Billy Goldenberg

Multi Emmy Award (23 of them) composer and songwriter Billy Goldenberg has died at the age of 84 at his Manhattan apartment. He collaborated with everyone from Elvis Presley to Barbra Streisand to Diana Ross. He composed music for Queen of the Stardust Ballroom and Spielberg’s Duel.  He also penned the theme songs for Rhoda and Kojak. He was also one of the nicest people you’d ever hope to meet.

Billy was in the midst of doing a documentary with screen writer Gary Gerani.  He began his career writing incidental music for An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May in 1960. One of his good friends was Bea Arthur whom he accompanied on Broadway in 2002 in her one woman show.

He expanded his 1975 “Queen of the Stardust Ballroom” song score, with lyricists Marilyn and Alan Bergman, into the score of the 1978 Broadway musical “Ballroom,” directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett.