Film Music Reporter

Patrick Williams has passed away today at age 79. The composer has scored numerous features, TV shows and television movies over a five decade-spanning career. Among his feature film credits are John Water’s 1990 comedy Cry-Baby, the 1992 drama The Cutting Edge, Robert Zemeckis’ Used Cars, Richard Donner’s 1982 film The Toy,  and Richard Lester’s Cuba. He received an Academy Award nomination for his music adaptation for Peter Yates’ 1979 movie Breaking Away. His TV scoring credits include The Streets of San Francisco, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show and Columbo. Williams received 4 Emmy Awards (for Lou Grant, The Princess and the Cabbie, 1992’s Jewels and a song for 2000’s Yesterday’s Children) and 22 Emmy nominations. He also was honored with two Grammy Awards (and 19 Grammy nomination) and BMI’s Richard Kirk Award. Williams died of complications from cancer at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California and is survived by his wife, three children and five grandchildren (Variety).