About Herbert Kretzmer
Herbert Kretzmer was a South African-born British journalist and lyricist. He was best known as the lyricist for the English-language musical adaptation of Les Misérables and for his collaboration with French singer and songwriter Charles Aznavour. Kretzmer's oldest brother, Elliot, flew as part of a bomber crew in the South African Air Force during the Second World War, eventually becoming the Mayor of Johannesburg in 1991. Kretzmer won an Ivor Novello Award for the Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren comedy hit "Goodness Gracious Me", co-composed with David Lee. He held this post for 16 years, covering approximately 2,500 first nights during this time. Kretzmer wrote lyrics for the BBC's 1960s televised satire That Was the Week That Was, including the racial satire "Song of Nostalgia for an All-American State" and the much-recorded tribute to John F.
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