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Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Charles Strouse dead at 96: Legendary Annie composer has passed away
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 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.
South Wales Argus
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Charles Strouse, Broadway composer of Annie and Bye Bye Birdie, dies aged 96
Strouse died at his home in New York City, his family said through the publicity agency The Press Room. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Strouse wrote more than a dozen Broadway musicals, as well as film scores and the song Those Were The Days, the theme song for the sitcom All In The Family. Strouse turned out such popular – and catchy – show tunes as Tomorrow, the optimistic anthem from Annie, and the equally cheerful Put On A Happy Face from Bye Bye Birdie, his first Broadway success. 'I work every day. Activity – it's a life force,' the New York-born composer told The Associated Press during an interview on the eve of 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.' Deep into his 90s, he was visiting tours of his shows and meeting casts. Jenn Thompson, who appeared in the first Annie as Pepper and directed a touring version of Annie in 2024, recalled Strouse coming to auditions and shedding a tear when a young girl sang Tomorrow. 'He was tearing up and he put his hand on mine,' she recalled. '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.'
The Herald Scotland
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Charles Strouse, Broadway composer of Annie and Bye Bye Birdie, dies aged 96
In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Strouse wrote more than a dozen Broadway musicals, as well as film scores and the song Those Were The Days, the theme song for the sitcom All In The Family. Strouse turned out such popular – and catchy – show tunes as Tomorrow, the optimistic anthem from Annie, and the equally cheerful Put On A Happy Face from Bye Bye Birdie, his first Broadway success. 'I work every day. Activity – it's a life force,' the New York-born composer told The Associated Press during an interview on the eve of 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.' Deep into his 90s, he was visiting tours of his shows and meeting casts. Jenn Thompson, who appeared in the first Annie as Pepper and directed a touring version of Annie in 2024, recalled Strouse coming to auditions and shedding a tear when a young girl sang Tomorrow. 'He was tearing up and he put his hand on mine,' she recalled. '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.'
Glasgow Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Charles Strouse, Broadway composer of Annie and Bye Bye Birdie, dies aged 96
Strouse died at his home in New York City, his family said through the publicity agency The Press Room. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Strouse wrote more than a dozen Broadway musicals, as well as film scores and the song Those Were The Days, the theme song for the sitcom All In The Family. Strouse turned out such popular – and catchy – show tunes as Tomorrow, the optimistic anthem from Annie, and the equally cheerful Put On A Happy Face from Bye Bye Birdie, his first Broadway success. 'I work every day. Activity – it's a life force,' the New York-born composer told The Associated Press during an interview on the eve of 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.' Deep into his 90s, he was visiting tours of his shows and meeting casts. Jenn Thompson, who appeared in the first Annie as Pepper and directed a touring version of Annie in 2024, recalled Strouse coming to auditions and shedding a tear when a young girl sang Tomorrow. 'He was tearing up and he put his hand on mine,' she recalled. '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.'
Belfast Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Charles Strouse, Broadway composer of Annie and Bye Bye Birdie, dies aged 96
Strouse died at his home in New York City, his family said through the publicity agency The Press Room. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Strouse wrote more than a dozen Broadway musicals, as well as film scores and the song Those Were The Days, the theme song for the sitcom All In The Family. Strouse turned out such popular – and catchy – show tunes as Tomorrow, the optimistic anthem from Annie, and the equally cheerful Put On A Happy Face from Bye Bye Birdie, his first Broadway success. 'I work every day. Activity – it's a life force,' the New York-born composer told The Associated Press during an interview on the eve of 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.' Deep into his 90s, he was visiting tours of his shows and meeting casts. Jenn Thompson, who appeared in the first Annie as Pepper and directed a touring version of Annie in 2024, recalled Strouse coming to auditions and shedding a tear when a young girl sang Tomorrow. 'He was tearing up and he put his hand on mine,' she recalled. '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.'
