Joseph Brooks (songwriter)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Brooks was an American
screenwriter
, director
, producer
, and composer
. He composed the song "You Light Up My Life
" for the film of the same name that he also wrote, directed, and produced. In his later years he became the subject of an investigation after being accused of a series of casting-couch rapes. He was indicted in 2009, but committed suicide on May 22, 2011, before he could be brought to trial.
("You've Got a Lot to Live") and Maxwell House
("Good to the Last Drop Feeling"). He received numerous Clio Awards for his work, as well as a People's Choice Award.
In October 1977 "You Light Up My Life" reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
charts and held the top position for 10 consecutive weeks, then the longest #1 run in the chart's history. With sales of over four million copies in the U.S. alone, the song ultimately became the biggest hit of the 1970s. It also hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and was even a top 10 country single. The passionate ballad also earned Brooks a Grammy Award for Song of the Year
, as well as an Academy Award for Best Original Song
, a Golden Globe Award
and an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Award. The song was Debby Boone
's first solo hit record and only top 40 pop hit.
Brooks also composed music for the film The Lords of Flatbush
and co-produced Eddie and the Cruisers
. He also directed other films and Broadway shows, including In My Life
. Then, after "Life", he was hit with a stroke, which stopped him from composing and writing music and his world changed.
, an amateur Mahler
scholar who founded Institutional Investor
magazine. Brooks and ex-wife Susan Paul had two children: Amanda
was born in 1981 and Nicholas was born five years later. At the time of Brooks' death, Nicholas, a former student at the University of Colorado
, was awaiting trial in New York City, charged with the murder of his girlfriend, swimwear designer Sylvie Cachay, in a Soho House
hotel room on December 9, 2010.
The grand jury heard more evidence on December 17, 2009, because two new witnesses came forward. However, Brooks died before he could be tried.
His assistant, Shawni Lucier, has pleaded guilty to a total 10 counts of felony and misdemeanor criminal facilitation, admitting she helped Brooks commit felony sex assaults—including rape—against 10 would-be starlets. Lucier's job was to arrange the young women's travel, and to weed out those who wanted to bring boyfriends and mothers—and to ignore their phone calls afterward. She knew full well, she admitted, that he just wanted to give the "girls" wine, have them read from a lascivious script, and then pounce. She stated, "One girl came out drunk and stumbling... She would send people to meet Joe Brooks at 10 or 11 at night. Joe Brooks thought that was the magic hour and she guesses it was easier for him to seduce them."
apartment by a friend. There was a plastic bag over his head and a helium
tank with an attached hose and a suicide note were found nearby. Police officials would not discuss the contents of the note. On May 23, 2011, the medical examiner ruled that Brooks had committed suicide, citing asphyxia by helium.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. He composed the song "You Light Up My Life
You Light Up My Life (song)
Many artists have covered "You Light Up My Life" since 1977. The following year, Johnny Mathis recorded and named his album after the song. LeAnn Rimes released her version as a single in 1997, 20 years after Boone's version was released and on the same record label . Her version fared modestly...
" for the film of the same name that he also wrote, directed, and produced. In his later years he became the subject of an investigation after being accused of a series of casting-couch rapes. He was indicted in 2009, but committed suicide on May 22, 2011, before he could be brought to trial.
Career
In the 1960s, Brooks composed advertising jingles for clients including PepsiPepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
("You've Got a Lot to Live") and Maxwell House
Maxwell House
Maxwell House is a brand of coffee manufactured by a like-named division of Kraft Foods. Introduced in 1892, it is named in honor of the Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. For many years until the late 1980s it was the largest-selling coffee in the U.S. and is currently second behind...
("Good to the Last Drop Feeling"). He received numerous Clio Awards for his work, as well as a People's Choice Award.
In October 1977 "You Light Up My Life" reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
charts and held the top position for 10 consecutive weeks, then the longest #1 run in the chart's history. With sales of over four million copies in the U.S. alone, the song ultimately became the biggest hit of the 1970s. It also hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and was even a top 10 country single. The passionate ballad also earned Brooks a Grammy Award for Song of the Year
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 and unlike the Record of the Year award, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year...
, as well as an Academy Award for Best Original Song
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
, a Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
and an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Award. The song was Debby Boone
Debby Boone
Deborah Anne Boone is an American singer and stage actress. She is best known for her 1977 hit, "You Light Up My Life," which spent a then record ten weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and led to her winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist the following year...
's first solo hit record and only top 40 pop hit.
Brooks also composed music for the film The Lords of Flatbush
The Lords of Flatbush
The Lords of Flatbush is a 1974 American drama film about a street gang in leather jackets from the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York....
and co-produced Eddie and the Cruisers
Eddie and the Cruisers
Eddie and the Cruisers is a 1983 American film directed by Martin Davidson with the screenplay written by the director and Arlene Davidson, based on the novel by P. F. Kluge...
