[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19492-19493]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     IN CELEBRATION OF ALAN BERGMAN

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I would like to take this 
opportunity to recognize a wonderful Californian, Alan Bergman, in 
honor of his 80th birthday. Few in the world today have brought so much 
pleasure, joy, and insight to so many as have Alan and his wife 
Marilyn.
  Alan Bergman was born on September 11, 1925, in Brooklyn, NY. He had 
an ear for music at a young age--at age 10, he knew he wanted to be a 
songwriter. After studying at the University of North Carolina at 
Chapel Hill and the University of California at Los Angeles, Alan moved 
to Philadelphia. There, he worked as a director for children's 
television shows, and moonlighted as a songwriter. He soon moved back 
to Los Angeles at the urging of his mentor, Johnny Mercer, to work full 
time on his budding songwriting career.
  In Los Angeles, Alan met Marilyn Keith. Alan and Marilyn hit it off 
right away, and Alan knew that in Marilyn he had a friend and a musical 
partner. Alan also knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life 
with this remarkable woman. And in 1958, Alan and Marilyn were married. 
With Marilyn's musical background, she and Alan were a perfect match. 
They began to write lyrics together. It soon became evident that Alan 
and Marilyn Bergman were a powerful team, working on lyrics for 
television shows and movies. In 1968, their efforts won them their 
first Oscar for ``The Windmills of Your Mind,'' the theme song from the 
``Thomas Crown Affair.''
  There would be more recognition to come for the Bergmans, the only 
husband-and-wife team of lyricists. In 1968, Alan and Marilyn also won 
a Golden Globe Award for ``The Windmills of Your Mind.'' In 1973, Alan 
and Marilyn won two Emmys, an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe Award 
for ``The Way We Were.'' In 1984, they won another Oscar for the score 
for ``Yentl,'' and won Emmys for ``Sybil,'' ``Queen of the Stardust 
Ballroom,'' ``Ordinary Miracles'' and ``A Ticket to Dream.'' And these 
are just a few of Alan and Marilyn's many awards.
  In addition to these awards, Alan and Marilyn have received many 
accolades. Among others, they have been inducted into the Songwriters 
Hall of Fame, and have received the National Academy of Songwriters 
Lifetime Achievement Award, the Spanish Cultural Medal of Honor, and 
the Governors Award from the National Association of Recording Arts and 
Sciences. As president of the American Society of Composers, Authors 
and Publishers, Marilyn has worked with many in Congress, in a 
bipartisan way, to protect intellectual property rights.
  Recently, Alan unveiled another one of his many talents--in addition 
to being a world-renowned songwriter, Alan is also a gifted singer. He 
has performed shows across the country, from the Algonquin Hotel in New 
York to the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, showcasing the songs that he 
has written with Marilyn.
  When I met Alan and Marilyn in 1990, I knew that my life as a 
political leader would take on a new dimension. I was to learn that as 
a human being I had been enriched beyond measure.
  Alan and Marilyn's musical achievements throughout their lifetimes 
show how exceedingly talented and gifted they are. Their success is a 
result of their hard work and dedication. It is no wonder that they are 
one of the most respected songwriting teams in music today.
  I believe it is appropriate that Alan be recognized in the 
Congressional Record today not only on the occasion of his 80th 
birthday, but, along with Marilyn, for enriching the lives of so many 
Americans for so many years.

[[Page 19493]]



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