Composer George Fenton dies aged 76

Composer George Fenton, whose scores ranged from the films Gandhi and Cry Freedom to David Attenborough’s natural history documentaries, has died aged 76. His family said he died unexpectedly on October 5. His management said he died unexpectedly in London on Monday. Neither statement gave a cause of death. Fenton received five Academy Award nominations during his career, including for Gandhi, Cry Freedom, The Fisher King and The Remains of the Day. His work on The Blue Planet earned awards including a BAFTA, an Emmy and an Ivor Novello. He also composed music for Planet Earth and Frozen Planet, and created theme music for BBC programmes including Newsnight and several television news bulletins. Born George Howe in Bromley, Kent, in 1949, Fenton first pursued acting. He appeared in Alan Bennett’s first West End play, Forty Years On, in 1968, and later worked in television and theatre. He shifted his focus to composing, earning an early film credit for Private Road in 1971 and working on productions including Twelfth Night for the Royal Shakespeare Company. His film work included scores for Groundhog Day, The Fisher King, The Long Walk Home and The Lady in the Van.