George Fenton has died at the age of 76. His family announced the death of the film and television composer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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"We are very sad to announce that George Fenton passed away unexpectedly today," a statement read.
Fenton's cause of death was not immediately available.
George Fenton Started Out as an Actor
Fenton was born on Oct. 19, 1949, in England to a father who was a mechanical engineer and a mother who was a dance teacher. He was one of five children.
The musician studied church organ as a child. However, he decided to pursue acting, and he played in various bands while auditioning for roles. He was eventually cast in the play Forty Years On in 1968.
However, he signed a contract with MCA Records as a recording artist. His band also signed a deal with Decca. In addition to arranging music for theater and television, he worked as a session musician for several years.
But that all changed when he was asked by director Peter Gill to write music for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Twelfth Night in 1974. This led to opportunities composing music for dozens of films and television programs.
Fenton Wrote Music for Some of Your Favorite Rom-Coms
Fenton enjoyed a long career as a film composer. He won two Emmys for the nature documentaries The Blue Planet and Planet Earth.
Fenton was also nominated for five Oscars. They include his work on the Richard Attenborough films Gandhi and Cry Freedom. He was also nominated for Dangerous Liaisons and The Fisher King.
But perhaps Fenton will be best remembered for his work on romantic comedies. You can hear his music in the Nora Ephron films You've Got Mail and Bewitched. He also scored the classic comedies Groundhog Day and Sweet Home Alabama.
Fenton is survived by his wife, Amanda, and his ex-wife, Jane. He also leaves behind three children, Gemma, Grace, and Bridget, and grandchildren, Lola, Audrey, Alfred, George, Frank, and Beatrice.
