The brilliant Broadway composer who created music for classic such as Annie, Applause and Bye Bye Birdie died at the age of 96 Thursday.
Charles Strouse was at his home in New York City when he passed away, his family told The Press Room, a publicity agency in a statement obtained by Dailymail.com.
Over five decades, Strouse penned more than 10 musicals that played on Broadway, as well as writing Those Were the Days, classic theme song to the TV staple All in The Family.
Among other classic tunes Strouse was responsible for included his breakout Bye Bye Birdie’s Put on a Happy Face; and Tomorrow, from the classic Annie.
‘The Depression-era musical about a plucky red-headed orphan girl who wins the heart of billionaire Oliver Warbucks,’ The Press Room, said in a statement about Strouse’s passing, ‘was one of Broadway’s biggest hits of the 1970s.
Among the songs in the musical – which eclipsed 2,300 outings on Broadway – were Tomorrow, It’s the Hard–Knock Life, You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile and I Don’t Need Anything But You.
The brilliant Broadway composer who created music for classic such as Annie, Applause and Bye Bye Birdie died at the age of 96 Thursday.
Strouse worked on Annie with Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan. The musical pictured in 1982
It won ‘seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and garnering Strouse his third Tony Award and a Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album.’ according to The Press Room.
Annie has also been revived on multiple occasions and been the basis of international adaptations such as a pair of movie and TV productions.
As he turned 80 in 2018, Strouse told the AP that he continued to ‘work every day’ on music and that ‘activity’ is ‘a life force.’
He added: ‘When you enjoy doing what you’re doing, which I do very much, I have something to get up for.’
Annie alum Jenn Thompson – who initially played Pepper in the musical and is now a director – shared with the AP a story of how Strouse grew emotional when he attended auditions for her Annie tour last year.
The prolific composer became teary, Thompson said, as a young singer belted out his song Tomorrow.
‘He was tearing up and he put his hand on mine,’ Thompson told the AP. ‘And he leaned in to me and very quietly said, “That was you. That used to be you.”
‘And I thought I would die. I thought my heart would drop out of my shoes.’
Strouse posed with singer Idina Menzel during 38th annual songwriters Hall of Fame Ceremony in NYC in 2008
Strouse holds sheet music at the Yamaha Showroom in NYC on August 10, 1995
Modern Family star Sarah Hyland was among those to mourn the late composer
She added, ‘He’s so gorgeously generous and kind – he has always been that way.
Modern Family star Sarah Hyland was among those to mourn the late composer: ‘Earned my Equity card playing Annie and had the honor of meeting Mr. Strouse on our opening night.’
Strouse is survived by his children, Benjamin Strouse, Nicholas Strouse, Victoria Strouse, William Strouse, and his eight grandchildren, Sam and Arthur Strouse, Navah Strouse, Vivian, Weston and Ever Brush, and Owen and Theodore Strouse.
His late spouse of more than six decades, choreographer Barbara Siman, died in 2023.
Strouse’s family will have a private service for him at New York City’s Frank E. Campbell.
