Thompson - who initially played Pepper in the musical and is now a director - shared with the AP a story of how Strouse grew emotional when he attended auditions for her Annie tour last year.
The prolific composer became teary, Thompson said, as a young singer belted out his song Tomorrow.
'He was tearing up and he put his hand on mine,' Thompson told the AP. 'And he leaned in to me and very quietly said, "That was you. That used to be you."
'And I thought I would die. I thought my heart would drop out of my shoes.'
She added, 'He's so gorgeously generous and kind - he has always been that way.'
Strouse is survived by his children, Benjamin Strouse, Nicholas Strouse, Victoria Strouse, William Strouse, and his eight grandchildren, Sam and Arthur Strouse, Navah Strouse, Vivian, Weston and Ever Brush, and Owen and Theodore Strouse.
His late spouse of more than six decades, choreographer Barbara Siman, died in 2023.
Strouse's family will have a private service for him at New York City's Frank E. Campbell.