Oscar-winning James Bond composer Barry dies at 77

FIVE-TIME Oscar-winning composer John Barry, who wrote music for a dozen James Bond films, including You Only Live Twice and Goldfinger — but couldn’t persuade a jury that he composed the suave spy’s theme music — has died. He was 77.

Barry died in New York, where he had lived for some time, on Sunday, his family said. The family did not release the cause of death.

Though his work on the Bond films is among his most famous, the English- born composer wrote a long list of scores, including for Midnight Cowboy, Dances with Wolves and Body Heat. He was proud of writing both for big action blockbusters and smaller films.