The Jewish composer Monty Norman, best known for composing the distinctive twanging guitar theme tune for James Bond, has died aged 94. Not only did he create what has been described as “one of the most famous pieces of music in the world”, but he also helped to transform Ian Fleming’s fictional spy into the larger-than-life icon of the enduring film franchise.
Norman was part of the creative team — which included many Jews such as writer Wolf Mankowitz, production designer Ken Adam and producer Harry Saltzman — that re-cast the quintessential English spy into the widely recognised international jet-setting playboy.
He was hired by the EON production partnership of Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Saltzman to compose the score for the first James Bond film, Dr No, which was released in 1962.
He was persuaded to accept the assignment when Broccoli offered him and his then wife, actress Diana Coupland, an all-expenses-paid trip to the film’s shooting location in Jamaica.
As part of his assignment, he came up with Bond’s signature theme song.
As it was Bond’s first big-screen adventure, starring the then little-known Sean Connery, Norman realised the song had to stand out.
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Sean Connery as 007
He repurposed the basic melody of a song he had written for a never-produced stage musical based on V.S. Naipaul’s novel A House For Mr Biswas by replacing the Indian sitar with a slinky electric guitar riff and stabbing brass notes. “His sexiness, his mystery, his ruthlessness — it’s all there in a few notes,” Norman explained.
The theme, as much as the accompanying silhouette of 007 shooting at the camera, helped to launch the franchise and has become an iconic feature of the smash hit Bond brand replicated in all 25 films to date.
But when Norman’s desire to use West Indian folk tunes and calypsos for Dr No failed to convince Saltzman and Broccoli, they brought in John Barry to rearrange it. Barry was erroneously credited as the music’s author but Norman later successfully sued for libel, winning the acknowledgement he deserved. Yet, he never worked on any of the subsequent EON Bond movies.
Norman amassed scores of credits in his lifetime but received less attention for those, despite being nominated for Broadway’s Tony Award in 1961 and 1981 respectively, and winning Ivor Novello, Evening Standard and Laurence Olivier awards.
Monty Norman was born Monty Noserovitch in Stepney in London’s East End. Describing himself as “officially a cockney,” he was the only child of Latvian immigrants, Abraham, a Jewish cabinet maker and his wife, seamstress Annie (Berlyn).
monty and roger moore
Monty with Roger Moore
His interest in music was sparked early as he came from a musical family and many of his relatives were talented amateur singers. When he turned 16, Annie bought him a 1930s Gibson guitar.
During the Second World War he was evacuated to St Albans where he was taught by leading dance-band guitarist and author Bert Weedon. The family returned to London during the Blitz.
Monty changed his surname to Norman and began working as a barber, carrying on the same trade during his National Service in the RAF. He served alongside fellow Jewish hairdresser Vidal Sassoon. It was there that his interest in pursuing a career in singing was kindled.
Following his discharge, in the 1950s and early 1960s Norman joined various small jazz combos as a vocalist and eventually found employment as a singer with several of the leading big bands of the era, such as Cyril Stapleton’s, Stanley Black’s, Ted Heath’s, and Nat Temple’s.
He also sang in various variety shows, sharing top billing with such singers and comedy stars as Benny Hill, Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Harry Worth, Tommy Cooper, Jimmy James, Tony Hancock, Jimmy Edwards and Max Miller.
By the late 1950s, Norman had discovered his talent for writing music and moved from singing to song- writing, penning a series of songs for performers including Cliff Richard, Tommy Steele, Count Basie and Bob Hope.
He was also a prolific contributor to British musicals in the 1950s and 1960s, working with directors Peter Brook and Joan Littlewood. He wrote various successful West End stage hits including Irma La Douce, Make Me An Offer and Expresso Bongo.
The latter two were co-written with Jewish author Wolf Mankowitz who had also worked on Dr No but asked for his name to be removed from the credits for fear that it would damage his reputation.
In his spare time, Norman liked to cook. He attended St John’s Wood Liberal Jewish Synagogue and supported Tottenham Hotspur FC.
Norman worked for several years on his autobiography, which is entitled A Walking Stick Full of Bagels. So far it remains unpublished.
He married Coupland in 1956 but they divorced in 1975. In 2001, he married Rina Caesari, a social worker.
Norman is survived by his wife Rina and daughter Shoshana, an interior designer.
Monty Norman: born April 4, 1928.
Died July 11, 2022.
