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Part 1 - Bugsy Malone, Alan Parker, Evergreen, Barbra Streisand

He's Only Just Begun - Part 1 of a Paul Williams Special presented by Gary Osborne who looks at the remarkable career of the man behind Bugsy Malone and The Muppets Christmas Carol.

"He's Only Just Begun" - In an intimate chat with his old friend Paul Williams, fellow songwriter Gary Osborne charts the remarkable career of the man behind the timeless classics "We've Only Just Begun", "Rainy Days And Mondays", "You And Me Against The World". He won an Oscar with Barbra Streisand for "Evergreen" worked with The Muppets writing "Rainbow Connection" and the seasonal favourite "The Muppet Christmas Carol", plus every school's favourite musical "Bugsy Malone".

In part 1 we go back to the beginning with Paul Williams' huge desire to act rather than write music but he achieved both in "Phantom of the Paradise" he was nominated for an Oscar for the score and starred as the villainous Swan in the Brian De Palma's cult classic and he then won huge acclaim as Little Enos in the action-comedy "Smokey And The Bandit" in which he starred alongside Burt Reynolds. In the meantime he was writing for a number of 70s acts including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song", the timeless classics "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days And Mondays" for The Carpenters and "You And Me Against The World" by Helen Reddy. He was asked by Barbra Streisand to work on "A Star Is Born" and that collaboration earned him an Oscar for "Evergreen"; in his acceptance speech he said: "I was going to thank all the little people, then I remembered I am the little people". It's with that humour and childlike quality, which he freely admits, that helped him write "Bugsy Malone" directed by Alan Parker and "Rainbow Connection" for The Muppets.

57 minutes

Last on

Sun 21 Apr 2019 02:00

Music Played

  • Carpenters

    We've Only Just Begun

    • The Carpenters - Yesterday Once More.
    • A&M.
  • Carpenters

    Rainy Days and Mondays

    • The Carpenters - Yesterday Once More.
    • A&M.
  • David Bowie

    Fill Your Heart

    • Hunky Dory.
    • EMI.
    • 7.
  • Helen Reddy

    More Than You Can Take

    • Helen Reddy.
    • Capitol.
    • 9.
  • Carpenters

    Let Me Be The One

    • Magical Memories of The Carpenters.
    • Reader's Digest.
    • 10.
  • Paul Williams

    Bugsy Malone

    • Bugsy Malone Original Soundtrack.
    • Polydor.
    • 1.
  • Company of Bugsy Malone

    My Name Is Tallulah

    • The Original Soundtrack of Bugsy Malone.
    • Polydor.
    • 6.
  • The Company Bugsy Malone

    Fam Sam's Grand Slam

    • Bugsy Malone Original Soundtrack.
    • Polydor.
    • 2.
  • Three Dog Night

    Family Of Man

    • Three Dog Night - The Complete Hit Singles.
    • MCA.
    • 13.
  • Three Dog Night

    An Old Fashioned Love Songs

    • Three Dog Night - The Complete Hit Singles.
    • MCA.
    • 11.
  • Paul Williams

    Nilsson Sings Newman

    • Paul Williams.
    • White Label.
    • 1.
  • Helen Reddy

    You And Me Against The World

    • The Very Best Of Helen Reddy.
    • EMI.
    • 20.
  • Barbra Streisand

    Evergreen (Love Theme From "A Star Is Born")

    • Barbra Streisand Greatest Hits Vol.2.
    • CBS.

Broadcasts

  • Mon 22 Jan 2018 22:00
  • Sun 21 Apr 2019 02:00