Obituary: Andre Previn

Oscar-winning composer and conductor Andre Previn, 89, has died.  He composed the score for films such as Gigi and Porgy and Bess, among other films.

Let's face it:  He is better known for the gossipy side of his life.  His first wife was Dory Previn, with whom he was married for a decade or so (1958-1969).  She was a lyricist, singer-songwriter, and poet.  Things went along fine for a time until he met Mia Farrow, who was a mere 23 years old in 1968.  Farrow had a penchant for getting involved with older men.  Case in point was her first husband, Frank Sinatra, who was some 30 years her senior and created quite a stir when they were married in the mid-1960s.  Andre, however,  was much younger, only a mere 16 years her senior.  It didn't take long for old Andre to turn ornery and dump Dory, who suffered from some mental issues,  for Mia.  Andre and Mia married in 1970.  It was his third marriage of five in all, and her second and so far last.

As for Dory, she eventually married actor Joby Baker, who I remember best as having co-starred with Ronnie Schell in the one-season classic comedy series, Good Morning, World, co-created by Carl Reiner and one of the best sitcoms of the 1960s.  Dory died in 2012, and Baker remarried a couple of years later.

Meanwhile, Previn kept on composing while Mia revived her film career, got involved in charitable causes, and, with Andre adopted a few kids while having  three of them of "their own."  One of these adopted children was a young Korean girl who was named Soon-Yi.  As we all know and wish we didn't,  Andre and Mia  split up after a few years together.  She eventually had a relationship with actor, director, comedian, and whatever Woody Allen.  He was much younger than Andre, just ten years older than Mia.  Mia ended up adopting and giving birth to even more children, coming to a grand total of 14 children overall, tied with the legendary Octomom.  Of course Octomom actually gave birth to all her kids.  She, meaning Mia,  never bothered living with Woody Allen, but they were regarded as a couple.  As we know, it got even messier, as Allen, thinking Mia was too old for him at being ten years his junior,  eventually dumped her for her now-adult adopted daughter, Soon-Yi.  Allen eventually married Soon-Yi and they lived happily ever after, despite considerable controversy and child molestation allegations.   As for Andre, he basically disowned Soon-Yi as if she never existed in the first place.

One almost has to draw a diagram of the family connections here.

However, this is Andre's obituary, and it is he, not his messy family life, that should be the the focus:

During his seven decade career, Previn earned four Oscars, 10 Grammy Awards, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

He was also named honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.

Previn was born in Berlin in 1929. His family immigrated to the United States, and he was raised in Los Angeles. In 1967, he became the music director for the Houston Symphony Orchestra and in 1968 took on the role of principal conducted for the London Symphony Orchestra.

He died after a short illness.