. He also directed other films and Broadway shows, including In My Life
In My Life
"In My Life" is a song by The Beatles written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney . The song originated with Lennon, and while Paul McCartney contributed to the final version, the extent of his contribution is in dispute. George Martin contributed the instrumental bridge...
. Then, after "Life", he was hit with a stroke, which stopped him from composing and writing music and his world changed.
Personal life
Brooks' brother is Gilbert KaplanGilbert Kaplan
Gilbert Edmund Kaplan is an American businessman, former journalist and amateur conductor.He founded the magazine Institutional Investor in 1965. He was publisher of the magazine until 1990, and editor-in-chief for three more years, although he sold it in 1984 for $72 million...
, an amateur Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
scholar who founded Institutional Investor
Institutional Investor (magazine)
Institutional Investor magazine is a monthly periodical published by Euromoney Institutional Investor. A separate international edition of the magazine was established in 1976 for readers in Europe and Asia. Capital Cities Communications purchased the magazine in 1984...
magazine. Brooks and ex-wife Susan Paul had two children: Amanda
Amanda Brooks
Amanda Brooks is an actress who starred in the 2007 film D-War and in the 2006 film Cut Off. She also had leading roles in the 2005 films Flightplan and River's End. She is the daughter of film composer Joe Brooks....
was born in 1981 and Nicholas was born five years later. At the time of Brooks' death, Nicholas, a former student at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
, was awaiting trial in New York City, charged with the murder of his girlfriend, swimwear designer Sylvie Cachay, in a Soho House
Soho House (club)
Soho House is a well-known private members club patronized by those in the arts and media. The original location is at Greek Street, Soho, London, England . There are now nine 'houses' worldwide, found in Babington, Notting Hill, Chiswick, Shoreditch, Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, West...
hotel room on December 9, 2010.
Sexual assault indictment
In June 2009, Joseph Brooks was arrested on charges of raping or sexually assaulting 11 women lured to his East Side apartment from 2005 to 2008. His female assistant was charged with helping him. At least four different women accused him of sexual assault. He allegedly lured the women to his apartment to audition for movie roles. Often, the women responded to a notice that Brooks had posted on Craigslist and flew to New York from across the United States at Brooks’ expense, the district attorney’s account said. He was indicted on June 23, 2009. He was to be tried in the state Supreme Court for Manhattan (a trial-level court) on 91 counts of rape, sexual abuse, criminal sexual act, assault, and other charges.The grand jury heard more evidence on December 17, 2009, because two new witnesses came forward. However, Brooks died before he could be tried.
His assistant, Shawni Lucier, has pleaded guilty to a total 10 counts of felony and misdemeanor criminal facilitation, admitting she helped Brooks commit felony sex assaults—including rape—against 10 would-be starlets. Lucier's job was to arrange the young women's travel, and to weed out those who wanted to bring boyfriends and mothers—and to ignore their phone calls afterward. She knew full well, she admitted, that he just wanted to give the "girls" wine, have them read from a lascivious script, and then pounce. She stated, "One girl came out drunk and stumbling... She would send people to meet Joe Brooks at 10 or 11 at night. Joe Brooks thought that was the magic hour and she guesses it was easier for him to seduce them."
Death
Police reported on May 22, 2011, that Brooks was found dead in his Upper East SideUpper East Side
The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
apartment by a friend. There was a plastic bag over his head and a helium
Helium
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
tank with an attached hose and a suicide note were found nearby. Police officials would not discuss the contents of the note. On May 23, 2011, the medical examiner ruled that Brooks had committed suicide, citing asphyxia by helium.
Theater credits
- MetropolisMetropolis (musical)Metropolis is a musical based on the 1927 silent movie of the same name that was staged at the Piccadilly Theatre in London in 1989. The music was written by Joe Brooks, the lyrics by Dusty Hughes. The show was directed by Jerome Savary...
(1989), West EndWest End theatreWest End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
musical — composer, co-lyricist - In My Life (2005), BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical — writer, composer, lyricist
Films
- Invitation to a Wedding — (1983)
- If Ever I See You AgainIf Ever I See You Again"If Ever I See You Again" is the theme song from the title 1978 film starring Shelley Hack and Joe Brooks. The song was written by Brooks and recorded by Roberta Flack. Released as a single, it peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #37 on the R&B chart, and spent three weeks at #1 on the Easy...
— Director (1978) - You Light Up My Life — Director (1977)
Source
- Press, Jaques Cattell (Ed.). ASCAP Biographical Dictionary of Composers, Authors and Publishers, fourth edition, R. R. Bowker, 1980.