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Broadway, Hollywood composer Marc Shaiman on being a "sore winner"
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Broadway, Hollywood composer Marc Shaiman on being a "sore winner"

#Marc Shaiman #Never Mind the Happy #composer #memoir #Tony Award #Oscar nominations #Rob Reiner #Hairspray

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Marc Shaiman released his memoir 'Never Mind the Happy: Showbiz Stories from a Sore Winner'
  • Shaiman has won a Tony for 'Hairspray' and received seven Oscar nominations throughout his career
  • The composer began his career as a piano prodigy from New Jersey and worked with Bette Midler and 'Saturday Night Live'
  • Shaiman faced personal tragedy with the murder of his close friend and collaborator Rob Reiner in December 2025

📖 Full Retelling

Legendary Broadway and Hollywood composer Marc Shaiman celebrated the release of his new memoir 'Never Mind the Happy: Showbiz Stories from a Sore Winner' at a book party held a few weeks ago at the iconic New York City restaurant Sardi's, reflecting on his nearly 50 years in the entertainment industry. The Tony Award-winning composer for 'Hairspray,' seven-time Oscar nominee, and Emmy and Grammy winner has created some of the most memorable film scores including 'Sleepless in Seattle,' 'Sister Act,' and 'City Slickers,' while also writing the music for Billy Crystal's Oscar montages. Born 66 years ago in New Jersey, Shaiman left home at 16 to pursue a music career in New York, eventually becoming the music director for Bette Midler and later joining 'Saturday Night Live' where he created the Sweeney Sisters and formed lifelong friendships with comedians like Martin Short and Billy Crystal. His collaboration with director Rob Reiner began when Crystal recommended him for 'When Harry Met Sally,' leading to more than a dozen film collaborations including 'Misery' and 'The American President,' until the tragic murder of Reiner and his wife in December 2025 left Shaiman devastated but determined to continue his legacy. Despite calling himself a cynic, Shaiman expressed gratitude for his extraordinary career and believes that persistence and saying 'yes' to opportunities can make dreams come true, a philosophy he shares in his candid memoir that captures both the triumphs and tragedies of his journey in show business.

🏷️ Themes

Show Business Success, Personal Tragedy, Musical Passion, Career Longevity

📚 Related People & Topics

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

Annual awards for Broadway theatre

The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in Manhattan. The ceremony is usually held in June.

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Marc Shaiman

Marc Shaiman

American composer (born 1959)

Marc Shaiman ( SHAY-mən; born October 22, 1959) is an American composer and lyricist for films, television, and theatre, widely known for his collaborations with lyricist and director Scott Wittman, actor Billy Crystal, entertainer Bette Midler, and director Rob Reiner. Shaiman has received numerous...

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Rob Reiner

Rob Reiner

American filmmaker and actor (1947–2025)

Robert Reiner (; March 6, 1947 – December 14, 2025) was an American filmmaker and actor. He directed a series of acclaimed studio films in a career that spanned comedy, drama, romance, and documentary. Reiner received numerous accolades, including winning two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Hugo Award, ...

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Academy Awards

Annual awards for cinematic achievements

The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in cinematic achievements, as assessed by the Academy's voti...

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🌐 Piaf 3 shared
👤 Jane Lapotaire 3 shared
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Mentioned Entities

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

Annual awards for Broadway theatre

Marc Shaiman

Marc Shaiman

American composer (born 1959)

Rob Reiner

Rob Reiner

American filmmaker and actor (1947–2025)

Academy Awards

Annual awards for cinematic achievements

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Original Source
Sunday Morning Broadway and Hollywood composer Marc Shaiman on his new memoir, and being a "sore winner" By Tracy Smith Tracy Smith Correspondent. "CBS News Sunday Morning" and "48 Hours" Tracy Smith is an award-winning correspondent for "CBS News Sunday Morning" and "48 Hours," who joined CBS News in 2000. Smith has covered a wide range of subjects, producing revealing interviews with news-making artists to moving, in-depth reporting. Read Full Bio Tracy Smith Updated on: March 1, 2026 / 10:12 AM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google There's a line from an old movie that says no man is a failure who has friends, and by that reasoning, meet the most successful man in town: Marc Shaiman, the legendary composer, Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy-winner, and a guy with friends like Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and Steve Martin who'd brave a New York snowstorm to see him. The event, held a few weeks ago at the legendary New York City restaurant Sardi's, was a book party for Shaiman's new memoir, "Never Mind the Happy: Showbiz Stories from a Sore Winner" (Regalo Press) And with close to 50 years in the business, he has had a few things to be happy about. For starters, Shaiman has scored some of the best-loved films of a generation ("Sleepless in Seattle," "Sister Act," "City Slickers"), and scored seven Oscar nominations along the way, one of them for the music from the movie "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut." He also played the young news theme writer in the 1987 film "Broadcast News." Shaiman wrote the music for the hit Broadway musical "Hairspray," and won a Tony along with his writing partner (and former life partner) Scott Wittman. And back at Sardi's, it seemed everyone in the room had a favorite Marc Shaiman musical moment. "I loved Marc before I ever knew him," said Lin-Manuel Miranda, "because I was the species of theater kid that memorized Billy Crystal's musical montages on the Oscars. And many years later, I learned that Marc wrote those with Billy: It's a wonde...
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