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Marvin Laird, the award-winning Broadway and film composer who also conducted concerts for big stars like Diana Ross and Bernadette Peters, died Monday in Connecticut from natural causes. He was 85.

Laird participated in various hits on stage and the big screen. Among the most notable Broadway shows he conducted are “Annie,” “Get Your Gun,” “Gypsy” and “Follies.” His stage presence went beyond Broadway, conducting concerts for like Joel Grey, Cass Elliot, Dusty Springfield, and Goldie Hawn. He also composed the dance music for the ballet “Smile with My Heart” and the score for “Ruthless! The Musical” alongside Joel Paley who wrote the book and lyrics. Laird and Paley later went on to become partners in marriage.

As for film credits, Laird wrote the dance music for “Hello, Dolly!” starring Barbra Streisand, “New York, New York,” starring Liza Minnelli and Robert DeNiro, and Robert Altman’s “The Company.” He scored popular TV shows including,...

Marvin Laird, who composed music for Broadway and the big screen and served as Bernadette Peters’ musical director for many years, has died. He was 85.

Laird died Monday of natural causes in Redding, Connecticut, a family spokesperson announced.

Marvin conducted for such hit Broadway revivals as 1999-2001’s Annie Get Your Gun, 2003-04’s Gypsy and 2011-12’s Follies, all starring Peters. He also worked with the famed performer in 2009 for a concert benefiting her charity, Broadway Barks.

“My beloved Marvin had impeccable style and a delicious sense of humor, and his generous spirit has made everyone he worked with fall in love with him,” the two-time Tony winner said in a statement. “I was a major beneficiary of Marvin’s genius and generosity of support and love.”

He conducted concerts for her as well as for Joel Grey, Diana Ross, Cass Elliot, Dusty Springfield and Goldie Hawn.

Laird wrote...

Marvin Laird, a prolific Broadway, film and TV composer, conductor and musical director who lent his talents to projects featuring such stars as Bernadette Peters, Joel Grey, Diana Ross, Cass Elliot, Dusty Springfield, Goldie Hawn, Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli and Robert DeNiro, died Monday, December 2, of natural causes. He was 85.

“My beloved Marvin had impeccable style, a delicious sense of humor, and his generous spirit made everyone he worked with fall in love with him,” said Peters in a statement to Deadline. “I was a major beneficiary of Marvin’s genius and generosity of support and love.”

From Broadway, where he wrote dance arrangements for Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1966, conducted Gypsy in 2003 with Peters in the starring role, and played keyboards for the 2017 Hello, Dolly! revival starring Midler, to television, Laird was a busy musical collaborator from...